PARRISA LEADING TO THE KINGDOM: 2009

Thursday, 8 October 2009

Emergency Telephone Numbers

These are more effective than 911

When:

You are sad, phone John 14

You have sinned, phone Psalm 51

You are facing danger, phone Psalm 91

People have failed you, phone Psalm 27

It feels as though God is far from you, phone Psalm 139

Your faith needs stimulation, phone Hebrews 11

You are alone and scared, phone Psalm 23

You are worried, phone Matthew 8:19-34

You are hurt and critical, phone 1 Corinthians 13

You wonder about Christianity, phone 2 Corinthians 5:15-18

You feel like an outcast, phone Romans 8:31-39

You are seeking peace, phone Matthew 11:25-30

It feels as if the world is b igger than God, phone Psalm 90

You need Christ like insurance, phone Romans 8:1-30

You are leaving home for a trip , phone Psalm 121

You are praying for yourself, phone Psalm 87

You require courage for a task, phone Joshua 1

Inflation's and investments are hogging your thoughts, phone Mark 10:17-31

You are depressive, phone Psalm 27

Your bank account is empty, phone Psalm 37

You lose faith in mankind, phone 1 Corinthians 13

It looks like people are unfriendly, phone John 15

You are losing hope, phone Psalm 126

You feel the world is small comp ared to you, phone Psalm 19

You want to carry fruit, phone John 15

Paul's secret for happiness, phone Colossians 3:12-17

With big opportunity/ discovery, phone Isaiah 55

To get along with other people, phone Romans 12

ALTERNATE NUMBERS

For dealing with fear, call Psalm 47

For security, call Psalm 121:3

For assurance, call Mark 8:35

For reassurance, call Psalm 145:18

ALL THESE NUMBERS MAY BE PHONED DIRECTLY.

NO OPERATOR ASSISTANCE IS NECESSARY.

ALL LINES TO HEAVEN ARE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY.

FEED YOUR FAITH, AND DOUBT WILL STARVE TO DEATH.

Read the Holy Bible Online

New International Version (NIV)

Books Chapters
Genesis 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

Exodus 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Leviticus 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

Deuteronomy 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

Joshua 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Judges 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Ruth 1 2 3 4

1 Samuel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

2 Samuel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

1 Kings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

2 Kings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

1 Chronicles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

2 Chronicles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

Ezra 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Nehemiah 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Esther 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Job 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42

Psalm 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150

Proverbs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Ecclesiastes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Song of Solomon 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Isaiah 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66

Jeremiah 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52

Lamentations 1 2 3 4 5

Ezekiel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 44 45 46 47 48

Daniel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Hosea 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Joel 1 2 3

Amos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Obadiah 1

Jonah 1 2 3 4

Micah 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Nahum 1 2 3

Habakkuk 1 2 3

Zephaniah 1 2 3

Haggai 1 2

Zechariah 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Malachi 1 2 3 4

Matthew 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Mark 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Luke 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

John 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Acts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Romans 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

1 Corinthians 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

2 Corinthians 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Galatians 1 2 3 4 5 6

Ephesians 1 2 3 4 5 6

Philippians 1 2 3 4

Colossians 1 2 3 4

1 Thessalonians 1 2 3 4 5

2 Thessalonians 1 2 3

1 Timothy 1 2 3 4 5 6

2 Timothy 1 2 3 4

Titus 1 2 3

Philemon 1

Hebrews 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

James 1 2 3 4 5

1 Peter 1 2 3 4 5

2 Peter 1 2 3

1 John 1 2 3 4 5

2 John 1

3 John 1

Jude 1

Revelation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Thursday, 18 June 2009

Oswald Chamber's - Patience

Oswald Chamber's - Prayer n Intercession

Oswald Chamber's - Spiritual Guidance and Direction

Oswald Chambers

Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) was a Scottish minister and teacher whose teachings on the life of faith and abandonment to God have endured to this day.

This daily devotional is a collection of his teachings compiled by his wife into a daily devotional format. It's presented here in the original English. His wife's comments may be found in the Foreword below.

