"Think As Jesus Taught" by Oswald Chambers
Pray without ceasing. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:17)We think rightly or wrongly about prayer according to the conception we have in our minds of prayer. If we think of prayer as the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts, we think rightly. The blood flows ceaselessly, and breathing continues ceaselessly; we are not conscious of it, but it is always going on. We are not always conscious of Jesus keeping us in perfect joint with God, but if we are obeying Him, He always is. Prayer is not an exercise, it is the life. Beware of anything that stops ejaculatory prayer. “Pray without ceasing,” keep the childlike habit of ejaculatory prayer in your heart to God all the time.
Jesus never mentioned unanswered prayer; He had the boundless certainty that prayer is always answered. Have we by the Spirit the unspeakable certainty that Jesus had about prayer, or do we think of the times when God does not seem to have answered prayer? “Every one that asketh receiveth.” We say — “But,…but…” God answers prayer in the best way, not sometimes, but every time, although the immediate manifestation of the answer in the domain in which we want it may not always follow. Do we expect God to answer prayer?
The danger with us is that we want to water down the things that Jesus says and make them mean something in accordance with common sense; if it were only common sense, it was not worth while for Him to say it. The things Jesus says about prayer are supernatural revelations. (From My Utmost for His Highest Classic Edition)
Bible in One Year: 1 Chronicles 28-29; John 9:24-41
1 Chronicles 28:1 David assembled in Yerushalayim all the leaders of Isra’el — the leaders of the tribes, the commanders of the divisions serving the king, the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and the supervisors over the property and livestock of the king, along with his sons, the officials, the warrior-heroes, and anyone else who was a leader. 2 Then David the king rose to his feet and said: “My kinsmen and my people! Listen to me! I set my heart on building a house where the ark for the covenant of Adonai could remain at rest. It would have been God’s footstool, and I prepared to build it. 3 But God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for my name, because you are a man of war, you have shed blood.’ 4 However, Adonai the God of Isra’el chose me out of my father’s whole family to be king over Isra’el forever; for he chose Y’hudah to be the leader; and in the house of Y’hudah, in the house of my father, and among the sons of my father, it was his pleasure to make me king over all Isra’el; 5 and of all my sons — for Adonai has given me many sons — he has chosen Shlomo my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of Adonai over Isra’el.
6 “Moreover, he said to me, ‘Shlomo your son will build my house and courtyards, for I have chosen him to be a son to me, and I will be a father to him. 7 I will establish his kingdom forever, if he uses his strength to obey my mitzvot and abide by my rulings, as [he is doing] currently.’ 8 Now therefore, in the sight of all Isra’el, the community of Adonai, and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek out all the mitzvot of Adonai your God, so that you may continue to possess this good land and leave it as an inheritance to your descendants after you forever.
9 “As for you, Shlomo my son, know the God of your father. Serve him wholeheartedly and with desire in your being; for Adonaisearches all hearts and understands all the inclinations of people’s thoughts. If you seek him, he will let himself be found by you; but if you abandon him, he will reject you forever. 10 See now that Adonai has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; so be strong, and do it!”
11 Then David gave Shlomo his son the designs for the hall [of the temple], its buildings, its supply areas, its upper rooms, its inside rooms, and the place for the ark-cover; 12 also the designs for everything he had been given by the Spirit — for the courtyards of the house of Adonai, for all the rooms surrounding it, for the storehouses in the house of God, for the storehouses for the holy articles, 13 and for the areas set aside for the cohanim and the L’vi’im; [arrangements] for the work involved in the service of the house of Adonai and for all the articles needed for the service of the house of Adonai; 14 [lists] of the weights of gold needed for the gold items to be used for various purposes, and the weights of silver needed for the silver items to be used for various purposes — 15 the weight of the gold needed for the gold menorahs, the weight needed for each menorah and for its lamps; and for the menorahs of silver, the weight of silver needed for each menorah and for its lamps, according to the way each menorah was to be used; 16 also the gold by weight for the tables for the showbread, for each table; and silver for the tables made of silver; 17 the gold for the pure gold forks, basins and jars, and for the gold bowls by weight for each bowl; also for the silver bowls by weight for each bowl; 18 and for the incense altar, refined gold by weight; and gold for the design of the chariot and the k’ruvim with their wings spread out to cover the ark for the covenant of Adonai. 19 “All this is in writing, as Adonai, with his hand on me, has given me good sense in working out these detailed plans.”
20 Then David said to Shlomo his son, “Be strong, be bold, and do it! Don’t be afraid or become discouraged! For Adonai, God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or abandon you until all the work for the service in the house of Adonai has been finished. 21 See, there are the divisions of the cohanim and L’vi’im for all the service in the house of God. For every kind of work, you will have with you every man who is willing and skilled, for every kind of service. Also the captains and all the people will be completely at your disposal.”
