Fight Fire with Fire

Like a fire that starts unknown, our personal ambitions leap up, flickering, and licking at the true best ahead for your life. "But, my ambitions would never do that to me...They are mine." But reality and time paints a picture: it seems there's a fire line of sorts to dig out to determine where our dreams, backed by the Providence of the Lord, meet personal ambition. He gives dreams, but heady ambitions are dangerous. Whatever you hold too close under the label "ambition" is transformed into something better...through a process known as "growing." Maybe "growing" isn't so much dangerous, as painful, inspiring, life-changing, and mind-blowing. I know its true. Have you seen it happen?


An excerpt from Oswald Chambers -- My Utmost for His Highest

Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings. — 1 Peter 4:13

"If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a multitude of experiences that are not meant for you at all, they are meant to make you useful in His hands, and to enable you to understand what transpires in other souls so that you will never be surprised at what you come across. Oh, I can’t deal with that person. Why not? God gave you ample opportunity to soak before Him on that line, and you barged off because it seemed stupid to spend time in that way....

"Are we partakers of Christ’s sufferings? Are we prepared for God to stamp our personal ambitions right out? Are we prepared for God to destroy by transfiguration our individual determinations? It will not mean that we know exactly why God is taking us that way, that would make us spiritual prigs. We never realize at the time what God is putting us through; we go through it more or less misunderstandingly; then we come to a luminous place, and say – ‘Why, God has girded me, though I did not know it!'"

What I've Got to Say Today from the Inside-Out

Lord, I feel stamped out.

And when I stand here in the rubble,

I don’t know what, I’m full of doubt.

It’s all gone: the safety net, the bubble.

You’ve asked and I said, “Yes.”

Then I stand here alone, confused.

From my viewpoint, everything’s a mess.

But I hear, I hear you say, “Now, I can use!”

I’ll trust that Voice.

I know You’re there.

I’ve got no choice.

You’ve put me in the center:

In the center of Your care.

You’ve asked for my treasures,

my plans, my goals.

I gave them up to you, full-measure…

And now I wonder, ‘What’s to hold?”

Here I rest, not really alone.

Here I’ll wait to know.

Direction from Your throne

I’ll go where You want me to go.

No real doubt underneath,

I trust You for everything.

In Your plan there’s sweet relief,

There’s really no game, no unbelief.

Here I rest, not really alone.

Here I’ll wait to know.

I’ll trust that Voice.

I know You’re there.

I’ve got no choice.

You’ve put me in the center:

In the center of Your care.