Friday, May 30, 2008

May 30th--My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

Suppose God tells you to do something that is an enormous test of your common sense, totally going against it. What will you do? Will you hold back? If you get into the habit of doing something physically, you will do it every time you are tested until you break the habit through sheer determination. And the same is true spiritually. Again and again you will come right up to what Jesus wants, but every time you will turn back at the true point of testing, until you are determined to abandon yourself to God in total surrender. Yet we tend to say, "Yes, but— suppose I do obey God in this matter, what about . . . ?" Or we say, "Yes, I will obey God if what He asks of me doesn’t go against my common sense, but don’t ask me to take a step in the dark."

Jesus Christ demands the same unrestrained, adventurous spirit in those who have placed their trust in Him that the natural man exhibits. If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhile, there will be times when he must risk everything by his leap in the dark. In the spiritual realm, Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold on to or believe through common sense, and leap by faith into what He says. Once you obey, you will immediately find that what He says is as solidly consistent as common sense.

By the test of common sense, Jesus Christ’s statements may seem mad, but when you test them by the trial of faith, your findings will fill your spirit with the awesome fact that they are the very words of God. Trust completely in God, and when He brings you to a new opportunity of adventure, offering it to you, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis— only one out of an entire crowd is daring enough to invest his faith in the character of God.



May this be an encouragement to someone out there that is wondering what God is asking them to do. May it give renewed strength to those that are going against what their "common sense" says. May it give encouraged hope to those that are hanging onto to the Lord with all that they have following Him with unrestrained, adventurous spirit.

8 comments:

Tengesdal 4 said...

Sign me up! Common sense definitely does not partner with our new adventure!

Anonymous said...

Common sense?? What is that?
Thank you~
Tonya

Anonymous said...

I love your blog! First of all, I use your title, to describe our decision to adopt, all of the time. We are definitely going forward in faith and "stepping out of the boat." We know God will keep us safe, even in stormy waters, as long as we keep our minds and our hearts on Him. We are adopting through the state (AL). We just found out today, our homestudy will start in a week and we will be done by mid-August. We are so excited! We have a son who is 11 and he is so excited. We all know that there will be ups and downs, but that God has amazing blessings in store for our family. We are putting our trust and our faith and our LIVES in Him. Your entry today just hit so close to home and touched my heart...I had to let you know! Thanks so much for sharing your life and your joys through adoption. Your family is beautiful!

God bless!
melanie

Football and Fried Rice said...

Yes, I am sure that I abandoned 'sense' at the sign marked "Follow Jesus"!!

Karen said...

Thank you Laura, I really needed this affirmation and encouragement right now!!!

Jaci said...

Thanks for the encouragement...keep on "stepping out of the boat" my friend, whatever God brings your way! And keep on spurring others to do the same!!!

Kristi said...

AMEN! Thanks for sharing that devotional...SO very true...and challenging and encouraging all at the same time!

Dagmar said...

So true! I completely agree! Thanks for the reminder that what Jesus says goes, no matter what anyone else thinks.