29:1 To the whole community, David the king said, “Shlomo my son is the only one God has chosen. But he is still young and inexperienced, whereas the work to be done is great; because the palace is not for anyone human, but for Adonai, God. 2 Now I have used all my strength to prepare for the house of my God the gold needed for the articles of gold, the silver for the articles of silver, the bronze for the articles of bronze, the iron for the articles of iron, the wood for the articles of wood, onyx stones, gemstones to be set, brilliant stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, as well as marble in abundance. 3 In addition, because my desire is set on the house of my God, since I have my own supply of gold and silver, I herewith give it to the house of my God — over and above everything I have prepared for the holy house — 4 ninety-nine tons of gold from the gold of Ofir and 231 tons of refined silver to be used for overlaying the walls of the houses. 5 The gold is for whatever is to be made of gold, and the silver is for whatever is to be made of silver; and they may be used for anything to be made by craftsmen. Therefore, who offers willingly to consecrate himself today to Adonai?”
6 Then the clan leaders, the leaders of the tribes of Isra’el, the captains of thousands and of hundreds, along with the supervisors over the king’s work offered willingly. 7 They gave for the service of the house of God 165 tons of gold, 330 tons of silver, 594 tons of bronze and 3,300 tons of iron. 8 Those who had precious stones gave them to the storehouse of the house of Adonai, supervised by Yechi’el the Gershuni.
9 The people were filled with joy, because they had given willingly — wholeheartedly they had given willingly to Adonai; and David the king too was completely filled with joy, 10 as he blessed Adonai before the entire community: “Blessed be you, Adonai, the God of Isra’el our father, forever and ever. 11 Yours, Adonai, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory and the majesty; for everything in heaven and on earth is yours. The kingdom is yours, Adonai; and you are exalted as head over all. 12 Riches and honor come from you, you rule everything, in your hand is power and strength, you have the capacity to make great and to give strength to all. 13 Therefore, our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name.
14 “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to give so willingly in this way? For all things come from you, so that we have given you what is already yours. 15 For in your presence we are temporary residents, just passing through, as all our ancestors were — our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. 16 Adonai our God, all these supplies that we have prepared in order to build you a house for your holy name come from your own hand, all of it is already yours. 17 I know also, my God, that you test the heart and take pleasure in integrity. As for myself, I have given all these things willingly, in the integrity of my heart; and now, with joy, I have seen your people who are present here give willingly to you. 18 Adonai, God of Avraham, Yitz’chak and Isra’el our ancestors, guard forever the inclinations of the thoughts in the hearts of your people; direct their hearts to you; 19 and give to Shlomo my son wholeheartedness to obey your mitzvot, instructions and rules, to do all these things, and to build the palace for which I have made provision.”
20 Then David said to all the community, “Now bless Adonai your God.” All the community blessed Adonai, the God of their ancestors, bowing their heads and prostrating themselves before Adonai and before the king. 21 On the following day they presented sacrifices to Adonai and offered burnt offerings to Adonai — a thousand bulls, a thousand rams and a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings — and sacrifices in abundance for all Isra’el. 22 They ate and drank before Adonai that day with great joy.
Then, for the second time, they made Shlomo the son of David king, anointing him before Adonai to be king, and Tzadok to be cohen. 23 Shlomo sat on the throne of Adonai as king in place of David his father and prospered, and all Isra’el obeyed him. 24 All the leaders, the warrior-heroes and likewise the sons of King David submitted themselves to Shlomo the king. 25 Adonai gave Shlomo exceedingly great power, in full view of all Isra’el, and bestowed on him royal majesty such as had not been seen on any king before him in Isra’el.
26 Now David the son of Yishai ruled over all Isra’el. 27 The duration of his reign over Isra’el was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hevron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Yerushalayim. 28 Then he died, at a ripe old age, full of years, riches and honor; and Shlomo his son reigned in his place. 29 The activities of David the king, from first to last, are written in the records of Sh’mu’el the seer, Natan the prophet and Gad the seer, 30 with all his reign and his power, and the events that he, Isra’el and the kingdoms of other countries experienced.
John 9:24 So a second time they called the man who had been blind; and they said to him, “Swear to God that you will tell the truth! We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he’s a sinner or not I don’t know. One thing I do know: I was blind, now I see.” 26 So they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 “I already told you,” he answered, “and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Maybe you too want to become his talmidim?” 28 Then they railed at him. “You may be his talmid,” they said, “but we are talmidim of Moshe! 29 We know that God has spoken to Moshe, but as for this fellow — we don’t know where he’s from!” 30 “What a strange thing,” the man answered, “that you don’t know where he’s from — considering that he opened my eyes! 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners; but if anyone fears God and does his will, God does listen to him. 32 In all history no one has ever heard of someone’s opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he couldn’t do a thing!” 34 “Why, you mamzer!” they retorted, “Are you lecturing us?” And they threw him out.
35 Yeshua heard that they had thrown the man out. He found him and said, “Do you trust in the Son of Man?” 36 “Sir,” he answered, “tell me who he is, so that I can trust in him.” 37 Yeshua said to him, “You have seen him. In fact, he’s the one speaking with you now.” 38 “Lord, I trust!” he said, and he kneeled down in front of him.
39 Yeshua said, “It is to judge that I came into this world, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.” 40 Some of the P’rushim nearby heard this and said to him, “So we’re blind too, are we?” 41 Yeshua answered them, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin. But since you still say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains. (Complete Jewish Bible).
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WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
We are not to preach the doing of good things; good deeds are not to be preached, they are to be performed. (from So Send I You, 1330 L)
My Utmost for His Highest © 1992 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. Original edition © 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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