“Am I Measuring My Life by This Standard or 

by Something Less?”

Sometimes the LORD speaks to us through others and says, “Do you see what I’m trying to tell you?”  Often we pass it off and then others times it resonants and we get it.  I get it this time LORD.

I asked my wife Monday night, “Do you have a topic I can write my article on this week?  I’m still praying and think about it.”  Answer: “No.”  Then Tuesday morning as I was getting out of the shower she said, “Got it.  I know what you should write on this week.”  Then she shared her devotion that morning with me and said you need to read it.  Well, before I could read it, after doing my devotion, I opened up Facebook, and the very first post I saw was from Bill Enns who had posted that morning the very same devotion that my wife had said I needed to read.  OK LORD!!!  I get it.  I just love how the Lord works like that.  Truly amazing!!!

So folks, I know some of you have probably already read Bill Enns’ post on Facebook and even some of you use this devotional book from time to time, but this one is worth re-reading over and over again.  I am going to post here the entire devotion and then have a little commentary myself.  Surprised about that, aren’t you.  So here we go:

“…till we all come…to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ…” Ephesians 4:13

“Reconciliation means the restoring of the relationship between the entire human race and God, putting it back to what God designed it to be.  This is what Jesus Christ did in redemption.  The church ceases to be spiritual when it becomes self-seeking, only interested in the development of its own organization.  The reconciliation of the human race according to His plan means realizing Him not only in our lives individually, but also in our lives collectively.  Jesus Christ sent apostles and teachers for this very purpose - that the corporate Person of Christ and His church, made up of many members, might be brought into being and made known.  We are not here to develop a spiritual life of our own, or to enjoy a quiet spiritual retreat.  We are here to have the full realization of Jesus Christ, for the purpose of building His body.

Am I building up the body of Christ, or am I only concerned about my own personal development?  The essential thing is my personal relationship with Jesus Christ - ‘…that I may know Him…” (Philippians 3:10).  To fulfill God’s perfect design for me requires my total surrender - complete abandonment of myself to Him.  Whenever I only want things for myself, the relationship is distorted.  And I will suffer great humiliation once I come to acknowledge and understand that I have not really been concerned about realizing Jesus Christ Himself, but only concerned with knowing what He has done for me.

My goal is God Himself, not joy nor peace,

Nor even blessings, but Himself, my God.

Am I measuring my life by this standard or by something less?”   (My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers, Discovery House Publishing, copyright 1992, Devotion for: July 12 titled: The Spiritually Self-Seeking Church)

This article has certainly caused me to think about that question: “Am I measuring my life by this standard or by something less?”  And what is that standard, God Himself!!!

At HOPE Church, as we Worship, Grow, and Serve, these aspects of our lives, I believe, truly help to bring us to this point, “To fulfill God’s perfect design for me requires my total surrender - complete abandonment of myself to Him.”  As we worship the living LORD, we abandon self to praise Him and give Him the glory He is due.  In our attempt to grow in knowledge and understanding we need to grow in faith, not just for self, but for the work and growth of His kingdom, the body of Christ, His church.  We are called to grow in faith and then GO and serve, sharing the Good News.  This is our service to God, to go and proclaim, not for ourselves, not for our glory or uplifting, but for HIS!

In our fallenness and this fallen world, it can easily become about “self.”  Satan certainly points us that way as often as he can.  But this article by Oswald Chambers reminds us that it is ALL about Him.  Not Us!!!  Both individually and corporately, it is all about Him!  And this plan of reconciliation and redemption is perfect when we live into it by the grace and leading of God through His Holy Spirit.  Man, what a different world we would live in folks if more of us would life by this standard.

So I will ask the question again he asked: “Am I measuring my life by this standard or by something less?”

Blessings my friends,

Pastor Marty   

Worship, Grow, & Serve