Bible Verses: Isaiah 55:8Isaiah 55:9
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Open Windows messages have been selected and compiled by Austin-Sparks.Net from the works of T. Austin-Sparks. In some cases they appear in abridged form. The introductory verse and its associated Bible version have been selected by the editor and did not always appear within the original message. In keeping with T. Austin-Sparks' wishes that what was freely received should be freely given and not sold for profit, and that his messages be reproduced word for word, we ask if you choose to share these messages with others, to please respect his wishes and offer them freely - free of any changes, free of any charge (except necessary distribution costs) and with this statement included.
Editor's Note
Through the years of our publishing books and articles on Austin-Sparks.Net, we have talked of wanting to compile a series of excerpts similar to Watchman Nee's "A Table in the Wilderness," published by Mr Sparks' son-in-law, Angus Kinnear. We felt that not only would shorter daily excerpts be easy to digest, but they might also inspire readers to read a complete message or book that they may not have read before. This project began in January 2010 when we began to send out daily messages to the Daily Open Windows email list. These continue to be sent daily in email form from Austin-Sparks.Net.
As many of you will be aware, Mr Sparks was from Scotland. He, therefore, used British spelling in his writings; however, many transcripts of his spoken messages have since been published using American English. The website reflects a mixture of both British and American spelling, but for the sake of consistency, all excerpts in this book conform to American spelling and punctuation.
Due to these daily messages being excerpts, they are abbreviated and some have had unnecessary words removed, such as "here this evening...." Also, some daily messages are a compilation of several excerpts from one original message. This is usually indicated with a pause in the text: .... and a reference to the complete source document is always provided. You will also notice that different versions of the Bible have been selected for verses that precede each daily message. Sometimes these Scripture references appeared within the context of the original message, but mostly these have been chosen by the editor with, we trust, the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
As you look through these "open windows" we pray that you will not only look out and see Christ, but you will also hear Him and open the door of your heart so that He can "eat with you daily" (Rev. 3:20). Our desire is that these messages will not simply be "inspiring," as daily devotional messages often set out to achieve, but also challenge you; lifting your vision, opening your eyes, revealing Truth, bringing Life and Light, and enabling you to let go of misconceptions. Light is not always welcome when it first shines into the darkness that our eyes are accustomed to. However, Light is absolutely necessary in order to see. And so we pray that through these messages your eyes will be opened (Eph. 1:18) and we will together "see one thing – how superior is Jesus Christ to all else!"
Austin-Sparks.Net
Wellington, NZ
This devotional contains short daily portions from a selection of Mr. Austin-Sparks' messages. In his own words, “Perhaps this is just like a window opened into heaven. If you get the right window you can see quite a lot. You can see great things and you can see far things. But the best that I can hope is that this has just opened a window, and that as you look through it you are seeing one thing - how superior is Jesus Christ to all else, and how superior is the dispensation into which we have come, and how superior are all the resources at our disposal to all that ever was before!”
Open Windows messages have been selected and compiled by Austin-Sparks.Net from the works of T. Austin-Sparks. In some cases they appear in abridged form. The introductory verse and its associated Bible version have been selected by the editor and did not always appear within the original message.
“My thoughts are not your thoughts, and My ways are not your ways,” declares the Lord. “Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8,9 GW)
God's thoughts about things arevery different from ours. We would often allow what God wouldnever allow. He has an altogether different point of view aboutthings. We judge in one way about things, and God judges inanother. It is necessary for us to come to God's standpoint. "Oh,"we would say, "There is no harm in such-and-such a thing. Oh,there is no wrong in that; look at So-and-so and So-and-so," andwe take our standard, perhaps, from other people. We have knownpeople to do that; point to some outstanding figure in the workof God, in whose life was a certain thing - that one has beentaken as the model, to be copied, and so the thing has been takenon. "Oh, there is no harm in it; look at So-and-so." And I haveknown lives and ministries to be ruined on that very excuse.
Thequestion is: What does the Lord say about it? God says, "Walkbefore Me!" Not before any human model; not before any humanstandard; "There is no harm in it; So-and-so does it; it is quitea common practice." No, no! "Walk before Me," says theLord. We have got to get this in the spirit, in the inward man.It is deeper than our best moral standards. Otherwise there is nopoint in it being in the Bible at all, if our moral standards canrise to God's satisfaction - why must we be so handled andreconstituted? It is deeper than our intellect, than our reason.You cannot, by reason or intellect, arrive at God's standard atall. Not at all! Oh, do not think that by any method ofreasoning, you are ever going to reach God's standard. You neverwill. Here, it is only by revelation of the Holy Spirit. Christhas got to be revealed in our hearts by the Spirit. There is nopoint in Jesus saying: "When He, the Spirit of truth, iscome, He shall guide you into all the truth," if we couldget there by our own intelligence. Not at all. It must come bythe revelation of Christ in our hearts, in the inward parts.This is something spiritual. "God is Spirit; they thatworship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth"- spirit and truth go together. Only what is spiritual, what isof God, is truth - only that!