Archive for October, 2014

Faith

October 30th, 2014

Without faith it is impossible to please Him . . . —Hebrews 11:6

Faith in active opposition to common sense is mistaken enthusiasm and narrow-mindedness, and common sense in opposition to faith demonstrates a mistaken reliance on reason as the basis for truth. The life of faith brings the two of these into the proper relationship. Common sense and faith are as different from each other as the natural life is from the spiritual, and as impulsiveness is from inspiration. Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, but is revelation sense, and is complete, whereas common sense falls short. Yet faith must be tested and tried before it becomes real in your life. “We know that all things work together for good . . .” (Romans 8:28) so that no matter what happens, the transforming power of God’s providence transforms perfect faith into reality. Faith always works in a personal way, because the purpose of God is to see that perfect faith is made real in His children.

For every detail of common sense in life, there is a truth God has revealed by which we can prove in our practical experience what we believe God to be. Faith is a tremendously active principle that always puts Jesus Christ first. The life of faith says, “Lord, You have said it, it appears to be irrational, but I’m going to step out boldly, trusting in Your Word” (for example, see Matthew 6:33). Turning intellectual faith into our personal possession is always a fight, not just sometimes. God brings us into particular circumstances to educate our faith, because the nature of faith is to make the object of our faith very real to us. Until we know Jesus, God is merely a concept, and we can’t have faith in Him. But once we hear Jesus say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9) we immediately have something that is real, and our faith is limitless. Faith is the entire person in the right relationship with God through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

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Journal DJR
Good morning Lord
Chambers mentioned, “Turning intellectual faith into our personal possession is always a fight, not just sometimes.” I have experienced the joy of finding a new truth at an intellectual level … and then been frustrated when it didn’t seem to work out in my physical circumstances. Many times it was years later, after some molding and tenderizing by life circumstances and trials, that the original truth came to make sense. That’s when I really owned it. I guess that’s what Moses was doing for 40 years in the desert, between the time he set out in his own power to deliver his people and killed the Egyptian and when you (and he) were ready to really deliver them.

You realized it after the fact. Stay connected to me and I’ll show you what I’m doing sooner. You can rest in Rom 8:28 …All things work together for good, for those who love me …and you do. So rest in it. When things dont make sense, stay curious and expect that there is something deeper going on. Something that will be for good and for growth.

Substitution

October 29th, 2014

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him —2 Corinthians 5:21


The modern view of the death of Jesus is that He died for our sins out of sympathy for us. Yet the New Testament view is that He took our sin on Himself not because of sympathy, but because of His identification with us. He was “made. . . to be sin. . . .” Our sins are removed because of the death of Jesus, and the only explanation for His death is His obedience to His Father, not His sympathy for us. We are acceptable to God not because we have obeyed, nor because we have promised to give up things, but because of the death of Christ, and for no other reason. We say that Jesus Christ came to reveal the fatherhood and the lovingkindness of God, but the New Testament says that He came to take “away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). And the revealing of the fatherhood of God is only to those to whom Jesus has been introduced as Savior. In speaking to the world, Jesus Christ never referred to Himself as One who revealed the Father, but He spoke instead of being a stumbling block (see John 15:22-24). John 14:9  , where Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father,” was spoken to His disciples.That Christ died for me, and therefore I am completely free from penalty, is never taught in the New Testament. What is taught in the New Testament is that “He died for all” (2 Corinthians 5:15)— not, “He died my death”— and that through identification with His death I can be freed from sin, and have His very righteousness imparted as a gift to me. The substitution which is taught in the New Testament is twofold— “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The teaching is not Christ for me unless I am determined to have Christ formed in me (see Galatians 4:19).

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October 29 2014

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Good morning God and thank you for reminding me that because of your substitution for me You now live inside of me. Thank You for the ongoing reassurance that takes place between You and Your Spirit living inside of me, regardless of my circumstances or performance.

And God says…”Jesus was and is your substitute. He is the one I see living inside of you every day, every minute, and because of His substitution I can love you unconditionally, while offering grace and mercy to you every minute of every day as well. Trust in Me with all your heart and do not rely on your own intellect, understanding, or good works, and I will make your paths straight. And when in your weakness you are unable to rely on me and surrender your notions of what this life is or should be for you, trust that the substitution of Jesus also allows for the grace, mercy and love to fill your gaps. You do not have to be “good enough or righteous enough.” Jesus provided all the love, grace and mercy you will ever require. Just agree with Me, connect with Jesus, and surrender your day.”

