What Do You Want?

April 27th, 2015 by JDVaughn Leave a reply »

Do you seek great things for yourself? —Jeremiah 45:5


Are you seeking great things for yourself, instead of seeking to be a great person? God wants you to be in a much closer relationship with Himself than simply receiving His gifts— He wants you to get to know Him. Even some large thing we want is only incidental; it comes and it goes. But God never gives us anything incidental.
There is nothing easier than getting into the right relationship with God, unless it is not God you seek, but only what He can give you.If you have only come as far as asking God for things, you have never come to the point of understanding the least bit of what surrender really means. You have become a Christian based on your own terms. You protest, saying, “I asked God for the Holy Spirit, but He didn’t give me the rest and the peace I expected.”
And instantly God puts His finger on the reason– you are not seeking the Lord at all; you are seeking something for yourself. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you…” (Matthew 7:7). Ask God for what you want and do not be concerned about asking for the wrong thing, because as you draw ever closer to Him, you will cease asking for things altogether. “Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). Then why should you ask? So that you may get to know Him.
Are you seeking great things for yourself? Have you said, “Oh, Lord, completely fill me with your Holy Spirit”? If God does not, it is because you are not totally surrendered to Him; there is something you still refuse to do. Are you prepared to ask yourself what it is you want from God and why you want it? God always ignores your present level of completeness in favor of your ultimate future completeness.
He is not concerned about making you blessed and happy right now, but He’s continually working out His ultimate perfection for you— “…that they may be one just as We are one…” (John 17:22).
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April 27 2015

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, there is a line in this devotional that says…”There is nothing easier than getting into the right relationship with God”, unless it is not God you seek , but only what He can do for you.  I get it, but when I first read this I instantly thought….Yes it may be easy to get into the right relationship with God, but….it is not easy to stay there. I start most days with David and a devotional; I start out connected, but somewhere and somehow in my day I often get distracted. I find I am overwhelmed by a crisis, time issues, or resource constrained and I spent time trying to sort myself out so I can be or get reconnected.

And God says…”Forget the distractions. Forget the crisis. Ignore the pressures others try to place at your feet. Seek Me first, and then trust that I will provide everything else you need. Do not try to get yourself into the “right frame of mind” so you can get and or stay connected. Seek Me first, and I will provide everything else you require. Do not try to manage your state of mind, or internal peace meter. Do not try to do the right thing, or try to avoid the wrong things. Simply seek an intimate relationship with Me and trust that I will provide everything else you need. Delight yourself in the Lord and I will give you the desires of your heart. In your connection ask Me to help you surrender; be curious, expectant and obedient. And when you are unable to seek and maintain this level of connection, simply know that my love, grace and mercy will fill the performance gaps you tried to fill with more discipline, study and other kinds of self-effort. “

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