Cast your burden on the Lord… —Psalm 55:22

Death no longer has dominion over Him.…the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God… —Romans 6:9-11

Co-Eternal Life. Eternal life is the life which Jesus Christ exhibited on the human level. And it is this same life, not simply a copy of it, which is made evident in our mortal flesh when we are born again. Eternal life is not a gift from God; eternal life is the gift of God. The energy and the power which was so very evident in Jesus will be exhibited in us by an act of the absolute sovereign grace of God, once we have made that complete and effective decision about sin.

“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” (Acts 1:8)— not power as a gift from the Holy Spirit; the power is the Holy Spirit, not something that He gives us. The life that was in Jesus becomes ours because of His Cross, once we make the decision to be identified with Him. If it is difficult to get right with God, it is because we refuse to make this moral decision about sin. But once we do decide, the full life of God comes in immediately. Jesus came to give us an endless supply of life— “…that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19). Eternal life has nothing to do with time. It is the life which Jesus lived when He was down here, and the only Source of life is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Even the weakest saint can experience the power of the deity of the Son of God, when he is willing to “let go.” But any effort to “hang on” to the least bit of our own power will only diminish the life of Jesus in us. We have to keep letting go, and slowly, but surely, the great full life of God will invade us, penetrating every part. Then Jesus will have complete and effective dominion in us, and people will take notice that we have been with Him.

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Journal DJR
Good Morning, Lord,
So is it a one time decision or a continual deciding to surrender? I guess I don’t need to ask that… of course it’s “Both” But how the continuing surrender works out, provides a lifetime of adventure. Adventure with grand success, and also failures and fallings… but always with the invitation to get back up and go again. And never condemnation. Thank you for Grace. I need it.

Don’t get the idea that surrender means you abandon your will power and become a lump of Jello. I need your will power. Think about the apostles or the prophets of old. Their will was strong … but submitted to and empowered by my Spirit. It takes practice. Once you decide to live this way, you will have successes and failures. Your reliance on self dies hard. But keep at it. I don’t condemn you when you go another way… Like the prodigal son. I am the prodigal father, waiting for you to come to your senses and return to this way of living. Come on, we’ll have a party. It’s the best way to live. Surrendered, Connected, Curious, Ready and Excited about the next step in the Adventure.

If we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection… —Romans 6:5

He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead. —Mark 9:9

who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree… —1 Peter 2:24

Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples….”Stay here and watch with Me.” —Matthew 26:36, 38

We can never fully comprehend Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, but at least we don’t have to misunderstand it. It is the agony of God and man in one Person, coming face to face with sin. We cannot learn about Gethsemane through personal experience. Gethsemane and Calvary represent something totally unique— they are the gateway into life for us.

It was not death on the cross that Jesus agonized over in Gethsemane. In fact, He stated very emphatically that He came with the purpose of dying. His concern here was that He might not get through this struggle as the Son of Man. He was confident of getting through it as the Son of God— Satan could not touch Him there. But Satan’s assault was that our Lord would come through for us on His own solely as the Son of Man. If Jesus had done that, He could not have been our Savior (see Hebrews 9:11-15). Read the record of His agony in Gethsemane in light of His earlier wilderness temptation— “…the devil…departed from Him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13). In Gethsemane, Satan came back and was overthrown again. Satan’s final assault against our Lord as the Son of Man was in Gethsemane.

The agony in Gethsemane was the agony of the Son of God in fulfilling His destiny as the Savior of the world. The veil is pulled back here to reveal all that it cost Him to make it possible for us to become sons of God. His agony was the basis for the simplicity of our salvation. The Cross of Christ was a triumph for the Son of Man. It was not only a sign that our Lord had triumphed, but that He had triumphed to save the human race. Because of what the Son of Man went through, every human being has been provided with a way of access into the very presence of God.

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Journal DJR
Good morning Lord,
Chambers says that at least we don’t have to misunderstand Christ’s agony in Gethsemane… I’d say I’m a long way from understanding all of the intricacies of that event. But I have been clear, ever since Mel Gibson’s movie, that Jesus, stomping the snake in the Garden, was in a way, the central point of the story and all of history. After that, You seemed to just march thru the pre-determined script …. The purpose of your coming was dying. But the part done as the Son of Man and the Son of God, the powers and limitations and results of each…. I’m still working on that.

