The gospel of the grace of God awakens an intense longing in human souls and an equally intense resentment, because the truth that it reveals is not palatable or easy to swallow. There is a certain pride in people that causes them to give and give, but to come and accept a gift is another thing. I will give my life to martyrdom; I will dedicate my life to service— I will do anything. But do not humiliate me to the level of the most hell-deserving sinner and tell me that all I have to do is accept the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.We have to realize that we cannot earn or win anything from God through our own efforts. We must either receive it as a gift or do without it. The greatest spiritual blessing we receive is when we come to the knowledge that we are destitute. Until we get there, our Lord is powerless. He can do nothing for us as long as we think we are sufficient in and of ourselves. We must enter into His kingdom through the door of destitution. As long as we are “rich,” particularly in the area of pride or independence, God can do nothing for us. It is only when we get hungry spiritually that we receive the Holy Spirit. The gift of the essential nature of God is placed and made effective in us by the Holy Spirit. He imparts to us the quickening life of Jesus, making us truly alive. He takes that which was “beyond” us and places it “within” us. And immediately, once “the beyond” has come “within,” it rises up to “the above,” and we are lifted into the kingdom where Jesus lives and reigns (see John 3:5).

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Journal Entry for Today

November 28 2014

Lord, thank You, and Oswald Chambers for reminding me that I can do nothing without You. And as long as I think I am sufficient, in any area, You are unable to act on my behalf…in that area.  I once heard that You are a true gentleman Lord; that You will not interrupt my own efforts and self-sufficiency with your intercession. That You will not interrupt my own efforts and self-sufficiency with You supernatural effort and power. Like Chambers says, “I must be destitute”; unable either by circumstance or decision, to do anything on my own behalf. I must first surrender to You.

And God says…”Acknowledge Me in all your ways and I will make your paths straight. The operative word for this lesson is the word “all”.  Acknowledge Me means to be connected to Me. Historically You have taken the “bull by the horns” when you believed you had the experience, knowledge, personal power and resources to act.  In the past you showed Me that….. If you could do it, or believed you could do it without Me, then you would take action. You called on Me when you were faced with circumstances and difficulties you could not overcome on your own, or after your attempts and effort proved insufficient. When that occurred, you would look to Me. However, the word in the scripture is “ALL”…acknowledge Me in ALL your ways and do not rely on your own ways and means, or your own understanding, and I will make your paths straight.”

“Do not wait for success or failure before looking to Me. Know that I am God and I love you beyond your ability to understand. I came to give you life and life more abundantly, and every good thing. Delight yourself in the Lord and I will give you the desires of your heart. And when it seems that I have not shown up or you feel anxious and believe you must “take action” remember the scripture: they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”