Monday, November 16, 2015

Obedience To God Is A Result Of A Yielded Heart Not A Determined Mind

My Utmost For His Highest
 
…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. —1 Corinthians 10:31
 
“We have a tendency to look for wonder in our experience, and we mistake heroic actions for real heroes. It’s one thing to go through a crisis grandly, yet quite another to go through every day glorifying God when there is no witness, no limelight, and no one paying even the remotest attention to us. If we are not looking for halos, we at least want something that will make people say, “What a wonderful man of prayer he is!” or, “What a great woman of devotion she is!” If you are properly devoted to the Lord Jesus, you have reached the lofty height where no one would ever notice you personally. All that is noticed is the power of God coming through you all the time. […] To be utterly unnoticeable requires God’s Spirit in us making us absolutely humanly His. The true test of a saint’s life is not successfulness but faithfulness on the human level of life. […] our purpose should be to display the glory of God in human life, to live a life “hidden with Christ in God” in our everyday human conditions (Colossians 3:3). Our human relationships are the very conditions in which the ideal life of God should be exhibited.”  CHAMBERS
 
The United States Airforce has three core values.  Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence In All We Do.  Just the other day I was telling someone that those values are lofty and easy to recite, but apparently very difficult to do.  Those core values, by the way, are totally consistent with the Bible.  What seems to get in the way of is “preservation of self”.  Wanting to be recognized for your effort – having your personal value acknowledged – or wanting to ensure that your future is secure by taking actions that violate the core values … that sounds a lot like Christians who choose their own way and not God’s doesn’t it.
 
Let’s consider them from a Christian perspective for a moment.  Integrity first.  Doing the right thing even if it means personal loss.  Choosing good over evil.  An unwillingness to compromise our relationship with God because we value Him more than our own well-being.  Service before self.  Jesus said He came to serve not to be served. (Mark 10:45)  “No greater love has one man than this, but to lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13)  Serving others and not serving ourselves first, knowing that God is our provider and protector.  Excellence in all we do.   “whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”(1 Corinthians 10:31)  “Whatever you do, do as unto the Lord …”  (Colossians 3:23-24)  It doesn’t do any good to write the Air Force core values on a wall … or the 10 commandments on a monument … they must be embraced and exercised to have value.  It is not enough to know it, you have to show it.  Obedience to God is a result of a yielded heart not a determined mind.  Think about it.  ELGIN
 
Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)
 
Charley Elgin

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