My Utmost for His Highest in Crewe, England [Great Britain], United Kingdom for Monday, 15 August 2016 "Signs Of The New Birth" by Oswald Chambers

My Utmost for His Highest in Crewe, England [Great Britain], United Kingdom for Monday, 15 August 2016 "Signs Of The New Birth" by Oswald Chambers

Ye must be born again.[John 3:7]
The answer to the question “How can a man be born when he is old?” is — When he is old enough to die — to die right out to his “rag rights,” to his virtues, to his religion, to everything, and to receive into himself the life which never was there before. The new life manifests itself in conscious repentance and unconscious holiness.
“As many as received Him” (John 1:12). Is my knowledge of Jesus born of internal spiritual perception, or is it only what I have learned by listening to others? Have I something in my life that connects me with the Lord Jesus as my personal Saviour? All spiritual history must have a personal knowledge for its bedrock. To be born again means that I see Jesus.
“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Do I seek for signs of the Kingdom, or do I perceive God’s rule? The new birth gives a new power of vision whereby I begin to discern God’s rule. His rule was there all the time, but true to His nature; now that I have received His nature I can see His rule.
“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin” (1 John 3:9). Do I seek to stop sinning or have I stopped sinning? To be born of God means that I have the supernatural power of God to stop sinning. In the Bible it is never — Should a Christian sin? The Bible puts it emphatically — A Christian must not sin. The effective working of the new birth life in us is that we do not commit sin, not merely that we have the power not to sin, but that we have stopped sinning. First John 3:9 does not mean that wecannot sin; it means that if we obey the life of God in us, we need not sin.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

The great word of Jesus to His disciples is Abandon. When God has brought us into the relationship of disciples, we have to venture on His word; trust entirely to Him and watch that when He brings us to the venture, we take it.[Studies in the Sermon on the Mount]

Bible in One Year: Psalms 91-93; Romans 15:1-13
Psalms 91:1 You who live in the shelter of ‘Elyon,

who spend your nights in the shadow of Shaddai,

2 who say to Adonai, “My refuge! My fortress!

My God, in whom I trust!” —

3 he will rescue you from the trap of the hunter

and from the plague of calamities;

4 he will cover you with his pinions,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his truth is a shield and protection.

5 You will not fear the terrors of night

or the arrow that flies by day,

6 or the plague that roams in the dark,

or the scourge that wreaks havoc at noon.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand;

but it won’t come near you.

8 Only keep your eyes open,

and you will see how the wicked are punished.

9 For you have made Adonai, the Most High,

who is my refuge, your dwelling-place.

10 No disaster will happen to you,

no calamity will come near your tent;

11 for he will order his angels to care for you

and guard you wherever you go.

12 They will carry you in their hands,

so that you won’t trip on a stone.

13 You will tread down lions and snakes,

young lions and serpents you will trample underfoot.

14 “Because he loves me, I will rescue him;

because he knows my name, I will protect him.

15 He will call on me, and I will answer him.

I will be with him when he is in trouble.

I will extricate him and bring him honor.

16 I will satisfy him with long life

and show him my salvation.”

92:1 (0) A psalm. A song for Shabbat:

2 (1) It is good to give thanks to Adonai

and sing praises to your name, ‘Elyon,

3 (2) to tell in the morning about your grace

and at night about your faithfulness,

4 (3) to the music of a ten-stringed [harp] and a lute,

with the melody sounding on a lyre.

5 (4) For, Adonai, what you do makes me happy;

I take joy in what your hands have made.

6 (5) How great are your deeds, Adonai!

How very deep your thoughts!

7 (6) Stupid people can’t know,

fools don’t understand,

8 (7) that when the wicked sprout like grass,

and all who do evil prosper,

it is so that they can be eternally destroyed,

9 (8) while you, Adonai, are exalted forever.

10 (9) For your enemies, Adonai,

your enemies will perish;

all evildoers will be scattered.

11 (10) But you have given me

the strength of a wild bull;

you anoint me with fresh olive oil.

12 (11) My eyes have gazed with pleasure on my enemies’ ruin,

my ears have delighted in the fall of my foes.

13 (12) The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,

they will grow like a cedar in the L’vanon.

14 (13) Planted in the house of Adonai,

they will flourish in the courtyards of our God.

15 (14) Even in old age they will be vigorous,

still full of sap, still bearing fruit,

16 (15) proclaiming that Adonai is upright,

my Rock, in whom there is no wrong.

93:1 Adonai is king, robed in majesty;

Adonai is robed, girded with strength;

The world is well established;

it cannot be moved.

2 Your throne was established long ago;

you have existed forever.

3 Adonai, the deep is raising up,

the deep is raising up its voice,

the deep is raising its crashing waves.

