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October 2

The Place of Humiliation

“If You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us” (Mark 9:22).

After every time of exaltation, we are brought down with a sudden rush into things as they really are, where it is neither beautiful, poetic, nor thrilling. The height of the mountaintop is measured by the dismal drudgery of the valley, but it is in the valley that we have to live for the glory of God. We see His glory on the mountain, but we never live for His glory there. It is in the place of humiliation that we find our true worth to God—that is where our faithfulness is revealed. Most of us can do things if we are always at some heroic level of intensity, simply because of the natural selfishness of our own hearts. But God wants us to be at the drab everyday level, where we live in the valley according to our personal relationship with Him. Peter thought it would be a wonderful thing for them to remain on the mountain, but Jesus Christ took the disciples down from the mountain and into the valley, where the true meaning of the vision was explained (see 9:5–614–23).

“If you can do anything … .” It takes the valley of humiliation to remove the skepticism from us. Look back at your own experience and you will find that until you learned who Jesus really was, you were a skillful skeptic about His power. When you were on the mountaintop you could believe anything, but what about when you were faced with the facts of the valley? You may be able to give a testimony regarding your sanctification, but what about the thing that is a humiliation to you right now? The last time you were on the mountain with God, you saw that all the power in heaven and on earth belonged to Jesus—will you be skeptical now, simply because you are in the valley of humiliation?

My Utmost for His Highest

Copyright © 1992 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. Original edition copyright © 1935 by Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc. Copyright renewed 1963 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. All Rights reserved.

United States publication rights are held by Discovery House Publishers, which is affiliated with RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512.

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October 1

The Place of Exaltation

“… Jesus took … them up on a high mountain apart by themselves …” (Mark 9:2).

We have all experienced times of exaltation on the mountain, when we have seen things from God’s perspective and have wanted to stay there. But God will never allow us to stay there. The true test of our spiritual life is in exhibiting the power to descend from the mountain. If we only have the power to go up, something is wrong. It is a wonderful thing to be on the mountain with God, but a person only gets there so that he may later go down and lift up the demon-possessed people in the valley (see 9:14–18).

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We Are Held To A Higher Standard

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From Time to Eternity 

By: Rev Reginald Stevens      

Love, grace, and peace to you, in the Name Of God the father, Son, and Holy Spirit who love us so much, that in eternity past God decided to do for us that which we are unable to do for ourselves. He decided that in the person of His Son He would step out of eternity into time die on the cross to pay the penalty which is the righteous requirement of the law for the sins of the world.

I must say how delighted I am to write you. It is not often enough that I sit down and take the time to write my friends. This is something I am asking God to help me with. In past times I never felt the necessity to do so. I know that is terrible right, please forgive me.

God has impressed on my heart the dilemma that we are in. The dilemma is one related to the diversity of cultures in our society, and the racial hatred brought about by the world.  We are Christian people and God hold us to a higher standard  of living.  God called us to love one another the way that He loved us and died for us. There are many cultures in the church  and God expect us to live before the world as an example of how we love one another. As Christians  we are not doing everything we can to love one another regardless of our culture and race. It makes sense that this is how God expect to eliminate racial prejudices. If it is not taken on by the church it’s not going to happen. God want the world to see that His people with the many cultures and races love one another.

One Church and many cultures

There are so many cultures in Christianity, and for that matter the world. It does not matter what your culture is Jesus died for your sin as well as mine. The first Christians in the world are Jewish. I would suppose the next probably were Greek, and so on. In the book of Acts the 8th chapter we are told how an Ethiopian was converted into being a Christian. When you look at the cultural background of many of these Christian people you will find that they have a heritage that is outstanding. Not that they were rich even though some may have been, but they could look into their past they knew their parents, grandparents, great grandparents and so on.

A Fathers’  and mothers’ responsibility is the welfare of their child.

In  Israel every man that was a father had the responsibility before God to teach their child a trade. This was a part of their culture. The reason for that is so that when the child, mature into an adult, he is able to earn a living. Here is where some people  fail. God want us to make sure our children get everything they need to be doctors, lawyers, teachers, social workers, nurses. judges business managers, guidance counselors’. This is what God want us to do with our  children and with our lives. Don’t let your children go with out securing to the best of your ability that they will become upstanding citizens in the community and a productive member of society and a Christian man or woman. The world (Satan) has other pans for them, to be dope dealers, gang bangers, thieves , robbers, alcoholics, pimps, prostitutes, addicted to drugs, this is not at all what God or you want for your Children. The standard of living God call us to starts at home and spreads out to the community and the to the world.

