It is very tempting to follow the world’s standards in your business and to say, “Oh, well, they all do it. You must do more than follow the ordinary standards of the world. Be careful about how you guide your Christian life. “JUNE 16 SUGGESTED READING: EPHESIANS 5:1–15 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward (Isa. PRAYER THOUGHT: Deliver me from obeying other people instead of You.” Any movement or person that contradicts Jesus, God will blast to pieces. Is this true with you, brother and sister? If the Christian crowd you mingle with judge you, so what? Are they your god, or is the crucified Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? We are called to faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you want to know Paul’s attitude about what other Christians thought of him? He said, “With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment …” (1 Cor. The Lord stands beside you very patiently, but in judgment as you refuse Him and obey others. I want to live as they live and adhere to their decisions in my life.” Instead of having fellowship with Him, you have preferred the fellowship of other Christians. When He said, “Drink with Me,” you responded, “No, Lord, I want to have the pattern and imprint of my church. You know exactly in what respects you have refused to obey the Lord and persisted in having your own way. “APRIL 4 SUGGESTED READING: ACTS 5:17–32 … We ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29b).

They consulted with “flesh and blood.” Listen to God, not to the selfish voice of “flesh and blood.” PRAYER THOUGHT: Forgive me, Lord, for my tendency to let human voices crowd out the still, small voice of the Spirit of God.” The reason they went to the mission field is because they listened to the passionate appeal of human pleas. Confer not with “flesh and blood.” There are some dear people on a foreign field who have no business being there. There is no way he can give guidance in an area he doesn’t know anything about. Do you? Some people have told us, “Well, I was ready to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit but not now.” Why? Because they went to their minister and asked his opinion, even though he is not filled with the Spirit. When God told Paul to do something for Him, the apostle did not consult with “flesh and blood.” In other words, he did not ask for a human opinion about God’s will for him. “JANUARY 13 SUGGESTED READING: GALATIANS 1:15–24 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood (Gal.

Oswald chambers daily devotional