The Distraction of Contempt 
Oswald Chambers


Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt (Psalm 123:3)

What we must beware of is not damage to our belief in God but damage to our Christian disposition or state of mind. “Take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously” (Malachi 2:16). Our state of mind is powerful in its effects. It can be the enemy that penetrates right into our soul and distracts our mind from God. There are certain attitudes we should never dare to indulge. If we do, we will find they have distracted us from faith in God. Until we get back into a quiet mood before Him, our faith is of no value, and our confidence in the flesh and in human ingenuity is what rules our lives. 


Beware of “the cares of this world . . .” (Mark 4:19). They are the very things that produce the wrong attitudes in our soul. It is incredible what enormous power there is in simple things to distract our attention away from God. Refuse to be swamped by “the cares of this world.” 


Another thing that distracts us is our passion for vindication. St. Augustine prayed, “O Lord, deliver me from this lust of always vindicating myself.” Such a need for constant vindication destroys our soul’s faith in God. Don’t say, “I must explain myself,” or, “I must get people to understand.” Our Lord never explained anything— He left the misunderstandings or misconceptions of others to correct themselves. 


When we discern that other people are not growing spiritually and allow that discernment to turn to criticism, we block our fellowship with God. God never gives us discernment so that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.

Calmed and Quieted Soul

Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.  (Psa 131:2)

‘Surely’ is a certainty and being in a state of doubtlessness that we can attain as God’s child. It is not to be considered waveringly but steadfastly. Our certainty is not in ourselves but because we are ‘rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith’ (Col 2:7), abounding with thanksgiving because it is a done deal. There isn’t a need to ask if we can; faith is bringing into substance that we can, in Christ. If we say we will ‘try’, then it is of the flesh and not of the Spirit (Eze 36:27). There is a cause because the Spirit is effectual.

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.  (Php 4:9)

We will subconsciously enter into the Shalom of God. There is an overwhelming benefit of experiencing the Peace of God as well as having the God of Peace being with us. We become what we feed our minds (Phil 4:8). Fill our minds with truth, honesty, justice, purity, loveliness, good report, virtuous and praise worthiness. Regurgitate on these things. The only things is of any worth has the essence of Christ in them. Be utterly dependent on Christ (1 Cor 2:16) and we will know how to deal with the rest (Matt 6:33). Defeat begins in the mind; we have the God given privilege as sons to be overcomers.

Consistency
Oswald Chambers


Beware of being obsessed with consistency to your own convictions instead of being devoted to God. If you are a saint and say, “I will never do this or that,” in all probability this will be exactly what God will require of you. There was never a more inconsistent being on this earth than our Lord, but He was never inconsistent with His Father. The important consistency in a saint is not to a principle but to the divine life. It is the divine life that continually makes more and more discoveries about the divine mind. It is easier to be an excessive fanatic than it is to be consistently faithful, because God causes an amazing humbling of our religious conceit when we are faithful to Him.

Indecision in Religion 
Asahel Nettleton

 

The State of the Church and Coming Judgment (Excerpt)
A.W. Tozer

 

True Knowledge is in Keeping His Commandments

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  (1John 2:4)

  

Liars face a terrible end in judgment (Rev 21:8). What is worst than being deceived is self-deception. Our glorious destiny is independent on if we know Him, but rather if He knows us (Matt 7:23). There is so much emphasis on the love of God in the antinomian gospel, however it is in keeping His commandments that the love of God is made complete and full in us (1 John 2:5).

  

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  (John 14:6)

The way to salvation is only one; the path of salvation is based on truth. Without truth we are liars and sons of the father of it (John 8:44). Therefore we can be either abide in truth or abide in lies. Truth is precise, not gray but black or white. Truth is a sword that divides that which is self centered and that which is of the Spirit. Truth stands the test of time. Truth is neither a philosophy nor ideology. Truth brings life. Truth is Jesus Christ.

To obey is to love God. We do not obey to be loved by God. Obedience is bringing into reality His promises. Not obeying so that we can receive His promises. Obedience brings us into great knowledge. We do not know we if can walk until we start walking (John 5:9). God never contradicts, He reveals Himself through truth. Practice the truth and we will receive greater revelational light (1 John 1:6).