Not being reconciled to the fact of sin— not recognizing it and refusing to deal with it— produces all the disasters in life. You may talk about the lofty virtues of human nature, but there is something in human nature that will mockingly laugh in the face of every principle you have. If you refuse to agree with the fact that there is wickedness and selfishness, something downright hateful and wrong, in human beings, when it attacks your life, instead of reconciling yourself to it, you will compromise with it and say that it is of no use to battle against it.

Have you taken this “hour, and the power of darkness” into account, or do you have a view of yourself which includes no recognition of sin whatsoever? In your human relationships and friendships, have you reconciled yourself to the fact of sin? If not, just around the next corner you will find yourself trapped and you will compromise with it. But if you will reconcile yourself to the fact of sin, you will realize the danger immediately and say, “Yes, I see what this sin would mean.”

The recognition of sin does not destroy the basis of friendship— it simply establishes a mutual respect for the fact that the basis of sinful life is disastrous. Always beware of any assessment of life which does not recognize the fact that there is sin.Jesus Christ never trusted human nature, yet He was never cynical nor suspicious, because He had absolute trust in what He could do for human nature. The pure man or woman is the one who is shielded from harm, not the innocent person. The so-called innocent man or woman is never safe. Men and women have no business trying to be innocent; God demands that they be pure and virtuous. Innocence is the characteristic of a child. Any person is deserving of blame if he is unwilling to reconcile himself to the fact of sin.

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June 24 2015

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, once again I wanted to “push back” on Chambers’ devotional as he said we should reconcile ourselves to sin, but then it occurred to me that he was saying we needed to acknowledge our inherent sin nature and our ability to “get it wrong” almost all the time when we operate in our own power.  And yes I do agree with this, and the scriptures do as well. Even with the very best of intentions, and on my very best days… on my own I will “get it wrong”. And as Chambers says, if I acknowledge this fact, I can get it right by acknowledging as the song today says… that Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world, and by recognizing that the battle is the Lord’s and it is already won.

And God says…”That is right. When you recognize that even at your most religious and pious self, you are the human condition, you will being to understand and start with the surrender of yourself, connection to Me while you live in curiosity and wonder about how I am going to move in your life and your circumstance. Paul got it right when he struggled with his sin nature in Romans 7.  Go reread this chapter; it tells of Paul’s sinful condition and how Jesus has already saved us from this problem. Acknowledge Me in all your ways, do not rely on your own understanding and I will make your paths straight. Seek first the kingdom of God, which is Jesus, and I provide everything else you need, including the innocence of a child, even when and especially when you are not worthy of innocence. You see He that is within you…Jesus, is worthy, and this is who I see when I see you.”