4 More than the sound of rushing waters

or the mighty breakers of the sea,

Adonai on high is mighty.

5 Your instructions are very sure;

holiness befits your house,

Adonai, for all time to come.

Romans 15:1 So we who are strong have a duty to bear the weaknesses of those who are not strong, rather than please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please his neighbor and act for his good, thus building him up. 3 For even the Messiah did not please himself; rather, as the Tanakh says, ‘The insults of those insulting you fell on me.’[Romans 15:3 Psalm 69:10(9)] 4 For everything written in the past was written to teach us, so that with the encouragement of the Tanakh we might patiently hold on to our hope. 5 And may God, the source of encouragement and patience, give you the same attitude among yourselves as the Messiah Yeshua had, 6 so that with one accord and with one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

7 So welcome each other, just as the Messiah has welcomed you into God’s glory. 8 For I say that the Messiah became a servant of the Jewish people in order to show God’s truthfulness by making good his promises to the Patriarchs, 9 and in order to show his mercy by causing the Gentiles to glorify God — as it is written in the Tanakh,

“Because of this I will acknowledge you among the Gentiles

and sing praise to your name.”[Romans 15:9 2 Samuel 22:50, Psalm 18:50(49)]

10 And again it says,

“Gentiles, rejoice with his people.”[Romans 15:10 Deuteronomy 32:43]

11 And again,

“Praise Adonai, all Gentiles!

Let all peoples praise him!”[Romans 15:11 Psalm 117:1]

12 And again, Yesha‘yahu says,

“The root of Yishai will come,

he who arises to rule Gentiles;

Gentiles will put their hope in him.”[Romans 15:12 Isaiah 11:10]

13 May God, the source of hope, fill you completely with joy and shalom as you continue trusting, so that by the power of the Ruach HaKodesh you may overflow with hope.

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Christian Disciplines
Building Strong Christian Character through Divine Guidance, Suffering, Peril, Prayer, Loneliness, and Patience
Take a look at six important spiritual disciplines to help you build a strong Christian character and more inimate relationship with God.
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My Utmost for His Highest in Crewe, England [Great Britain], United Kingdom for Sunday, 14 August 2016 "Chastening" by Oswald Chambers

Despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him.[Hebrews 12:5]
It is very easy to quench the Spirit; we do it by despising the chastening of the Lord, by fainting when we are rebuked by Him. If we have only a shallow experience of sanctification, we mistake the shadow for the reality, and when the Spirit of God begins to check, we say — “Oh, that must be the devil.”
Never quench the Spirit, and do not despise Him when He says to you — “Don’t be blind on this point any more; you are not where you thought you were. Up to the present I have not been able to reveal it to you, but I reveal it now.” When the Lord chastens you like that, let Him have His way. Let Him relate you rightly to God.
“Nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him.” We get into sulks with God and say — “Oh, well, I can’t help it; I did pray and things did not turn out right, and I am going to give it all up.” Think what would happen if we talked like this in any other domain of life!
Am I prepared to let God grip me by His power and do a work in me that is worthy of Himself? Sanctification is not my idea of what I want God to do for me; sanctification is God’s idea of what He wants to do for me, and He has to get me into the attitude of mind and spirit where at any cost I will let Him sanctify me wholly.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

For the past three hundred years men have been pointing out how similar Jesus Christ’s teachings are to other good teachings. We have to remember that Christianity, if it is not a supernatural miracle, is a sham.[The Highest Good, 548 L]

Bible in One Year: Psalms 89-90; Romans 14
Psalms 89:1 (0) A maskil of Eitan the Ezrachi:

2 (1) I will sing about Adonai’s acts of grace forever,

with my mouth proclaim your faithfulness to all generations;

3 (2) because I said, “Grace is built to last forever;

in the heavens themselves you established your faithfulness.”

4 (3) You said, “I made a covenant with the one I chose,

I swore to my servant David,

5 (4) ‘I will establish your dynasty forever,

build up your throne through all generations.’” (Selah)

6 (5) Let the heavens praise your wonders, Adonai,

your faithfulness in the assembly of the angels.

7 (6) For who in the skies can be compared with Adonai?

Which of these gods can rival Adonai,

8 (7) a God dreaded in the great assembly of the holy ones

and feared by all around him?

9 (8) Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot!

Who is as mighty as you, Yah?

Your faithfulness surrounds you.

10 (9) You control the raging of the sea;

when its waves rear up, you calm them.

11 (10) You crushed Rahav like a carcass;

with your strong arm you scattered your foes.

12 (11) The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours;

you founded the world and everything in it.

13 (12) You created north and south;

Tavor and Hermon take joy in your name.

14 (13) Your arm is mighty, your hand is strong,

your right hand is lifted high.