Justification by Faith

October 28th, 2014

If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life —Romans 5:10


I am not saved by believing— I simply realize I am saved by believing. And it is not repentance that saves me— repentance is only the sign that I realize what God has done through Christ Jesus. The danger here is putting the emphasis on the effect, instead of on the cause. Is it my obedience, consecration, and dedication that make me right with God? It is never that! I am made right with God because, prior to all of that, Christ died. When I turn to God and by belief accept what God reveals, the miraculous atonement by the Cross of Christ instantly places me into a right relationship with God. And as a result of the supernatural miracle of God’s grace I stand justified, not because I am sorry for my sin, or because I have repented, but because of what Jesus has done. The Spirit of God brings justification with a shattering, radiant light, and I know that I am saved, even though I don’t know how it was accomplished.The salvation that comes from God is not based on human logic, but on the sacrificial death of Jesus. We can be born again solely because of the atonement of our Lord. Sinful men and women can be changed into new creations, not through their repentance or their belief, but through the wonderful work of God in Christ Jesus which preceded all of our experience (see 2 Corinthians 5:17-19). The unconquerable safety of justification and sanctification is God Himself. We do not have to accomplish these things ourselves— they have been accomplished through the atonement of the Cross of Christ. The supernatural becomes natural to us through the miracle of God, and there is the realization of what Jesus Christ has already done— “It is finished!” (John 19:30)._______________________________________________________________ 

October 28, 2014

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord thank you for the reminder that I am Yours not because of anything I have done or will do. Once again You make me realize that my rescue, salvation, justification,  sanctification and abundant life has nothing to do with me…it is all about what Jesus has already done for me on the cross. I can choose to accept the rescue, salvation and gifts available to me because of your sacrifice, but I cannot earn them, or justify your extraordinary sacrifice. Thank You once again for reminding me that it is about Jesus, not me.

And God says…”Since the garden and Cain and Able, men and women have tried to justify or rationalize their position with Me and receive My blessing because of what they have done in My name. However, you cannot be justified nor positioned well with Me because of any good thing have done or plan to do. And how many men and women, wait to receive my rescue, salvation and justification, because they feel as if they have not done enough good?”

“You often hide from Me when you feel you have abused my love, grace, mercy and understanding. But you have not and cannot abuse my understanding, grace, mercy and love.  I will never leave you or forsake you….never. Nor can you earn my love or justify my love, grace, and mercy. You have my love, grace and mercy because of the sacrifice of Jesus. Seek Jesus and be transformed daily; knowing supernaturally that you are mine, and I love you beyond your capacity to understand. Seek first the kingdom of God which is Jesus, and everything else you need, including reassurance and the faith you need,  will be provided.”

The Method of Missions

October 27th, 2014

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . —Matthew 28:19


Jesus Christ did not say, “Go and save souls” (the salvation of souls is the supernatural work of God), but He said, “Go . . . make disciples of all the nations . . . .” Yet you cannot make disciples unless you are a disciple yourself. When the disciples returned from their first mission, they were filled with joy because even the demons were subject to them. But Jesus said, in effect, “Don’t rejoice in successful service— the great secret of joy is that you have the right relationship with Me” (see Luke 10:17-20). The missionary’s great essential is remaining true to the call of God, and realizing that his one and only purpose is to disciple men and women to Jesus. Remember that there is a passion for souls that does not come from God, but from our desire to make converts to our point of view.The challenge to the missionary does not come from the fact that people are difficult to bring to salvation, that backsliders are difficult to reclaim, or that there is a barrier of callous indifference. No, the challenge comes from the perspective of the missionary’s own personal relationship with Jesus Christ— “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28). Our Lord unwaveringly asks us that question, and it confronts us in every individual situation we encounter. The one great challenge to us is— do I know my risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit? Am I wise enough in God’s sight, but foolish enough according to the wisdom of the world, to trust in what Jesus Christ has said? Or am I abandoning the great supernatural position of limitless confidence in Christ Jesus, which is really God’s only call for a missionary? If I follow any other method, I depart altogether from the methods prescribed by our Lord— “All authority has been given to Me . . . . Gotherefore. . .” (Matthew 28:18-19).
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October 27 2014

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

This devotional asks the question….Do I have limitless confidence in Jesus Christ? …Lord the headline I read yesterday  …”If I let Jesus take the wheel am I certain I will not crash?” got my attention. Like this devotional asks, am I willing to totally trust You in every situation? I think I am but then I hold back the urge to step out of the boat onto the crashing waves. I often hold onto the side of the boat afraid to step out and trust You completely. How can I build the trust and faith to take You at your word and surrender totally, all the time?