We must take care of our own

There are very few people in our culture that love each other enough to step up and take on the responsibility of providing help to their own people who fall into the hardship of having a parent that die unexpectedly, or get ill to the point that they are no longer able to provide financial, moral, and ethical support.  The world offers them  the promise of love and protection along with the financial support, and anything their heart desire. The moral and ethical code the world has to offer is much different than that which our God expect of us.  We don’t want our Kids to become citizens of the world with Satan as their God.

 

The values of the world

The worlds’ values are opposite of Christian values. God is Just, the world is unjust. God is righteous the world is unrighteous. God is love, the world is hate. God provides us with faith, the world invokes fear. The world teaches those who follow its’ way that there is no God, or that they are god. Don’t under estimate the power of the world to attract young people. The world has a strong hold on the young, making them promises that it can’t deliver. When the world get them where it wants them then the world abandon them and crusch them and deliver them up for death, separated from God forever.

Thanks be to God,

Thanks be to God and Father of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, that in eternity past God Planned to and has provided us a way to overcome the world which is destined to death. Through the Gospel of His Son Jesus Christ which is destined to eternal life. The Gospel is the power of God onto salvation for everyone who believes (Rom 1:16).

We all know someone who need Jesus 

every one of us know someone who has given in to being controlled by the world. God wants you to take the Gospel to them. It may not be easy, however God has given you the power to help others who are destined for death and hell and fire and suffering. God out of His love for the world has given his Son to die and pay the penalty for the sin of the world, and then with great power God raised Him from the dead. The Holy scripture say that anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. When we tell others about the Gospel of Jesus Christ the power of God will begin the work in their hearts. When we show them genuine love and kindness we provide them with a platform to trust us and listen to what we have to say.

Only God can save

So brothers as you know we don’t have the power to save ourselves, and nor can we save anyone else. There is nothing we can do to earn our way, we can’t bribe our way, we can’t buy our way. We can’t be good enough and we don’t have any righteousness of our own. However we know that the only way is Jesus. It is Jesus who saves. Now if we are in agreement I know that when I get to heaven I would like to see all of my family and all of my friends, and we will all be rejoicing because Jesus shared his grace upon us. That is the prize and it begins now, not when we get to heaven. So let us reach out now,  Satan is using people to murder each other. The dilemma is not getting better it is getting worse and we  have a responsibility to address the matter.

Conclusion

So let us be bold and take every opportunity that presents itself to us to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others, especially with those who don’t know Him. Amen. I just want to take the time to thank you for lending me your heart. May God continue being with you and protecting you and your family.

From Time to Eternity

May God Be with You

 

Rev. Reginald & Sister Vickie Stevens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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September 30

The Assigning of the Call

“I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church …” (Colossians 1:24).

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We take our own spiritual consecration and try to make it into a call of God, but when we get right with Him He brushes all this aside. Then He gives us a tremendous, riveting pain to fasten our attention on something that we never even dreamed could be His call for us. And for one radiant, flashing moment we see His purpose, and we say, “Here am I! Send me” (Isaiah 6:8).

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September 29

The Awareness of the Call

“… for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16).   https://fromtimetoeternity.com/?p=2077&preview=true

We are inclined to forget the deeply spiritual and supernatural touch of God. If you are able to tell exactly where you were when you received the call of God and can explain all about it, I question whether you have truly been called. The call of God does not come like that; it is much more supernatural. The realization of the call in a person’s life may come like a clap of thunder or it may dawn gradually. But however quickly or slowly this awareness comes, it is always accompanied with an undercurrent of the supernatural—something that is inexpressible and produces a “glow.” At any moment the sudden awareness of this incalculable, supernatural, surprising call that has taken hold of your life may break through—“I chose you …” (John 15:16). The call of God has nothing to do with salvation and sanctification. You are not called to preach the gospel because you are sanctified; the call to preach the gospel is infinitely different. Paul describes it as a compulsion that was placed upon him.

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September 29

The Awareness of the Call

“… for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16).