It’s OK. Theologians have for 2000 years, and Pharisees even longer than that. I’m not saying that understanding those things has no value. I’m saying don’t let them distract you from the main thing, which is relationship and intimate connection with me. That comes thru the things I’ve been teaching you, not intricate theological understandings. As Paul said,

1 Corinthians 8:1 (NIV)
… But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.

Eugene Petersen amplifies in the Message…

We sometimes tend to think we know all we need to know to answer these kinds of questions—but sometimes our humble hearts can help us more than our proud minds. We never really know enough until we recognize that God alone knows it all.

So focus on me and our relationship and I will reveal things to you in due time. Time when you won’t abuse them but humbly weave them into your life, knowing that you’ll never know it all… until you get here. When my truths are revealed in humble surrendered connected living, they are sweet in your soul and make you bright amongst your company. When you dig them out with hard intellectual labor, they make you hard and cold and divisive and judgmental, like those Pharisees… So rest in me. Press in, but rest. When you are perplexed by a question like how much I did as the Son of Man vs what I did as the Son of God … just press in, and rest. Know that I love you, died for you, have plans for you, plans for good, and will make all things work together for good for you. Don’t mess yourself up by over thinking and over expounding on things that are secondary. I can reveal everything to a humble heart. I reveal nothing to a proud Pharisee.

Indeed the hour is coming…that you will be scattered… —John 16:32

If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. —1 John 5:16


If we are not heedful and pay no attention to the way the Spirit of God works in us, we will become spiritual hypocrites. We see where other people are failing, and then we take our discernment and turn it into comments of ridicule and criticism, instead of turning it into intercession on their behalf. God reveals this truth about others to us not through the sharpness of our minds but through the direct penetration of His Spirit. If we are not attentive, we will be completely unaware of the source of the discernment God has given us, becoming critical of others and forgetting that God says, “…he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death.” Be careful that you don’t become a hypocrite by spending all your time trying to get others right with God before you worship Him yourself.

One of the most subtle and illusive burdens God ever places on us as saints is this burden of discernment concerning others. He gives us discernment so that we may accept the responsibility for those souls before Him and form the mind of Christ about them (see Philippians 2:5). We should intercede in accordance with what God says He will give us, namely, “life for those who commit sin not leading to death.” It is not that we are able to bring God into contact with our minds, but that we awaken ourselves to the point where God is able to convey His mind to us regarding the people for whom we intercede.

Can Jesus Christ see the agony of His soul in us? He can’t unless we are so closely identified with Him that we have His view concerning the people for whom we pray. May we learn to intercede so wholeheartedly that Jesus Christ will be completely and overwhelmingly satisfied with us as intercessors.

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Journal DJR
Good Morning Lord,
Chambers says that we must “awaken ourselves to the point where God is able to convey His mind to us regarding the people for whom we intercede.” OK, I agree with that, but it seems like he’s referring to our connection with you and we need to continually be strengthening that all the time anyway. Our connection with you is our lifeline and our source for everything we do, not just intercession. So I think being “good intercessors” is a by product of our good connection. If something is important to you, then we’ll pick up on that thru our connection and proceed as we are led. So what we intercede for comes not so much from study and comparisons, but from how you lead us thru our connection.

You don’t need to look for people or things to intercede for. I have plenty. And if you get them from me and let me direct your prayers, you will be more effective. If you choose them yourself through your research or your emotions, it won’t work as well. You will be tempted to intercede for something based on your human feelings. I have something higher and better for you.

He…wondered that there was no intercessor… —Isaiah 59:16

The reason many of us stop praying and become hard toward God is that we only have an emotional interest in prayer. It sounds good to say that we pray, and we read books on prayer which tell us that prayer is beneficial— that our minds are quieted and our souls are uplifted when we pray. But Isaiah implied in this verse that God is amazed at such thoughts about prayer.

