The initiative against drudgery by Oswald Chambers

Arise, shine. Isaiah 60:1.

We have to take the first step as though there were no God. It is no use to wait for God to help us, He will not; but immediately we arise we find He is there. Whenever God inspires, the initiative is a moral one. We must do the thing and not lie like a log. If we will arise and shine, drudgery becomes divinely transfigured.

Drudgery is one of the finest touchstones of character there is. Drudgery is work that is very far removed from anything to do with the ideal—the utterly mean, grubby things; and when we come in contact with them we know instantly whether or not we are spiritually real. Read John 13; we see there the Incarnate God doing the most desperate piece of drudgery, washing fishermen’s feet, and He says—“If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.” It requires the inspiration of God to go through drudgery with the light of God upon it. Some people do a certain thing, and the way in which they do it hallows that thing for ever afterwards. It may be the most commonplace thing, but after we have seen them do it, it becomes different. When the Lord does a thing through us, He always transfigures it. Our Lord took on Him our human flesh and transfigured it, and it has become for every saint the temple of the Holy Ghost.

The initiative against despair by Oswald Chambers

Rise let us be going. Matthew 26:46.

The disciples went to sleep when they should have kept awake, and when they realized what they had done it produced despair. The sense of the irreparable is apt to make us despair, and we say—‘It is all up now, it is no use trying any more.’ If we imagine that this kind of despair is exceptional, we are mistaken, it is a very ordinary human experience. Whenever we realize that we have not done that which we had a magnificent opportunity of doing, then we are apt to sink in despair, and Jesus Christ comes and says—‘Sleep on now, that opportunity is lost for ever, you cannot alter it, but arise and go to the next thing.’ Let the past sleep, but let it sleep on the bosom of Christ, and go out into the irresistible future with Him.

There are experiences like this in each of our lives. We are in despair, the despair that comes from actualities, and we cannot lift ourselves out of it. The disciples in this instance had done a downright unforgivable thing; they had gone to sleep instead of watching with Jesus, but He came with a spiritual initiative against their despair and said—‘Arise and do the next thing.’ If we are inspired of God, what is the next thing? To trust Him absolutely and to pray on the ground of His Redemption.

Never let the sense of failure corrupt your new action.

The initiative against depression by Oswald Chambers

Arise and eat. 1 Kings 19:5.

The angel did not give Elijah a vision, or explain the Scriptures to him, or do anything remarkable; he told Elijah to do the most ordinary thing, viz., to get up and eat. If we were never depressed we should not be alive; it is the nature of a crystal never to be depressed. A human being is capable of depression, otherwise there would be no capacity for exaltation. There are things that are calculated to depress, things that are of the nature of death; and in taking an estimate of yourself, always take into account the capacity for depression.

When the Spirit of God comes He does not give us visions; He tells us to do the most ordinary things conceivable. Depression is apt to turn us away from the ordinary commonplace things of God’s creation, but whenever God comes, the inspiration is to do the most natural simple things—the things we would never have imagined God was in, and as we do them we find He is there. The inspiration which comes to us in this way is an initiative against depression; we have to do the next thing and to do it in the inspiration of God. If we do a thing in order to overcome depression, we deepen the depression; but if the Spirit of God makes us feel intuitively that we must do the thing, and we do it, the depression is gone. Immediately we arise and obey, we enter on a higher plane of life.

Filled with His fullness....

Twelve years ago when I left for Africa, God told me there were two things I needed to focus on for the women: the priority of Word of God in daily life – training them how to receive His intimate instruction and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit – experiencing for themselves intimate intoxication, not by might, not by power, but utterly consumed with His Spirit! These are the crown jewels of our faith my precious sisters.

The reality is that only Christianity holds forth the Word of Life (Philippians2:14). And only Jesus offered us the same power that raised Him from the dead to live out the Words of Life. His commandments are without fail also our enablements. He will never ask you to do something He is not fully ready to empower you to do!  Isn’t that encouraging! 