We are inclined to forget the deeply spiritual and supernatural touch of God. If you are able to tell exactly where you were when you received the call of God and can explain all about it, I question whether you have truly been called. The call of God does not come like that; it is much more supernatural. The realization of the call in a person’s life may come like a clap of thunder or it may dawn gradually. But however quickly or slowly this awareness comes, it is always accompanied with an undercurrent of the supernatural—something that is inexpressible and produces a “glow.” At any moment the sudden awareness of this incalculable, supernatural, surprising call that has taken hold of your life may break through—“I chose you …” (John 15:16). The call of God has nothing to do with salvation and sanctification. You are not called to preach the gospel because you are sanctified; the call to preach the gospel is infinitely different. Paul describes it as a compulsion that was placed upon him.

If you have ignored, and thereby removed, the great supernatural call of God in your life, take a review of your circumstances. See where you have put your own ideas of service or your particular abilities ahead of the call of God. Paul said, “… woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” He had become aware of the call of God, and his compulsion to “preach the gospel” was so strong that nothing else was any longer even a competitor for his strength.

If a man or woman is called of God, it doesn’t matter how difficult the circumstances may be. God orchestrates every force at work for His purpose in the end. If you will agree with God’s purpose, He will bring not only your conscious level but also all the deeper levels of your life, which you yourself cannot reach, into perfect harmony.

My Utmost for His Highest

Copyright © 1992 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. Original edition copyright © 1935 by Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc. Copyright renewed 1963 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. All Rights reserved.

United States publication rights are held by Discovery House Publishers, which is affiliated with RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512.

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September 28

The “Go” of Unconditional Identification

“Jesus … said to him, ‘One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor … and come, take up the cross, and follow Me’ ” (Mark 10:21).

The rich young ruler had the controlling passion to be perfect. When he saw Jesus Christ, he wanted to be like Him. Our Lord never places anyone’s personal holiness above everything else when He calls a disciple. Jesus’ primary consideration is my absolute annihilation of my right to myself and my identification with Him, which means having a relationship with Him in which there are no other relationships. Luke 14:26 has nothing to do with salvation or sanctification, but deals solely with unconditional identification with Jesus Christ. Very few of us truly know what is meant by the absolute “go” of unconditional identification with, and abandonment and surrender to, Jesus.

“Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him …” (Mark 10:21). This look of Jesus will require breaking your heart away forever from allegiance to any other person or thing. Has Jesus ever looked in this way at you? This look of Jesus transforms, penetrates, and captivates. Where you are soft and pliable with God is where the Lord has looked at you. If you are hard and vindictive, insistent on having your own way, and always certain that the other person is more likely to be in the wrong than you are, then there are whole areas of your nature that have never been transformed by His gaze.

“One thing you lack … .” From Jesus Christ’s perspective, oneness with Him, with nothing between, is the only good thing.

“… sell whatever you have … .” I must humble myself until I am merely a living person. I must essentially renounce possessions of all kinds, not for salvation (for only one thing saves a person and that is absolute reliance in faith upon Jesus Christ), but to follow Jesus. “… come… and follow Me.” And the road is the way He went.

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My Utmost for His Highest

Copyright © 1992 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. Original edition copyright © 1935 by Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc. Copyright renewed 1963 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. All Rights reserved.

United States publication rights are held by Discovery House Publishers, which is affiliated with RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512.

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[ninja_form id=null]September 27

The “Go” of Renunciation

“… someone said to Him, ‘Lord, I will follow You wherever You go’ ” (Luke 9:57).

Our Lord’s attitude toward this man was one of severe discouragement, “for He knew what was in man” (John 2:25). We would have said, “I can’t imagine why He lost the opportunity of winning that man! Imagine being so cold to him and turning him away so discouraged!” Never apologize for your Lord. The words of the Lord hurt and offend until there is nothing left to be hurt or offended. Jesus Christ had no tenderness whatsoever toward anything that was ultimately going to ruin a person in his service to God. Our Lord’s answers were not based on some whim or impulsive thought, but on the knowledge of “what was in man.” If the Spirit of God brings to your mind a word of the Lord that hurts you, you can be sure that there is something in you that He wants to hurt to the point of its death.

