:::Snippets of Oswald:::

So, I'm trying to get into Oswald Chambers again... my previous attempts involved moments in my life where my brain was already overrun with deep issues and the last thing I needed was Mr. Oswald fancy-pants lingo  with over-the-top vocab to keep my mind in an already too-deep, mind-hurting state. 

I recently decided to try again, however, and today's particular "Utmost" had my heart BURSTING so much so that I wanted to share:::

"We need to learn this secret of the burning heart. 

Suddenly Jesus appears to us, the fires are kindled, we have wonderful visions, then we have to learn to keep the secret of the burning heart that will go through anything. 

It is the dull, bald, dreary day, with commonplace duties and people, the kills the burning heart unless we have learned the secret of abiding in Jesus. 

Much of our distress as Christians comes not because of sin, but because we are ignorant of the laws of our own nature. 

For instance, the only test as to whether we ought to allow an emotion to have its way is to see the the outcome of the emotion will be. 

Push it to its logical conclusion, and if the outcome is something God would condemn, allow it no more way. 

But if it be an emotion kindled by the Spirit of God and you do not let that emotion have its right issue in your life, it will react on a lower level. 

The higher the emotion is, the deeper the degradation will be, if it is not worked out on its proper level. 

If the Spirit of God has stirred you, make as many things inevitable as possible, let the consequences be what they will. 
We cannot stay on the mount of transfiguration  but we must obey the light we received there, we must act it out. 
When God gives a vision, transact business on that line, no matter what it costs. 

"My Utmost for His Highest"

Oswald Chambers. 

I love that so much. 

As a female who was raised in church and has truly experienced perhaps only a handful of times on "the mount of transfiguration..." - you know, the moments with Jesus that leave you with exactly that: a BURNING HEART..... this hits a little too close to home.

I'm the girl that goes on retreats or conferences and obtains the "burning heart" and comes back and is "on fire" and desperately wants to live IN that "fire" and "passion" and NEVER LET IT BURN OUT!! 

Can you relate, perhaps? 

This entry touched my heart because... I think truly God made us that way. 

God made us to desire those "mount" moments... where His presence is thick and rich and tangible and literally the only thing you want... 

The more I think about it, the more I think that His presence alone is what satisfies the deepest longings of our hearts. 

His presence ALONE is watch catches our hearts on fire... it fulfills us and is probably the only thing on planet earth that can truly satisfy... so once you experience that, of COURSE you'd be burning for more!! 

But I love how Oswald put it... "It is the dull, bald, dreary day, with commonplace duties and people, the kills the burning heart...." Bah. Isn't that the truth. 

I've experienced that about once a year, and it leaves me feeling like dog poop, because, once AGAIN... I've failed. I've messed up. What once was a burning heart, is NOW... again... a regular heart... that may look like everyone else's in the room, including people who don't even acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior. 

Um... cue the guilt & shame. 

However, Oswald offers a little bit of light into it, and it truly is the ONLY ANSWER, I suppose. 

Our days will be dreary and "ordinary" and the burning hearts will eventually distinguis.. "Unless we have learned the secret of abiding in Jesus."

And, I truly think it is a secret. 

It's a secret that is available to EVERYONE but only truly discovered by the ones who intentionally practice it with their WHOLE HEARTS. 

I've been a Christian since October 10th, 1999.... (sure, do the math, and go ahead and laugh at the fact that this is still a part of my relationship with Jesus that I desperately need to DO....) and the fact that this is still such a "taaa-daaa!!! LIGHT-BULB ON" moment for me is a little bit ridiculous. 

But, Jesus gives more grace... I love Him... and He's still teaching me, through random moments like a quiet time with Oswald leading the way... how much it comes back to this:

ABIDE. 

Dana Candler says it beautifully... 

"Jesus isn't look for a better you, but a lesser you. 

We aren't to imitate the vine, but ABIDE in it." 

Beautiful beautiful beautiful. 

I want to NOT be ignorant about the laws of my own nature. I don't want to depend on emotions because emotions are fickle and often lead me away from what God wills for my life. 

I want to be WISE with my emotions... I love how Oswald put it... "For instance, the only test as to whether we ought to allow an emotion to have its way is to see the the outcome of the emotion will be. 

Push it to its logical conclusion, and if the outcome is something God would condemn, allow it no more way."

Well, Duh Oswald. (haha.) :)

Then, the next part is what convicted me the most... 

 But if it be an emotion kindled by the Spirit of God and you do not let that emotion have its right issue in your life, it will react on a lower level. 

I don't want the emotions in my life that are kindled by the Spirit of God... perhaps the ones involving my emotional response to sex trafficking, marriages, helping young teenage girls find their value & worth in Christ alone.... THOSE emotions that I feel to NOT HAVE THEIR RIGHT PLACE IN MY LIFE. 

Or else... as perhaps is the case in my heart currently... they react on a lower level. 

Wow. Conviction. And so much encouragement. 

So what did I learn from this tiny "Utmost?"

1. Don't let the dull, dreary, ordinary life kill my "fire"

2. Don't think that "my fire" is "out" because I don't "feel Him so emotionally" as I may have before... rather, discipline myself to abide in Jesus and test the day-to-day emotions that I feel. 

3. Pray for the Spirit to reveal the true emotions that He wants me to be lead to...

4. Once I experience those, let the Spirit have them and manifest them on the PROPER LEVEL of my life. 

5. Jesus through Oswald fancy-pants lingo absolutely rocks... who knew?

And finally... this little nugget of gold... We cannot stay on the mount of transfiguration  but we must obey the light we received there, we must act it out. 

No more words are really needed.