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.

shedding---

Do you ever have that feeling that God is doing something in your heart? You don't know what it is exactly, but you know your heart is being changed? I'm there. I can't articulate what He is doing right now, but there is something brewing in my heart. There is a certain *discontentment*, but it is a good kind. There is some shedding of my old self, and it is a good thing. It is not a change that comes easily, but it is exciting to be being molded by God.

I just want to add that when we stepped out in faith towards adoption, I had absolutely no idea what a changed person I would become. It is exhilirating! I wouldn't trade any of this for anything!