My house is a wreck; my morning is off to a shaky start. I need to focus, be still, quiet this chaos that is inside and around me. Enter Angel Ministries devo for today -- Galatians 6:14 (NLT) "As for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world died long ago, and the world's interest in me is also long dead." In the devo, which comes from her book The Joy of My Heart, she says:
"The cross is my daily decision to
deny myself,
my rights,
my wants,
my dreams,
my plans,
my goals
and deliberately,
wholeheartedly,
unreservedly live out my commitment to
His will and
His way and
His Word and
His wisdom.
The cross is my decision to live for Jesus.
"The cross is my daily decision to
deny myself,
my rights,
my wants,
my dreams,
my plans,
my goals
and deliberately,
wholeheartedly,
unreservedly live out my commitment to
His will and
His way and
His Word and
His wisdom.
The cross is my decision to live for Jesus.
Period. No 'ifs,' 'ands,' buts,' or 'maybes.'
Will I take up my cross, ... everyday ..., and follow Him?" italic and emphasis mine
Will I take up my cross, ... everyday ..., and follow Him?" italic and emphasis mine
Then I took My Utmost for His Highest and found Oswald Chambers talks about this passage on November 26 & 27. Two things stood out to me. 1. He says we lose power if we do not concentrate on the right thing. Can I get an 'Amen' on that?! 2. He says consecration is our part, sanctification is God's part; and we have deliberately to determine to be interested only in that in which God is interested. WOW -- that's just about all I can say, WOW! Any of you familiar with Lily's Purple Plastic Purse should recognize that line. (Ok, so the picture is at the top and not here -- oh well!)
I think my word for today is "deliberately." The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, which I have had since I was in school, copyrighted in 1974!, gives the definition for deliberate as
1. determined after careful thought
2. careful and slow in deciding
3. UNHURRIED, SLOW
This is an adjective -- so does this describe me? LOL!
Now my word is in the adverb form, so do this word describe my actions? Not this morning, but now, yes, when I am having my quiet time. The trick is for me to be deliberate when all is CHAOS around me.
Which leads me to my last thought, David Jeremiah's new book, Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World, is coming out soon. Anyone want to read it with me? Maybe have a book club or discussion group? This is his follow up to What in the World is Going On?.
