I've been thinking about this....
The Concept of Divine Control
July16,2011
. . . how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! —Matthew 7:11
Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct in this passage for those people who have His Spirit. He urges us to keep our minds filled with the concept of God’s control over everything, which means that a disciple must maintain an attitude of perfect trust and an eagerness to ask and to seek.
Fill your mind with the thought that God is there. And once your mind is truly filled with that thought, when you experience difficulties it will be as easy as breathing for you to remember, “My heavenly Father knows all about this!” This will be no effort at all, but will be a natural thing for you when difficulties and uncertainties arise. Before you formed this concept of divine control so powerfully in your mind, you used to go from person to person seeking help, but now you go to God about it. Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct for those people who have His Spirit, and it works on the following principle: God is my Father, He loves me, and I will never think of anything that He will forget, so why should I worry?
Jesus said there are times when God cannot lift the darkness from you, but you should trust Him. At times God will appear like an unkind friend, but He is not; He will appear like an unnatural father, but He is not; He will appear like an unjust judge, but He is not. Keep the thought that the mind of God is behind all things strong and growing. Not even the smallest detail of life happens unless God’s will is behind it. Therefore, you can rest in perfect confidence in Him. Prayer is not only asking, but is an attitude of the mind which produces the atmosphere in which asking is perfectly natural. “Ask, and it will be given to you . . .” (Matthew 7:7).
~My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers
It reminds me of this..... Big, obvious, ignored
Fill your mind with the thought that God is there. And once your mind is truly filled with that thought, when you experience difficulties it will be as easy as breathing for you to remember, “My heavenly Father knows all about this!” This will be no effort at all, but will be a natural thing for you when difficulties and uncertainties arise. Before you formed this concept of divine control so powerfully in your mind, you used to go from person to person seeking help, but now you go to God about it. Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct for those people who have His Spirit, and it works on the following principle: God is my Father, He loves me, and I will never think of anything that He will forget, so why should I worry?
Jesus said there are times when God cannot lift the darkness from you, but you should trust Him. At times God will appear like an unkind friend, but He is not; He will appear like an unnatural father, but He is not; He will appear like an unjust judge, but He is not. Keep the thought that the mind of God is behind all things strong and growing. Not even the smallest detail of life happens unless God’s will is behind it. Therefore, you can rest in perfect confidence in Him. Prayer is not only asking, but is an attitude of the mind which produces the atmosphere in which asking is perfectly natural. “Ask, and it will be given to you . . .” (Matthew 7:7).
~My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers
It reminds me of this..... Big, obvious, ignored
Much needed word today, Thanks Jody.
ReplyDelete~M~
Great word and reminder Jody!
ReplyDeleteVery good reminders. When God lets us stay in that darkness those are what the old mystics called "Night Seasons." I can look at those times when I was in one that I was never alone but it felt like it. God was really having me walk by faith and not by sight.
ReplyDeleteI think that knowing that what ever happens is always Father filtered, and for my own good. When my Mom died, the verse He gave me, was
1 Thess. 5:18 in everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Through all of life, Like you I have found that He always has a purpose and it is greater than I can imagine.
Thanks I love reading your thoughts.
Wonderful thoughts and words for today.
ReplyDeleteWonderful thoughts and words for today.
ReplyDeleteMuch need encouragement for us all. I read a book several years ago, don’t remember the name of the book, but the main theme was God is always in control. Nothing can ever surprise God. You know you’ve reached this level when you have God’s peace in your life.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
And because we trust Him... we worry not!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate Oswald Chambers every morning.
Blessings, Debbie
Thanks for this, Jody--it's hard to remember at times, hard to believe at others, but always worth pondering!
ReplyDeletexofrances
Amen and amen. Thank you for sharing that! What a joyous thought to start the day with.
ReplyDeleteAlways such a good thing to get the roots of my heart sunk into.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jody!
Joyce
I remember when I first began my journey of faith, I was a bit bewildered by Oswald Chambers. So many people have found comfort and enlightenment in the pages of MUFHH. Me, too! (Now that I am old and smarter!)I'm still with the grands and getting very tired! Home tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteWise and very comforting words. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI posted on one of his devotionals this morning...God is speaking loudly through Oswald Chambers to me during this season of life...thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete