Friday, May 15, 2009

Devotional 150509

Dear brothers and sisters,
Good afternoon. My boss is back from Asia. That’s why I was fully occupied in the morning. I am glad we have a harmonious team in mobilizing churches for the global missions of God. There are so many unreached people in the world, but workers are so few and Christians are reluctant to step out by faith for the Great Commission. Pray that God will bring a great revival to churches across America, especially among Chinese Christians. God has given so much to us, yet we are holding back so much from Him.

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints" (Ephesians 1:18). Remember what you are saved for - that the Son of God might be manifested in your mortal flesh. Bend the whole energy of your powers to realize your election as a child of God; rise to the occasion every time.

You cannot do anything for your salvation, but you must do something to manifest it, you must work out what God has worked in. Are you working it out with your tongue, and your brain and your nerves? If you are still the same miserable crosspatch, set on your own way, then it is a lie to say that God has saved and sanctified you.

God is the Master Engineer, He allows the difficulties to come in order to see if you can leap over them properly - "By my God have I leaped over a wall." God will never shield you from any of the requirements of a son or daughter of His. Peter says - "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you" (1 Peter 4:12). Rise to the occasion; do the thing. It does not matter how it hurts as long as it gives God the chance to manifest Him self in your mortal flesh.

May God not find the complains in us any more, but may He find us full of spiritual courage and athleticism, ready to face anything He brings. We have to exercise ourselves in order that the Son of God may be manifested in our mortal flesh. God never has museums. The only aim of the life is that the Son of God may be manifested, and all dictation to God vanishes. Our Lord never dictated to His Father, and we are not here to dictate to God; we are here to submit to His will so that He may work through us what He wants. When we realize this, He will make us broken bread and poured out wine to feed and nourish others.

Unless we are broken or totally surrender to God, we will find many excuses or alternatives to detour from the Will of God for our lives. We are too complicated, which is the cause of our frustrations and complains. Simplicity produces in us a beauty of innocence…it brings us joy and fulfillment. No wonder our Lord said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 18:3). Little children can find joy in simple little thing, as long as they have parents around. It is usually the adults who make an innocent child to become materialistic and complicated. Have mercy on us O Lord…help us to be more pure and simple, because our Lord has promised: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matt 5:8).

Love you with a pure heart,
Lawrence

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