15 (14) Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;

grace and truth attend you.

16 (15) How happy are the people who know the joyful shout!

They walk in the light of your presence, Adonai.

17 (16) They rejoice in your name all day

and are lifted up by your righteousness,

18 (17) for you yourself are the strength in which they glory.

Our power grows by pleasing you,

19 (18) for our shield comes from Adonai —

our king is from the Holy One of Isra’el.

20 (19) There was a time when you spoke in a vision;

you declared to your loyal [prophets],

“I have given help to a warrior,

I have raised up someone chosen from the people.

21 (20) I have found David my servant

and anointed him with my holy oil.

22 (21) My hand will always be with him,

and my arm will give him strength.

23 (22) No enemy will outwit him,

no wicked man overcome him.

24 (23) I will crush his foes before him

and strike down those who hate him.

25 (24) My faithfulness and grace will be with him;

through my name his power will grow.

26 (25) I will put his hand on the sea

and his right hand on the rivers.

27 (26) He will call to me, ‘You are my father,

my God, the Rock of my salvation.’

28 (27) I will give him the position of firstborn,

the highest of the kings of the earth.

29 (28) I will keep my grace for him forever,

and in my covenant be faithful with him.

30 (29) I will establish his dynasty forever,

and his throne as long as the heavens last.

31 (30) “If his descendants abandon my Torah

and fail to live by my rulings,

32 (31) if they profane my regulations

and don’t obey my mitzvot,

33 (32) I will punish their disobedience with the rod

and their guilt with lashes.

34 (33) But I won’t withdraw my grace from him

or be false to my faithfulness.

35 (34) I will not profane my covenant

or change what my lips have spoken.

36 (35) I have sworn by my holiness once and for all;

I will not lie to David —

37 (36) his dynasty will last forever,

his throne like the sun before me.

38 (37) It will be established forever, like the moon,

which remains a faithful witness in the sky.” (Selah)

39 (38) But you spurned your anointed one,

rejected and vented your rage on him.

40 (39) You renounced the covenant with your servant

and defiled his crown in the dust.

41 (40) You broke through all his defenses

and left his strongholds in ruins.

42 (41) All who pass by plunder him;

he is an object of scorn to his neighbors.

43 (42) You raised up the right hand of his foes

and made all his enemies rejoice.

44 (43) You drive back his drawn sword

and fail to support him in battle.

45 (44) You brought an end to his splendor

and hurled his throne to the ground.

46 (45) You cut short the days of his youth

and covered him with shame. (Selah)

47 (46) How long, Adonai? Will you hide yourself forever?

How long will your fury burn like fire?

48 (47) Remember how little time I have!

Was it for no purpose that you created all humanity?

49 (48) Who can live and not see death?

Who can save himself from the power of the grave? (Selah)

50 (49) Where, Adonai, are the acts of grace you once did,

those which, in your faithfulness, you swore to David?

51 (50) Remember, Adonai, the taunts hurled at your servants,

which I carry in my heart [from] so many peoples!

52 (51) Your enemies, Adonai, have flung their taunts,

flung them in the footsteps of your anointed one.

53 (52) Blessed be Adonai forever.

Amen. Amen.

90:(0) A prayer of Moshe the man of God:

(1) Adonai, you have been our dwelling place

in every generation.

2 Before the mountains were born,

before you had formed the earth and the world,

from eternity past to eternity future

you are God.

3 You bring frail mortals to the point of being crushed,

then say, “People, repent!”

4 For from your viewpoint a thousand years

are merely like yesterday or a night watch.

5 When you sweep them away, they become like sleep;

by morning they are like growing grass,

6 growing and flowering in the morning,

but by evening cut down and dried up.

7 For we are destroyed by your anger,

overwhelmed by your wrath.

8 You have placed our faults before you,

our secret sins in the full light of your presence.

9 All our days ebb away under your wrath;

our years die away like a sigh.

10 The span of our life is seventy years,

or if we are strong, eighty;

yet at best it is toil and sorrow,

over in a moment, and then we are gone.

11 Who grasps the power of your anger and wrath

to the degree that the fear due you should inspire?

12 So teach us to count our days,

so that we will become wise.

13 Return, Adonai! How long must it go on?

Take pity on your servants!

14 Fill us at daybreak with your love,

so that we can sing for joy as long as we live.

15 Let our joy last as long as the time you made us suffer,

for as many years as we experienced trouble.

16 Show your deeds to your servants

and your glory to their children.

17 May the favor of Adonai our God be on us,

prosper for us all the work that we do —

yes, prosper the work that we do.

