Moses saw the oppression of his people and felt certain that he was the one to deliver them, and in the righteous indignation of his own spirit he started to right their wrongs. After he launched his first strike for God and for what was right, God allowed Moses to be driven into empty discouragement, sending him into the desert to feed sheep for forty years. At the end of that time, God appeared to Moses and said to him, ” ’. . . bring My people . . . out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ’Who am I that I should go . . . ?’ ” (Exodus 3:10-11). In the beginning Moses had realized that he was the one to deliver the people, but he had to be trained and disciplined by God first. He was right in his individual perspective, but he was not the person for the work until he had learned true fellowship and oneness with God.

We may have the vision of God and a very clear understanding of what God wants, and yet when we start to do it, there comes to us something equivalent to Moses’ forty years in the wilderness. It’s as if God had ignored the entire thing, and when we are thoroughly discouraged, God comes back and revives His call to us. And then we begin to tremble and say, “Who am I that I should go . . . ?” We must learn that God’s great stride is summed up in these words— “I AM WHO I AM . . . has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). We must also learn that our individual effort for God shows nothing but disrespect for Him— our individuality is to be rendered radiant through a personal relationship with God, so that He may be “well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). We are focused on the right individual perspective of things; we have the vision and can say, “I know this is what God wants me to do.” But we have not yet learned to get into God’s stride. If you are going through a time of discouragement, there is a time of great personal growth ahead.

_______________________________________________________________

October 13, 2010

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

I have seen and felt the healing hand of God many times but sometimes it seems as if I can sense my current worry and fear and pain more than I can remember His ongoing salvation in my life. If I stop and remind myself of His promises and all the times He has rescued me, the scales start to turn and I forget the pain, worry and concern.

And God says…”That is why it is so important to constantly look into My word for MY promises, and why you need to stay connected to Jesus through the Holy Spirit. The world is full of trouble, and you live in the world right now. When you seek Me and My kingdom first, when you set your eyes on Jesus, notice how your pain, worry and concern evaporates. You may forget your own experiences of My help and rescue, but when you look into the promises I have provided, you remember and are strengthened. When you look into the promises I have provided, the Holy Spirit  reminds you of My everlasting love and that I will never leave or forsake you. When you look into My word and stay connected to Jesus through the Spirit, you become certain…….”

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be moved, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed.” Isaiah 54:10

 “Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you. Job 22:21