The call of God is not a call to serve Him in any particular way. My contact with the nature of God will shape my understanding of His call and will help me realize what I truly desire to do for Him. The call of God is an expression of His nature; the service which results in my life is suited to me and is an expression of my nature. The call of the natural life was stated by the apostle Paul— “When it pleased God . . . to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him [that is, purely and solemnly express Him] among the Gentiles . . . .”

Service is the overflow which pours from a life filled with love and devotion. But strictly speaking, there is no call to that. Service is what I bring to the relationship and is the reflection of my identification with the nature of God. Service becomes a natural part of my life. God brings me into the proper relationship with Himself so that I can understand His call, and then I serve Him on my own out of a motivation of absolute love. Service to God is the deliberate love-gift of a nature that has heard the call of God. Service is an expression of my nature, and God’s call is an expression of His nature. Therefore, when I receive His nature and hear His call, His divine voice resounds throughout His nature and mine and the two become one in service. The Son of God reveals Himself in me, and out of devotion to Him service becomes my everyday way of life.

God did not direct His call to Isaiah— Isaiah overheard God saying, “. . . who will go for Us?” The call of God is not just for a select few but for everyone. Whether I hear God’s call or not depends on the condition of my ears, and exactly what I hear depends upon my spiritual attitude. “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). That is, few prove that they are the chosen ones. The chosen ones are those who have come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and have had their spiritual condition changed and their ears opened. Then they hear “the voice of the Lord” continually asking, “. . . who will go for Us?” However, God doesn’t single out someone and say, “Now, you go.” He did not force His will on Isaiah. Isaiah was in the presence of God, and he overheard the call. His response, performed in complete freedom, could only be to say, “Here am I! Send me.”

Remove the thought from your mind of expecting God to come to force you or to plead with you. When our Lord called His disciples, He did it without irresistible pressure from the outside. The quiet, yet passionate, insistence of His “Follow Me” was spoken to men whose every sense was receptive (Matthew 4:19). If we will allow the Holy Spirit to bring us face to face with God, we too will hear what Isaiah heard-”the voice of the Lord.” In perfect freedom we too will say, “Here am I! Send me.”

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January 14, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

I often wonder if I missed God’s direction or leading. Has He been calling me to a specific action or direction and I have simply missed His voice? What if He is speaking to me and giving me direction and I simply do not hear Him or recognize His voice?

And God says…”My sheep know My voice. However, you must take time to listen to My voice and learn what my voice sounds like inside the cacophony of noise and activity that surrounds you. Take time to listen for Me and to Me. Learn what My voice sounds like inside your heart. When you know it is Me you will follow.  I can speak to you in many, many ways. I speak to you inside My word, in music, in worship and through other people. Take time to learn My voice.”

John 10:27 (New Living Translation)

²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

His Solitude with Us. When God gets us alone through suffering, heartbreak, temptation, disappointment, sickness, or by thwarted desires, a broken friendship, or a new friendship— when He gets us absolutely alone, and we are totally speechless, unable to ask even one question, then He begins to teach us. Notice Jesus Christ’s training of the Twelve. It was the disciples, not the crowd outside, who were confused. His disciples constantly asked Him questions, and He constantly explained things to them, but they didn’t understand until after they received the Holy Spirit (see John 14:26).

As you journey with God, the only thing He intends to be clear is the way He deals with your soul. The sorrows and difficulties in the lives of others will be absolutely confusing to you. We think we understand another person’s struggle until God reveals the same shortcomings in our lives. There are vast areas of stubbornness and ignorance the Holy Spirit has to reveal in each of us, but it can only be done when Jesus gets us alone. Are we alone with Him now? Or are we more concerned with our own ideas, friendships, and cares for our bodies? Jesus cannot teach us anything until we quiet all our intellectual questions and get alone with Him.

