VIDEO Are You Ready To Be Poured Out As an Offering?

By Oswald Chambers

If I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. —Philippians 2:17

Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for the work of another believer—to pour out your life sacrificially for the ministry and faith of others? Or do you say, “I am not willing to be poured out right now, and I don’t want God to tell me how to serve Him. I want to choose the place of my own sacrifice. And I want to have certain people watching me and saying, ‘Well done.’ ”

It is one thing to follow God’s way of service if you are regarded as a hero, but quite another thing if the road marked out for you by God requires becoming a “doormat” under other people’s feet. God’s purpose may be to teach you to say, “I know how to be abased…” (Philippians 4:12). Are you ready to be sacrificed like that? Are you ready to be less than a mere drop in the bucket— to be so totally insignificant that no one remembers you even if they think of those you served? Are you willing to give and be poured out until you are used up and exhausted— not seeking to be ministered to, but to minister? Some saints cannot do menial work while maintaining a saintly attitude, because they feel such service is beneath their dignity.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

To those who have had no agony Jesus says, “I have nothing for you; stand on your own feet, square your own shoulders. I have come for the man who knows he has a bigger handful than he can cope with, who knows there are forces he cannot touch; I will do everything for him if he will let Me. Only let a man grant he needs it, and I will do it for him.” The Shadow of an Agony, 1166 R

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Why I Have No Joy – Philippians 2:17-30

I Can Only Imagine

The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:7

I settled into the church pew behind a woman as the worship team began playing “I Can Only Imagine.” Raising my hands, I praised God as the woman’s sweet soprano voice harmonized with mine. After telling me about her health struggles, we decided to pray together during her upcoming cancer treatments.

A few months later, Louise told me she feared dying. Leaning onto her hospital bed, I rested my head next to hers, whispered a prayer, and quietly sang our song. I can only imagine what it was like for Louise when she worshiped Jesus face-to-face just a few days later.

The apostle Paul offered comforting assurance for his readers who were facing death (2 Corinthians 5:1). The suffering experienced on this side of eternity may cause groaning, but our hope remains anchored to our heavenly dwelling—our eternal existence with Jesus (vv. 2–4). Though God designed us to yearn for everlasting life with Him (vv. 5–6), His promises are meant to impact the way we live for Him now (vv. 7–10).

As we live to please Jesus while waiting for Him to return or call us home, we can rejoice in the peace of His constant presence. What will we experience the moment we leave our earthly bodies and join Jesus in eternity? We can only imagine!

By:  Xochitl Dixon

When have you been worried about or discouraged by facing death or losing a loved one? How does God’s promise of everlasting life encourage you?

Loving God, thank You for promising to be with me on earth and for all eternity.

For further study, read Crying for Us All: How Jesus Shares Our Grief

Sunday Reflection: An Inheritance of Faith

Have you thanked God for the people He sent into your life to share His love?

To get the most out of this devotion, set aside time to read the scriptures referenced throughout.

Where does faith come from? For some people, trust in Jesus almost seems genetic—like red hair, a distaste for cilantro, or a quick wit. For others, following the Lord was an unexpected detour from family expectations or cultural traditions. 

Salvation is solely the work of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, but for most Christians, being born again came about with the help of spiritual “midwives.” These are the Sunday school teachers, parents, evangelists, pastors, friends, and strangers who helped usher unbelievers from death to life. 

Write down your spiritual family tree, listing the people who shaped your walk with God. In what ways does your faith look like theirs? What beliefs and behaviors did you inherit from them? Repeat this process, going back as many “generations” as you can, to sketch the fullest picture of your spiritual DNA.

Think about it

• In 2 Timothy 1:2-6, the apostle Paul is writing to a young pastor, but imagine him writing a similar letter to one of your descendants. How would he describe your faith?

From Darkness to Light

“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.” (Genesis 1:3-4)

The initial aspect of God’s newly created world was one of darkness in the presence of the all-pervading waters. Since “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5), the darkness had to be specially created (Isaiah 45:7) before God could then call for the light to appear in the darkness.

This would later serve as a striking picture of the entrance of light into the darkness of a soul born in sin. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). The light enters our soul by His Word. “The entrance of thy words giveth light” (Psalm 119:130).

This great theme, contrasting the darkness of the soul without Christ to the glorious light He brings when that soul receives Him by faith, is found often in Scripture. “[Christ] hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9). “The darkness is past, and the true light now shineth” (1 John 2:8). Jesus even called Himself that true light that divided the light from the darkness. “I am the light of the world,” He claimed. “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).

