Christianity Oasis Forum

[Netchaplain]

The most effective service is to stand openly for God when the opposition is at its height. “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” To stand for God when there in no one to help, when everyone is opposing, manifests my dependence and confidence in my Father, as well as that I am led by His Spirit in true devotedness, that the more I see Him assailed, and His name dishonored, the more I must lose sight of everyone and stand for Him.

Devotedness always does the greatest service. In the beginning of his course Moses learned to stand for God, alone and unsupported, in the face of universal opposition. It is a great thing for a man of God when he really has known the solitude of light, which he only enters on when entirely excluded from every influence of man, then it is he sees and becomes acquainted with the One who is his Life (Col 3:4).

There is never a full and true sense of the vanity of all human things, and the greatness of the personal company and fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ, until solitude is known. And assuredly the greatest service is when one is able to count upon the Father, and act for Him, as thus known to oneself, in the teeth of all opposition; expulsion from man is not the same thing as opposition from him, but the one prepare us for the other.

You will always find that where this devotedness is there is neither an imitation of what others have done, nor is there looking for countenance or support from others—but a course of action quite original and singular, yet eminently effective, not only in answering to the heart’s devotion, but for the glory of the Lord and the service of the people generally.

The most fruitful service is evidently the most needed at the time. The falling away of other does not dishearten the one who is truly devoted. Gideon’s great army is reduced from 32,000 to 300, but he is as valiant as ever; he does not spend his time lamenting over the great defection, but he says, “As I do, so shall ye do.” “He that is greatest among you shall be your servant,” not he who can give a withering description of our falling away, and the errors which have crept in, and the laxity which is tolerated. No. Rather it is he who, while seeing that everything is most deplorable, can come in, in some new, distinct way, and act from the Lord, which, like Samuel’s prayer (1 Sam 7), will obtain from the Lord a marked intervention and relief from the enemy.

We learn from the Lord Jesus’ ways that though He could see the utter ruin and failure around, He does not content Himself with seeing things in their desperate condition. No! He is the very One who uses the present misery as an opportunity, in His devotedness to His Father, to do the most effective service. I have never known complainers really devoted.

What a time it was for Moses when he faced the whole of Israel, when he came down from the mount and saw them wholly given to idolatry. He thought of no one but God; he feared not the wrath of man; he stood for God in a new unprecedented way, without any direction, but simply from the devotedness of his heart. When he has stood singly and openly for the Lord, then he could afford to stand in the gate of the camp, and say, “Who is on the Lord’s side?”

- J B S

SUBSTITUTE—REPRESENTATIVE –MJS
http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/

[Timothy]

Colossians 3:4 (Christianity Oasis Bible Search)
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.


From 1 Samuel 7 (Christianity Oasis Bible Search)
3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.
10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.