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January 13, 2010

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

There I was cruising along in my spiritual naiveté enjoying the journey. Then out of nowhere, a call came reminding me of who I am and am not……. A friend reminded me that I was not nearly as pious as I thought I was, and I felt my anger boil up when made the point of the joke……  I was then reminded by circumstances and family that I had failed their expectations and was responsible for their pain and fear.

I thought I had grown beyond my petty anger and defensiveness. Are these the trials I am to stay in? Am I to stay patient inside these kinds of challenges and difficulties? Or was I simply too naive and “mature” to consider an enemy that prowls around searching for ways to interrupt my life and growth?

And God says…”Only the things that have first slipped through my fingers can touch you.. And the enemy prowls around looking for ways to wound you. The enemy must find ways to try and interrupt your growth and maturity…..that is all he has left to him. He already knows the outcome, but he also knows human nature. Resist the enemy. He will flee from you. Acknowledge and be aware of your shortcomings in a way that reminds you that you cannot grow into spiritual maturity. Real maturity comes about as you are reduced and Christ is increased in you. Real maturity has nothing to do with your personal growth; it has only to do with your brokenness. These circumstances help provide a brokenness that brings you to Me………. Hallelujah

All things work for the good of those that love the Lord…… a broken and contrite heart I cannot ignore…… And be reminded that you decrease so that Christ can increase in you.

Our Solitude with Him. Jesus doesn’t take us aside and explain things to us all the time; He explains things to us as we are able to understand them. The lives of others are examples for us, but God requires us to examine our own souls. It is slow work— so slow that it takes God all of time and eternity to make a man or woman conform to His purpose. We can only be used by God after we allow Him to show us the deep, hidden areas of our own character. It is astounding how ignorant we are about ourselves! We don’t even recognize the envy, laziness, or pride within us when we see it. But Jesus will reveal to us everything we have held within ourselves before His grace began to work. How many of us have learned to look inwardly with courage?

We have to get rid of the idea that we understand ourselves. That is always the last bit of pride to go. The only One who understands us is God. The greatest curse in our spiritual life is pride. If we have ever had a glimpse of what we are like in the sight of God, we will never say, “Oh, I’m so unworthy.” We will understand that this goes without saying. But as long as there is any doubt that we are unworthy, God will continue to close us in until He gets us alone. Whenever there is any element of pride or conceit remaining, Jesus can’t teach us anything. He will allow us to experience heartbreak or the disappointment we feel when our intellectual pride is wounded. He will reveal numerous misplaced affections or desires— things over which we never thought He would have to get us alone. Many things are shown to us, often without effect. But when God gets us alone over them, they will be clear.

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January 12, 2010

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

I agree with Chambers when he says it is difficult work to look at ourselves on the inside. It is hard to see the man I can become on the other side of my connection with God. It is difficult to look at myself and take in the depths of my selfishness, pride and fear. I want to be full of courage, humility and faith. And then I begin to understand that courage, humility and faith are a few of the characteristics that become a part of me as I am connected to God. Disconnected, I rely on my own characteristics. Intimate with Him I have the fruits of the Spirit.

And God says…” You have experienced the transformation taking in place inside of you. You have observed new emotions and behaviors…..and sometimes you are ….proud of the new you…and then you fall back into your own character and traits. Stay connected and praise God that it is the Holy Spirit living in you that is transforming you, until it is no longer you that live, but Christ inside of you.”

 Galatians 5:22-23 (The Message)

 ^22-23But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

 ^23-24Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.

If we obey God, it is going to cost other people more than it costs us, and that is where the pain begins. If we are in love with our Lord, obedience does not cost us anything— it is a delight. But to those who do not love Him, our obedience does cost a great deal. If we obey God, it will mean that other people’s plans are upset. They will ridicule us as if to say, “You call this Christianity?” We could prevent the suffering, but not if we are obedient to God. We must let the cost be paid.

When our obedience begins to cost others, our human pride entrenches itself and we say, “I will never accept anything from anyone.” But we must, or disobey God. We have no right to think that the type of relationships we have with others should be any different from those the Lord Himself had (see Luke 8:1-3).