"I hope and pray that Oswald Chambers' teachings will help you grow in your walk with Christ. This Daily devotional Book was gifted to me during the time when i was going through a period of trials and tribulations. It helped me to develop a deep understanding about Intimacy with God and maintaining a persistent walk with Christ. I received my guidance to overcome my spiritual weaknesses and stepping out of the boat to follow Jesus, from this precious book. It is an asset to those who eagerly desire a relationship with God as a Father. My website felt incomplete without the spiritual teaching given by a man who knows the depths of Spirituality. Few men on earth have such deep ideas. I am sure you find find Oswald Chamber's Teaching an asset for your spiritual growth and nourishment." Zeeshan Siraj Din.

For more daily devotional readings from Oswald Chambers, can u please visit www.myutmost.org and www.oswaldchambers.co.uk to learn more about his life.

April 22nd.

THE LIGHT THAT NEVER FAILS

"We all with open face beholding . . . the glory of the Lord." 2 Corinthians 3:18

A servant of God must stand so much alone that he never knows he is alone. In the first phases of Christian life disheartenments come, people who used to be lights flicker out, and those who used to stand with us pass away. We have to get so used to it that we never know we are standing alone. "All men forsook me . . notwithstanding the Lord stood with me" (2 Tim. 4:16-17). We must build our faith, not on the fading light, but on the light that never fails. When "big" men go we are sad, until we see that they are meant to go, the one thing that remains is looking in the face of God for ourselves.

Allow nothing to keep you from looking God sternly in the face about yourself and about your doctrine, and every time you preach see that you look God in the face about things first, then the glory will remain all through. A Christian worker is one who perpetually looks in the face of God and then goes forth to talk to people. The characteristic of the ministry of Christ is that of unconscious glory that abides. "Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him."

We are never called on to parade our doubts or to express the hidden ecstasies of our life with God. The secret of the worker's life is that he keeps in tune with God all the time.

May 22nd.

NOW THIS EXPLAINS IT

"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us." John 17:21

If you are going through a solitary way, read John 17, it will explain exactly why you are where you are - Jesus has prayed that you may be one with the Father as He is. Are you helping God to answer that prayer, or have you some other end for your life? Since you became a disciple you cannot be as independent as you used to be.

The purpose of God is not to answer our prayers, but by our prayers we come to discern the mind of God, and this is revealed in John 17. There is one prayer God must answer, and that is the prayer of Jesus - "that they may be one, even as We are One." Are we as close to Jesus Christ as that?

God is not concerned about our plans; He does not say - Do you want to go through this bereavement; this upset? He allows these things for His own purpose. The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, nobler men and women; or they are making us more captious and fault-finding, more insistent upon our own way. The things that happen either make us fiends, or they make us saints; it depends entirely upon the relationship we are in to God. If we say - "Thy will be done," we get the consolation of John 17, the consolation of knowing that our Father is working according to His own wisdom. When we understand what God is after we will not get mean and cynical. Jesus has prayed nothing less for us than absolute oneness with Himself as He was one with the Father. Some of us are far off it, and yet God will not leave us alone until we are one with Him, because Jesus has prayed that we may be.

April 28th.

WHAT YOU WILL GET

"Thy life will I give thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest." Jeremiah 45:5

This is the unshakable secret of the Lord to those who trust Him - "I will give thee thy life." What more does a man want than his life? It is the essential thing. "Thy life for a prey" means that wherever you may go, even if it is into hell, you will come out with your life, nothing can harm it. So many of us are caught up in the shows of things, not in the way of property and possessions, but of blessings. All these have to go; but there is something grander that never can go - the life that is "hid with Christ in God."

Are you prepared to let God take you into union with Himself, and pay no more attention to what you call the great things? Are you prepared to abandon entirely and let go? The test of abandonment is in refusing to say - "Well, what about this?" Beware of suppositions. Immediately you allow - What about this? - it means you have not abandoned, you do not really trust God. Immediately you do abandon, you think no more about what God is going to do. Abandon means to refuse yourself the luxury of asking any questions. If you abandon entirely to God, He says at once, "Thy life will I give thee for a prey." The reason people are tired of life is because God has not given them anything, they have not got their life as a prey. The way to get out of that state is to abandon to God. When you do get through to abandonment to God, you will be the most surprised and delighted creature on earth; God has got you absolutely and has given you your life. If you are not there, it is either because of disobedience or a refusal to be simple enough.

April 29th.

