Devotionals

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Personal thoughts on daily devotions as read from My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Nothing smells as fresh as a newborn, straight from Heaven. This is what I think of as I read today's devotion. I delight in the message. Finally, a measuring tool to test the freshness of my relationship with my Creator. I hope that you will glean the priceless message for you.

:: Are You Fresh for Everything? Oswald Chambers January 20, 06
Direct quote from My Utmost for His Highest

Sometimes we are fresh for a prayer meeting but not fresh for cleaning boots!
Being born again of the Spirit is an unmistakable work of God, as mysterious as the wind, as surprising as God Himself. We do not know where it begins, it is hidden away in the depths of our personal life. Being born again from above is a perennial, perpetual, and eternal beginning, a freshness all the time in thinking and in talking and in living, the continual surprise of the life of God. Staleness is an indication of something out of joint with God, "I must do this thing or it will never be done." That is the first sign of staleness. Are we freshly born this minute or are we stale, raking in our minds for something to do? Freshness does not come from obedience but from the Holy Spirit; obedience keeps us in the light as God is in the light.
Guard, jealously, your relationship to God. Jesus prayed "that they may be one, even as we are one" -- nothing between. Keep all the life perennially open to Jesus Christ, don't pretend with Him. Are you drawing your life from any other source than God Himself? If you are depending upon anything but Him, you will never know when He is gone.
Being born of the Spirit means much more than we generally take it to mean. It gives us a new vision and keeps us absolutely fresh for everything by the perennial supply of the life of God.
John 3:3

My thoughts:

I ask myself, am I drawing life from any other source than God? Life from accomplishments, or gain, riches, or fame, friends or career, just to tickle my ears? Am I depending upon anything (or anyone) but Him? Discontented with my lot in life? Discontentment, resentment, a feeling of drudgery is the first sign of something not right between God and I.

Staleness is a distasteful quality. Who likes to eat or drink stale anything? Stale medications can actually make you sick. Stale air can also do that. Think about the recycled air in an airplane. Staleness. May I always be fresh in spirit, after the heart of God. And how do I stay fresh? There is no tupperware for the heart. No ziploc bag to maintain the freshness of my attitude. It takes working out my salvation with fear and trembling, which means an act of purpose on my part. Voluntarily protecting the love of God, applying the Word daily, thereby working out the habit of sin. For me, spending time with my Father each night before I go to sleep to evaluate my day, and the attitude of my heart for that day, is probably one of the most important things I can do to prevent staleness. The prayer, "Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me" is on my lips for it is only the Holy Spirit of God who can do this. Nothing that I could ever do can actually restructure my heart. It's by the Power and the Grace of God, that mysterious wind of the Spirit. Will I allow it to blow away the crumbs of the day, the refuse of discontentment, disappointment, darkness? Obedience keeps me in the Light of God, where no darkness can hide. And when no darkness can hide, neither can sin. Remaining in the Light of God brings refreshment and keeps the Father and I as one.

Quiet yourself tonight my friend, and spend some quality time with your Father. Allow Him to speak to your innermost man. Tap into that perennial supply of the life of God and ask for His grace to develop this habit so that you may always be able to receive from the perennial supply of the Life of God. Knit together as one with Him, nothing but nothing in between.

May the Lord God Almighty have His way with each of us today. May His perfect Will be done on earth, in our life, this day while it is today. Then we shall enjoy true contentment.
Living simply and purposefully for Him,
Sherri

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