Mighty to Save

Spurgeon's Morning devotional for today is moving. How have I ignored this great devotional writer for 46 years? Where have you been, dear brother Charles? Thank you for writing, though I have ignored you. May God help me to read the Bible more, which inspired you so greatly.

Isaiah 63:1-6 says,

Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? "It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save." Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? "I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing. For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redemption has come. I looked, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm worked salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me. I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground."

This prophetic passage speaks of Jesus, who alone is mighty to save, who works salvation with no one to help, alone, blood-spattered, appalling to those who see, helped by none.

So Spurgeon rhapsodizes on Jesus, how he is mighty to save, not only to save at our first belief, but to save us from all the myriad temptations that beset us afterward, and to save others when we lift them up in earnest prayer. Though we "are powerless to reclaim the rebel, our Lord is Almighty. Lay hold on that mighty arm, and rouse it to put forth its strength."

May God hear my prayer for my children, and turn them to Jesus. May God who is mighty to destroy show his mercies and reveal how mighty he is to save, when we pray.

Understanding myself, understanding others

I just love the way Oswald Chambers writes. I can't get enough of his writing!

He says, for example, "We think we understand another person’s struggle until God reveals the same shortcomings in our lives." And the day before, "We have to get rid of the idea that we understand ourselves. That is always the last bit of pride to go. The only One who understands us is God."

How is it that this generation, like Chambers' generation, is even more enamored with knowledge of Self? Why do we remain in such pride, as if we are in possession of exceptional knowledge of Self, that people in generations past could not have had? And the younger we are, the more we think we know ourselves and no one else really understands us. It's positively fashionable to be misunderstood by ones parents, as if they can't know what its like to be young, since they are old.

But God has even more in store for us when we are old, if we never stop learning and listening and growing. Myself, for example: I have a kind of difficult time with a certain person, who is very perfectionistic and extremely critical of everyone and everything. The more I recognize his weakness, the more I find the same weakness in myself---or am I growing more and more critical through his influence? Surely I am not trying to imitate this person. But I cannot escape the influence, any more than a weed can escape the sun which makes it grow more and more obvious and less able to hide.

So I give up. Critical words and thoughts are only making me a burden to my family. Lord, I surrender. I am no better than the person who most vexes me, no better than a common criminal, no better than the complete heathen, even if I have come so far with you. Change me from a carnal, self-centered, unloving ogre into a gentle shepherd like Jesus.

Intimate With Jesus

I'm again very thankful for the chance to read Oswald Chamber's wonderful devotional. As I have already resolved to be more faithful and regular in my daily devotions, this is the reinforcement I need.

"Have I been so long with you, and yet hast thou not known Me?" John 14:9

Recently my friend Grace, of Tampa, said, "I realized, while struggling with my problems, that I didn't really know Jesus until this year." Of course she is a mature Christian lady. I thought she might be looking for a deeper emotional experience or discounting her former faith. In fact, she was struggling just as Philip was, when Jesus said, "Don't you know me Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?"

The fact is, knowing Jesus isn't something we "learn". It's a constant relationship, a friendship. Jesus called his disciples, "Friends'. [John 15:15] As Chambers says, "Friendship is rare on earth. It means identity in thought and heart and spirit. The whole discipline of life is to enable us to enter into this closest relationship with Jesus Christ." So my whole direction in 2009 isn't to be a better person, a better preacher, or a more spiritual man at all! It is to personally "lift up Jesus" [John 12:32] in my own personal devotions, and to lift him up in preaching and teaching. That's all.

Lord, have your way with me, that I may do this alone: to lift up Jesus. Send revival to us when we lift up Jesus. Draw all men to yourself as we who serve you give our whole thought to lifting you up, Lord. Forgive me for my sins, and cleanse my selfish mind and ways to be wholly devoted to you, my Lord.

Bethel and Ai

Genesis 12:8 says that Abraham pitched his tents between Bethel and Ai. Oswald Chambers interprets Bethel as symbolic of fellowship with God. Bethel means "House of God". Ai is the world. Thus Abraham lived between God and the world, not in full-time fellowship (worship), but in daily quiet time spent at the altar. So we cannot stay on the mountain top full-time, but must "go and make disciples" among the sinners, living among them and being salt, shaken out onto the world.

Chambers writes,

"The lasting value of our public service for God is measured by the depth of the intimacy of our private times of fellowship and oneness with Him."

This is why I am largely ineffective as a preacher or teacher: my private time with God is not a daily matter, nor is it very intimate. My devotion consists, at present, entirely of reading a passage (or sometimes just a verse, as today), reading a devotional (such as My Utmost for His Highest, as today), and writing in this blog or some other. Often I skip prayers altogether. Often I do not even meditate, but simply start writing, since I haven't set aside time but am borrowing it from some other claimant. Often I do not even open the Bible, but just look at the verse online. I have not read the entire Bible through in one year, but only once listened to it on audio CD.

So or my new key verse this year I have chosen John 12:32: "And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men to myself." Lifting up Jesus will be my only effort this year. And this begins with worship. Worship is nothing if it is not to lift up and praise Jesus. Corporate worship is one thing. But private devotionals ought to include private worship in addition to meditating on the word or simply writing down my thoughts. To lift up Jesus in my private devotions is to draw all men to Him. Perhaps he will use me to draw them to him, since I am lifting him up privately. Surely I must also preach and teach in order to literally lift up his Name, since He has commanded it.

My personal relationship, daily fellowship, worship, devotions must precede my public service, if Chambers is right. I will never be more spiritually valuable to others than Jesus is valuable to me. Lord, help me to sell all that I have and buy the Best, to invest my best in you, my most precious time spend in your presence. Lord, help me to move a little closer to Bethel, and yet reach out more to Ai, to love the world AS YOU DO, but to love you with all my heart, all my soul, all my strength. In 2009, Lord, let me lift up Jesus, even if I do nothing else. Amen.

Will you go out not knowing where you go?

I suppose there are many whose future is pretty predictable. But that fact is, no one really knows where he is going. Those who try to fix their future---especially financially---are not able to really taste the wonder and joy of living by faith. I want to know Christ. This means living as he lived, taking up his cross, and obeying what he said. And when he says,

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear."

Jesus is challenging us to overcome the pressure by faith. We need to know God who sees the sparrow fall, and instead of clinging to resources, see what God has already done and trust him.

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven..."

As Oswald Chambers writes,

"Let the attitude of life be a continual `going out' in dependence on God, and your life will have an ineffable charm about it which is a satisfaction to Jesus."

I want this charm. Perhaps I am gaining it a little; but I know I am not charming to one person. I think I am a burdensome and untrustworthy oaf to him.

Lord, free me from the desire to always have a plan, a computer to show me every turn, a recipe for each day. Lord, make me one who goes out like Abraham, "without knowing where he was going" [Heb 11:8] and like Jesus, and Peter after him, who went out knowing it would be "where he did not want to go." [John 21:18] Lord, who me how to live by faith, not by sight.