THE GRACIOUSNESS OF UNCERTAINTY

"It doth not yet appear what we shall be." 1 John 3:2

Naturally, we are inclined to be so mathematical and calculating that we look upon uncertainty as a bad thing. We imagine that we have to reach some end, but that is not the nature of spiritual life. The nature of spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty, consequently we do not make our nests anywhere. Common sense says - "Well, supposing I were in that condition . . ." We cannot suppose ourselves in any condition we have never been in. Certainty is the mark of the common-sense life: gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, we do not know what a day may bring forth. This is generally said with a sigh of sadness, it should be rather an expression of breathless expectation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. Immediately we abandon to God, and do the duty that lies nearest, He packs our life with surprises all the time. When we become advocates of a creed, something dies; we do not believe God, we only believe our belief about Him. Jesus said, "Except ye become as little children." Spiritual life is the life of a child. We are not uncertain of God, but uncertain of what He is going to do next. If we are only certain in our beliefs, we get dignified and severe and have the ban of finality about our views; but when we are rightly related to God, life is full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy.

"Believe also in Me," said Jesus, not - "Believe certain things about Me." Leave the whole thing to Him, it is gloriously uncertain how He will come in, but He will come. Remain loyal to Him.

May 13th.

The HABIT of a GOOD CONSCIENCE

"A conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men." Acts 24:16

God's commands are given to the life of His Son in us, consequently to the human nature in which His Son has been formed, His commands are difficult, but immediately we obey they become divinely easy.

Conscience is that faculty in me which attaches itself to the highest that I know, and tells me what the highest I know demands that I do. It is the eye of the soul which looks out either towards God or towards what it regards as the highest, and therefore conscience records differently in different people. If I am in the habit of steadily facing myself with God, my conscience will always introduce God's perfect law and indicate what I should do. The point is, will I obey? I have to make an effort to keep my conscience so sensitive that I walk without offence. I should be living in such perfect sympathy with God's Son, that in every circumstance the spirit of my mind is renewed, and I "make out" at once "what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

God always educates us down to the scruple. Is my ear so keen to hear the tiniest whisper of the Spirit that I know what I should do? "Grieve not the Holy Spirit." He does not come with a voice like thunder; His voice is so gentle that it is easy to ignore it. The one thing that keeps the conscience sensitive to Him is the continual habit of being open to God on the inside. When there is any debate, quit. "Why shouldn't I do this?" You are on the wrong track. There is no debate possible when conscience speaks. At your peril, you allow one thing to obscure your inner communion with God. Drop it, whatever it is, and see that you keep your inner vision clear.

Foreword:

These daily readings have been selected from various sources, chiefly from the lectures given at the Bible Training College, Clapham, during the years 1911-1915; then, from October 1915 to November 1917, from talks given night by night in the Y.M.C.A. Huts, Zeitoun, Egypt. In November 1917 my husband entered into God's presence. Since then many of the talks have been published in book form, and others from which these readings have been gathered will also be published in due course.

A large proportion of the readings have been chosen from the talks given during the Devotional Hour at the College - an hour which for many of the students marked an epoch in their life with God.

"Men return again and again to the few who have mastered the spiritual secret, whose life has been hid with Christ in God These are of the old time religion, hung to the nails of the Cross." (Robert Murray McCheyne.)

It is because it is felt that the author is one to whose teaching men will return, that this book has been prepared, and it is sent out with the prayer that day by day the messages may continue to bring the quickening life and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

40 Church Crescent,
Muswell Hill,
London, N.1O.

Oswald Chamber's - Temptations

Oswald Chamber's - Trials, Testing and Tribulation

Oswald Chambers

Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) was a Scottish minister and teacher whose teachings on the life of faith and abandonment to God have endured to this day.

This daily devotional is a collection of his teachings compiled by his wife into a daily devotional format. It's presented here in the original English. His wife's comments may be found in the Foreword below.

"I hope and pray that Oswald Chambers' teachings will help you grow in your walk with Christ. This Daily devotional Book was gifted to me during the time when i was going through a period of trials and tribulations. It helped me to develop a deep understanding about Intimacy with God and maintaining a persistent walk with Christ. I received my guidance to overcome my spiritual weaknesses and stepping out of the boat to follow Jesus, from this precious book. It is an asset to those who eagerly desire a relationship with God as a Father. My website felt incomplete without the spiritual teaching given by a man who knows the depths of Spirituality. Few men on earth have such deep ideas. I am sure you find find Oswald Chamber's Teaching an asset for your spiritual growth and nourishment." Zeeshan Siraj Din.

