There is no heaven that has a little corner of hell in it. God is determined to make you pure, holy, and right, and He will not allow you to escape from the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit for even one moment. He urged you to come to judgment immediately when He convicted you, but you did not obey. Then the inevitable process began to work, bringing its inevitable penalty. Now you have been “thrown into prison, [and]…you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny” (5:25-26). Yet you ask, “Is this a God of mercy and love?” When seen from God’s perspective, it is a glorious ministry of love. God is going to bring you out pure, spotless, and undefiled, but He wants you to recognize the nature you were exhibiting— the nature of demanding your right to yourself. The moment you are willing for God to change your nature, His recreating forces will begin to work. And the moment you realize that God’s purpose is to get you into the right relationship with Himself and then with others, He will reach to the very limits of the universe to help you take the right road. Decide to do it right now, saying, “Yes, Lord, I will write that letter,” or, “I will be reconciled to that person now.”These sermons of Jesus Christ are meant for your will and your conscience, not for your head. If you dispute these verses from the Sermon on the Mount with your head, you will dull the appeal to your heart.If you find yourself asking, “I wonder why I’m not growing spiritually with God?”— then ask yourself if you are paying your debts from God’s standpoint. Do now what you will have to do someday. Every moral question or call comes with an “ought” behind it— the knowledge of knowing what we ought to do.

 

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July 1 2015

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, once again it appears that Oswald Chambers takes a position that I ought to do this, or I ought to do that…as he continues to write and teach that there is more work to do to make me “flawless”. But You have been teaching us that the cross has made us “flawless”; that there is no more work to do; that I can add not one iota of value to the work of Jesus on the cross. So why would Chamber teach that we must be convicted and pay a penalty?….He urged you to come to judgment immediately when He convicted you, but you did not obey. Then the inevitable process began to work, bringing its inevitable penalty…..I thought the penalty was totally paid by Jesus.

And God says…”Chambers is describing the process I use to transform you. There are causes and effects in the world. And part of the transforming process includes allowing you the freedom to make wrong choices…and the scriptures have been very clear about causes and effects. When you make a wrong choice, you are subject to the effects of that choice. I do not keep score, because Jesus has paid for all your wrong choices; past, present and future. However the effects of those choices on your life remain. And I use those choices and effects to help mold and shape you. All things work for the good of those that love the Lord. Before Me you are flawless as I see Jesus and the cross instead of your wrong choices. And over time, you are being made into the likeness of Jesus, pure and spotless. Your actual life changes; you are being transformed, as you are surrendered and connected. As you allow the Holy Spirit to take control of your life. “

“As Chambers says….. God is going to bring you out pure, spotless, and undefiled, but He wants you to recognize the nature you were exhibiting— the nature of demanding your right to yourself. The moment you are willing for God to change your nature, His recreating forces will begin to work. And the moment you realize that God’s purpose is to get you into the right relationship with Himself and then with others, He will reach to the very limits of the universe to help you take the right road.”