Romans 14:1 Now as for a person whose trust is weak, welcome him — but not to get into arguments over opinions. 2 One person has the trust that will allow him to eat anything, while another whose trust is weak eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats anything must not look down on the one who abstains; and the abstainer must not pass judgment on the one who eats anything, because God has accepted him — 4 who are you to pass judgment on someone else’s servant? It is before his own master that he will stand or fall; and the fact is that he will stand, because the Lord is able to make him stand.

5 One person considers some days more holy than others, while someone else regards them as being all alike. What is important is for each to be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes a day as special does so to honor the Lord. Also he who eats anything, eats to honor the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; likewise the abstainer abstains to honor the Lord, and he too gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives only in relation to himself, and none of us dies only in relation to himself; 8 for if we live, we live in relation to the Lord; and if we die, we die in relation to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord — 9 indeed, it was for this very reason that the Messiah died and came back to life, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 You then, why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For all of us will stand before God’s judgment seat; 11 since it is written in the Tanakh,

“As I live, says Adonai, every knee will bend before me,

and every tongue will publicly acknowledge God.”[Romans 14:11 Isaiah 45:23]

12 So then, every one of us will have to give an account of himself to God.

13 Therefore, let’s stop passing judgment on each other! Instead, make this one judgment — not to put a stumbling block or a snare in a brother’s way. 14 I know — that is, I have been persuaded by the Lord Yeshua the Messiah — that nothing is unclean in itself. But if a person considers something unclean, then for him it is unclean; 15 and if your brother is being upset by the food you eat, your life is no longer one of love. Do not, by your eating habits, destroy someone for whom the Messiah died! 16 Do not let what you know to be good, be spoken of as bad; 17 for the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, shalom and joy in the Ruach HaKodesh. 18 Anyone who serves the Messiah in this fashion both pleases God and wins the approval of other people.

19 So then, let us pursue the things that make for shalom and mutual upbuilding. 20 Don’t tear down God’s work for the sake of food. True enough, all things are clean; but it is wrong for anybody by his eating to cause someone to fall away. 21 What is good is not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 22 The belief you hold about such things, keep between yourself and God. Happy the person who is free of self-condemnation when he approves of something! 23 But the doubter comes under condemnation if he eats, because his action is not based on trust. And anything not based on trust is a sin.

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My Utmost for His Highest in Crewe, England [Great Britain], United Kingdom for Saturday, 13 August 2016 "Quench Not The Spirit" by Oswald Chambers

Quench not the Spirit.[1 Thessalonians 5:19]
The voice of the Spirit is as gentle as a zephyr, so gentle that unless you are living in perfect communion with God, you never hear it. The checks of the Spirit come in the most extraordinarily gentle ways, and if you are not sensitive enough to detect His voice you will quench it, and your personal spiritual life will be impaired. His checks always come as a still small voice, so small that no one but the saint notices them.
Beware if in personal testimony you have to hark back and say — “Once, so many years ago, I was saved.” If you are walking in the light, there is no harking back, the past is transfused into the present wonder of communion with God. If you get out of the light you become a sentimental Christian and live on memories, your testimony has a hard, metallic note. Beware of trying to patch up a present refusal to walk in the light by recalling past experiences when you did walk in the light. Whenever the Spirit checks, call a halt and get the thing right, or you will go on grieving Him without knowing it.
Suppose God has brought you up to a crisis and you nearly go through but not quite, He will engineer the crisis again, but it will not be so keen as it was before. There will be less discernment of God and more humiliation at not having obeyed; and if you go on grieving the Spirit, there will come a time when that crisis cannot be repeated, you have grieved Him away. But if you go through the crisis, there will be the psalm of praise to God. Never sympathize with the thing that is stabbing God all the time. God has to hurt the thing that must go.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

There is nothing, naturally speaking, that makes us lose heart quicker than decay—the decay of bodily beauty, of natural life, of friendship, of associations, all these things make a man lose heart; but Paul says when we are trusting in Jesus Christ these things do not find us discouraged, light comes through them.[The Place of Help]

Bible in One Year: Psalms 87-88; Romans 13
Psalms 87:(0) A psalm of the sons of Korach. A song:

(1) On the holy mountains is [the city’s] foundation.

2 Adonai loves the gates of Tziyon

more than all the dwellings in Ya‘akov.

3 Glorious things are said about you,

city of God. (Selah)

4 I count Rahav and Bavel

among those who know me;

Of P’leshet, Tzor and Ethiopia [they will say],

“This one was born there.”

5 But of Tziyon it will be said,

“This one and that was born in it,

for the Most High himself establishes it.”

6 When he registers the peoples, Adonai will record,

“This one was born there.” (Selah)

7 Singers and dancers alike say,

“For me, you are the source of everything.”

88:1 (0) A song. A psalm of the sons of Korach. For the leader. Set to “Sickness that Causes Suffering.” A maskil of Heiman the Ezrachi.

