Prayer in the Father’s House

By Oswald Chambers

…they found Him in the temple….And He said to them, “…Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” —Luke 2:46, 49

Our Lord’s childhood was not immaturity waiting to grow into manhood— His childhood is an eternal fact. Am I a holy, innocent child of God as a result of my identification with my Lord and Savior? Do I look at my life as being in my Father’s house? Is the Son of God living in His Father’s house within me?

The only abiding reality is God Himself, and His order comes to me moment by moment. Am I continually in touch with the reality of God, or do I pray only when things have gone wrong— when there is some disturbance in my life? I must learn to identify myself closely with my Lord in ways of holy fellowship and oneness that some of us have not yet even begun to learn. “…I must be about My Father’s business”— and I must learn to live every moment of my life in my Father’s house.

Think about your own circumstances. Are you so closely identified with the Lord’s life that you are simply a child of God, continually talking to Him and realizing that everything comes from His hands? Is the eternal Child in you living in His Father’s house? Is the grace of His ministering life being worked out through you in your home, your business, and in your circle of friends? Have you been wondering why you are going through certain circumstances? In fact, it is not that you have to go through them. It is because of your relationship with the Son of God who comes, through the providential will of His Father, into your life. You must allow Him to have His way with you, staying in perfect oneness with Him.

The life of your Lord is to become your vital, simple life, and the way He worked and lived among people while here on earth must be the way He works and lives in you.

When the Storms Rage

From: Our Daily Journey

  Aug 6, 2018  

Read:

Psalm 107:23-32
He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves (Psalm 107:29).

On September 20, 2017, a Category 4 hurricane hit Puerto Rico, the island where I was born. The island was shredded, and nearly fifty people lost their lives. Months later, large numbers of island residents were still without water, electricity, medical care, and phone service. Hurricane Maria, with her death-dealing winds, roaring seas, and floodwaters, had pummeled Puerto Rico and its residences. It left the people with little, if anything.

Sometimes we’re fooled into thinking we can outmanoeuvre or even tame nature’s fierce storms. Yet despite all we have and all we know, storms still injure, harm, or even kill us. We’re vulnerable and fragile creatures—no matter how much money, information, shelter, or technology we have. We’re mortals, not God. The only One in existence with the power to tame the fierce winds and waves is the God-man Jesus—the Messiah, our Savior (Mark 4:35-41).

If Jesus can calm storms in nature, can He also quell the storms of life? It’s an important question. At some point, every one of us will enter the worst storm of our lives. Like the sailors mentioned in Psalm 107, we’ll “reel” and “stagger” and be at our “wits’ end” (Psalm 107:27). The storm may be a physical or mental disease or violence that attacks us or our loved ones. What can we do in such storms?

We can cry out, “Lord, help!” (Psalm 107:28). The Bible promises that those of us who cry out to God for help will find hope that doesn’t disappoint (Romans 5:5, 9:33). No matter how awful the tempest, eventually, whether in this lifetime or eternity, we’ll witness God’s faithful calming of the storm and stilling of the waves (Psalm 107:29). He is with us in the storms, and that’s the greatest comfort of all.

The Bewildering Call of God

By Oswald Chambers

“…and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.”…But they understood none of these things… —Luke 18:31, 34

God called Jesus Christ to what seemed absolute disaster. And Jesus Christ called His disciples to see Him put to death, leading every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken. His life was an absolute failure from every standpoint except God’s. But what seemed to be failure from man’s standpoint was a triumph from God’s standpoint, because God’s purpose is never the same as man’s purpose.

This bewildering call of God comes into our lives as well. The call of God can never be understood absolutely or explained externally; it is a call that can only be perceived and understood internally by our true inner-nature. The call of God is like the call of the sea— no one hears it except the person who has the nature of the sea in him. What God calls us to cannot be definitely stated, because His call is simply to be His friend to accomplish His own purposes. Our real test is in truly believing that God knows what He desires. The things that happen do not happen by chance— they happen entirely by the decree of God. God is sovereignly working out His own purposes.

If we are in fellowship and oneness with God and recognize that He is taking us into His purposes, then we will no longer strive to find out what His purposes are. As we grow in the Christian life, it becomes simpler to us, because we are less inclined to say, “I wonder why God allowed this or that?” And we begin to see that the compelling purpose of God lies behind everything in life, and that God is divinely shaping us into oneness with that purpose. A Christian is someone who trusts in the knowledge and the wisdom of God, not in his own abilities. If we have a purpose of our own, it destroys the simplicity and the calm, relaxed pace which should be characteristic of the children of God.

Peace of Mind and Heart

From: Our Daily Journey

  Aug 3, 2018  

Read:

John 16:1-4,16-33
You may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

In 2017, the morning after the mass shooting at a Las Vegas concert that resulted in nearly 60 fatalities and more than 500 wounded, the President of the United States quoted Scripture to comfort the grieving families and victims. This response to tragedy isn’t unusual; many people turn to the Bible for comfort following devastating events.

BibleGateway.com analyzed Scripture search patterns after 19 major incidents of violence and found that among the site’s 150 million visitors, four Bible verses registered a distinct spike in readership in the aftermath of the violent tragedies. John 16:33 is one of these four Bible verses.

