The Relapse of Concentration

I have read yet another amazing devotional from My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, and I just felt like it needed to be shared with my fellow believers, because I believe it is a problem all of us face in our lives.

"But the high places were not taken away out of Israel; nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days." 2 Chronicles 15:17

Asa was incomplete in his external obedience; he was right in the main but not entirely right. Beware of the thing of which you say---"Oh, that does not matter much." The fact that it does not matter much to you may mean that it matters a very great deal to God. Nothing is a light matter with a child of God. How much longer are some of us going to keep God trying to teach us one thing? He never loses patience. You say---"I know I am right with God"; but still the "high places" remain, there is something over which you have not obeyed. Are you protesting that your heart is right with God, and yet is there something in your life about which He has caused you to doubt? Whenever there is doubt, quit immediately, no matter what it is. Nothing is a mere detail.
Are there some things in connection with your bodily life, your intellectual life, upon which you are not concentrating at all? You are all right in the main but you are slipshod; there is a relapse on the line of concentration. You no more need a holiday from beating. You cannot have a moral holiday and remain moral, nor can you have a spiritual holiday and remain spiritual. God wants you to be entirely His, and this means that you have to watch to keep yourself fit. It takes a tremendous amount of time. Some of us expect to "clear the numberless ascensions" in about two minutes.

I would like to call attention to the underlined passage: The fact that it does not matter much to you may mean that it matters a very great deal to God. Nothing is a light matter with a child of God. How many areas of our life have we not completely surrendered to God, because we don't think it's a big deal? Have we completely and totally surrendered every area of our life to Him? Have you given your music standards to Him? Have you given your dress to Him? Have you given all of your friendships to Him? Are you ready to tear down every "high place" and truly follow God with your whole heart? We need to lay every thing down at the cross of Christ, and follow Him with our whole heart. Are you ready to truly surrender EVERYTHING to Christ? Are you ready to tear down those high places?

Just some things that the Lord has burdened my heart with today. I pray that you will prayerfully consider every single area of your life (ie. your music, your dress, your friendships, etc.) and see if you have completely surrendered those things to the Lord, or if you still have high places in those areas. May the Lord tear down those high places in your life as you surrender them completely to Him! Stay strong in Jesus!

Because of His Precious Blood,
Faith Christine
Galatians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 15:10

The Glory That Excels

I wanted to share with y'all (yes I say y'all 'cause I'm a Texan) the devotion from My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers that I read this evening. It really sums up what life is all about. Keeping our focus on Jesus. I underlined the parts that really stood out to me.




"The Lord...hath sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight." Acts 9:17
When Paul received his sight, he received spiritually an insight into the Person of Jesus Christ, and the whole of his subsequent life and preaching was nothing but Jesus Christ---"I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." No attraction was ever allowed to hold the mind and soul of Paul save the face of Jesus Christ.
We have to learn to maintain an unimpaired state of character up to the last notch revealed in the vision of Jesus Christ.
The abiding characteristic of a spiritual man is the interpretation of the Lord Jesus Christ to himself, and the interpretation to others of the purposes of God. The one concentrated passion of the life is Jesus Christ. Whenever you meet this note in a man, you feel he is a man after God's own heart.
Never allow anything to deflect you from insight into Jesus Christ. It is the test of whether you are spiritual or not. To be unspiritual means that other things have a growing fascination for you.

Since mine eyes have looked on Jesus,

I've lost sight of all beside,

So enchained my spirit's vision,

Gazing on the Crucified.

Isn't that amazing?! My favorite quote is "No attraction was ever allowed to hold the mind and soul of Paul save the face of Jesus Christ." I want this to be said of me! That only the attraction to the face of Jesus Christ would ever hold my mind and soul! I pray this has been a blessing to you, as much as it has been to me! Stay strong in Jesus!

Because of His blood,

Faith Christine

Galatians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 15:10