2 (1) Adonai, God of my salvation,

when I cry out to you in the night,

3 (2) let my prayer come before you,

turn your ear to my cry for help!

4 (3) For I am oversupplied with troubles,

which have brought me to the brink of Sh’ol.

5 (4) I am counted among those going down to the pit,

like a man who is beyond help,

6 (5) left by myself among the dead,

like the slain who lie in the grave —

you no longer remember them;

they are cut off from your care.

7 (6) You plunged me into the bottom of the pit,

into dark places, into the depths.

8 (7) Your wrath lies heavily on me;

your waves crashing over me keep me down. (Selah)

9 (8) You separated me from my close friends,

made me repulsive to them;

I am caged in, with no escape;

10 (9) my eyes grow dim from suffering.

I call on you, Adonai, every day;

I spread out my hands to you.

11 (10) Will you perform wonders for the dead?

Can the ghosts of the dead rise up and praise you? (Selah)

12 (11) Will your grace be declared in the grave,

or your faithfulness in Abaddon?

13 (12) Will your wonders be known in the dark,

or your righteousness in the land of oblivion?

14 (13) But I cry out to you, Adonai;

my prayer comes before you in the morning.

15 (14) So why, Adonai, do you reject me?

Why do you hide your face from me?

16 (15) Since my youth I have been miserable, close to death;

I am numb from bearing these terrors of yours.

17 (16) Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me,

your terrors have shriveled me up.

18 (17) They surge around me all day like a flood,

from all sides they close in on me.

19 (18) You have made friends and companions shun me;

the people I know are hidden from me.

Romans 13:1 Everyone is to obey the governing authorities. For there is no authority that is not from God, and the existing authorities have been placed where they are by God. 2 Therefore, whoever resists the authorities is resisting what God has instituted; and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are no terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you like to be unafraid of the person in authority? Then simply do what is good, and you will win his approval; 4 for he is God’s servant, there for your benefit. But if you do what is wrong, be afraid! Because it is not for nothing that he holds the power of the sword; for he is God’s servant, there as an avenger to punish wrongdoers. 5 Another reason to obey, besides fear of punishment, is for the sake of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes; for the authorities are God’s public officials, constantly attending to these duties. 7 Pay everyone what he is owed: if you owe the tax-collector, pay your taxes; if you owe the revenue-collector, pay revenue; if you owe someone respect, pay him respect; if you owe someone honor, pay him honor. 8 Don’t owe anyone anything — except to love one another; for whoever loves his fellow human being has fulfilled Torah. 9 For the commandments, “Don’t commit adultery,” “Don’t murder,” “Don’t steal,” “Don’t covet,”[Romans 13:9 Exodus 20:13–14(17), Deuteronomy 5:17–18(21)] and any others are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[Romans 13:9 Leviticus 19:18] 10 Love does not do harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fullness of Torah.

11 Besides all this, you know at what point of history we stand; so it is high time for you to rouse yourselves from sleep; for the final deliverance is nearer than when we first came to trust. 12 The night is almost over, the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and arm ourselves with the weapons of light. 13 Let us live properly, as people do in the daytime — not partying and getting drunk, not engaging in sexual immorality and other excesses, not quarrelling and being jealous. 14 Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Yeshua the Messiah; and don’t waste your time thinking about how to provide for the sinful desires of your old nature.

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Grace and Truth
A Holy Pursuit
Inspiring quotes from the works of Oswald Chambers to help you experience more of God’s grace and truth.
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My Utmost for His Highest in Crewe, England [Great Britain], United Kingdom for Friday, 12 August 2016 "The Theology Of Rest" by Oswald Chambers

Why are ye fearful, 0 ye of little faith?[Matthew 8:26]
When we are in fear we can do nothing less than pray to God, but Our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His Name should have an understanding confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the reliable ones. Our trust is in God up to a certain point, then we go back to the elementary panic prayers of those who do not know God. We get to our wits’ end, showing that we have not the slightest confidence in Him and His government of the world; He seems to be asleep, and we see nothing but breakers ahead.
“O ye of little faith!” What a pang must have shot through the disciples — “Missed it again!” And what a pang will go through us when we suddenly realize that we might have produced down right joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, no matter what was ahead.
There are stages in life when there is no storm, no crisis, when we do our human best; it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to trust Him, the crisis will reveal that we will go to the breaking point and not break in our confidence in Him.
We have been talking a great deal about sanctification — what is it all going to amount to? It should work out into rest in God which means oneness with God, a oneness which will make us not only blameless in His sight, but a deep joy to Him.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

A fanatic is one who entrenches himself in invincible ignorance.[Baffled to Fight Better, 59 R[

Bible in One Year: Psalms 84-86; Romans 12
Psalms 84:1 (0) For the leader. On the gittit. A psalm of the sons of Korach:

2 (1) How deeply loved are your dwelling-places,

Adonai-Tzva’ot!

