Not I, but Christ that Lives

When reading this devotional,  I was reminded of Paul speaking in 1 Corinthians Chapter 2. He was telling them that he knows nothing but Christ and Him crucified. As we are being sanctified, refined and melded into His body there is this process which Oswald speaks of below. However, there is the point in time when we can say as Paul says, "It is not I but Christ that lives".


I pray that we make it through the "walking away from Christ" and into the "abiding 24/7 in Christ" and He in us. I pray that we allow Him through the Holy spirit to train us up in His ways, increasing our belief that it is so very good - and we can never choose to turn our backs on Him again.

Live this day in His love,
Candace

Our Lord’s Surprise Visits

You also be ready . . . —Luke 12:40

A Christian worker’s greatest need is a readiness to face Jesus Christ at any and every turn. This is not easy, no matter what our experience has been. This battle is not against sin, difficulties, or circumstances, but against being so absorbed in our service to Jesus Christ that we are not ready to face Jesus Himself at every turn. The greatest need is not facing our beliefs or doctrines, or even facing the question of whether or not we are of any use to Him, but the need is to face Him.

Jesus rarely comes where we expect Him; He appears where we least expect Him, and always in the most illogical situations. The only way a servant can remain true to God is to be ready for the Lord’s surprise visits. This readiness will not be brought about by service, but through intense spiritual reality, expecting Jesus Christ at every turn. This sense of expectation will give our life the attitude of childlike wonder He wants it to have. If we are going to be ready for Jesus Christ, we have to stop being religious. In other words, we must stop using religion as if it were some kind of a lofty lifestyle-we must be spiritually real.

If you are avoiding the call of the religious thinking of today’s world, and instead are "looking unto Jesus" ( Hebrews 12:2 ), setting your heart on what He wants, and thinking His thoughts, you will be considered impractical and a daydreamer. But when He suddenly appears in the work of the heat of the day, you will be the only one who is ready. You should trust no one, and even ignore the finest saint on earth if he blocks your sight of Jesus Christ. by Oswald Chambers