And God says…”There are times when you have and will continue to surrender totally and trust Me completely. Here in this world, you have found yourself in circumstances and situations you cannot control, and you discovered that must trust Me.  You had no other options. These times have strengthened your faith and trust, and will continue to do so. Trust in Me with all your heart and do not rely on your own ways and means or understanding and I will make your paths straight. And when you do not feel worthy or “good enough” to receive My blessings or hope, remember that it is Jesus I see when I look at you or hear from you.  Jesus came to give you life and life more abundantly. As you discover and live this abundant life, you demonstrate the life I have given you to others. You can make disciples of the world by simply living out the life I promised and have provided. And when it does not feel “right”, when you do not feel worthy, faithful or sanctified, just recall that even when you do not have the purity,  faith, hope or love needed for your circumstance, I will provide everything you need.  You believe and I will help you in your unbelief. Seek first the kingdom of God, which is Jesus, and everything else you need will be provided.”

Nothing of the Old Life!

October 23rd, 2014

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new —2 Corinthians 5:17

Our Lord never tolerates our prejudices— He is directly opposed to them and puts them to death. We tend to think that God has some special interest in our particular prejudices, and are very sure that He will never deal with us as He has to deal with others. We even say to ourselves, “God has to deal with other people in a very strict way, but of course He knows that my prejudices are all right.” But we must learn that God accepts nothing of the old life! Instead of being on the side of our prejudices, He is deliberately removing them from us. It is part of our moral education to see our prejudices put to death by His providence, and to watch how He does it. God pays no respect to anything we bring to Him. There is only one thing God wants of us, and that is our unconditional surrender.

When we are born again, the Holy Spirit begins to work His new creation in us, and there will come a time when there is nothing remaining of the old life. Our old gloomy outlook disappears, as does our old attitude toward things, and “all things are of God” (2 Corinthians 5:18). How are we going to get a life that has no lust, no self-interest, and is not sensitive to the ridicule of others? How will we have the type of love that “is kind . . . is not provoked, [and] thinks no evil”? (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). The only way is by allowing nothing of the old life to remain, and by having only simple, perfect trust in God— such a trust that we no longer want God’s blessings, but only want God Himself. Have we come to the point where God can withdraw His blessings from us without our trust in Him being affected? Once we truly see God at work, we will never be concerned again about the things that happen, because we are actually trusting in our Father in heaven, whom the world cannot see.

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October 23, 2014

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, I understand the reasoning and direction …for us to give up our prejudices, our old ways of doing things and live through the direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit. I hear Chambers when he says we must give up our own ways and means and trust You completely; when he says we need to surrender completely.

But Lord, when the diagnosis is very bad, or the bank account way too low, the boss hands out a pink slip, or our beloved says they are moving on without us; how can you expect us to rely on our faith, hope and love when everything we sense screams us into fear and we feel abandoned and or unworthy of your rescue? How is it that You can expect us to find the faith and trust to overlook all the evidence and pressure crashing down on us when we can see, touch and feel the impending disasters, but cannot see, touch and feel your intercession?

And God says…”I do not expect you to demonstrate faith, hope, love, or trust when you sense impending disaster. I expect you to sense the futility of your own power, strength and effort, and surrender to me. It should be easy for you to surrender when you sense impending disaster and know you cannot do enough, if anything to prevent the disasters.  Isn’t that when humans surrender? When they know they are unable to accomplish what needs accomplishing?”

“How can you trust Me to rescue you, to use the disaster for your good, to make a positive outcome out of the overwhelming circumstances? Just look at your overwhelming circumstances; know you cannot impact them, and then surrender them to Me because you must.”

“You can also recall all the times in your life when I have met all your needs and turned the difficult circumstances into good for you and yours. You can also recall the scriptures that offer you My promises for example: “all things work for the good of those that love the Lord….seek first the kingdom of God , which is Jesus, and everything you need will be provided you, …trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own strength, and methods, and He will make your paths straight, and… I know the plans I have for you, plans for good and not for bad, and I will meet all your needs according to My riches in heaven.”

