Altering Our Hearing

Today I want to share from my devotional, "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. I love this little book, because it leaves room to journal in the margins, and with each year, I see the different things I've written down that I want the Lord to do or change in my life.
Today's entry is about "The Voice of the Nature of God". In his opening statement, Chambers says, " When we speak of the call of God, we are apt to forget the most important feature, viz., the nature of The One who calls. The call is the expression of the nature from which it comes, and we can only record the call if the same nature is in us. The call of God is the expression of God's nature, not of our nature. As long as I consider my personal temperament and think about what I am fitted for, I shall never hear the call of God. The majority of us have no ear for anything but ourselves, we cannot hear a thing God says. To be brought into the zone of the call of God is to be profoundly altered".
Throughout the years that I've been journaling in the side margins of this book, there is a constant thread of thought I've written down - "help me to hear you better Lord, and to be obedient to whatever you ask of me".
Well, that's easy to say, but I know there have been times when I've not followed through as I should have. Then comes the feelings of guilt and failure. The Lord doesn't want us walking around like that though, and he is always willing to give us yet another chance to fine tune our hearing of his voice, and gives us more opportunities to act on his call.
Remember, the nature of God is love, mercy, compassion, grace, generosity, patience......and if I (we) allow ourselves to really focus on who God is, all his holy attributes, and that he knows what is best for any situation, it will enable us to be more easily receptive to follow him in anything he asks of us.
I know that when I go out to do my running around today, that there will be some kind of opportunity for me to exhibit the Lord and all his goodness, to someone. My prayer is that my hearing him speak to me about that opportunity, will be fine tuned and productive.
Have a blessed Friday, and a great weekend ahead!

Janelle

Old Baggage

There is "baggage" that we bring along with us when we first come believers, and the Holy Spirit will reveal those things to us that aren't of God, and we are to get rid of them in order to be the light in the world, and cause others to be drawn into a relationship with the Lord.

Colossians 3: 5 - 10 tells us what some of those things are - things of the old nature before being renewed in our lives by the Power of God.

"Put to death therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature; sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self, with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator".

These things which the Lord is telling us to "rid ourselves of", are things which will prohibit unbelievers to ever ask us the questions about our faith that could in turn, lead them to give their lives to the Lord.

We all need to check our hearts and ask the Lord to purge from them, these things of our old nature - it's a choice we have to make, but we most certainly need the Power of the Holy Spirit to be behind that choice.

I know that today I will be asking him that very thing - I want my life to be a reflection of Him, and for those around me who aren't believers to see a difference in me.

Have a blessed day.



Janelle

A Noble Woman of Character

With it being the 31st of May, I am reading through the book of Proverbs, chapter 31 and I've always strived to be the kind of woman that it's speaking about. A good a noble wife is spoken about all throughout this book, but this final chapter gives the qualities and characteristics in more detail.
With the Lord's blessing of being able to stay at home again, and sew to make extra income, these verses really speak out to me.
MEN - this is the kind of woman you should be searching for if you're single and can't seem to find a woman of character. Maybe you're looking in the wrong places; I would suggest church!
31:10 - 20:"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her, and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life. She selects flax and wool and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. SHe gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy".
24 - 31:" She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and didnity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction in on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. " Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all". Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate".
This is the woman I strive to be - a woman of character, compassion, and integrity.