A lack of progress in our spiritual life results when we try to bear all the costs ourselves. And actually, we cannot. Because we are so involved in the universal purposes of God, others are immediately affected by our obedience to Him. Will we remain faithful in our obedience to God and be willing to suffer the humiliation of refusing to be independent? Or will we do just the opposite and say, “I will not cause other people to suffer”? We can disobey God if we choose, and it will bring immediate relief to the situation, but it will grieve our Lord. If, however, we obey God, He will care for those who have suffered the consequences of our obedience. We must simply obey and leave all the consequences with Him.

Beware of the inclination to dictate to God what consequences you would allow as a condition of your obedience to Him.

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January 11, 2011

There was a time when I could be stopped dead in my tracks when someone, especially a family, close friend, or church member, would say to me…..”You call yourself a Christian, and you…..?”  I would immediately feel the need to defend myself out of anger, or insecurity. I might feel ashamed and humiliated.  I would feel lots of emotions, but I would not often feel comfortable and secure.

And God says…”When you are in obedience and connected to Me, you feel secure even when you are questioned by a close friend or loved one. Your obedience and attachment to Me allows My love, hope, faith, forgiveness and loving-kindness to flow from Me to you and onto others. Challenged, condemned, questioned and criticized and you will feel no need to retaliate or defend yourself. Covered  and cloaked in My righteousness,  the peace that passes all understanding still resonates within you.”

Galatians 5:22-23 (The Message)

 ^22-23But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

This verse is the greatest example of the true essence of the message of a disciple of Jesus Christ in all of the New Testament.

God’s first sovereign work of grace is summed up in the words, “. . . that they may receive forgiveness of sins . . . .” When a person fails in his personal Christian life, it is usually because he has never received anything. The only sign that a person is saved is that he has received something from Jesus Christ. Our job as workers for God is to open people’s eyes so that they may turn themselves from darkness to light. But that is not salvation; it is conversion-only the effort of an awakened human being. I do not think it is too broad a statement to say that the majority of so-called Christians are like this. Their eyes are open, but they have received nothing. Conversion is not regeneration. This is a neglected fact in our preaching today. When a person is born again, he knows that it is because he has received something as a gift from Almighty God and not because of his own decision. People may make vows and promises, and may be determined to follow through, but none of this is salvation. Salvation means that we are brought to the place where we are able to receive something from God on the authority of Jesus Christ, namely, forgiveness of sins.

This is followed by God’s second mighty work of grace: “. . . an inheritance among those who are sanctified . . . .” In sanctification, the one who has been born again deliberately gives up his right to himself to Jesus Christ, and identifies himself entirely with God’s ministry to others.

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January 10, 2010

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, a brother and I agreed on one New Year’s Resolution; to experience life and life more abundantly…… as you promised and provided. Not necessarily life with more material possessions or more financial ballast, although we both agreed that if it is your will that we experience  blessings in those areas, we would not complain or object. However, it was not our intent to begin our year by praying for  material gain. It is our intention to take hold of your promise of life and life more abundantly, and we asked if you would remove the scales from our eyes and hearts so we can understand more about this promise and all that it entails. You promised it, we want to understand and receive it.

And God says…” Ask and you shall receive, knock and the door will be opened. You do not receive because you do not ask and often you do not ask with the right motives. When you come to me with an open heart and mind, trusting and believing in my omnipotence, I can answer your request and begin to show you portions of life and life more abundantly that you can grasp and experience.  And be assured that your life is lived in abundance as you extend your life to others. Your intimacy with Me and abundant life are very closely linked.  You grasp life and life more abundantly through the discernment of the Holy Spirit that lives within you, and the Spirit of God within you testifies to the abundant life that you seek.”

1 Corinthians 2:12-14 (The Message)

 ^10-13The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along. Who ever knows what you’re thinking and planning except you yourself? The same with God—except that he not only knows what he’s thinking, but he lets us in on it. God offers a full report on the gifts of life and salvation that he is giving us. We don’t have to rely on the world’s guesses and opinions. We didn’t learn this by reading books or going to school; we learned it from God, who taught us person-to-person through Jesus, and we’re passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way.