“Just surrender, and let Me fill your heart and mind and I will provide the strength, hope, faith, trust and love you need.”

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Journal DJR
Good morning, Lord. I’ve always known (on an academic level) that from the time we first say “yes” to you, until we get to Heaven … is a process. A journey toward Christlikeness. But recently I can actually say that I feel the process. I feel the squeezing and molding. I’m liking it. (most of the time) It’s getting easier to surrender. I think that’s because I have seen the folly of pushing my agenda thru and the way that your agenda is always better. It’s actually becoming a game … staying curious and keeping an objective view (hopefully a balcony view, standing next to you, looking down on that guy named Dave) Looking to see how he is getting molded …. Is that a good way to look at myself and life?

Yes. That’s just a result of being connected. I direct all who connect with me to that way of living. Some use different words and some come faster or slower but I direct my sons and daughters toward a surrendered life. So come to me. Get and stay connected and I will show you great things. Including aspects of your own shaping.

Jeremiah 33:2-3 (MSG)

2-3 “This is God’s Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as God: ‘Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.’ to rise above your trials.”

The Witness of the Spirit

October 22nd, 2014

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit . . . —Romans 8:16


We are in danger of getting into a bargaining spirit with God when we come to Him—we want the witness of the Spirit before we have done what God tells us to do.Why doesn’t God reveal Himself to you? He cannot. It is not that He will not, but He cannot, because you are in the way as long as you won’t abandon yourself to Him in total surrender. Yet once you do, immediately God witnesses to Himself—He cannot witness to you, but He instantly witnesses to His own nature in you. If you received the witness of the Spirit before the reality and truth that comes from obedience, it would simply result in sentimental emotion. But when you act on the basis of redemption, and stop the disrespectfulness of debating with God, He immediately gives His witness. As soon as you abandon your own reasoning and arguing, God witnesses to what He has done, and you are amazed at your total disrespect in having kept Him waiting. If you are debating as to whether or not God can deliver from sin, then either let Him do it or tell Him that He cannot. Do not quote this or that person to Him. Simply obey Matthew 11:28 , “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden . . . .” Come, if you are weary, and ask, if you know you are evil (see Luke 11:9-13).The Spirit of God witnesses to the redemption of our Lord, and to nothing else. He cannot witness to our reason. We are inclined to mistake the simplicity that comes from our natural commonsense decisions for the witness of the Spirit, but the Spirit witnesses only to His own nature, and to the work of redemption, never to our reason. If we are trying to make Him witness to our reason, it is no wonder that we are in darkness and uncertainty. Throw it all overboard, trust in Him, and He will give you the witness of the Spirit.

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October 22, 2014

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, when I ask for help and rescue You tell me that You meet me right there; at my need and request. You tell me to ask and to expect a response….. “Ask and you’ll get; Seek and you’ll find; Knock and the door will open.”  If that is the case, then why do I feel so helpless and so vulnerable when my needs are great and Your rescue not evident?  I know You love me, Your sacrifice proves that. So how do I trust, believe and surrender my own methods for Yours when I cannot see, touch or feel You dealing with my needs and rescue?

And God says…”My ways are not your ways. Imagine that My vocabulary is more than a trillion words and yours is 100,000….. How do we communicate? Imagine that you need to see, hear, smell, taste, and touch to acknowledge Me moving in your life and to your rescue. I am not limited by your senses, nor am I limited by your capacity to understand.  You must simply surrender and trust Me to be God, trust Me and not your own senses and awareness.  And when you cannot find the faith to surrender and trust that I will meet all your needs, allow My love, grace and mercy to fill your gaps and provide the faith, hope and mercy you need to still claim my promises. “

Luke 11:9-13The Message (MSG) 9 Here’s what I’m saying: Ask and you’ll get; Seek and you’ll find; Knock and the door will open. 10-13 “Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we’re in. If your little boy asks for a serving of fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? If your little girl asks for an egg, do you trick her with a spider? As bad as you are, you wouldn’t think of such a thing—you’re at least decent to your own children. And don’t you think the Father who conceived you in love will give the Holy Spirit when you ask him?”

 

Impulsiveness or Discipleship?

