…Jesus took…them up on a high mountain apart by themselves… —Mark 9:2

We have all experienced times of exaltation on the mountain, when we have seen things from God’s perspective and have wanted to stay there. But God will never allow us to stay there. The true test of our spiritual life is in exhibiting the power to descend from the mountain. If we only have the power to go up, something is wrong. It is a wonderful thing to be on the mountain with God, but a person only gets there so that he may later go down and lift up the demon-possessed people in the valley (see Mark 9:14-18). We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life— those are simply intended to be moments of inspiration. We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life, and that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength. Yet our spiritual selfishness always wants repeated moments on the mountain. We feel that we could talk and live like perfect angels, if we could only stay on the mountaintop. Those times of exaltation are exceptional and they have their meaning in our life with God, but we must beware to prevent our spiritual selfishness from wanting to make them the only time.

We are inclined to think that everything that happens is to be turned into useful teaching. In actual fact, it is to be turned into something even better than teaching, namely, character. The mountaintop is not meant to teach us anything, it is meant to make us something. There is a terrible trap in always asking, “What’s the use of this experience?” We can never measure spiritual matters in that way. The moments on the mountaintop are rare moments, and they are meant for something in God’s purpose.

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Journal DJR
Good morning Lord, I’m reminded that JD and I went to the mountain, seeking a mountaintop experience 5 years ago. We’d had them before and were feeling kind of dry and thought that by going to the mountain … we could re-create a mountaintop experience. We set aside the time, spent some money and by most any measurement, we were committed. At least as committed as your team when you took them …Jesus took…them up on a high mountain apart by themselves… —Mark 9:2.

We didn’t get what we were looking for. But I guess we got what you were looking for. We didn’t get emotional highs, like we’ve experienced at mountain retreats before. But we started doing this CO2 together and have been meeting together, us and you, for 5 years now. We’ve learned a lot, but more importantly we’ve changed a lot. Strangely also, we are not getting tired or bored. You know we’ve told you we’re ready to change to a different format … but it seems that you like this one. So we’ll keep on. I think it’s fair to say that when we went to the mountain, following this verse, we didn’t get what we were looking for but we got what we needed and in the longer view, we did get what we were looking for… it just took some years and some surrender to grasp it and realize it.

I’m reminded of Bono’s U2 song, “still haven’t found what I’m looking for.” I hope he’s found what he needs… and maybe what he’s looking for…

I know for sure that I don’t know for sure what I’m looking for. My history is that when I get to where I thought I wanted to go, it’s not what I thought. There’s always a higher mountain perhaps. But when I come back to staying connected with you, staying curious and waiting for nudges from your Spirit, and just simply living out of that… Then I can face high mountains and demon possessed valleys and all the stuff in between. Thank you for that. For loving me and promising to never leave or forsake me… even when circumstances don’t look so good or lack mountaintop excitement.

…for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! —1 Corinthians 9:16

We are inclined to forget the deeply spiritual and supernatural touch of God. If you are able to tell exactly where you were when you received the call of God and can explain all about it, I question whether you have truly been called. The call of God does not come like that; it is much more supernatural. The realization of the call in a person’s life may come like a clap of thunder or it may dawn gradually. But however quickly or slowly this awareness comes, it is always accompanied with an undercurrent of the supernatural— something that is inexpressible and produces a “glow.” At any moment the sudden awareness of this incalculable, supernatural, surprising call that has taken hold of your life may break through— “I chose you…” (John 15:16). The call of God has nothing to do with salvation and sanctification. You are not called to preach the gospel because you are sanctified; the call to preach the gospel is infinitely different. Paul describes it as a compulsion that was placed upon him.

If you have ignored, and thereby removed, the great supernatural call of God in your life, take a review of your circumstances. See where you have put your own ideas of service or your particular abilities ahead of the call of God. Paul said, “…woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” He had become aware of the call of God, and his compulsion to “preach the gospel” was so strong that nothing else was any longer even a competitor for his strength.

If a man or woman is called of God, it doesn’t matter how difficult the circumstances may be. God orchestrates every force at work for His purpose in the end. If you will agree with God’s purpose, He will bring not only your conscious level but also all the deeper levels of your life, which you yourself cannot reach, into perfect harmony.