3 (2) My soul yearns, yes, faints with longing

for the courtyards of Adonai;

my heart and body cry for joy

to the living God.

4 (3) As the sparrow finds herself a home

and the swallow her nest, where she lays her young,

[so my resting-place is] by your altars,

Adonai-Tzva’ot, my king and my God.

5 (4) How happy are those who live in your house;

they never cease to praise you! (Selah)

6 (5) How happy the man whose strength is in you,

in whose heart are [pilgrim] highways.

7 (6) Passing through the [dry] Baka Valley,

they make it a place of springs,

and the early rain clothes it with blessings.

8 (7) They go from strength to strength

and appear before God in Tziyon.

9 (8) Adonai, God of armies, hear my prayer;

listen, God of Ya‘akov. (Selah)

10 (9) God, see our shield [the king];

look at the face of your anointed.

11 (10) Better a day in your courtyards

than a thousand [days elsewhere].

Better just standing at the door of my God’s house

than living in the tents of the wicked.

12 (11) For Adonai, God, is a sun and a shield;

Adonai bestows favor and honor;

he will not withhold anything good

from those whose lives are pure.

13 (12) Adonai-Tzva’ot,

how happy is anyone who trusts in you!

85:1 (0) For the leader. A psalm of the sons of Korach:

2 (1) Adonai, you have shown favor to your land;

you have restored the fortunes of Ya‘akov,

3 (2) taken away the guilt of your people,

pardoned all their sin, (Selah)

4 (3) withdrawn all your wrath,

turned from your fierce anger.

5 (4) Restore us, God of our salvation,

renounce your displeasure with us.

6 (5) Are you to stay angry with us forever?

Will your fury last through all generations?

7 (6) Won’t you revive us again,

so your people can rejoice in you?

8 (7) Show us your grace, Adonai;

grant us your salvation.

9 (8) I am listening. What will God, Adonai, say?

For he will speak peace to his people,

to his holy ones —

but only if they don’t relapse into folly.

10 (9) His salvation is near for those who fear him,

so that glory will be in our land.

11 (10) Grace and truth have met together;

justice and peace have kissed each other.

12 (11) Truth springs up from the earth,

and justice looks down from heaven.

13 (12) Adonai will also grant prosperity;

our land will yield its harvest.

14 (13) Justice will walk before him

and make his footsteps a path.

86:(0) A prayer of David:

(1) Listen, Adonai, and answer me,

for I am poor and needy.

2 Preserve my life, for I am faithful;

save your servant,

who puts his trust in you

because you are my God.

3 Take pity on me, Adonai,

for I cry to you all day.

4 Fill your servant’s heart with joy,

for to you, Adonai, I lift my heart.

5 Adonai, you are kind and forgiving,

full of grace toward all who call on you.

6 Listen, Adonai, to my prayer;

pay attention to my pleading cry.

7 On the day of my trouble I am calling on you,

for you will answer me.

8 There is none like you among the gods, Adonai;

no deeds compare with yours.

9 All the nations you have made

will come and bow before you, Adonai;

they will honor your name.

10 For you are great, and you do wonders;

you alone are God.

11 Adonai, teach me your way,

so that I can live by your truth;

make me single-hearted,

so that I can fear your name.

12 I will thank you, Adonai my God,

with my whole heart;

and I will glorify your name forever.

13 For your grace toward me is so great!

You have rescued me from the lowest part of Sh’ol.

14 God, arrogant men are rising against me,

a gang of brutes is seeking my life,

and to you they pay no attention.

15 But you, Adonai,

are a merciful, compassionate God,

slow to anger

and rich in grace and truth.

16 Turn to me, and show me your favor;

strengthen your servant, save your slave-girl’s son.

17 Give me a sign of your favor,

so that those who hate me

will see it and be ashamed,

because you, Adonai,

have helped and comforted me.

Romans 12:1 I exhort you, therefore, brothers, in view of God’s mercies, to offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God. This will please him; it is the logical “Temple worship” for you. 2 In other words, do not let yourselves be conformed to the standards of the ‘olam hazeh. Instead, keep letting yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds; so that you will know what God wants and will agree that what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed. 3 For I am telling every single one of you, through the grace that has been given to me, not to have exaggerated ideas about your own importance. Instead, develop a sober estimate of yourself based on the standard which God has given to each of you, namely, trust. 4 For just as there are many parts that compose one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function; 5 so there are many of us, and in union with the Messiah we comprise one body, with each of us belonging to the others. 6 But we have gifts that differ and which are meant to be used according to the grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, use it to the extent of your trust; 7 if it is serving, use it to serve; if you are a teacher, use your gift in teaching; 8 if you are a counselor, use your gift to comfort and exhort; if you are someone who gives, do it simply and generously; if you are in a position of leadership, lead with diligence and zeal; if you are one who does acts of mercy, do them cheerfully.

