To choose suffering makes no sense at all; to choose God's will in the midst of our suffering makes all the sense in the world.
Oswald ChambersThe one thing for which we are all being disciplined is to know that God is real. As soon as God becomes real, other people become shadows. Nothing that other saints do or say can ever perturb the one who is built on God.
Oswald ChambersOnly one in a thousand sits down in the midst of it all and says—I will watch my Father mend this. God must not be treated as a hospital for our broken “toys,” but as our Father.
Oswald ChambersThere are many things that are perfectly legitimate, but if you are going to concentrate on God you cannot do them.
Oswald ChambersPerseverance is more than endurance. It is endurance combined with absolute assurance and certainty that what we are looking for is going to happen.
Oswald ChambersWe are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. Immediately we abandon to God, and do the duty that lies nearest, and He packs our life with surprises all the time.... Leave the whole thing to Him, it is gloriously uncertain how He will come in, but He will come.
Oswald ChambersIntercession means raising ourselves up to the point of getting the mind of Christ regarding the person for whom we are praying.
Oswald ChambersWe have to keep letting go, and slowly and surely the great full life of God will invade us in every part, and men will take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus.
Oswald ChambersOne of the greatest hindrances in coming to Jesus is the excuse of temperament. We make our temperament and our natural affinities barriers to coming to Jesus. The first thing we realize when we come to Jesus is that He pays no attention whatever to our natural affinities. We have the notion that we can consecrate our gifts to God. You cannot consecrate what is not yours; there is only one thing you can consecrate to God, and that is your right to yourself (Romans 12:1). If you will give God your right to yourself, He will make a holy experiment out of you. God’s experiments always succeed
Oswald ChambersOne great effect of prayer is that it enables the soul to command the body. By obedience I make my body submissive to my soul, but prayer puts my soul in command of my body.
Oswald ChambersI must learn that the purpose of my life belongs to God, not me. God is using me from His great personal perspective, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him. ... When I stop telling God what I want, He can freely work His will in me without any hindrance. ... Self-pity is of the devil, and if I wallow in it I cannot be used by God for His purpose in the world.
Oswald ChambersJoy comes from seeing the complete fulfillment of the specific purpose for which I was created and born again, not from successfully doing something of my own choosing.
Oswald ChambersThe remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.
Oswald ChambersNever look for right in the other man, but never cease to be right yourself. We always look for justice in this world, but there is no such thing as justice. Jesus says — Never look for justice, but never cease to give it.
Oswald ChambersWe hear it said that a man will suffer in his life is he does not pray; I question it. What will suffer is the life of the Son of God within him, which is nourished not by food but by prayer...Prayer is the way the life of God is nourished.
Oswald ChambersOne of the most amazing revelations of God comes to us when we learn that it is in the everyday things of life that we realize the magnificent deity of Jesus Christ.
Oswald ChambersNever allow anything to divert you from your insight into Jesus Christ. It is the true test of whether you are spiritual or not. To be unspiritual means that other things have a growing fascination for you. Since mine eyes have looked on Jesus, I’ve lost sight of all beside, So enchained my spirit’s vision, Gazing on the Crucified.
Oswald ChambersIf we were never depressed we would not be alive - only material things don't suffer depression. If human beings were not capable of depression, we would have no capacity for happiness and exaltation. Whenever you examine yourself, take into your capacity for depression.
Oswald ChambersYou will never cease to be the most amazed person on earth at what God has done for you on the inside.
Oswald ChambersAt the back of it there lies the central citadel of obstinacy: I will not give up my right to myself--the thing God intends you to give up if ever you are going to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Oswald ChambersSpiritual lust--'I must have it at once'--causes me to demand an answer from God, instead of seeking God himself who gives the answer. Is today 'the third day' and He has still not done what I expected? Whenever we insist that God should give us an answer to prayer we are off track. The purpose of prayer is that we get a hold of God, not of the answer.
Oswald ChambersDo we so appreciate the marvelous salvation of Jesus Christ that we are our utmost for His highest?
Oswald ChambersThe purpose of prayer is to reveal the presence of God equally present, all the time, in every condition.
Oswald ChambersBy the supernatural miracle of God's grace I stand justified, not because I am sorry for my sin, not because I have repented, but because of what Jesus has done.
Oswald ChambersNo love of the natural heart is safe unless the human heart has been satisfied by God FIRST
Oswald ChambersBut God is the God of our yesterdays, and He allows the memory of them to turn the past into a ministry of spiritual growth for our future. God reminds us of the past to protect us from a very shallow security in the present.
Oswald ChambersKeep your soul fit to manifest the life of the Son of God. Never live on memories; let the word of God be always living and active in you.
Oswald ChambersThere are not three stages in spiritual life-worship, waiting, and work. Some of us go in jumps like spiritual frogs. We jump from worship to waiting to work. God's idea is that the three should go together. They were always together in the life of our Lord.
Oswald ChambersGod never gives strength for tomorrow, or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the minute.
Oswald ChambersAnd it is not repentance that saves me — repentance is only the sign that I realize what God has done through Christ Jesus.
Oswald ChambersWhen we discern that people are not going on spiritually and allow the discernment to turn to criticism, we block our way to God. God never gives us discernment in order that we may criticize, but that we may intercede
Oswald ChambersThe greatest test of Christianity is the wear and tear of daily life; it is like the shining of silver: the more it is rubbed the brighter it grows.
Oswald ChambersYou do not know what you are going to do,the only thing you know is that God knows what He is doing.......It is this attitude that keeps you in perpetual wonder-you do not know what God is going to do next.
Oswald ChambersIf you are going through a time of discouragement, there is a time or great personal growth ahead.
Oswald ChambersKeep your life in its constant contact with God that his surprising power may break out on the right hand and on the left. Always be in a state of expectancy, and see that you leave room for God to come in as he likes.
Oswald ChambersBelieve steadfastly on Him and everything that challenges you will strengthen your faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith up to the point of our physical death, which is the last great test. Faith is absolute trust in God-trust that could never imagine that He would forsake us.
Oswald ChambersWorshipping God is the great essential of fitness. If you have not been worshipping...when you get to work you will not only be useless yourself, but a tremendous hindrance to those who are associated with you.
Oswald ChambersHas it ever dawned on you that you are responsible spiritually to God for other people?
Oswald Chambers