Are you determined to have your own way in living for God? We will never be free from this trap until we are brought into the experience of the baptism of “the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11). Stubbornness and self-will will always stab Jesus Christ. It may hurt no one else, but it wounds His Spirit. Whenever we are obstinate and self-willed and set on our own ambitions, we are hurting Jesus. Every time we stand on our own rights and insist that this is what we intend to do, we are persecuting Him. Whenever we rely on self-respect, we systematically disturb and grieve His Spirit. And when we finally understand that it is Jesus we have been persecuting all this time, it is the most crushing revelation ever.Is the Word of God tremendously penetrating and sharp in me as I hand it on to you, or does my life betray the things I profess to teach? I may teach sanctification and yet exhibit the spirit of Satan, the very spirit that persecutes Jesus Christ. The Spirit of Jesus is conscious of only one thing— a perfect oneness with the Father. And He tells us, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). All I do should be based on a perfect oneness with Him, not on a self-willed determination to be godly. This will mean that others may use me, go around me, or completely ignore me, but if I will submit to it for His sake, I will prevent Jesus Christ from being persecuted.______________________________________________________

January 28 2015

Journal for Today-JDV

Lord, I find this devotional a bit confusing. Once again Chambers uses guilt as leverage to make us look inside ourselves. I can only speak for myself, but if I look closely enough I can find cracks in my Christian armor, I suspect everyone can. And while I want to be connected with You and live out the sanctification of being connected, I  want to do so out of the love that comes from your unlimited grace and mercy, not out of some sense of guilt of what I might be doing to Jesus. Am I wrong? Should I be more responsive to the guilt that Chambers, others and oftentimes the church uses to try and keep us on the straight and narrow?

And God says…”As I said a week ago, the church and many believers, pastors and others in authority believe that this kind of leverage; guilt, responsibility and obligation, is appropriate for helping non-believers believe and believers to become sanctified. However, the Gospel is not about getting people to respond out of guilt, it is about making them aware of Jesus so that they  decide to be connected.  And I would not have you trade one set of chains for another.  For unbelievers there are ten words to salvation, with the help of the Holy Spirit:  Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead.  There are eleven words for believers: There is no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus.”

“Many teachers in the church and religious community and “disconnected believers” will try to use guilt, responsibility and obligation to help non-believers believe and believers to come to sanctification. However, anything done apart from love is sin. When you use guilt, responsibly and obligation you are telling Me that you do not believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. Your role is to live out the Gospel, and when your human side gets in the way, my grace and mercy will fill the gaps; both for you and others that might observe the humanity in you. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not rely on your own devices and I will make your paths straight. Seek first the kingdom of God and I will provide everything else you need…. even sanctification.”