Devotion Romans 8:28 NIV (December 18. 2018)

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 NIV)

Message

On Today’s devotion on Romans, the classic and ever moving, go to verse of most Christians. But as I read through the Oswald Chambers “Test of Faithfulness” entry (referenced below). Even when we are stating this we are not actually believing it most of the time. We only tend to say this to give us encouragement that on these times everything will be all right. We missed the actual point of believing that everything is orchestrated by the Lord no matter what is happening. This is because of our attachment to the world. If we go through the entry Oswald Chambers impressed a powerful ending statement where we should not question and the Lord should not be required to explain the things that he is doing in this life for we should be assured of Him no matter what happen. We should be living like Jesus where we never question and just allow Him to take full control and let His will be done in this life, Just like how His will was perfectly done in Jesus that saved us all.

Promise

Everything will work together for the good for those who are for the Lord (Romans 8:28).  He is perfectly in control of all things, He will never allow anything too hard for us to do (1 Corinthians 10:13) and that everything that we encounter is but common to man. Know what we believe in and believe what we know.

Command

Believe what we know. His is God and there should be no other things required for us to know that He is perfectly in control, He is God. He is who He is.

Warning

The world will try to tie us down to it and depend on it. Drawing all conclusion to what is logical and physical. Beware of this for the world will show us things that may limit us of knowing and believing on God. For the Lords, way are unfathomable and sometimes cannot be logically explained as it is Spirit and of not the physical realm. But this does not mean that it is not true. logic and any other thing are only limited to what the mind can comprehend it may be validated but cannot validate all.

Application

Know your God and believe Him completely. Trust Him and know that He is there and perfectly working in us. Allow Him to use this life just like how He used the Lord’s life to save us all. Have no questions or hesitations know that He is true and will always be true. let everyone be a lier but the Lord true (Romans 3:4)

Reference

http://blog.joshuaadela.com/test-of-faithfulness-by-oswald-chambers/

Redemption— Creating the Need it Satisfies By Oswald Chambers

The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him… —1 Corinthians 2:14

The gospel of God creates the sense of need for the gospel. Is the gospel hidden to those who are servants already? No, Paul said, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe…” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). The majority of people think of themselves as being completely moral, and have no sense of need for the gospel. It is God who creates this sense of need in a human being, but that person remains totally unaware of his need until God makes Himself evident. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you…” (Matthew 7:7). But God cannot give until a man asks. It is not that He wants to withhold something from us, but that is the plan He has established for the way of redemption. Through our asking, God puts His process in motion, creating something in us that was nonexistent until we asked. The inner reality of redemption is that it creates all the time. And as redemption creates the life of God in us, it also creates the things which belong to that life. The only thing that can possibly satisfy the need is what created the need. This is the meaning of redemption— it creates and it satisfies.

Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32). When we preach our own experiences, people may be interested, but it awakens no real sense of need. But once Jesus Christ is “lifted up,” the Spirit of God creates an awareness of the need for Him. The creative power of the redemption of God works in the souls of men only through the preaching of the gospel. It is never the sharing of personal experiences that saves people, but the truth of redemption. “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).

Reference: Utmost for His Highest

Devotion 2 Timothy 2:15 NIV (December 15, 2018)

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15 NIV)

Message

This verse in 2 Timothy reminds us to know what we believe and believe what we speak. Know our stand for it is concrete irrefutable and is foundations with the truth. Review, practice, and experience what we preach. We will go through challenging experiences understanding the truth but it will indeed set us free. More so as we oath to share it we will have that confidence for the Lord has allowed us to experience it for His greater glory only.

Promise

The word of the Lord and the God we believe in is true and all His words are irrefutable. This is our stand and this is the thing that the Lord wanted us to share. Know it, learn it, seek it, experience it and eventually boldly share it. Everything will be all right.

Command

Know what we preach, believe what we preach, experience what we preach and live out what we preach. We do not have to go through it all at ones but we can seek to understand one at a time. It’s not that complicated as we ate oath to live one day at a time. No one can master it in a day but everyone can master it.

Warning

We can never preach what we do not know. And sharing empty words will only cause destruction. Not sharing anything is not the ways of the Lord. Make our stand and stand firm. Know our stand and live out His words in this life.

Application

Know our stand, understand what we stand for, comprehend what we stand for, experience what we stand to learn what we stand for, be confident in what we stand for. Eventually share what we stand for, allow the Spirit to lead us in all our ways and in all we seek. For only by the spirit can we truly comprehend?

Personality By Oswald Chambers

…that they may be one just as We are one… —John 17:22

Personality is the unique, limitless part of our life that makes us distinct from everyone else. It is too vast for us even to comprehend. An island in the sea may be just the top of a large mountain, and our personality is like that island. We don’t know the great depths of our being, therefore we cannot measure ourselves. We start out thinking we can, but soon realize that there is really only one Being who fully understands us, and that is our Creator.

Personality is the characteristic mark of the inner, spiritual man, just as individuality is the characteristic of the outer, natural man. Our Lord can never be described in terms of individuality and independence, but only in terms of His total Person— “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30). Personality merges, and you only reach your true identity once you are merged with another person. When love or the Spirit of God come upon a person, he is transformed. He will then no longer insist on maintaining his individuality. Our Lord never referred to a person’s individuality or his isolated position, but spoke in terms of the total person— “…that they may be one just as We are one….” Once your rights to yourself are surrendered to God, your true personal nature begins responding to God immediately. Jesus Christ brings freedom to your total person, and even your individuality is transformed. The transformation is brought about by love— personal devotion to Jesus. Love is the overflowing result of one person in true fellowship with another.

Reference: Utmost for His Highest

Devotion Galatians 4:22 NIV (December 10, 2018)

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. (Galatians 4:22 NIV)

Message

On today’s devotion, the book of Galatians we are reminded to offer the natural to the spiritual first before offering spiritual things to the Lord. Respect the process and go through the easy thing first for the harder things will indeed come after when we can handle it already. As if we are not ready for it when we encounter it we will surely fall. Abraham was commanded to surrender Ishmael first Isaac.

Promise

If we surrender the natural to the Lord things might get harder but we are ready for it. The natural will only cause turmoil in this life if not surrender to the Spirit as it is written no one can serve two masters it is eighter we serve the one hate the other.

Command

Surrender the natural for because of sin it has been defiled and attached to the world. Surrender everything to the Lord allow the Spirit to lead this life and do not look back. Remember our covenant to the Lord for it is sacred. Remember our day zero and walk faithfully with the Lord.

Warning

The natural is so attached to the world because of sin that it is needed to be sacrificed and be dealt with. Renewed and cultivated to only worship and know the Lord our God. Let nothing Hinder and Let everything is known in accordance with the Lord our God’s will.

Application

Surrender Natural to the spiritual as it is the only way it can be saved. This is also the only way we can fully worship for the Lord is in the spirit and we can not worship with the natural but only with the spiritual.