 ^14-16The nonspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can’t receive the gifts of God’s Spirit. There’s no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by spirit—God’s Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God’s Spirit is doing, and can’t be judged by nonspiritual critics. Isaiah’s question, “Is there anyone around who knows God’s Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?” has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ’s Spirit

These words were not spoken as a rebuke, nor even with surprise; Jesus was encouraging Philip to draw closer. Yet the last person we get intimate with is Jesus. Before Pentecost the disciples knew Jesus as the One who gave them power to conquer demons and to bring about a revival (see Luke 10:18-20). It was a wonderful intimacy, but there was a much closer intimacy to come: “. . . I have called you friends . . .” (John 15:15). True friendship is rare on earth. It means identifying with someone in thought, heart, and spirit. The whole experience of life is designed to enable us to enter into this closest relationship with Jesus Christ. We receive His blessings and know His Word, but do we really know Him?

Jesus said, “It is to your advantage that I go away . . .” (John 16:7). He left that relationship to lead them even closer. It is a joy to Jesus when a disciple takes time to walk more intimately with Him. The bearing of fruit is always shown in Scripture to be the visible result of an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ (see John 15:1-4).

Once we get intimate with Jesus we are never lonely and we never lack for understanding or compassion. We can continually pour out our hearts to Him without being perceived as overly emotional or pitiful. The Christian who is truly intimate with Jesus will never draw attention to himself but will only show the evidence of a life where Jesus is completely in control. This is the outcome of allowing Jesus to satisfy every area of life to its depth. The picture resulting from such a life is that of the strong, calm balance that our Lord gives to those who are intimate with Him.

Worship is giving God the best that He has given you. Be careful what you do with the best you have. Whenever you get a blessing from God, give it back to Him as a love-gift. Take time to meditate before God and offer the blessing back to Him in a deliberate act of worship. If you hoard it for yourself, it will turn into spiritual dry rot, as the manna did when it was hoarded (see Exodus 16:20). God will never allow you to keep a spiritual blessing completely for yourself. It must be given back to Him so that He can make it a blessing to others.

Bethel is the symbol of fellowship with God; Ai is the symbol of the world. Abram “pitched his tent” between the two. The lasting value of our public service for God is measured by the depth of the intimacy of our private times of fellowship and oneness with Him. Rushing in and out of worship is wrong every time— there is always plenty of time to worship God. Days set apart for quiet can be a trap, detracting from the need to have daily quiet time with God. That is why we must “pitch our tents” where we will always have quiet times with Him, however noisy our times with the world may be. There are not three levels of spiritual life— worship, waiting, and work. Yet some of us seem to jump like spiritual frogs from worship to waiting, and from waiting to work. God’s idea is that the three should go together as one. They were always together in the life of our Lord and in perfect harmony. It is a discipline that must be developed; it will not happen overnight.

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January 6, 2010

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Father God, what should my worship resemble? Should it be as Oswald Chambers says; a combination of worship, waiting and work?  I hear what he is saying, but I seem to be able to focus on only one area at a time. When I am worshiping you, I am forgetting my issues, circumstances and trials; yet when I am waiting, I seem to be remembering my circumstances and am waiting for you to rescue me. And working? Well, I seem to be waiting on your specific leading to show me the work you have for me…… so I can then act in obedience.

And God says…”Delight yourself in the Lord. ..When you worship, delight yourself in Me…..drown yourself in My Holy Spirit, allowing Him to guide you into the waiting and working,  trusting that as we are connected through your worship you will know My leading in both your waiting and work. You can continue in daily worship, waiting and working through obedience as you clearly hear my voice…. And you hear My voice as you continually worship and pray without ceasing.