Do you want all Jesus has for you? I can tell you from the depth of my heart I do…I am desperate to receive everything Jesus has to offer….I don’t want to miss anything. Intimate instruction necessitates our radical obedience IF we want to experience His fullness. Do you want that? If you echo that cry I have good news…Right now, if you will harden not your heart, if you allowed the Spirit of God free reign in your heart, and told Him at this very minute, to search you and test you… if you will hold your life up next to the only real standard – God’s Word – and relinquish anything He reveals is in your way He promises He will fill you afresh!

You will be bathed in Christ – His love, His righteousness, His power and His fullness. Pastor Chuck Smith says that as we yield to the Spirit we open the door to a vast new dimension of power. In an instant, simply by faith, our lives are saturated with God and a beautiful outworking transformation takes place. We begin to live intimately intertwined with Jesus. Walking, talking, led by, controlled, directed, and more fruitful than we are able to even dream.

The Body of Christ has pulled away from the Holy Spirit of the Living God. Some in fear, many because of compromise, others in ignorance…it makes no difference the reason, the reality is they are missing the power. We need revival and revival always starts in the heart’s of the believers whose ear is tuned to the Lord. We need Jesus, in all His holiness, all His power, and all His love to baptize us. 

Being filled with His fullness:

John 1:16: And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

Ephesians 1:23: Which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all.

Irresistible Call

Psalm 139:23-24: Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

·         Irresistible call: drawing us into His very embrace…can illicit only one response in us….·        

·         We here His call, know His voice (John 10:27) and

·         In love we relinquish all, lay it down for good in absolute surrender.

·         Right now give God unhindered way in your life. This is a willful abandonment of self because we know the greatness of our Lord.    

Acts 17:28: For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said,  “For we are also His offspring.” 

Colossians 1:27: … Christ in you, the hope of glory 

By dying you shall live, it has to start here….and He will bring you to His desired end, molding you into the very image of our Beloved Jesus. We decrease, He increases; we die, He lives; only as we bow before the Lover of our soul will we find the true meaning and purpose of life….isn’t it time you fulfilled your destiny?

Impenetrable Protection

Psalm 139:19-22: Oh that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?  I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.

·         Impenetrable protection: God is your very Present Help in time of need, your Strong Tower, your Fortress and Refuge.

·         You are safe in His hands, NO one can ever take you away from Him

John 10:27-30: My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.  I and My Father are one.

Psalm 31:20: You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence From the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion From the strife of tongues. 

Proverbs 18:1: The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. 

Zechariah 2:8:… for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.

Take a moment to meditate on the verses below. If you long for more assurance, meditate on these too:  

·         Psalm 18:1-50

·         Psalm 91

·         Psalm 27

·         Isaiah 26:4

·         Matthew 6:25-34

·         Colossians 1:16-18

·         Colossians 2:14-15

Incalculable Affection

Psalm 139:17-18: How precious are Your thoughts toward me, O God! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake I am still with You.

 ·         Incalculable affection: remember our prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21?

o   His ways and doings are outside of our ability to understand…

o   There is coming a day when we will see Him face to face and we will be like Him.

o   Then we will understand fully the depth of His love

o   We will see our very names written in the scars on His hands and His feet

·         No human love comes close to His love.

o   Whose love are you craving right now?

o   Fall more in love with Jesus and

o   I guarantee His love in you will draw them closer to you. Because

o   God’ love is irresistible.

·         When you are in love with Jesus it shows, people will be drawn to you because they see something in you they want for themselves.

o    John 6:44: No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.

o   1 John 4:12: No one has seen God at anytime. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

Isaiah 55:9: For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. 

Isaiah 49:15-16: Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. 

1 John 3:1-2: Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! … Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.  

1 Corinthians 13:12,18: For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 

Psalm 121:3-4: …He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. 

Taken to the Extremes of His Glory

We cannot claim to know anyone intimately whom we have not known in the intensity of both agony and elation. Anyone with eyes willing to truly behold Jesus will at times be confused and shocked by what he sees. You see, if we are willing to be taken to the extremes of His glory where intimate knowledge is gained, we will undoubtedly see things of Him we cannot explain and that sometimes disturb.

Then comes the question: Will we walk away from Jesus when from human understanding He looks weak and defeated? Do you know what I mean by that question?

