Oswald Chambers on Siege

I read from Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest", almost every day. I couldn't help but notice the "siege" theme in what I read this morning. Instead of relating it to you, I've decided to simply share it. Surrender!

Fellowship in the Gospel

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. . . fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ . . . —1 Thessalonians 3:2

After sanctification, it is difficult to state what your purpose in life is, because God has moved you into His purpose through the Holy Spirit. He is using you now for His purposes throughout the world as He used His Son for the purpose of our salvation. If you seek great things for yourself, thinking, "God has called me for this and for that," you barricade God from using you. As long as you maintain your own personal interests and ambitions, you cannot be completely aligned or identified with God’s interests. This can only be accomplished by giving up all of your personal plans once and for all, and by allowing God to take you directly into His purpose for the world. Your understanding of your ways must also be surrendered, because they are now the ways of the Lord.

I must learn that the purpose of my life belongs to God, not me. God is using me from His great personal perspective, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him. I should never say, "Lord, this causes me such heartache." To talk that way makes me a stumbling block. When I stop telling God what I want, He can freely work His will in me without any hindrance. He can crush me, exalt me, or do anything else He chooses. He simply asks me to have absolute faith in Him and His goodness. Self-pity is of the devil, and if I wallow in it I cannot be used by God for His purpose in the world. Doing this creates for me my own cozy "world within the world," and God will not be allowed to move me from it because of my fear of being "frost-bitten."

Breaking the Siege, by Lon Alderman

Pheaney commented on yesterday's post:
Let's say hypothetically we see the self-siege happening to our church. How do we change it?

First, if I had the answer to this question, I would be a VERY popular guy! The problem is complicated and somewhat peculiar to the individual church; however, I believe that there is a general principle that may apply in every case. It is the application of the principle that would take on unique characteristics.

Mark 8:34-35
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.

Letting go or surrendering our life to Christ is the way that we gain real life, eternal life. Is it possible that for a church to "save [its] life" it must "lose" or surrender its "life"? In other words, what if the church would put its very "life" on the line; risk every gift?

I know of a church that determined to save the money that had been given them. They said someday a rainy day will come and then we'll need this money to survive, so they "buried it". In the current year those "safe investments" lost over $250,000! Think of the ministry that could have been "risked". Think of the money that could have been "thrown away" on feeding or clothing the poor.

The "gifts" a church may possess might not always be money. However, if the church is still open then I'm confident there are gifts there. Every church needs to take those gifts and completely surrender them to Jesus and see how He directs. I'm confident that the directions in which Jesus guides us to invest our gifts will be contrary to the ways, or patterns, of the world (Romans 12:2)!

William Barclay
If a man has a talent and exercises it, he is progressively able to do more with it. But, if he has a talent and fails to exercise it, he will inevitably lose it. If we have some proficiency at a game or an art, if we have some gift for doing something, the more we exercise that proficiency and that gift, the harder the work and the bigger the task we will be able to tackle. Whereas, if we fail to use it, we lose it. That is equally true of playing golf or playing the piano, or singing songs or writing sermons, of carving wood or thinking out ideas. It is the lesson of life that the only way to keep a gift is to use it in the service of God and in the service of our fellow-men.

Break the siege!
Lon

Jarvis responds to: Where is your faith?, by Lon Alderman

I hope you enjoy Jarvis' response to: Where is your faith?, by Lon Alderman

I have found that many people's faith is in direct proportion to the intensity of the storms they have previously weathered. This may not sound like faith at all, but a sailor’s experiential confidence based upon what he now feels he can withstand. Or is it?

If we consider faith being "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" from Hebrews 11:1, my assurance and convictions will fall or stand on one of two premises. Either in the integrity of the One I have trusted my life to, or in my perceived ability (or others) to rescue me. At the heart of faith truly is an expectancy of something or someone to deliver.

There's a revised version of Luke 8 in my head where Jesus says instead of "Where's you faith?", but rather "In whom or what do you place your confidence?" I know it's semantics, but for me that more clearly articulates the core of the issue. Something over the years that has helped me to truly determine where my faith or confidence lies is in my reactions. The disciple's reaction to the storm was very telling. My reactions to life's storms have also been telling. I am endeavoring to purposefully change those responses. I do not steal or lie because I know it would break my Father's heart. But what about fear? Jesus also commanded us not to fear, but how remorseful (and repentant) have I been about that?

My daughter has often had more faith in me as a father, than I have in my Father. If her routine response to the storms over the last 17 years had been fear for lack of belief that I would take care of her, I would have been broken hearted, I can tell you that, knowing how much I love her. What motivates the children of the Living-Loving God to make the irrational decision to fear? My only conclusion is that what we really fear, for the believer and non-believer alike, is loss, and the pain it will cause either us, and/or someone we love. Loss or the possibility of loss can obviously be very difficult. What has proved to be more difficult for me is to remember is that what is truly of eternal value I shall never lose...

So who commands your winds and waves today? And what will be your response?

Jarvis

Where is your faith?, by Lon Alderman

Luke 8:23-25
As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!"

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples.

In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."

I don't know about where you live, but people around here are starting to get a little skittish. Fear about the economy, jobs, retirement, and the general affordability of life has gripped this portion of the world. People look forward and only see trouble!

The disciples must have felt the same way. Looking around them they saw only bad news! They thought, "Surely this is the end!"

Jesus asks a simple, but profound question, "Where is your faith?"

Is our faith in our portfolio? Is our faith in our job? Is our faith in our government? If so, then our faith is set upon things of this world. Nothing of this world will last. It will all fail in the end. However, Jesus, who controls the wind and waters, is the same for eternity. Jesus will never fail!