9 Don’t let love be a mere outward show. Recoil from what is evil, and cling to what is good. 10 Love each other devotedly and with brotherly love; and set examples for each other in showing respect. 11 Don’t be lazy when hard work is needed, but serve the Lord with spiritual fervor. 12 Rejoice in your hope, be patient in your troubles, and continue steadfastly in prayer. 13 Share what you have with God’s people, and practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you — bless them, don’t curse them! 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be sensitive to each other’s needs — don’t think yourselves better than others, but make humble people your friends. Don’t be conceited. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but try to do what everyone regards as good. 18 If possible, and to the extent that it depends on you, live in peace with all people. 19 Never seek revenge, my friends; instead, leave that to God’s anger; for in the Tanakh it is written,

“Adonai says, ‘Vengeance is my responsibility; I will repay.’”[Romans 12:19 Deuteronomy 32:41]

20 On the contrary,

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

For by doing this, you will heap

fiery coals [of shame] on his head.”[Romans 12:20 Proverbs 25:21–22]

21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

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Utmost: Classic Readings and Prayers
90 Days of Inspirational Reading to Strengthen Your Soul
Take your relationship with God to the next level with daily inspiration and prayers drawn from Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest.
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My Utmost for His Highest in Crewe, England [Great Britain], United Kingdom for Thursday, 11 August 2016 "This Experience Must Come" by Oswald Chambers

And he saw him no more.[2 Kings 2:12]
It is not wrong to depend upon Elijah as long as God gives him to you, but remember the time will come when he will have to go; when he stands no more to you as your guide and leader, because God does not intend he should. You say — “I cannot go on without Elijah.” God says you must.
Alone at your Jordan (2 Kings 2:14). Jordan is the type of separation where there is no fellowship with anyone else, and where no one can take the responsibility for you. You have to put to the test now what you learned when you were with your Elijah. You have been to Jordan over and over again with Elijah, but now you are up against it alone. It is no use saying you cannot go; this experience has come, and you must go. If you want to know whether God is the God you have faith to believe Him to be, then go through your Jordan alone.
Alone at your Jericho (v.15). Jericho is the place where you have seen your Elijah do great things. When you come to your Jericho you have a strong disinclination to take the initiative and trust in God, you want someone else to take it for you. If you remain true to what you learned with Elijah, you will get the sign that God is with you.
Alone at your Bethel (v.23). At your Bethel you will find yourself at your wits’ end and at the beginning of God’s wisdom. When you get to your wits’ end and feel inclined to succumb to panic, don’t; stand true to God and He will bring His truth out in a way that will make your life a sacrament. Put into practice what you learned with your Elijah, use his cloak and pray. Determine to trust in God and do not look for Elijah any more.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

Jesus Christ can afford to be misunderstood; we cannot. Our weakness lies in always wanting to vindicate ourselves.[The Place of Help, 1051 L]

Bible in One Year: Psalms 81-83; Romans 11:19-36
Psalms 81:1 (0) For the Leader. On the gittit. By Asaf:

2 (1) Sing for joy to God our strength!

Shout to the God of Ya‘akov!

3 (2) Start the music! Beat the drum!

Play the sweet lyre and the lute!

4 (3) Sound the shofar at Rosh-Hodesh

and at full moon for the pilgrim feast,

5 (4) because this is a law for Isra’el,

a ruling of the God of Ya‘akov.

6 (5) He placed it as a testimony in Y’hosef

when he went out against the land of Egypt.

I heard an unfamiliar voice say,

7 (6) “I lifted the load from his shoulder;

his hands were freed from the [laborer’s] basket.

8 (7) You called out when you were in trouble,

and I rescued you;

I answered you from the thundercloud;

I tested you at the M’rivah Spring [by saying,] (Selah)

9 (8) “‘Hear, my people, while I give you warning!

Isra’el, if you would only listen to me!

10 (9) There is not to be with you any foreign god;

you are not to worship an alien god.

11 (10) I am Adonai your God,

who brought you up from the land of Egypt.

Open your mouth, and I will fill it.’

12 (11) “But my people did not listen to my voice;

Isra’el would have none of me.

13 (12) So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,

to live by their own plans.

14 (13) How I wish my people would listen to me,

that Isra’el would live by my ways!

15 (14) I would quickly subdue their enemies

and turn my hand against their foes.

16 (15) Those who hate Adonai would cringe before him,

while [Isra’el’s] time would last forever.