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Journal DJR
Good Morning Lord, I’m not so sure about the special call to be a missionary or paid professional worker for you. Aren’t we all called to our own mission field? Like my friend who recently emailed that he’s made the decision he wants to be baptized. We have shared our lives and paddled canoes together for 15 years to get to this point. Never did share 4 spiritual laws, just shared life. Isn’t that missionary work too?

At one level I want everyone of my kids to be a missionary. But there does come a time when I call some to the place where they can’t do anything else. It’s an individual deal. Don’t compare yourself and your call to others. The concepts are the same for all my kids. Just saved or a veteran missionary. Get and stay surrendered. Get and stay connected. Stay curious and wait for nudges from my Spirit. And then just live. I’ll take care of the rest if you just show up like that.

If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. —Matthew 5:23-24 

It is easy for us to imagine that we will suddenly come to a point in our lives where we are fully prepared, but preparation is not suddenly accomplished. In fact, it is a process that must be steadily maintained. It is dangerous to become settled and complacent in our present level of experience.

The Christian life requires preparation and more preparation. The sense of sacrifice in the Christian life is readily appealing to a new Christian. From a human standpoint, the one thing that attracts us to Jesus Christ is our sense of the heroic, and a close examination of us by our Lord’s words suddenly puts this tide of enthusiasm to the test. “…go your way. First be reconciled to your brother….” The “go” of preparation is to allow the Word of God to examine you closely. Your sense of heroic sacrifice is not good enough. The thing the Holy Spirit will detect in you is your nature that can never work in His service. And no one but God can detect that nature in you.

Do you have anything to hide from God? If you do, then let God search you with His light. If there is sin in your life, don’t just admit it— confess it. Are you willing to obey your Lord and Master, whatever the humiliation to your right to yourself may be? Never disregard a conviction that the Holy Spirit brings to you. If it is important enough for the Spirit of God to bring it to your mind, it is the very thing He is detecting in you.

You were looking for some big thing to give up, while God is telling you of some tiny thing that must go. But behind that tiny thing lies the stronghold of obstinacy, and you say, “I will not give up my right to myself”— the very thing that God intends you to give up if you are to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

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September 24 2015

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Good morning Lord. Today’s devotional is pretty clear…. “Allow the Word of God and Holy Spirit to reconcile issues and conflicts before we come to worship and serve.” This seems pretty clear, and necessary in light of our nature. We seem to be naturally driven to look right, feel right, and to look good and be in control. As Paul says in Romans 7:21-25 (MSG)….The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.24 I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question? 25 The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does.

It seems to me Lord, that Jesus has already solved the problem Chambers writes about, we simply need to surrender and be connected before we attempt to worship and serve.

And God says…”That is correct. And remember, apart from Me you can do nothing. Trying to worship and serve Me on your own, without having surrendered and without being connected to the Holy Spirit, is like trying to go to a wonderful beautiful party or banquet in filthy dirty clothes. You take time to get prepared for the party…you can also get prepared to worship and serve. Seek Jesus; surrender your own agenda, opportunities, concerns and trials to Him. Then allow the Holy Spirit to connect with the Spirit living inside of you. The Holy Spirit will lead and guide you to confession, reconciliation, or simply joyous service and worship. Acknowledge Me in all your ways and I will make your paths straight. Seek first the kingdom of God, which is Jesus, and I will provide everything else you require, including awareness and strength for confession, reconciliation, or simply joyous service and worship.”

You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am ….I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master… —John 13:13, 16

To have a master and teacher is not the same thing as being mastered and taught. Having a master and teacher means that there is someone who knows me better than I know myself, who is closer than a friend, and who understands the remotest depths of my heart and is able to satisfy them fully. It means having someone who has made me secure in the knowledge that he has met and solved all the doubts, uncertainties, and problems in my mind. To have a master and teacher is this and nothing less— “…for One is your Teacher, the Christ…” (Matthew 23:8).

Our Lord never takes measures to make me do what He wants. Sometimes I wish God would master and control me to make me do what He wants, but He will not. And at other times I wish He would leave me alone, and He does not.

