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Discussion Forum : Devotional Thoughts : AM I CONVINCED BY CHRIST? -chambers

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 AM I CONVINCED BY CHRIST? -chambers


[b]AM I CONVINCED BY CHRIST?[/b]

"Notwithstanding in this rejoice not . . . , but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:19, 20

Jesus Christ says, in effect, Don't rejoice in successful service, but rejoice because you are rightly related to Me. The snare in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service, to rejoice in the fact that God has used you. You never can measure what God will do through you if you are rightly related to Jesus Christ. Keep your relationship right with Him, then whatever circumstances you are in, and whoever you meet day by day, He is pouring rivers of living water through you, and it is of His mercy that He does not let you know it. When once you are rightly related to God by salvation and sanctification, remember that wherever you are, you are put there by God; and by the reaction of your life on the circumstances around you, you will fulfil God's purpose, as long as you keep in the light as God is in the light.

The tendency to-day is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make usefulness their ground of appeal. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure that ever lived. The lodestar of the saint is God Himself, not estimated usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that Our Lord heeds in a man's life is the relationship of worth to His Father. Jesus is bringing many sons to glory.


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2005/8/28 22:03Profile









 Re: AM I CONVINCED BY CHRIST? -chambers

Quote:
You never can measure what God will do through you if you are rightly related to Jesus Christ. Keep your relationship right with Him, then whatever circumstances you are in, and whoever you meet day by day, He is pouring rivers of living water through you, [b]and it is of His mercy that He does not let you know it[/b].

Beware of the people who make usefulness their ground of appeal... It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him.

I wonder whether the whole concept of 'usefulness' comes from a works-based ministry, where people are encouraged to use their natural talents instead of receiving, being filled with and exercising the gifts of the Spirit?

 2005/8/29 18:34
Yodi
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Joined: 2004/4/23
Posts: 663
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 Re: AM I CONVINCED BY CHRIST? -chambers

How exciting that you read this devotion this morning! I really need to make more time in the morning to be able to read this devotional along with reading through the Bible. Anyway, I haven't kept up on the daily devotions in "My Utmost For His Highest", but our pastor happened to read this [i]very[/i] devotion to us this morning at our staff meeting. He stressed the part about being "rightly related to Jesus Christ". We discussed about how we tend to find success in the ministry by the results of what we do. But the true success will come when our relationship with Jesus is the priority of each and every day, not through the things we do. We also discussed how everything we do and everything that is done to us is supposed to be for the sole purpose of drawing us closer to God in relationship. I never saw things that way before. The first thing that came to my mind is when trials hit, hopefully seeing things through this light, I'll be less likely to have a pity party or feel sorry for myself, knowing that whatever "bad" thing happens is an opportunity for me to grow in my relationship with Him. Maybe seeing things this way will also take away my fears of bad things happening to me in the future. I get so caught up in protecting my heart and my emotions that I lose sight of the simple solution being to draw closer to God and allowing my relationship with Him to become more and more intimate.

Thank God so much for [i]His[/i] truth that sets us free!


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Yolanda Fields

 2005/8/30 14:59Profile









 Re: AM I CONVINCED BY CHRIST? -chambers

Hi Yodi,

You've got me smiling..

Quote:
How exciting that you read this devotion this morning!

'morning'?

Seriously though, I think you've touched on a very important discipline - of turning to the Lord early, in any circumstance at all.

Quote:
We also discussed how everything we do and everything that is done to us is supposed to be for the sole purpose of drawing us closer to God in relationship. I never saw things that way before. [b]The first thing that came to my mind is when trials hit[/b], hopefully seeing things through this light, I'll be less likely to have a pity party or feel sorry for myself, knowing that whatever "bad" thing happens [b]is an opportunity for me to grow in my relationship with Him[/b].

Amen. Don't panic... The Lord knew this (whatever) would happen, or, how you would feel. Sometimes the blessing is simply to find Him there with you in the situation, even if not much seems to change outwardly.

Quote:
Maybe seeing things this way will also take away my fears of bad things happening to me in the future. I get so caught up...

Sometimes past experience gives us a good reason to be concerned about the future. If this is so, consciously considering the relationship of the past events to the present 'fears', can enable you to pray constructively over the central issues. I hope it is not too forward of me to suggest this. I've had to do the same myself and can vouch that God does not disregard any past trauma. He is keen to heal us for future service.

 2005/8/30 16:19





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