Wednesday, June 27, 2012

ALL DAY WITH GOD, EVEN AT WORK +

              “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess. 5:17)


              “Brother Lawrence (1614—1691) felt intimately close to God as he humbly scrubbed  pots and p ans in the monastery kitchen. Certainly Brother Lawrence practiced specific times of devotional prayer. But what he found more life-transforming was prayer during the workday. In his devotional classic Practicing the Presence of God, he says, ‘It is a great delusion to think our times of prayer ought to differ from other times. We are a strictly obliged to cleave to God by action in the time of action as by prayer in the season of prayer.’ In short, he advocated that we "Pray without ceasing" (1Thess. 5:17)


              That’s a helpful reminder, because sometimes we tend to compartmentalize our lives. Perhaps we pray only during church worship, small-group Bible study, family devotions, and personal quiet times. But what about during our worday? To pray on the job does not mean we have to fall to our knees with clasped hands and pray aloud. But it does mean that work decisions and relationships can be brought to God throughout the day.


              Wherever we are and whatever we’re doing, God wants to be a part of it. When prayer enters every aspect of our lives, who knows what God might do for His glory! Dennis Fisher


Let’s always keep the prayer lines open,
Knowing God is always there;
For we upon His name may call
Anytime and anywhere.—D. De Haan

True prayer is a way of life, not an emergency detour!”

Our Daily Bread reading for April 23, ‘12

“Labourers together with God.” (1 Cor. 3:9)

              “Beware of any work for God which enables you to evade concentration on Him. A great many Christian workers worship their work. The one concern of a worker should be concentration on God, and this will mean that ll the other margins of life, mental, moral and spiritual, are free with the freedom of a child, a worshipping child, not a wayward child. A worker without this solemn dominant note of concentration on God is apt to get his work on his neck; there is no margin of body, mind or spirit free, consequently he becomes spent out and crushed.


              There is no freedom, no delight in life; nerves, mind and heart are so crushingly burdened that God’s blessing cannot rest. But the other side is just as true—when once the concentration is on God, all the margins of life are free and under the dominance of God alone. There is no responsibility on you for the work; the only responsibility you have is to keep in living constant touch with God, and to see that you allow nothing to hinder your cooperation with Him. The freedom after sanctification is the freedom of a child, the things that used to keep the life pinned down are gone. But be careful to remember that you are freed for one thing only—to be absolutely devoted to your co- “Worker."


            We have no right to judge where we should be put, or to have preconceived notions as to what God is fitting us for. God engineers everything; wherever He puts us our one great aim is to pour out a whole-hearted devotion to Him in that particular work. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.”

Devotions for MORNING and EVENING with OSWALD CHAMBERS  (pg234 for April 23)

"Trust in Him at all times, you people; pouor out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah."  (Ps. 62:8)


Today’s 20th truth: If you are “born again”, you are observing and doing the Lord's commandments.   (Deut. 28:6)



Tomorrow’s post: CHRIST’S TRAVAIL: Prayer Note # 52

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