October 21st, 2014

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith . . . —Jude 20

There was nothing of the nature of impulsive or thoughtless action about our Lord, but only a calm strength that never got into a panic. Most of us develop our Christianity along the lines of our own nature, not along the lines of God’s nature. Impulsiveness is a trait of the natural life, and our Lord always ignores it, because it hinders the development of the life of a disciple. Watch how the Spirit of God gives a sense of restraint to impulsiveness, suddenly bringing us a feeling of self-conscious foolishness, which makes us instantly want to vindicate ourselves. Impulsiveness is all right in a child, but is disastrous in a man or woman—an impulsive adult is always a spoiled person. Impulsiveness needs to be trained into intuition through discipline.

Discipleship is built entirely on the supernatural grace of God. Walking on water is easy to someone with impulsive boldness, but walking on dry land as a disciple of Jesus Christ is something altogether different. Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus, but he “followed Him at a distance” on dry land (Mark 14:54). We do not need the grace of God to withstand crises—human nature and pride are sufficient for us to face the stress and strain magnificently. But it does require the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours of every day as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, and ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus. It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God—but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people—and this is not learned in five minutes.

Journal DJR
Good morning Lord, This is something I’ve thought about before, that living for you 24-7 is harder, or can take a whole different skill set, than delivering a heroic instant. Like quickly deciding to swim into the surf to save a drowning person being pulled out by rip tide. You dont spend a lot of time analyzing the pros and cons of that. You just decide and act. We can’t just decide and act to live for you 24-7. Or can we?

Actually you can. Your “master decision” is to get and stay connected with me. Then subsequent decisions will follow. Your first decision is to follow me. Just like I called my team.

Matthew 4:19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

What is important is that which empowers those subsequent actions. Is it will power, ego, the desire to look good, appear right, or be in control? … Or is it that you’ve decided to follow me? And by staying connected, you hear my voice?

John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

Stay connected, hear my voice, see my hand at work, and obey what you see and hear. For those who want a formula, That’s a good formula. As you can see it is not a checklist of do’s and dont’s. There is only one do. Get connected and follow me. When you create checklists for yourselves, you are inviting in the enemy to rack you with guilt. You will always be better at making lofty goals than you will ever be at achieving them. Wouldn’t it be better to just follow me?

Is God’s Will My Will?

October 20th, 2014

This is the will of God, your sanctification . . . —1 Thessalonians 4:3


Sanctification is not a question of whether God is willing to sanctify me— is it my will? Am I willing to let God do in me everything that has been made possible through the atonement of the Cross of Christ? Am I willing to let Jesus become sanctification to me, and to let His life be exhibited in my human flesh? (see 1 Corinthians 1:30). Beware of saying, “Oh, I am longing to be sanctified.” No, you are not. Recognize your need, but stop longing and make it a matter of action. Receive Jesus Christ to become sanctification for you by absolute, unquestioning faith, and the great miracle of the atonement of Jesus will become real in you.All that Jesus made possible becomes mine through the free and loving gift of God on the basis of what Christ accomplished on the cross. And my attitude as a saved and sanctified soul is that of profound, humble holiness (there is no such thing as proud holiness). It is a holiness based on agonizing repentance, a sense of inexpressible shame and degradation, and also on the amazing realization that the love of God demonstrated itself to me while I cared nothing about Him (see Romans 5:8). He completed everything for my salvation and sanctification. No wonder Paul said that nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).Sanctification makes me one with Jesus Christ, and in Him one with God, and it is accomplished only through the magnificent atonement of Christ. Never confuse the effect with the cause. The effect in me is obedience, service, and prayer, and is the outcome of inexpressible thanks and adoration for the miraculous sanctification that has been brought about in me because of the atonement through the Cross of Christ.______________________________________________________________October 20 2014

Journal Entry for today-JDV

Lord, Thank you for the reminder to let You make the changes in us. Thank you for reminding us that Your sacrifice provided all we need for salvation and sanctification. But Lord, I do need help in living this out. My failures cry out to me, my unworthiness stares me right in the face. How am I to realize sanctification when my life is so uneven?

