The Riches of the Destitute

November 28th, 2016 by JDVaughn Leave a reply »

being justified freely by His grace… —Romans 3:24


The gospel of the grace of God awakens an intense longing in human souls and an equally intense resentment, because the truth that it reveals is not palatable or easy to swallow. There is a certain pride in people that causes them to give and give, but to come and accept a gift is another thing. I will give my life to martyrdom; I will dedicate my life to service— I will do anything. But do not humiliate me to the level of the most hell-deserving sinner and tell me that all I have to do is accept the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
We have to realize that we cannot earn or win anything from God through our own efforts. We must either receive it as a gift or do without it. The greatest spiritual blessing we receive is when we come to the knowledge that we are destitute. Until we get there, our Lord is powerless. He can do nothing for us as long as we think we are sufficient in and of ourselves.
We must enter into His kingdom through the door of destitution. As long as we are “rich,” particularly in the area of pride or independence, God can do nothing for us. It is only when we get hungry spiritually that we receive the Holy Spirit. The gift of the essential nature of God is placed and made effective in us by the Holy Spirit. He imparts to us the quickening life of Jesus, making us truly alive. He takes that which was “beyond” us and places it “within” us. And immediately, once “the beyond” has come “within,” it rises up to “the above,” and we are lifted into the kingdom where Jesus lives and reigns (see John 3:5).
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November 28, 2016

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Good morning Lord and thank you for this devotional. These lines in the second paragraph spoke to me… “The greatest spiritual blessing we receive is when we come to the knowledge that we are destitute. Until we get there, our Lord is powerless. He can do nothing for us as long as we think we are sufficient in and of ourselves.” Clearly this is an extension of the surrender, connection, curiosity, and obedience principles You have been teaching us. David and I were also struck by the notion that we are also “bound” by “good” services or actions we think we need to perform or agree to perform. After all, if it is “good service”, or helps someone that needs our help, we should be doing it right? Then I asked David if the good deeds or requests for good deeds got in the way of the rest he needs since  his proton/radiation therapy. How was he responding to the “good deeds requests” he was getting from others? Where and when do we say “no” to others and ourselves and simply rest and or recover?”

And God says…” To your church, family and friends, you look the same; no scars or surgical reminders that you have been battling cancer. However, you have been in a war and you are wounded. But the “old man” in you does not want to hear about rest, recovery, and healing throughout. You want to step right back in a race, like your war never occurred. But you were and are in a war, and you were and are wounded and will need rest for some time. You cannot take on projects like you used to do. “

“You cannot take on the family projects, friendly projects or church projects, just because they came from friends, family or the church. Test them against the surrender, connection, curiosity and obedience test that I have given you. Bring the requested project to Me, and surrender it. If I give it back to you, I will make a way, and give you the strength to complete it. If I do not give it back to you; then your friend, family or church(and I) will find some other way. There is a time for all things, a time for sowing, for reaping, for building up, for tearing down. Let Me decide your projects, your healing and your rest. Simply surrender the request or your sense of obligation to Me. When I give it back I will also provide the means, the energy, time, and sense of wellbeing. Trust in the Lord with all your might, and do not trust your own understanding and I will make your paths straight.”

 

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