If the closest relationships of a disciple’s life conflict with the claims of Jesus Christ, then our Lord requires instant obedience to Himself. Discipleship means personal, passionate devotion to a Person— our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a vast difference between devotion to a person and devotion to principles or to a cause. Our Lord never proclaimed a cause— He proclaimed personal devotion to Himself. To be a disciple is to be a devoted bondservant motivated by love for the Lord Jesus. Many of us who call ourselves Christians are not truly devoted to Jesus Christ. No one on earth has this passionate love for the Lord Jesus unless the Holy Spirit has given it to him. We may admire, respect, and revere Him, but we cannot love Him on our own. The only One who truly loves the Lord Jesus is the Holy Spirit, and it is He who has “poured out in our hearts” the very “love of God” (Romans 5:5  ). Whenever the Holy Spirit sees an opportunity to glorify Jesus through you, He will take your entire being and set you ablaze with glowing devotion to Jesus Christ.

The Christian life is a life characterized by true and spontaneous creativity. Consequently, a disciple is subject to the same charge that was leveled against Jesus Christ, namely, the charge of inconsistency. But Jesus Christ was always consistent in His relationship to God, and a Christian must be consistent in his relationship to the life of the Son of God in him, not consistent to strict, unyielding doctrines. People pour themselves into their own doctrines, and God has to blast them out of their preconceived ideas before they can become devoted to Jesus Christ.

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Journal Entry for Today-JDV

July 2, 2010

This morning I woke up a couple of times and I noticed that I awake with the words and lyrics of songs of worship. It occurred to me that I was communing with God through Jesus in song. My heart was resting in Him and I was reaching out silently in my head and heart. It has been happening more and more, but it is still not an all the time thing, so I noticed and enjoyed the interlude.

I noticed that I was asking God His direction……and listening closely for His answers. It was not a conversation, but it was, I mean is a constant conversation. And when I am in this constant conversation, I know that I am in the will of God regardless of my circumstances.

And God says………”When you heard the scripture, pray without ceasing, you may have thought originally that I was talking about getting on your knees and praying all day. But as you matured you began to realize that praying without ceasing is simply another way to say, stay connected to Me at all times.”

“As I told you yesterday, I paid an enormous price for our intimate relationship. Without the sacrifice of Jesus we could not have a relationship, because you were not holy. However, when you became holy through Jesus, we were now able to have an intimate relationship with each other. This is the relationship I have sought since the Garden of Eden.”

“Now that we can have this relationship I want to be close to you all the time (I always have wanted this for and from you). But this can only happen when you freely and completely open up to Me. I cannot force myself on you.”

“So now that you have discovered the continuous connection with Me and the intimate relationship and peace and joy it brings, you can reach for it at all times. You and I can be connected all the time. Simply knock and I will answer……all the time. When you are aware, knock, and over time, a transformation will take place when you will not even have to knock. You will simply be in me.”

“Remember this can only occur in the moment. I said I am. Not I was or I will be. You can only find me in the moment. Stay in the moment with Me. This is the very first step of true discipleship.”

There is no heaven that has a little corner of hell in it. God is determined to make you pure, holy, and right, and He will not allow you to escape from the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit for even one moment. He urged you to come to judgment immediately when He convicted you, but you did not obey. Then the inevitable process began to work, bringing its inevitable penalty. Now you have been “thrown into prison, [and] . . . you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny” ( 5:25-26 ). Yet you ask, “Is this a God of mercy and love?” When seen from God’s perspective, it is a glorious ministry of love. God is going to bring you out pure, spotless, and undefiled, but He wants you to recognize the nature you were exhibiting— the nature of demanding your right to yourself. The moment you are willing for God to change your nature, His recreating forces will begin to work. And the moment you realize that God’s purpose is to get you into the right relationship with Himself and then with others, He will reach to the very limits of the universe to help you take the right road. Decide to do it right now, saying, “Yes, Lord, I will write that letter,” or, “I will be reconciled to that person now.”

These sermons of Jesus Christ are meant for your will and your conscience, not for your head. If you dispute these verses from the Sermon on the Mount with your head, you will dull the appeal to your heart.

If you find yourself asking, “I wonder why I’m not growing spiritually with God?”— then ask yourself if you are paying your debts from God’s standpoint. Do now what you will have to do someday. Every moral question or call comes with an “ought” behind it— the knowledge of knowing what we ought to do.

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Journal Entry for Today-JDV

July 1, 2010

I think I hear your voice clearly, giving me specific directions. I think I hear you leading and guiding me…..but then I wonder is it really you? Inside my head I am at war, yes, no, yes no. It couldn’t possibly be God speaking to me, what am I thinking? God wouldn’t be speaking to me …..Would He?

And what He said, that couldn’t possibly be true could it? It seems too far-fetched, too risky, too over the top wonderful. How do I know that it is God talking and not just my own imagination?

I need to be certain; I need to be absolutely sure. Or do I?

And God says….” If you listen closely and act on my direction you will begin to hear Me more clearly. I am always talking to you, but you simply do not listen for me and act. As a consequence you begin to doubt and then because you doubt, you quit listening. When you hear Me, stop and ask Me if it is Me, and I will answer you right then, immediately. (My sheep know My voice) ……….You will know and you can act on my direction. When you begin to do that you will notice our relationship taking on a new growth and new growth rate. Because you will hear Me and act on my direction, I will then give you more and more direction. My desire is to have a more intimate relationship with you. I have invested a great deal in creating this relationship, so why would I not speak with you? Listen, and then be obedient. Our relationship will grow even more than you could ever imagine, and people will begin to see even more of Me in you.