For more daily devotional readings from Oswald Chambers, can u please visit www.myutmost.org and www.oswaldchambers.co.uk to learn more about his life.

"OUT OF THE WRECK I RISE"

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" Romans 8:35

God does not keep a man immune from trouble; He says - "I will be with him in trouble." It does not matter what actual troubles in the most extreme form get hold of a man's life, not one of them can separate him from his relationship to God. We are "more than conquerors in all these things." Paul is not talking of imaginary things, but of things that are desperately actual; and he says we are super-victors in the midst of them, not by our ingenuity, or by our courage, or by anything other than the fact that not one of them affects our relationship to God in Jesus Christ. Rightly or wrongly, we are where we are, exactly in the condition we are in. I am sorry for the Christian who has not something in his circumstances he wishes was not there.

"Shall tribulation . . . ?" Tribulation is never a noble thing; but let tribulation be what it may - exhausting, galling, fatiguing, it is not able to separate us from the love of God. Never let cares or tribulations separate you from the fact that God loves you.

"Shall anguish . . . ?" - can God's love hold when everything says that His love is a lie, and that there is no such thing as justice?

"Shall famine . . . ?" - can we not only believe in the love of God but be more than conquerors, even while we are being starved?

Either Jesus Christ is a deceiver and Paul is deluded, or some extraordinary thing happens to a man who holds on to the love of God when the odds are all against God's character. Logic is silenced in the face of every one of these things. Only one thing can account for it - the love of God in Christ Jesus. "Out of the wreck I rise" every time.

May 23rd.

CAREFUL INFIDELITY

"Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body what ye shall put on." Matthew 6:25

Jesus sums up common-sense carefulness in a disciple as infidelity. If we have received the Spirit of God, He will press through and say - Now where does God come in in this relationship, in this mapped out holiday, in these new books? He always presses the point until we learn to make Him our first consideration. Whenever we put other things first, there is confusion.

"Take no thought . . ." don't take the pressure of forethought upon yourself. It is not only wrong to worry, it is infidelity, because worrying means that we do not think that God can look after the practical details of our lives, and it is never any thing else that worries us. Have you ever noticed what Jesus said would choke the word He puts in? The devil? No, the cares of this world. It is the little worries always. I will not trust where I cannot see, that is where infidelity begins. The only cure for infidelity is obedience to the Spirit.

The great word of Jesus to His disciples is abandon.

April 21st.

NOW DON'T HURT THE LORD!

"Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip?" John 14:9

Our Lord must be repeatedly astounded at us - astounded at how un-simple we are. It is opinions of our own which make us stupid, when we are simple we are never stupid, we discern all the time. Philip expected the revelation of a tremendous mystery, but not in the One Whom he knew. The mystery of God is not in what is going to be, it is now; we look for it presently, in some cataclysmic event. We have no reluctance in obeying Jesus, but it is probable that we are hurting Him by the questions we ask. "Lord, show us the Father." His answer comes straight back - "There He is, always here or nowhere." We look for God to manifest Himself to His children: God only manifests Himself in His children. Other people see the manifestation, the child of God does not. We want to be conscious of God; we cannot be conscious of our consciousness and remain sane. If we are asking God to give us experiences, or if conscious experience is in the road, we hurt the Lord. The very questions we ask hurt Jesus because they are not the questions of a child.

"Let not your heart be troubled" - then am I hurting Jesus by allowing my heart to be troubled? If I believe the character of Jesus, am I living up to my belief? Am I allowing anything to perturb my heart, any morbid questions to come in? I have to get to the implicit relationship that takes everything as it comes from Him. God never guides presently, but always now. Realize that the Lord is here now, and the emancipation is immediate.

May 14th.

The HABIT of RISING to the OCCASION

"That ye may know what is the hope of His calling . . ." Ephesians 1:18

Remember what you are saved for - that the Son of God might be manifested in your mortal flesh. Bend the whole energy of your powers to realize your election as a child of God; rise to the occasion every time.

You cannot do anything for your salvation, but you must do something to manifest it, you must work out what God has worked in. Are you working it out with your tongue, and your brain and your nerves? If you are still the same miserable crosspatch, set on your own way, then it is a lie to say that God has saved and sanctified you.