“You call Me Teacher and Lord…”— but is He? Teacher, Master, and Lord have little place in our vocabulary. We prefer the words Savior, Sanctifier, and Healer. The only word that truly describes the experience of being mastered is love, and we know little about love as God reveals it in His Word. The way we use the word obey is proof of this. In the Bible, obedience is based on a relationship between equals; for example, that of a son with his father. Our Lord was not simply God’s servant— He was His Son. “…though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience…” (Hebrews 5:8). If we are consciously aware that we are being mastered, that idea itself is proof that we have no master. If that is our attitude toward Jesus, we are far away from having the relationship He wants with us. He wants us in a relationship where He is so easily our Master and Teacher that we have no conscious awareness of it— a relationship where all we know is that we are His to obey.

Journal DJR
Good morning Lord, It’s true, I recoil at the idea of Master…as in slave and master. I suppose that is correct because that is not the type of master you are. To get my head around the master concept I think of the master and apprentice system from the craft guilds. And the “masters” I’ve learned from in business and art. I learn from them, not because they make me, but because I want to. So that much is like our relationship, but then the analogy breaks down. I want to be like them in certain regards, but I see they have shortcomings that I dont want to follow. Unlike you. I also can and have surpassed them in certain areas. Unlike you.

The type of love you have is relentless: “Our Lord never takes measures to make me do what He wants. Sometimes I wish God would master and control me to make me do what He wants, but He will not. And at other times I wish He would leave me alone, and He does not.”

You are beginning to see and understand my love. I dont force. I woo. And I can wait. I’ve been teaching you to remain curious as I myself am curious. Because I have given you free will and choice. What will you choose? How much of what I offer will you receive? I’m curious, and watching. Like the prodigal’s father, I wait and watch.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man… —1 Corinthians 10:13

The word temptation has come to mean something bad to us today, but we tend to use the word in the wrong way. Temptation itself is not sin; it is something we are bound to face simply by virtue of being human. Not to be tempted would mean that we were already so shameful that we would be beneath contempt. Yet many of us suffer from temptations we should never have to suffer, simply because we have refused to allow God to lift us to a higher level where we would face temptations of another kind.

A person’s inner nature, what he possesses in the inner, spiritual part of his being, determines what he is tempted by on the outside. The temptation fits the true nature of the person being tempted and reveals the possibilities of his nature. Every person actually determines or sets the level of his own temptation, because temptation will come to him in accordance with the level of his controlling, inner nature.

Temptation comes to me, suggesting a possible shortcut to the realization of my highest goal— it does not direct me toward what I understand to be evil, but toward what I understand to be good. Temptation is something that confuses me for a while, and I don’t know whether something is right or wrong. When I yield to it, I have made lust a god, and the temptation itself becomes the proof that it was only my own fear that prevented me from falling into the sin earlier.

Temptation is not something we can escape; in fact, it is essential to the well-rounded life of a person. Beware of thinking that you are tempted as no one else— what you go through is the common inheritance of the human race, not something that no one has ever before endured. God does not save us from temptations— He sustains us in the midst of them (see Hebrews 2:18 and Hebrews 4:15-16).

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Journal DJR
Good Morning Lord, Thank you for showing us that we are all different and face different temptations. Something that is tempting to another doesn’t temp me, and vice versa. It’s interesting to look backwards from the temptation to see what’s driving it. And that temptation is usually a shortcut to what is a good thing, not an evil thing. For example, yielding to sexual temptation is a shortcut to the good sex that you intended. But it’s kind of like, No Pain, No Gain. ….No temptation to overcome, No growth. So what’s the best way to overcome temptation? Willpower alone certainly doesn’t work.

It’s all about making a choice. Like Joshua told the people:

Joshua 24:14-15 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

One thing about making a choice is that you need to see the options clearly. You live in a world that is designed to distract you from the true issues and get your focus off the true choices and certainly don’t think about the consequences! Marketing, Politics, and even Religion all have agendas that they want you to conform to. Joshua was bringing the choice into clarity, and letting the people know that it was their choice. Did you notice… he said, “Choose you this day” It’s a daily manna type of thing. You will get to choose tomorrow also. Today’s choice will not be adequate for tomorrow’s temptations. Walk with me and commune with me and overcoming temptations will become easier and easier as you come to know me and find me trustworthy. Remember

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

The temptations that you are concerned with now are different that when you were young… or when you will be old. But they all come under the “Big Four” list that I have shown you. To Look good, Feel good, Be right, and Be in control. All the temptations common to man fall in one or more of those categories. Those are the gods on the other side of the river that Joshua refers to. So be wise. Know your enemy and Choose you this day, Who you will serve…