And God says…”How you live it out has nothing to do with your sanctification. You cannot use your life as the measuring stick. Your sanctification is a result of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is completed. You simply accept and acknowledge it; it requires nothing except your acceptance. Let the Holly Spirit take care of your living it out. You simply get and stay connected to Jesus and let His life transform yours over time. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding and He will make your paths straight. And as the song says… it will be a glorious unfolding”

The Key of the Greater Work

October 17th, 2014

. . . I say to you, he who believes in Me, . . . greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father —John 14:12


Prayer does not equip us for greater works— prayer is the greater work. Yet we think of prayer as some commonsense exercise of our higher powers that simply prepares us for God’s work. In the teachings of Jesus Christ, prayer is the working of the miracle of redemption in me, which produces the miracle of redemption in others, through the power of God. The way fruit remains firm is through prayer, but remember that it is prayer based on the agony of Christ in redemption, not on my own agony. We must go to God as His child, because only a child gets his prayers answered; a “wise” man does not (see Matthew 11:25).Prayer is the battle, and it makes no difference where you are. However God may engineer your circumstances, your duty is to pray. Never allow yourself this thought, “I am of no use where I am,” because you certainly cannot be used where you have not yet been placed. Wherever God has placed you and whatever your circumstances, you should pray, continually offering up prayers to Him. And He promises, “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do . . .” (John 14:13). Yet we refuse to pray unless it thrills or excites us, which is the most intense form of spiritual selfishness. We must learn to work according to God’s direction, and He says to pray. “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:38).

There is nothing thrilling about a laboring person’s work, but it is the laboring person who makes the ideas of the genius possible. And it is the laboring saint who makes the ideas of his Master possible. When you labor at prayer, from God’s perspective there are always results. What an astonishment it will be to see, once the veil is finally lifted, all the souls that have been reaped by you, simply because you have been in the habit of taking your orders from Jesus Christ.

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October 17 2014

Prayer for my day-JDV

Lord, thank you for the reminder about the power of prayer.  Thank you especially for reminding me that that I am to pray as a little child; trusting and communicating to My Father. And I am very thankful that You continue to remind me that even when I cannot trust as a child, even when I do not have the faith nor feel worthy of approaching You, that You provide the grace, faith, love and mercy that fills my gaps. Please help me to be in a more constant state of prayer this day. Help me to be connected to You at every opportunity. In Jesus name…Amen.

The Key to the Master’s Orders

October 16th, 2014

Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest —Matthew 9:38


The key to the missionary’s difficult task is in the hand of God, and that key is prayer, not work— that is, not work as the word is commonly used today, which often results in the shifting of our focus away from God. The key to the missionary’s difficult task is also not the key of common sense, nor is it the key of medicine, civilization, education, or even evangelization. The key is in following the Master’s orders— the key is prayer. “Pray the Lord of the harvest . . . .” In the natural realm, prayer is not practical but absurd. We have to realize that prayer is foolish from the commonsense point of view.From Jesus Christ’s perspective, there are no nations, but only the world. How many of us pray without regard to the persons, but with regard to only one Person— Jesus Christ? He owns the harvest that is produced through distress and through conviction of sin. This is the harvest for which we have to pray that laborers be sent out to reap. We stay busy at work, while people all around us are ripe and ready to be harvested; we do not reap even one of them, but simply waste our Lord’s time in over-energized activities and programs. Suppose a crisis were to come into your father’s or your brother’s life— are you there as a laborer to reap the harvest for Jesus Christ? Is your response, “Oh, but I have a special work to do!” No Christian has a special work to do. A Christian is called to be Jesus Christ’s own, “a servant [who] is not greater than his master” (John 13:16), and someone who does not dictate to Jesus Christ what he intends to do. Our Lord calls us to no special work— He calls us to Himself. “Pray the Lord of the harvest,” and He will engineer your circumstances to send you out as His laborer.

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Journal Entry for Today-JDV

October 16, 2014

Lord thank you for the lesson about being called to Jesus, not to a mission. Help us to be connected to You this day and to be conscious of the notion that we are not called to do a work regardless of how good or religious the intention or the stated mission. It is clear that we are to be connected to Jesus, and we are to allow Jesus to work through us to sow and reap. Thank you for teaching us that some of the very best work we do is when we are connected to Jesus and are  unaware of the sowing and reaping being done by You through us. I hear the scriptures clearly; “Seek first the kingdom of God, which is Jesus, and everything else we need will be provided. Acknowledge the Lord in all our ways and You will make our paths straight. Delight ourselves in the Lord and You will give us the desires of our hearts.”

Lord, help us to be connected, curious, expectant and obedient this day. And when we cannot be connected, curious, expectant and obedient, thank you for filling in our gaps with your love, faith, grace, and mercy.