God is the Master Engineer, He allows the difficulties to come in order to see if you can vault over them properly - "By my God have I leaped over a wall." God will never shield you from any of the requirements of a son or daughter of His. Peter says - "Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you." Rise to the occasion; do the thing. It does not matter how it hurts as long as it gives God the chance to manifest Him self in your mortal flesh.

May God not find the whine in us any more, but may He find us full of spiritual pluck and athleticism, ready to face anything He brings. We have to exercise ourselves in order that the Son of God may be manifested in our mortal flesh. God never has museums. The only aim of the life is that the Son of God may be manifested, and all dictation to God vanishes. Our Lord never dictated to His Father, and we are not here to dictate to God; we are here to submit to His will so that He may work through us what He wants. When we realize this, He will make us broken bread and poured out wine to feed and nourish others.

May 25th.

THE TEST OF SELF-INTEREST

"If thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left." Genesis 13:9

As soon as you begin to live the life of faith in God, fascinating and luxurious prospects will open up before you, and these things are yours by right; but if you are living the life of faith you will exercise your right to waive your rights, and let God choose for you. God sometimes allows you to get into a place of testing where your own welfare would be the right and proper thing to consider if you were not living a life of faith; but if you are, you will joyfully waive your right and leave God to choose for you. This is the discipline by means of which the natural is transformed into the spiritual by obedience to the voice of God.

Whenever right is made the guidance in the life, it will blunt the spiritual insight. The great enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but the good which is not good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best. It would seem the wisest thing in the world for Abraham to choose, it was his right, and the people around would consider him a fool for not choosing. Many of us do not go on spiritually because we prefer to choose what is right instead of relying on God to choose for us. We have to learn to walk according to the standard which has its eye on God. "Walk before Me."

Foreword:

These daily readings have been selected from various sources, chiefly from the lectures given at the Bible Training College, Clapham, during the years 1911-1915; then, from October 1915 to November 1917, from talks given night by night in the Y.M.C.A. Huts, Zeitoun, Egypt. In November 1917 my husband entered into God's presence. Since then many of the talks have been published in book form, and others from which these readings have been gathered will also be published in due course.

A large proportion of the readings have been chosen from the talks given during the Devotional Hour at the College - an hour which for many of the students marked an epoch in their life with God.

"Men return again and again to the few who have mastered the spiritual secret, whose life has been hid with Christ in God These are of the old time religion, hung to the nails of the Cross." (Robert Murray McCheyne.)

It is because it is felt that the author is one to whose teaching men will return, that this book has been prepared, and it is sent out with the prayer that day by day the messages may continue to bring the quickening life and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

40 Church Crescent,
Muswell Hill,
London, N.1O.

Oswald Chamber's - Love

Oswald Chamber's - Kingdom of God

Oswald Chamber's - Faith

Tuesday, 16 June 2009

Will of God

Index

I. Three types of Will of God in our life.
i) General Will of God
ii) Special Will of God
iii) Permissible Will of God
II. Knowing the Will of God through Experience
III. Knowing the Will of God through Holy Spirit
IV. Knowing the Will of God through Jesus
V. Knowing the Will of God through God the Father
VI. Knowing the Will of God through Angels
VII. Knowing the Will of God through Prophets
VIII. Knowing the Will of God through Prophesies
IX. Knowing the Will of God through Word of Knowledge
X. Knowing the Will of God through Tongues & Interpretation
XI. Knowing the Will of God through Dreams
XII. Knowing the Will of God through Visions

How can we know the will of the Lord?

We need to acknowledge, understand and obey the will of the Lord. The word of God is experienced based. Therefore the word of God helps us to understand the will of the Lord.

It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way. Proverbs 19:02
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 01:22

I. Three types of Will of God in our life.

General Will of God: The general will of God is for everyone amongst his people. This includes His principles for our lives. God cannot change his nature since he is unchangeable. Therefore we should not stand against the general will of God. For example God does not appreciate lies, but appreciates humility.

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 01:08

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119: 105

Special Will of God: God reveals His special will for His special people on special occasions or for a specific purpose. The special will of God for Peter was to walk on the surface of water, so as to increase his faith. Another example is of the prophetic ministry, which is only for specific people and not for everyone.