       What do we do when we can’t explain what Jesus is doing?
            Will we remain nearby when He hasn’t stopped a tragedy?

When based on earthly evidence, human reasoning is left to one of two harrowing conclusions: he is either mean or weak. Think, beloved, about what I am saying.
        Will we cling when our human reasoning implies evil has defeated Him?
             Or that evil seems to be found in Him?
                   Will we stand by faith when human logic says to run?

That is what will make us different.  Beth Moore

Have been taken to the extremes of His glory?

Let our praises rise....

Last week the Rabuna Fi ladies in leadership devoted a day to prayer and fasting. We have noticed many sisters getting distracted from Bible Study. We are asking Jesus to woo them back. I crept in while they worshipped...

I hope heaven is going to be filled with melodies, in every language, that will blend so perfectly we can get lost in the Beauty of His Holiness as the voices weave together in a tapestry of worship!

Intentional Design

Psalm 139:13-16: For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.

·         Intentional Design: formed your very cells, your unique DNA – ON PURPOSE, with a PLAN, unique different set apart from the other 5 billion or so people on this planet!

o   INTENTIONAL: He laid out a series of good works for you from before the foundation of the world. He gave you gifts to ensure you accomplished those acts with His power, His love, and His strength; so that all would know you had spent time with Jesus.

o   DESIGN: God has an order and purpose for all He does. He never wastes anything. So often we think of our failures as lost time, but the great Redeemer even turns those around for good.

Ephesians 2:10:  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Romans 8:28: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11: There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.  And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of al]: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. 

2 Corinthians 4:7: But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

Get into the Battle!

Some of you may not have seen this because I posted it as a page. I am still new to blogging so please forgive my mistakes...I urge you to take a few minutes and read both of these posts...someone's life and eternity depend on it!

Get into the Battle!: Call to Arms ~ Prayer Warriors & Intercessors Needed I believe this may be the most important message God has given me, PLEASE take th...

Prayer that Overcomes: God gave me a vision concerning the Call to Arms ( http://www.whispersofhiswonder.blogspot.com/p/get-into-battle.html ) I saw the Af...

Now, join the Rescue & Redemption Cause and be sure to sign the petition! We want to get one million people praying...that meas we need your help!

Rescue & Redemption: Praying and helping until every slave has been set free and hears the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Rabuna Fi Worship

This little video is so fun! The women were excited because Wes was just about to share an encouraging word and pray over them...

I always say, "In Africa the Christians worship God with their whole body!" I wonder if God is as pleased with them as He was with David?

Wes talking with the Madi speaking group of Rabuna Fi

Inescapable Pursuit

Psalm 139:7-12: Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall still hold me. If I say, “Surely, the darkness shall fall on me,” even the night shall be light about me; indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You; but night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.

·         Inescapable pursuit: Jesus said, “No man comes to the Father, but by Me,” the Apostle John says, “We love him, because he first loved us.”  That tells us God is the Initiator, Pursuer, and the One who wins our affections with His Agape Love. The LORD over all creation is so in love with you He seeks you out…

o   The prophet Jonah is a picture of God’s pursuing love. He purses both Jonah and Ninevah

o   Nineveh is evil, wicked to the core but God has mercy and wants to forgive them

o   Jonah is hard hearted and rebellious, filled with bitterness

o   Each of the apostles was called in their own profession or habit

o   The woman at the well was rejcted by everyone except Jesus

o   God follows after all of them, uniquely, patiently, and precisely

o   And He follows after us too….think back to when you first responded to His pursuing love…

o   Thank Him for never giving up and ask Him to give you the resolve to keep lovingly chasing the lost in your path.

Romans 8:31-39: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things… Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword… Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Inconceivable Commitment

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high I cannot attain it.

Psalm 139:6   

His love surpasses your ability to comprehend or even imagine. Let that sink in for a minute. Don’t stop trying to grasp onto that, delight in its vastness! Meditate a bit on these verses and listen for your Spirit of adoption to cry out from within, “Abba, Father!”

John 15:13: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

2 Corinthians 5:21: For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Jeremiah 33:3: The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.”

Ephesians 3:16-19: That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 1:18-23: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.

Psalm 103:17: But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children…