Worship and intercession must go together; one is impossible without the other. Intercession means raising ourselves up to the point of getting the mind of Christ regarding the person for whom we are praying (see Philippians 2:5). Instead of worshiping God, we recite speeches to God about how prayer is supposed to work. Are we worshiping God or disputing Him when we say, “But God, I just don’t see how you are going to do this”? This is a sure sign that we are not worshiping. When we lose sight of God, we become hard and dogmatic. We throw our petitions at His throne and dictate to Him what we want Him to do. We don’t worship God, nor do we seek to conform our minds to the mind of Christ. And if we are hard toward God, we will become hard toward other people.

Are we worshiping God in a way that will raise us up to where we can take hold of Him, having such intimate contact with Him that we know His mind about the ones for whom we pray? Are we living in a holy relationship with God, or have we become hard and dogmatic?

Do you find yourself thinking that there is no one interceding properly? Then be that person yourself. Be a person who worships God and lives in a holy relationship with Him. Get involved in the real work of intercession, remembering that it truly is work— work that demands all your energy, but work which has no hidden pitfalls. Preaching the gospel has its share of pitfalls, but intercessory prayer has none whatsoever.

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March 30, 2016

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Good morning Lord and thank You for this devotional. However, I must say, this devotional confused me a bit. When Chambers writes; …. Are we worshiping God in a way that will raise us up to where we can take hold of Him, having such intimate contact with Him that we know His mind about the ones for whom we pray? Are we living in a holy relationship with God, or have we become hard and dogmatic? I am perplexed. You have taught us that we “take hold of You” by simply surrendering ourselves, and our own ideas to You. How can we know Your mind about someone else, when we are to be surrendered about everything, including our thoughts and ideas about everything including ourselves? And when we intercede on behalf of someone else, we often do not know the issue or circumstances, we just know through our surrender, that we are to pray for that person.

And God says…”Acknowledge the Lord in all your ways, and do not rely on your own understanding and I will make your paths straight. Seek first the kingdom of God, which is Jesus, and I will provide everything else you require for daily living including your prayer schedule and focus. Surrender and connect with Me each morning and as part of your surrender and connection, listen for that still small voice providing directions for intercessory prayers. As a part of your morning devotional, prayer, surrender and connection, take a moment and listen for my direction and guidance for your prayers. Believe that I will give you direction, and I will. Knock and the door will be opened. Seek and you shall find. You will “just know” when and for whom to pray as you give up your own ideas and thoughts and seek mine.”

You also be ready… —Luke 12:40


A Christian worker’s greatest need is a readiness to face Jesus Christ at any and every turn. This is not easy, no matter what our experience has been. This battle is not against sin, difficulties, or circumstances, but against being so absorbed in our service to Jesus Christ that we are not ready to face Jesus Himself at every turn. The greatest need is not facing our beliefs or doctrines, or even facing the question of whether or not we are of any use to Him, but the need is to face Him.

Jesus rarely comes where we expect Him; He appears where we least expect Him, and always in the most illogical situations. The only way a servant can remain true to God is to be ready for the Lord’s surprise visits. This readiness will not be brought about by service, but through intense spiritual reality, expecting Jesus Christ at every turn. This sense of expectation will give our life the attitude of childlike wonder He wants it to have. If we are going to be ready for Jesus Christ, we have to stop being religious. In other words, we must stop using religion as if it were some kind of a lofty lifestyle— we must be spiritually real.

If you are avoiding the call of the religious thinking of today’s world, and instead are “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2), setting your heart on what He wants, and thinking His thoughts, you will be considered impractical and a daydreamer. But when He suddenly appears in the work of the heat of the day, you will be the only one who is ready. You should trust no one, and even ignore the finest saint on earth if he blocks your sight of Jesus Christ.

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Journal DJR
Good morning Lord,
Oswald Chambers seems to use different words to describe the same thing we have been learning. A Christian’s biggest need is to be ready to face you, he says. We have learned that our greatest need is to stay connected. (and surrendered and curious and excited about the adventure that you are bringing about in our lives) Are we saying the same thing?

His term “facing Jesus” may seem redundant if you are “connected” But it bears some consideration. If you are facing me, it’s more like we are having a serious discussion. Beware of being connected but leaving me in the background. Of course strive to maintain connection but plan on stopping and facing me from time to time in your day. That will entail stopping the hustle bustle activity for a bit and focusing on just you and me. After you get used to it, you will find those times sweet and energizing.