4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,
5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew [a] you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
6 "Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child."
Jeremiah 01:4-6

19Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." Luke 17:19
Permissible Will of God: Since it is the nature of God that He has love for mankind and especially His own people, therefore at times He is forced to permit us for certain actions. Judas, one of the disciples of Jesus was the financial manager and was not honest with His ministry. But, still the Ministry of Jesus was not affected and it continued to excel. God permits his person only to that extent, whereby he does not fall in any deadly sin. He permits people in a positive sense.

He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions." Mark 02:25-26

12 But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed."

13 The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's princes, "Go back to your own country, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you."

20 That night God came to Balaam and said, "Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you." Numbers 22:12-13, 20
Principles (asool) do not change , laws ( ehkaam) can change. For example the principle of traffic is no accidents/ smooth traffic, while law says to keep on the right to save accidents

II. Knowing the Will of God through Experience:

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Ephesians 05:17

We must acknowledge the will of God from our own experiences in life.

III. Knowing the Will of God through Holy Spirit:

i. Personal Guidance. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him. Acts 11:02

ii. Collectively Guidance. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Acts 13:02

God talks in the mind or spirit of the person internally. Or, He talks in an audible voice externally.

IV. Knowing the Will of God through Jesus:

15"Then I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?'
" 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied. 16'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' Acts 26:15-18

V. Knowing the Will of God through God the Father:

VI. Knowing the Will of God through Angels:

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” Mathew 01:20,

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." Acts 08:26,

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. Revelations 22:08.

VII. Knowing the Will of God through Prophets: Lord communicates through His prophets. Any one who preaches the Word of God without the Holy Spirit is not a prophet, but a preacher. The one who with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit can pray well is not even a prophet, but can be an intercessor or a prayer warrior. Similarly every singer cannot be a prophet but can be a worshiper by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Every one who prophecies cannot be a prophet, but all prophets are prophesiers.

VIII. Knowing the Will of God through Prophesies:

8Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
10After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.' "
12When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Acts 21:8-12

IX. Knowing the Will of God through Word of Knowledge: God communicates with His beloved through Word of knowledge. It is the responsibility of that person to deliver the message in his own words to the Church or specific person in regard.

X. Knowing the Will of God through Tongues & Interpretation: Interpretation can be symbolic or literal. Or it can be a mixture of the two.

XI. Knowing the Will of God through Dreams: The Holy Spirit can inspire these dreams or these are merely natural dreams.

XII. Knowing the Will of God through Visions: God communicates through visions about our future prospective. Many times God reveals in visions about future events or answers to our prayer requests.

Tabernacle

Prayers of the Saints are like incense rising on Heaven

Index:

I. Introduction
i. Symbolism
II. Four Steps to enter the Tabernacle
III. Fourteen materials used in the Tabernacle that represents Jesus Christ
IV. Seven pieces of furniture inside the Tabernacle
i. Ark of Moses (deliverance)
ii. The Brazen Alter
iii. The Brazen Lavern
iv. Veil
v. Fence
vi. Tent
vii. Door
V. Conclusion
I. Introduction:

In the History of The Bible, Tabernacle was the most expensive building designed as per the measurements given by God. It was more expensive than Solomon’s Temple. Its present day value is around Ten Billion Pounds. Its construction shows that God is in control, perfect in deeds and words and has an organised pattern of His worship on earth.

Tabernacle represents triune being (body , soul and spirit) ; besides representing the Trinity. There were three rooms inside the tabernacle.

1. The Outer Court (Body)
2. The Holy Place (Soul)
3. Holy of Holies (Spirit)

The digit "3" (three) represents trinity (God the Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit).

i. Symbolism

It was a temporary dwelling place of the tangible presence of God. It was used for 40 years while Israelites were moving in wilderness. The Temple built by Solomon followed it and in the New Testament Jesus represented that on Earth. Now we are the temples of the Living God.

It gives the picture of Jesus Christ. He wants His Holy Spirit to dwell inside men.
It was the only building on Earth made by the exact measurements given by God.
It was a prophetic building that spoke about Jesus. It pictures Jesus in detail.

II. Four Steps to enter the Tabernacle

Step.01

Israelites presented the sacrifice (in context of the Crucifixion) on the entrance to the Outer Court of the Tabernacle (God’s presence). The sacrifice was laid on “The Place of Blood” which was placed on the entrance of the Tabernacle. It was known as the Brazen Alter. (We have to go through the cross to enter into the presence of God). It was called the house of blood because people brought their sacrifices all the time.

