In the matter of determination. The Spirit of Jesus is put into me by way of the atonement by the Cross of Christ. I then have to build my thinking patiently to bring it into perfect harmony with my Lord. God will not make me think like Jesus— I have to do it myself. I have to bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5  ). “Abide in Me”— in intellectual matters, in money matters, in every one of the matters that make human life what it is. Our lives are not made up of only one neatly confined area.

Am I preventing God from doing things in my circumstances by saying that it will only serve to hinder my fellowship with Him? How irrelevant and disrespectful that is! It does not matter what my circumstances are. I can be as much assured of abiding in Jesus in any one of them as I am in any prayer meeting. It is unnecessary to change and arrange my circumstances myself. Our Lord’s inner abiding was pure and unblemished. He was at home with God wherever His body was. He never chose His own circumstances, but was meek, submitting to His Father’s plans and directions for Him. Just think of how amazingly relaxed our Lord’s life was! But we tend to keep God at a fever pitch in our lives. We have none of the serenity of the life which is “hidden with Christ in God” ( Colossians 3:3  ).

Think of the things that take you out of the position of abiding in Christ. You say, “Yes, Lord, just a minute— I still have this to do. Yes, I will abide as soon as this is finished, or as soon as this week is over. It will be all right, Lord. I will abide then.” Get moving— begin to abide now. In the initial stages it will be a continual effort to abide, but as you continue, it will become so much a part of your life that you will abide in Him without any conscious effort. Make the determination to abide in Jesus wherever you are now or wherever you may be placed in the future.

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Journal Entry for Today-JDV

June 14 2010

I feel like there is enough pressure on me from all directions; work, commitments, follow through and it seems that I am unable to deliver on all the expectations in the time available. I feel the pressure and wonder if I feel the pressure to complete tasks because I am not disciplined enough or if I have put too  any things on my own table OR if I simply have allowed people to make their goals and objectives my crisis. That is; just because they feel pressured perhaps I assume their pressure and make it mine? Perhaps I take on too much by taking on their time lines, responsibilities and then making them mine.

And God says, “Bring me your time lines, deliverables, goals objectives and tasks at hand. Give them all to me. You cannot bring me goals and objectives when you have already committed yourself to someone else though. Whenever you take on a project and give a commitment you have put yourself in a place where you now have the responsibility for delivering on that commitment. However, if you first pray and ask my direction and help, I can tell you when and how we can deliver (or not) before you ever get committed. If you allow others to dictate your calendar, and clock you will always be behind the curve. First be connected to Me (seek first the kingdom of God) and then make certain you are connected and give me the issue or objective. When I have answered you (or not), you can then provide your response and answer to others.

Begin with Me, stay connected to Me then measure your task tension. There is none. I have your tasks and timelines as you have Me living and operating in you.