Between these two times Peter denied Jesus with oaths and curses (see Matthew 26:69-75). But then he came completely to the end of himself and all of his self-sufficiency. There was no part of himself he would ever rely on again. In his state of destitution, he was finally ready to receive all that the risen Lord had for him. “. . . He breathed on them, and said to them, ’Receive the Holy Spirit’ ” (John 20:22). No matter what changes God has performed in you, never rely on them. Build only on a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, and on the Spirit He gives.

All our promises and resolutions end in denial because we have no power to accomplish them. When we come to the end of ourselves, not just mentally but completely, we are able to “receive the Holy Spirit.” “Receive the Holy Spirit “— the idea is that of invasion. There is now only One who directs the course of your life, the Lord Jesus Christ.

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January 5, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

I seem to keep learning the same lesson over and over… about getting to the end of myself….actually letting go of a particular area or concern or issue. I go through this process over and over until I realize I should have truly given you all of the issue,  and or circumstance in that area of my life.

Don’t try to get out of your trials too early because you have a great deal to learn inside of them. Unfortunately you often do not turn over an area or issue or circumstance of your life until you discover you cannot handle it. And often you do not do this until you have exhausted every option available to you. You are learning to come to the end of yourself earlier after many lessons. But they are lessons you learn through experience.

 It would be much, much easier if you were able to immediately turn your entire life over to Me and allow the Holy Spirit to live every moment through you. But easier is not necessarily better, and that is not your nature, nor do I want you to be a preprogrammed follower. I want you to choose to have a relationship with Me in every area of your life. I want you to understand and know that you will always arrive at the end of yourself, as long as you trust your own devices, and you will continue to trust your own devices as long as they work for you. I give you my peace and joy in the midst of your life, trials and all, as you no longer rely on yourself. Trust in Me with all your heart and do not rely on your own devices and I will make your paths straight. Do not worry about anything but pray about everything…..and you shall have peace that passes all understanding.

There are times when you can’t understand why you cannot do what you want to do. When God brings a time of waiting, and appears to be unresponsive, don’t fill it with busyness, just wait. The time of waiting may come to teach you the meaning of sanctification— to be set apart from sin and made holy— or it may come after the process of sanctification has begun to teach you what service means. Never run before God gives you His direction. If you have the slightest doubt, then He is not guiding. Whenever there is doubt— wait.

At first you may see clearly what God’s will is— the severance of a friendship, the breaking off of a business relationship, or something else you feel is distinctly God’s will for you to do. But never act on the impulse of that feeling. If you do, you will cause difficult situations to arise which will take years to untangle. Wait for God’s timing and He will do it without any heartache or disappointment. When it is a question of the providential will of God, wait for God to move.

Peter did not wait for God. He predicted in his own mind where the test would come, and it came where he did not expect it. “I will lay down my life for Your sake.” Peter’s statement was honest but ignorant. “Jesus answered him, ’ . . . the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times’ ” (John 13:38). This was said with a deeper knowledge of Peter than Peter had of himself. He could not follow Jesus because he did not know himself or his own capabilities well enough. Natural devotion may be enough to attract us to Jesus, to make us feel His irresistible charm, but it will never make us disciples. Natural devotion will deny Jesus, always falling short of what it means to truly follow Him.

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January 4, 2010

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Waiting is hard! I sometimes confuse waiting on the Lord with doing nothing. I was taught that to have a goal and to take no action is laziness. If you want it then you must go out and get it! I often worry that I am being lazy if I am not engaged in it bringing my goals to reality.

And God says…”Oswald Chambers wrote it exactly as directed; “If you have the slightest doubt, then I am not guiding. Whenever there is doubt— wait.” You cannot finish a work I began in you, it is my work and I will finish it, if you wait for Me. You will know it is Me working and My will for your life, when there is absolutely no doubt in your mind. You will know which steps to take when you are absolutely certain it is Me leading your way. Until you know that certainty, be still, pray without ceasing and be at peace knowing that I am working it all out for your good because I love you. If I gave you My son why would I not give you every good thing? Trust in Me with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding…..delight yourself in the Lord and I will give you the desires of your heart.”