Step.02

After the sacrifice they washed their hands with water from the Lavern in the Outer Court. It was a huge basin filled with water. Water represents the Holy Spirit and we need baptism of the Holy Spirit to enter into the presence of the Lord.

Step.03

From the Outer Court they moved into the Holy Place. There was a Candle Stick on one side, the Alter of incense in the centre and 12 loaves of bread on the other end kept on the Table of Shew Bread. It represents fellowship and sharing. The table had two crowns. Candle gives light and represents our walk with Jesus. The Bread was kept fresh every day and therefore represents that Jesus is our Bread of Life. We cannot feed on yesterday’s bread.

Step.04

Holy of Holies. Place of Total Communion with God. Only the High Priest went inside once a year. The door of the Holy of Holies was wide enough for only one person to get through. It represents our intimacy with God. When we develop a personal relationship with Him, then we are entitles to dwell in His presence.

There was no room to sit inside the Tabernacle. This represents that people were busy in service all the time.

III. Fourteen materials used in the Tabernacle that represents Jesus Christ:

1. Gold: Deity (divinity) of Christ.

2. Silver: Redemption – not as precious as Gold.

3. Brass: Judgement.

4. Blue: Heavenly nature. (Blue Curtains)

5. Purple: Royalty

6. Scarlet: Blood (bright red)

7. Fine Linen: righteousness (white)

8. Black Goat’s Hair: Sin bearer

9. Ram’s skin dyed red: Suffering

10. Badgers skins: are of the lowest skins of all the animals in the east. People made shoes of these skins. They represent the humility of Jesus.

11. Shiltim Wood (Acacia): Humility of Jesus

12. Oil for light: 247 means 24 hrs, seven days a week. It represents the Holy Spirit.

13. Spices for anointed oil – sweetness

14. Onyx Stones: precious – Glory of Christ.

IV. Seven pieces of furniture inside the Tabernacle:

The digit "7" (seven) represents perfection

i. Ark of Moses (deliverance):

Ark of the Covenant was made up of Wood and Gold. Wood represents the Human nature and Gold represents the Divine Nature of Jesus. This also represents incarnation of Jesus. (He was fully God and fully Man). The inner part of the ark was made up of Wood and the outer part was made up of Gold. When God looks at us in His Divine Love, He sees Gold, which is the outer part.

The Crown: King of Kings – Lord of Lords.

Four Gold Rings and Two carriers: The four sticks were also covered in Gold. They represent justice, holiness, grace and truth.

Mercy Seat: It was made up of solid gold on the outside and wood from the inside. It was like a hollow box. Above the Mercy Seat was the Cloud. The Mercy Seat covered the Ark. It is similar to the covering of Jesus on us.

The Wings of the Cherubim: The wings of the two Cherubim touched one another. They were the Guardian angels of the Ark of the Covenant.

Inside the Ark of the Covenant were placed the two tablets of the Ten Commandments, the jar of Manna and Aaron’s rod. Hebrew Manna the bread from the Heaven with a peculiar names for they did not understand what it meant? Chaldean called it portion and in Modern English it is known as Bread. Aaron’s rod was placed under the mercy seat. Only Jesus has the perfection to keep the law and is therefore eligible to sit on the Mercy Seat.

ii. The Brazen Alter:
Alter means, “to lift up”. It was made up of wood on the inside and brass on the outside. It had four horns at each corner. Timber (Acacia) was the only incorruptible wood available in the desert. (Like Oak gets stronger with years). Acacia was very precious at that time. Brass represents judgement on man. God is like consuming fire and hates sin. This was the largest piece of furniture at the Tabernacle. The horns on the four sides represent that the sacrifice was equal for all mankind. The measurements of the Brazen Alter were 5 * 5 cubic feet. God is precise about Grace and Death. The height of the Brazen Alter was 3 cubic feet. It represents the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and that after three days He rose again from the dead. The sacrifice was tied by the horns so that to hold it tight from the four sides. This was to prevent it from getting away from the Alter. The difference between the Old Testament and New Testament Sacrifice is that Jesus could have got away from the cross any time. Jesus allowed himself to remain bound but the animal did not have this option.