Where is your faith?
Lon

All I Need, by Lon Alderman

Philippians 4:18-20
I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

These are challenging times for those of us that depend on donations to keep their ministry afloat! Two tough factors have converged. First, this is summer, which is a chronically challenging time to raise funds. Second, this economy has people running a bit scared. The result in my case is that donations have decreased to a disconcerting level.

If I’m not very careful, my concerns about the financial future of this ministry can become overwhelming. The truth is that the circumstances are overwhelming, just like God planned it! That is, if I could fund this ministry on my own merits, then I would expect the glory for it, too. But nothing could be further from the truth. It is only through God’s provision that we are serving in our sixth year!

“To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Lon

The Law of Gravity, by Lon Alderman

Matthew 14:30
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

Rachel's article, Fear and Success, inspired me regarding the thoughts that fly through my brain when I step out in faith. I don't always respond well when God calls me, but when I do take a step of faith I find that I immediately feel the gravity of the situation.

As Peter stepped down out of that boat, he must have felt the strangest of feelings. He was a fisherman taught by years of time spent on the water that water will not hold a person up. His experience taught him that "in the boat" was the place to be. These established laws in his life must have been screaming in his mind as he began to do the impossible.

That must have been the moment he began to sink. That moment when he realized the impossibility of what he was doing. This same devastating thought sinks many a good step of faith. We forget the Jesus that got us out of the boat, because our "laws" tell us we can't.

Defy gravity and follow Jesus!
Lon

Subscribers: The Build Up site has been recently updated! You can now search the posts (almost 300 of them) through the use of "labels". Using the labels you can find specific posts to encourage you! For example, there are 10 posts dedicated to the topic of "trust". Check it out!

Watch Out For Holes, by Rachel Smith

I got out of my van the other day and was striding along in the sunshine feeling pretty happy about life. I have recently accepted a new job, have a new haircut and a new dress so I was humming and walking straight and tall in the late afternoon sunshine.

Then I hit a hole. My ankle twisted and I fell.
My pride was hurt and so was my foot. At that exact moment doubt crept in. I started to question my decisions and started to think of all of the "I can'ts".
Every whisper of small concern suddenly had a loud voice. I had fallen and in that moment of weakness I was overtaken by fear and doubt.

I can't help but relate to Peter. I ask Jesus to save me in my hour of need when I have large trials (family illness and loss of loved ones) but here I am getting out of the warm comfy boat and doubt settles in. Christ wants our faith both in and out of the boat.

Matthew 14:30-32 (New International Version)
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.

Build UP: Finishing

Finishing

2Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

On Tuesday (2/19) I will be involved in my third funeral in as many weeks. Facing this much death has had an impact on my thinking. This passage written by Paul came to mind. I really want to make that kind of statement at the end of my "race".

I think the biggest challenge with finishing well is that we really have no idea where the finish line is. If I could see the finish line and it's very close, then I could muster up my strength for a finishing "kick". On the other hand, if I realize that the finish line is a long way off, then I might pace myself for the long haul. Both strategies have a down side.

Seeing so much death and the unpredictable nature of its timing, I'm starting to think that it's not about pace. Rather, finishing well, no matter how long the race, seems to depend on a faithful effort. If every day I get up and faithfully follow Jesus, then when my final day comes I will have kept the faith, no matter when that day comes.

Keep the faith!
Lon

Build Up: Faith and Success

Faith and Success

1Corinthians 10:31
...whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Ask 10 people to define success and you will get 10 different responses. People say success is wealth, impact, reputation, comfort, luxury, the latest "toys", or leisure. In church work we tend to measure success by the numbers. You know, the bigger the church the bigger the success. Frankly, I'm starting to fall off of the numbers band wagon. I love this piece from Oswald Chambers:

It’s one thing to go through a crisis grandly, yet quite another to go through every day glorifying God when there is no witness, no limelight, and no one paying even the remotest attention to us. If we are not looking for halos, we at least want something that will make people say, "What a wonderful man of prayer he is!" or, "What a great woman of devotion she is!" If you are properly devoted to the Lord Jesus, you have reached the lofty height where no one would ever notice you personally. All that is noticed is the power of God coming through you all the time.

We want to be able to say, "Oh, I have had a wonderful call from God!" But to do even the most humbling tasks to the glory of God takes the Almighty God Incarnate working in us. To be utterly unnoticeable requires God’s Spirit in us making us absolutely humanly His. The true test of a saint’s life is not successfulness but faithfulness on the human level of life. We tend to set up success in Christian work as our purpose, but our purpose should be to display the glory of God in human life, to live a life "hidden with Christ in God" in our everyday human conditions (Colossians 3:3). Our human relationships are the very conditions in which the ideal life of God should be exhibited.

Read the entire devotion by Oswald Chambers "Still Human"

Display the glory of God, be faithful.
Lon

Acorn Build Up: Success

Success

Philippians 3:8-9
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

So what is success? This becomes an important question when we begin to realize the impact it has on the way we live life. We invest our life in the pursuit of success. The end (the way we define success) establishes the means (the way we live our life).

Paul chose to consider a relationship with Jesus Christ as the only success. He considered EVERYTHING else "rubbish". Paul lived his life in a solitary attempt to know Christ.

If our definition of success is financial stability, personal health, physical safety, professional renown, fame, or social popularity, then we will live our life accordingly. I'm not trying to suggest that we should quit our jobs and throw away social responsibility. However, the way that we choose to define a successful life has a tremendous impact on the way we live our life.

Choose well.
Lon