Luke 9:58. These words destroy the argument of serving Jesus Christ because it is a pleasant thing to do. And the strictness of the rejection that He demands of me allows for nothing to remain in my life but my Lord, myself, and a sense of desperate hope. He says that I must let everyone else come or go, and that I must be guided solely by my relationship to Him. And He says, “… the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

Luke 9:59. This man did not want to disappoint Jesus, nor did he want to show a lack of respect for his father. We put our sense of loyalty to our relatives ahead of our loyalty to Jesus Christ, forcing Him to take last place. When your loyalties conflict, always obey Jesus Christ whatever the cost.

Luke 9:61. The person who says, “Lord, I will follow You, but …,” is the person who is intensely ready to go, but never goes. This man had reservations about going. The exacting call of Jesus has no room for good-byes; good-byes, as we often use them, are pagan, not Christian, because they divert us from the call. Once the call of God comes to you, start going and never stop.

My Utmost for His Highest

Copyright © 1992 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. Original edition copyright © 1935 by Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc. Copyright renewed 1963 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. All Rights reserved.

United States publication rights are held by Discovery House Publishers, which is affiliated with RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512

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September 26

The “Go” of Reconciliation

“If you … remember that your brother has something against you …” (Matthew 5:23).

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This verse says, “If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you … .” It is not saying, “If you search and find something because of your unbalanced sensitivity,” but, “If you … remember … .” In other words, if something is brought to your conscious mind by the Spirit of God—“First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (5:24). Never object to the intense sensitivity of the Spirit of God in you when He is instructing you down to the smallest detail.

“First be reconciled to your brother … .” Our Lord’s directive is simple—“First be reconciled … .” He says, in effect, “Go back the way you came—the way indicated to you by the conviction given to you at the altar; have an attitude in your mind and soul toward the person who has something against you that makes reconciliation as natural as breathing.” Jesus does not mention the other person—He says for you to go. It is not a matter of your rights. The true mark of the saint is that he can waive his own rights and obey the Lord Jesus.

“… and then come and offer your gift.” The process of reconciliation is clearly marked. First we have the heroic spirit of self-sacrifice, then the sudden restraint by the sensitivity of the Holy Spirit, and then we are stopped at the point of our conviction. This is followed by obedience to the Word of God, which builds an attitude or state of mind that places no blame on the one with whom you have been in the wrong. And finally there is the glad, simple, unhindered offering of your gift to God.

My Utmost for His Highest

Copyright © 1992 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. Original edition copyright © 1935 by Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc. Copyright renewed 1963 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. All Rights reserved.

United States publication rights are held by Discovery House Publishers, which is affiliated with RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512.

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September 25

The “Go” of Relationship

“Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two” (Matthew 5:41).

Our Lord’s teaching can be summed up in this: the relationship that He demands for us is an impossible one unless He has done a super-natural work in us. Jesus Christ demands that His disciple does not allow even the slightest trace of resentment in his heart when faced with tyranny and injustice. No amount of enthusiasm will ever stand up to the strain that Jesus Christ will put upon His servant. Only one thing will bear the strain, and that is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ Himself—a relationship that has been examined, purified, and tested until only one purpose remains and I can truly say, “I am here for God to send me where He will.” Everything else may become blurred, but this relationship with Jesus Christ must never be.

The Sermon on the Mount is not some unattainable goal; it is a statement of what will happen in me when Jesus Christ has changed my nature by putting His own nature in me. Jesus Christ is the only One who can fulfill the Sermon on the Mount.

If we are to be disciples of Jesus, we must be made disciples supernaturally. And as long as we consciously maintain the determined purpose to be His disciples, we can be sure that we are not disciples. Jesus says, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you …” (John 15:16). That is the way the grace of God begins. It is a constraint we can never escape; we can disobey it, but we can never start it or produce it ourselves. We are drawn to God by a work of His supernatural grace, and we can never trace back to find where the work began. Our Lord’s making of a disciple is supernatural. He does not build on any natural capacity of ours at all. God does not ask us to do the things that are naturally easy for us—He only asks us to do the things that we are perfectly fit to do through His grace, and that is where the cross we must bear will always come.

My Utmost for His Highest

Copyright © 1992 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. Original edition copyright © 1935 by Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc. Copyright renewed 1963 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. All Rights reserved.

United States publication rights are held by Discovery House Publishers, which is affiliated with RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512.