And because we have received the true light, we should henceforth live in the light of His truth. “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). “Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light” (Romans 13:12). God’s light is good. In the Holy City, “there shall be no night there” (Revelation 22:5). HMM

“This Is My Beloved Son”

Matthew 17:1-8

RIGHT after his God-revealed confession, Peter undertakes to rebuke the Lord Jesus. Within the range of a few verses, he falls from the mountain peak of confession to the swamp of contradiction. From a rocklike disciple he changes to a stumbling block. A few moments, and he who spoke from God is told he savors not the things of God but of men.

Jesus next laid down the terms of discipleship in self-denial, cross-bearing and obedience. There is a difference between a believer and a disciple—not every believer is a good disciple. Scripture gives us the paradox of Christian experience: he who loses his life for Christ’s sake saves it. To gain the world and lose the soul is man’s worst bargain. At the judgment, we who are believers are to be rewarded according to our works.

The statement “There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom” is fulfilled in the transfiguration which immediately follows (Matt. 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36). The whole scene is a miniature picture of Christ reigning in His future kingdom. He is the center of it all. Moses represents dead saints resurrected and Elijah the living saints caught up at the rapture. Peter, James and John represent Israel, while the multitude at the foot of the mountain represent the nations to be brought into the kingdom after it has been established over Israel. Peter himself later speaks of the profound significance of this occasion (2 Pet. 1:16-19).

Impulsive Peter wanted to catch the glory and house it and stay on the mountaintop; but there is work to be done in the valley, and he must go down to meet human need. The heavenly voice bears testimony to the beloved Son, as at the baptism of our Lord; and when the majestic glory passes, the three men see Jesus only. We must not fix upon our rapturous experiences as the norm of our Christian lives. Mountaintop experiences come and go, but Christ remains.

Observe also, that after such a glorious experience Jesus bids them, “Arise and be not afraid.” After our visions and revelations, we are to arise. The strength that comes through them must be expended on the multitude who are at the foot of the mountain. Mountaintop hours are not for purely personal enjoyment. They are to brace us for practical service ahead.

The disciples ask Jesus about Elijah who is to come (Mal. 4:5-6). Malachi’s prediction had already been fulfilled in John the Baptist, but there is a greater fulfillment ahead when he comes as one of the two witnesses in Revelation 11. Two separate comings of “Elijah” are clearly taught, the first in the person of John the Baptist but another yet future.

Luke, in his account, says, “And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone.” We have our great days, when voices from heaven speak to the soul. But Jesus Himself abides when the vision fades and no voice is heard. Look not to voice and vision, but unto Him who remains the same.

“Be ye also ready.”

Genesis 23

Genesis 23:1-2

Into the holiest and happiest households death will come, but faith learns how to make him welcome.

Genesis 23:3-4

Dear as our beloved ones maybe in life, we cannot endure to look upon their dead bodies, but affection itself demands that we hide them in the dust. What an instructive expression is that,—”the possession of a burial place;” it is often the only landed estate the godly possess.

Genesis 23:6

But this would not be after Abraham’s mind. He would not wish to sleep in the same grave with those from whom he was separated in life. He would maintain his separateness unto God even to the end.

Genesis 23:7

Courtesy is due even to the ungodly. A believer should not be any the less gentle in manners because gracious in heart.

Genesis 23:12

This is a second time mentioned. The truly noble are conciliatory and courteous. A believer is not a bear.

Genesis 23:14-16

Abraham would not put himself under obligation to idolaters. True faith produces an independent spirit.

Genesis 23:18

This is as precise as a legal document. Faith does not make a man less business-like in his transactions.

Genesis 23:19

In firm faith that the land would one day be all his own he laid down the bones of his beloved spouse in the promised soil, and so, as it were, took possession of the country till the set time should come for entering upon it.

What though this goodly mortal frame

Sink to the dust, from whence it came;

Though buried in the silent tomb,

Worms shall my skin and flesh consume;

Yet on that happy rising morn,

New life this body shall adorn;

These active powers refined shall be,

And God my Saviour, I shall see.

Christ’s Victory Rightfully Belongs to Us

… In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren…. Hebrews 2:17

“Is it possible to be a true Christian and still suffer in the doldrums of discouragement?”

This is a question that we are hearing often. Frankly, I cannot assure you whether Christians should know discouragement or not: I can only tell you that they all do!

Inwardly, they are often heavy-hearted, defeated, unhappy and a little bit frightened—yet they are Christians!

What we need, brethren, is to get the true scriptural vision of our victorious Lord, our victorious human brother. Paul wrote to the Philippians about Jesus Christ humbling Himself and becoming obedient even unto the death of the cross, and then: “Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name” and “every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God, the Father.”

Now, that is our victorious Lord, our victorious human brother.

Someone may say: “It is no great news to say that God is victorious.”

But what we read in the New Testament is that God has joined His nature to the nature of man and has made a Man victorious, so that men might be victorious and overcoming in that Man!

God has made Him to be Head of the Church and He meanwhile waits for the time of His returning, guiding and keeping and instructing His Church. This He does by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God!