. . . 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, 2012
Journal Entry for Today-JDV
Lord, whatever it takes to make me understand that I need Jesus more than anything else in this world is what seems to come my way lately. This lesson is the constant and ongoing lesson. I find myself right at the foot of the cross every day Lord; in need, in pain or simply acutely aware of my hopeless condition without Jesus. You bring me right back to the same place, the place of surrender. Thank you God.
And God says…”All things work for the good of those that love the Lord, and are called according to His purpose. When you delight yourself in the Lord, acknowledge Me in all your ways and seek first the Kingdom of God which is Jesus, all things are become new and possible. All hurts and pain become bearable, and you engage the day with the positive and enlightened view of the Holy Spirit. Seek Me in all you see, do and think and notice the change.”
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