17 (16) They would be fed with the finest wheat,

and I would satisfy you with honey from the rocks.”

82:(0) A psalm of Asaf:

(1) Elohim [God] stands in the divine assembly;

there with the elohim [judges], he judges:

2 “How long will you go on judging unfairly,

favoring the wicked? (Selah)

3 Give justice to the weak and fatherless!

Uphold the rights of the wretched and poor!

4 Rescue the destitute and needy;

deliver them from the power of the wicked!”

5 They don’t know, they don’t understand,

they wander about in darkness;

meanwhile, all the foundations of the earth

are being undermined.

6 “My decree is: ‘You are elohim [gods, judges],

sons of the Most High all of you.

7 Nevertheless, you will die like mortals;

like any prince, you will fall.’”

8 Rise up, Elohim, and judge the earth;

for all the nations are yours.

83:1 (0) A song. A psalm of Asaf:

2 (1) God, don’t remain silent!

Don’t stay quiet, God, or still;

3 (2) because here are your enemies, causing an uproar;

those who hate you are raising their heads,

4 (3) craftily conspiring against your people,

consulting together against those you treasure.

5 (4) They say, “Come, let’s wipe them out as a nation;

let the name of Isra’el be remembered no more!”

6 (5) With one mind they plot their schemes;

the covenant they have made is against you —

7 (6) the tents of Edom and the Yishma‘elim,

Mo’av and the Hagrim,

8 (7) G’val, ‘Amon and ‘Amalek,

P’leshet with those living in Tzor; (Selah)

9 (8) Ashur too is allied with them,

to reinforce the descendants of Lot.

10 (9) Do to them as you did to Midyan,

to Sisra and Yavin at Vadi Kishon —

11 (10) they were destroyed at ‘Ein-Dor

and became manure for the ground.

12 (11) Make their leaders like ‘Orev and Ze’ev,

all their princes like Zevach and Tzalmuna,

13 (12) who said, “Let’s take possession

of God’s meadows for ourselves.”

14 (13) My God, make them like whirling dust,

like chaff driven by the wind.

15 (14) Like fire burning up the forest,

like a flame that sets the mountains ablaze,

16 (15) drive them away with your storm,

terrify them with your tempest.

17 (16) Fill their faces with shame,

so that they will seek your name, Adonai.

18 (17) Let them be ashamed and fearful forever;

yes, let them perish in disgrace.

19 (18) Let them know that you alone,

whose name is Adonai,

are the Most High over all the earth.

Romans 11:19 So you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 True, but so what? They were broken off because of their lack of trust. However, you keep your place only because of your trust. So don’t be arrogant; on the contrary, be terrified! 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he certainly won’t spare you! 22 So take a good look at God’s kindness and his severity: on the one hand, severity toward those who fell off; but, on the other hand, God’s kindness toward you — provided you maintain yourself in that kindness! Otherwise, you too will be cut off! 23 Moreover, the others, if they do not persist in their lack of trust, will be grafted in; because God is able to graft them back in. 24 For if you were cut out of what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree!

25 For, brothers, I want you to understand this truth which God formerly concealed but has now revealed, so that you won’t imagine you know more than you actually do. It is that stoniness, to a degree, has come upon Isra’el, until the Gentile world enters in its fullness; 26 and that it is in this way that all Isra’el will be saved. As the Tanakh says,

“Out of Tziyon will come the Redeemer;

he will turn away ungodliness from Ya‘akov

27 and this will be my covenant with them, . . .

when I take away their sins.”[Romans 11:27 Isaiah 59:20–21, 27:9]

28 With respect to the Good News they are hated for your sake. But with respect to being chosen they are loved for the Patriarchs’ sake, 29 for God’s free gifts and his calling are irrevocable. 30 Just as you yourselves were disobedient to God before but have received mercy now because of Isra’el’s disobedience; 31 so also Isra’el has been disobedient now, so that by your showing them the same mercy that God has shown you, they too may now receive God’s mercy. 32 For God has shut up all mankind together in disobedience, in order that he might show mercy to all.

33 O the depth of the riches

    and the wisdom and knowledge of God!

How inscrutable are his judgments!

    How unsearchable are his ways!

34 For, ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord?

    Who has been his counselor?’[Romans 11:34 Isaiah 40:13]

35 Or, ‘Who has given him anything

    and made him pay it back?’[Romans 11:35 Job 41:3(11)]

36 For from him and through him

    and to him are all things.

To him be the glory forever!

    Amen.

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My Utmost for His Highest © 1927 in the U.K. by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. © 1935 by Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc. Copyright renewed 1963 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. All rights reserved. United States publication rights are held by Discovery House, which is affiliated with Our Daily Bread Ministries.
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