Hours before His betrayal, Jesus spoke of the troubles and dangers ahead. He would be betrayed and put to death (John 13:21,31-33). The disciples would be persecuted and scattered (John 15:20, 16:2,32). But Jesus comforted the distraught disciples with the promise of His presence and abiding peace through the Spirit (John 14:16-20). Jesus offered them and us a much-needed gift: “peace of mind and heart.” He said that His peace “is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27).

Jesus also left His distressed disciples with another gift—the assurance of His final victory over sin and death. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

We live in a world broken by sin and twisted by pain. Yet even in the midst of turmoil and fear, we can experience Jesus’ gift of “peace of mind and heart.” We can bring our fears to Him. For He—the One who has triumphed over death—brings us joy no one can take away (John 16:22).

Peace of Mind and Heart

From: Our Daily Journey

  Aug 3, 2018  

Read:

John 16:1-4,16-33
You may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

In 2017, the morning after the mass shooting at a Las Vegas concert that resulted in nearly 60 fatalities and more than 500 wounded, the President of the United States quoted Scripture to comfort the grieving families and victims. This response to tragedy isn’t unusual; many people turn to the Bible for comfort following devastating events.

BibleGateway.com analyzed Scripture search patterns after 19 major incidents of violence and found that among the site’s 150 million visitors, four Bible verses registered a distinct spike in readership in the aftermath of the violent tragedies. John 16:33 is one of these four Bible verses.

Hours before His betrayal, Jesus spoke of the troubles and dangers ahead. He would be betrayed and put to death (John 13:21,31-33). The disciples would be persecuted and scattered (John 15:20, 16:2,32). But Jesus comforted the distraught disciples with the promise of His presence and abiding peace through the Spirit (John 14:16-20). Jesus offered them and us a much-needed gift: “peace of mind and heart.” He said that His peace “is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27).

Jesus also left His distressed disciples with another gift—the assurance of His final victory over sin and death. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

We live in a world broken by sin and twisted by pain. Yet even in the midst of turmoil and fear, we can experience Jesus’ gift of “peace of mind and heart.” We can bring our fears to Him. For He—the One who has triumphed over death—brings us joy no one can take away (John 16:22).

No Time for God?

From: Our Daily Journey

  Aug 2, 2018  

Read:

Psalm 1:1-6
Delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night (Psalm 1:2).

An midterm, a paper, two quizzes, hundreds of pages of reading, and other assignments were coming up, along with friends who needed attention. There was shopping to be done, meals to be made, and house cleaning to do! How can I possibly have time for my relationship with God? These thoughts haunted me during my second month of graduate school. It’s okay, I told myself. God’s doing something.

I grabbed my Bible and flipped to Psalm 1. In it, the psalmist writes about delighting in God’s law and meditating on it “day and night” (Psalm 1:2). The author of the psalm was referring to the Torah (the first five books of Scripture), but today we have the entire Bible to meditate on. He went on to explain that those who do so “are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do” (Psalm 1:3). But how can meditating on Scripture help me finish my “to do” list?

In reading God’s Word, we find instruction and stories that remind us that God is in control. No matter what’s going on in our lives or how pressing the deadline is, if something doesn’t get done, God’s in control. He’s still King, and He’s greater than whatever we’re facing. As the psalmist writes, “The Lord watches over the path of the godly” (Psalm 1:6). He’s there in the midst of the busy days and challenges we face.

If God is watching over our every step, He’s powerful enough to take care of us in any situation. There’s no need for us to endlessly worry about anything. We might miss a deadline or have to postpone house cleaning, but God is still God. Our quiet moments with Him can remind us of His presence with us, even during our busiest times.

God’s Peace Is Beyond Understanding

“For whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.” – 1 Peter 3:10-11

– “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Romans 5:1

 – “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” – Psalm 4:8

Matthew 11:28-30 – “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” –

Isaiah 26:1-19
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26:3).

Paying attention is one of our most underrated capacities. Our lives are greatly affected by what we do and don’t pay attention to. For example, if we’re inattentive to a bill’s due date, we’ll incur late fees. In the same way, if we ignore our emotions or try to blunt them, we’ll miss out on more deeply relating with others and God.

Neuroscience, the study of the nervous system, has found that paying focused attention to all aspects of our being (including emotions and body sensations) promotes healthy mental states like inner peace. Our brains function more coherently—they literally create new neurons and new neural connections, while “pruning” older neural connections that promote states of inner unrest.

Long before studies revealed the health benefits of paying attention, the Old Testament prophet Isaiah hailed its importance. Picturing the coming day of God’s worldwide renewal (that would start with Jerusalem) he wrote, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3).

God longs for us to fix our attention on Him. He knows this is essential to experiencing His deep inner peace, one that transcends the facts of the most difficult set of circumstances (Philippians 4:7).

Let’s practice what the psalmist described in poetic form: “Reflect” on God’s “ways” (Psalm 119:15). “Meditate,” that is, pay attention on purpose to His “wonderful deeds” (Psalm 119:27). And if sleep escapes you, “stay awake through the night” and focus on His “promise” (Psalm 119:148).

Take some slow, deep breaths and pay attention to the One who breathed into the first human the breath of life (Genesis 2:7). Your peace of mind depends on Him and what He’s doing within you.