Thursday, July 8, 2010

Beautiful, Important, Good Words from Elisabeth Elliot

I read Elisabeth Elliot's daily devotionals on her website. She has so many wonderful things to say..she is surely a godly woman. Many would probably call her old-fashioned in a lot of her opinions and I am all about that when it comes to the God-honoring life! I just enjoy her devotions! (**Note-I'm pretty sure they are all taken from past writings and such...I don't think she writes these currently.)

I just want to share a few that have been great!

This one is from June 14th. The Lord was really working FORGIVENESS into my heart, and still is. This came at a great time!

Title: The Arbiter is Peace
Author: Elisabeth Elliot

When there are disputes or differences of any sort between people, there are four possible results: estrangement, an armed truce, compromise, or reconciliation. The first of these is the reason for a good many divorces. The second accounts for many unhappy marriages. The third may seem the best that can be hoped for. The fourth is what Christians are called to, always. In marital disputes, or those between labor and management, an arbiter is sometimes called in, often after much wrangling and bitterness. An arbiter has absolute power to judge and decide.
There is another arbiter, too often forgotten. "Let Christ's peace be arbiter in your hearts; to this peace you were called" (Col 3:15 NEB).
Wouldn't it make an astonishing difference in our fellowship with one another if we would let that peace arbitrate, if we would remember the promised parting gift of Christ, "My peace I give you," and the command to live at peace with all?
But, we ask, how? How does it work? The context in Colossians shows us:
You are God's chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. (Col 3:12-14 JB)
Are we willing to follow Him here? He will help us if we are. He will calm the troubled waters.


This next one is from today's devotional... I just think it is wonderful because the King has really taught me about SURRENDER AND LAYING DOWN MY EVERYTHING. I have always been interested in His will.. Check it out!

Title: Discerning the Will of God

Author: Elisabeth Elliot

The primary condition for learning what God wants of us is putting ourselves wholly at his disposal. It is just here that we are often blocked. We hold certain reservations about how far we are willing to go, what we will or will not do, how much God can have of us or of what we treasure. Then we pray for guidance. It will not work. We must begin by laying it all down--ourselves, our treasures, our destiny. Then we are in a position to think with renewed minds and act with a transformed nature. The withholding of any part of ourselves is the same as saying, "Thy will be done up to a point, mine from there on."

Paul gives four important steps to discerning the will of God:

1. "Offer your very selves to Him,"

2. "Adapt yourselves no longer to the pattern of this present world."

3. "Let your minds be remade."

4. "Your whole nature transformed."

"Then you will be able to discern the will of God" (Rom 12:1,2 NEB).


This leads me to share another one of my most favorite passages. I can't speak to you how much these couple of verses have meant to me recently.

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matthew 6:26

and especially this one

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31

He is sovereign and holy and wonderful and cares about me and you!

Hope you enjoy!

1 comment:

  1. Hi Sari :)
    I love these devotionals. Forgiveness is something huge in my life right now, too...! It just seems like I haven't grasped what it really means yet; there is more to it and I feel like a little kid who doesn't have a clue what it's about... I just desire to know MORE and know it from firsthand experience!!!
    Since I first read your entry a couple days ago I've thought a lot about the four results of disputes Elisabeth writes about in the first devotional... I think this applies for other relationships as well and it's such an important lesson to learn. I love pondering things like that and "testing" them in my own life! :) Reconciliation, I need more of that!!
    Thank you for posting these devotionals!

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