Maxson Central

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light

—1 Peter 2:9

How about it Christian? Are we walking like we are a royal priesthood? Are we walking around going "Oh woe is me. God can never use me." Not with an attitude like that!

Have you seen the movie El Mariachi? The content of the move isn't important here, but it was written, directed, shot, etc… by Robert Rodriguez. He later went on to write a book about film making. He even did a video short called the 10 Minute Filmakers School. In both of those places, he makes the following point: (Matt's paraphrase here)

Don't just think about being a filmmaker someday. Call yourself a film maker today. Go out and shoot some film.

That has an application in our Christian life too. Don't just think "Oh, someday God will use me. God will make me right with Him someday." Carpe Diem. Seize the day. Go out and act like God will use you. Ask Him to show you where He is working. Go out and find it. As the Nike slogan says: "Just Do It."

Oswold Chambers has the following to say:

How long is it going to take God to free us from the morbid habit of thinking about ourselves? We must get sick unto death of ourselves, until there is no longer any surprise at anything God can tell us about ourselves. We cannot touch the depths of meanness in ourselves. There is only one place where we are right, and that is in Christ Jesus. When we are there, then we have to pour out for all we are worth in this ministry of the interior.

Saturday's My Utmost for His Highest talks about how to act when God speaks. The text is Peter walking on Water: Matthew 14:22-33. Here is what Oswold Chambers had to say about that:

The wind was actually boisterous, the waves were actually high, but Peter did not see them at first. He did not reckon with them, he simply recognized his Lord and stepped out in recognition of Him, and walked on the water. Then he began to reckon with the actual things, and down he went instantly. Why could not our Lord have enabled him to walk at the bottom of the waves as well as on the top of them? Neither could be done saving by recognition of the Lord Jesus.

We step right out on God over some things, then self-consideration enters in and down we go. If you are recognizing your Lord, you have no business with where He engineers your circumstances. The actual things are, but immediately you look at them you are overwhelmed, you cannot recognize Jesus, and the rebuke comes: "Wherefore didst thou doubt?" Let actual circumstances be what they may, keep recognizing Jesus, maintain complete reliance on Him.

if you debate for a second when God has spoken, it is all up. Never begin to say – "Well, I wonder if He did speak?" Be reckless immediately, fling it all out on Him. You do not know when His voice will come, but whenever the realization of God comes in the faintest way imaginable, recklessly abandon. It is only by abandon that you recognize Him. You will only realize His voice more clearly by recklessness.

How many times to we sit and wonder if God is speaking? How many times do we sit and ask God over and over to speak to us when he already has spoken. We are quick to judge Gideon for "throwing out the fleece" (Judges 6:36-40) when we do essentially the same thing.