Oh, the bravery of God in trusting us! Do you say, “But He has been unwise to choose me, because there is nothing good in me and I have no value”? That is exactly why He chose you. As long as you think that you are of value to Him He cannot choose you, because you have purposes of your own to serve. But if you will allow Him to take you to the end of your own self-sufficiency, then He can choose you to go with Him “to Jerusalem” (Luke 18:31). And that will mean the fulfillment of purposes which He does not discuss with you.

We tend to say that because a person has natural ability, he will make a good Christian. It is not a matter of our equipment, but a matter of our poverty; not of what we bring with us, but of what God puts into us; not a matter of natural virtues, of strength of character, of knowledge, or of experience— all of that is of no avail in this concern. The only thing of value is being taken into the compelling purpose of God and being made His friends (see 1 Corinthians 1:26-31). God’s friendship is with people who know their poverty. He can accomplish nothing with the person who thinks that he is of use to God. As Christians we are not here for our own purpose at all— we are here for the purpose of God, and the two are not the same.

We do not know what God’s compelling purpose is, but whatever happens, we must maintain our relationship with Him. We must never allow anything to damage our relationship with God, but if something does damage it, we must take the time to make it right again. The most important aspect of Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain and the surrounding influence and qualities produced by that relationship. That is all God asks us to give our attention to, and it is the one thing that is continually under attack.

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August 4 2015

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Good morning Lord, and thank you once again for the reminder that it is You that works in me, not me doing service or work for You. You have reminded us often that the only way we can accomplish anything worthwhile is through our surrender and Your Spirit living and working through us. However, it is not easy to maintain this state of connection Lord. How can we do this? How can I be in a constant state of surrender, connection, curiosity and obedience when my heart and mind cries out for me to deal with the pressing issues of life?

And God says…”Acknowledge Me in all your ways and do not rely on your own ways and means or understanding and I will make your paths straight. And do not try to get out of the pressures of everyday life, let these pressures have their perfect result, by turning you to surrender and connection. Trust that when you seek first the kingdom of God that I will provide everything you require to lead an abundant life including the pressures of everyday life…and the remedies you and yours require”

“When your heart and mind cry out for you to pay attention to the pressures of life, let the Spirit of God guide you to surrender and connection before you take any action. When you are surrendered, connected, curious and obedient, I can accomplish a great many things through you. As Paul wrote to the Church at Philippi; don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces the worry over the everyday pressures at the center of your life.”