His ways…
I love to read thoughts written by Oswald Chambers. Often his words transcend the culture he spoke to and speak throughout time. Today I picked up the worn devotional and once again read these words:
A spiritually minded man will never come to you with the demand – “Believe this and that;” but with the demand that you square your life with the standards of Jesus. We are not asked to believe the Bible, but to believe the One Whom the Bible reveals (cf. John 5:39-40). We are called to present liberty of conscience, not liberty of view. If we are free with the liberty of Christ, others will be brought into that same liberty – the liberty of realizing the dominance of Jesus Christ.
Always keep your life measured by the standards of Jesus. Bow your neck to His yoke alone, and to no other yoke whatever; and be careful to see that you never bind a yoke on others that is not placed by Jesus Christ. It takes God a long time to get us out of the way of thinking that unless everyone sees as we do, they must be wrong. That is never God’s view. There is only one liberty, the liberty of Jesus at work in our conscience enabling us to do what is right.
Don’t get impatient, remember how God dealt with you – with patience and with gentleness; but never water down the truth of God. Let it have its way and never apologize for it. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples,” not “make converts to your opinions.”
I have read it again and again…and it never gets old. In our social culture and in the changing church culture of today…this is a message needing to be heeded. This thing called “church” is not about us or our ways and traditions. It is about Him…and His way…the way of love.
If and when we find ourselves struggling against the changing moves of the Spirit, we need to quickly refocus ourselves back onto Him.
It’s His time, and His way.
Amen Brother. Thank you for this reminder and clarity.
Logically we understand all that God is to us, all that He has done for us, that He is a loving, patient, creative God and we need and desire to be obedient to Him and trust Him in all things.
But our actions are often contrary and we do struggle against the changing moves of the Spirit.
Pray my fruit reveals a clear reflection of obedience to my Savior and King, not a reflection of acting out of my own strength, hurt, inflexibility (disobedience), selfishness, comfort, fear, or an attempt to please man instead of God. I want to be in tune with Him so my audio matches my video with clarity to a changing world that needs to personally experience the love and power of Christ – regardless of how He chooses to do that. I just want to be a vessel He can use.
I covet your prayers as I wrestle with God on something He is asking me to do.
It’s time I quit resisting and start obeying.
Love and thank you my friend for your sacrifice and for being my Pastor.