The blood was collected before the sacrifice on a separate basin. The animals for sacrifice included lambs, goats, bullocks and turtle doves. There were five main offerings.

i. Burnt Offering
ii. Meal Offering
iii. Peace Offering
iv. Sin Offering
v. Trespass Offering

iii. The Brazen Lavern:

Priests washed their hands and feet with the water inside the Brazen Lavern for they had blood on their hands all the time. This represents the service and walk with Jesus. It was made up of brass.

(a) Badger Skins: Leather – To protect the Tabernacle from the sun and rain from the outside.

(b) Rams Skin: Leather – These were underneath the Badger Skins.

(c) Goat’s Hair: It was a layer below the Rams Skin

(d) Linen: for the lowermost layer.

These four layers were to cover the Tabernacle. We are like Badger Skins from outside because they are not pleasant looking. But since His Holy Spirit dwells inside us, we are therefore pure like white linen.

iv. Veil:

There was a veil between God and Man. It was around 6 inches thick. The veil was torn into two from top to bottom when Jesus gave his breath on the cross. There is no more need of sacrifice after His sacrifice.

v. Fence:

The fence covering the sides of the tabernacle was made up with white linen. The fence was 71/2 high. Maximum height of man is 6 feet. It was kept high so that people could not peep in. No body could enter in another way. The only way is through the door – Jesus.

vi. Tent:

The tent surrounding was all in black from outside. Therefore the Holy of Holies stood beautiful in white. This also indicates Jesus in the middle of the dark generation – outside of us is all black. The pillars were made up of silver in sockets of brass. (Redemption and Judgement). Chapiter (Crown) on the pillar was made up of Silver.

vi. Door:

There was only one door to enter the Tabernacle. It faced the East. This represents the sun rising from the east and when Jesus will come back, He will come from the east Gate of Jerusalem. This gate has been kept close till this date. Jesus said that I am the door and who ever has to come to the Father will come through me. There were four pillars supporting through the door panels. The four pillars represent universality.

At the front of the door was the veil. There were four curtains / colours used to make the veil. They represent the 4 Gospels of the Bible (Mathew, Mark, Luke and John). Blue, purple, scarlet and white. The linen was embroidered in these four colours.

V. Conclusion:

Tabernacle pictured Jesus with all its magnificence. Its numerical measurements and materials used in construction represents Jesus as our Lord and saviour. He is our dwelling place, our counsellor and the one to show us the path towards the Kingdom of God. He was with the Father since the beginning and Bible speaks of that in different contexts. He substituted himself on the cross for our sins, paid a heavy ransom for our redemption; to set us free from the enemy. There is no other God who would sacrifice Himself for His people, but Jesus did that for us. Now there is no need for any animal sacrifices, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

The High Calling

If God has called you to be really like Jesus in all your spirit, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility. He will demand such obedience of you, that He will not allow you to follow other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other people do things which He will not let you do.

Other Christians and Ministers who seem very religious and useful may push themselves, pull wires and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do it; and if you attempt it, you will meet such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

Others can brag on themselves, on their work, on their success, on their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing. If you should begin boasting, He will lead you into some deep mortification which will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

The success of others will be obvious in the great sums of money they make, the legacies they leave, or the luxuries they have; but God may supply you daily, because He wants you to have something far better than gold. This is a helpless dependence on Him – that He may have the privilege of providing your needs day by day out of the unseen treasury.
Others may be honoured and put forward, but the Lord will keep you hidden away in obscurity because He wants to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory – fruit which can only be produced in the shade.

God will let others be great, but keep you small. He will let others do a work for Him and get the credit for it, but He will make you labour and toil on without knowing how much you are doing. Then, to make your work more precious, He will allow others to get the credit for the work which you have done - making your rewards ten times greater when Jesus comes. With a jealous love, The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch on you and will rebuke you for idle words and feelings or for wasting your time - which other Christians never seem distressed over. So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign and has a right to do as He pleases with His own. He will not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle your reason in His dealings with you. God will take you at your word; and if you absolutely sell yourself to be His slave, He will wrap you up in His jealous love, and permit other people to say and do many things that you cannot say or do. Settle it forever - you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes - disciplining you in ways He does not seem to use on others. When you become so possessed with the living God that, in the secret place of your heart, you are pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, protective guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you would have found the vestibule of heaven.