TODAY'S READING IS FROM https://utmost.org/ and the print version of Oswald Chambers Daily Devotional: My Utmost For His Highest -- Date: July 5
Don’t calculate without God.
God seems to have a delightful way of upsetting the things we have calculated on without taking Him into account. We get into circumstances which were not chosen by God, and suddenly we find we have been calculating without God; He has not entered in as a living factor. The one thing that keeps us from the possibility of worrying is bringing God in as the greatest factor in all our calculations.
In our religion it is customary to put God first, but we are apt to think it is an impertinence to put Him first in the practical issues of our lives. If we imagine we have to put on our Sunday moods before we come near to God, we will never come near Him. We must come as we are.
Don’t calculate with the evil in view.
Does God really mean us to take no account of the evil? “Love…taketh no account of the evil”. Love is not ignorant of the existence of the evil, but it does not take it in as a calculating factor. Apart from God, we do reckon with evil; we calculate with it in view and work all our reasonings from that standpoint.
Don’t calculate with the rainy day in view.
You cannot lay up for a rainy day if you are trusting Jesus Christ. Jesus said — “Let not your heart be troubled.” God will not keep your heart from being troubled. It is a command — “Let not.…” Haul yourself up a hundred and one times a day in order to do it, until you get into the habit of putting God first and calculating with Him in view.
Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass. — Psalm 37:5
MARY’S RESPONSE:
How many times can you think back to decisions you’ve made without God? The most destructive ones I’d imagine.
For me, it was in succumbing to what I thought would be a temporary roommate situation. I was working at an amazing job and thought it was best to help a fellow sister in Christ (who was a volunteer for my employer) get on her feet; but I quickly realized I got in way over my head. Did I even ask God if this was a good idea? I don’t remember, I only know I’ve prayed many times for her since.
I couldn’t understand how we two were both professing Christians yet saw everything through opposite lenses. It wasn’t until I had to move out to get my own place again did I realize the issue: She was a leftist and I was a conservative.
What the enemy meant for evil, God can turn to good: “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me, says the Lord.” ~ Isaiah 54:17 NKJV
No matter how angry I was over having to move, it was nothing compared to the havoc it caused in my work life. I was so very thankful that my employer knew of my personality before this period in time.
DOE – House of Miracles: Song Session
