Jesus was not rebuking the disciples in this passage. Their faith was real, but it was disordered and unfocused, and was not at work in the important realities of life. The disciples were scattered to their own concerns and they had interests apart from Jesus Christ. After we have the perfect relationship with God, through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, our faith must be exercised in the realities of everyday life. We will be scattered, not into service but into the emptiness of our lives where we will see ruin and barrenness, to know what internal death to God’s blessings means. Are we prepared for this? It is certainly not of our own choosing, but God engineers our circumstances to take us there. Until we have been through that experience, our faith is sustained only by feelings and by blessings. But once we get there, no matter where God may place us or what inner emptiness we experience, we can praise God that all is well. That is what is meant by faith being exercised in the realities of life.“. . . you . . . will leave Me alone.” Have we been scattered and have we left Jesus alone by not seeing His providential care for us? Do we not see God at work in our circumstances? Dark times are allowed and come to us through the sovereignty of God. Are we prepared to let God do what He wants with us? Are we prepared to be separated from the outward, evident blessings of God? Until Jesus Christ is truly our Lord, we each have goals of our own which we serve. Our faith is real, but it is not yet permanent. And God is never in a hurry. If we are willing to wait, we will see God pointing out that we have been interested only in His blessings, instead of in God Himself. The sense of God’s blessings is fundamental“. . . be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Unyielding spiritual fortitude is what we need.

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April 4, 2012

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

This is not an easy lesson Lord; learning that my faith gets stronger when I am left inside difficult times and circumstances to learn patience and endurance. In the past, I enjoyed the days when my every prayer was answered almost immediately, and all I had to do was look up and know that You would rescue me.

Today, that does not occur with the same immediacy, You leave me with my trials and difficulties for a time of learning and growth.  And although it is not easy, I can acknowledge that am learning and growing closer to You as a result, and I am learning more about hope, love, mercy and grace than  ever before.

And God says… ”Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. “(James 1:2-4 The Message).

“Stay connected to Me. Stay hopeful, faithful and focused on Jesus, and you will be blessed right inside difficult times and circumstances, all the while growing in faith, surrounded by My love and immersed in the mercy and grace of Jesus.”

When Paul received his sight, he also received spiritual insight into the Person of Jesus Christ. His entire life and preaching from that point on were totally consumed with nothing but Jesus Christ— “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). Paul never again allowed anything to attract and hold the attention of his mind and soul except the face of Jesus Christ.We must learn to maintain a strong degree of character in our lives, even to the level that has been revealed in our vision of Jesus Christ.The lasting characteristic of a spiritual man is the ability to understand correctly the meaning of the Lord Jesus Christ in his life, and the ability to explain the purposes of God to others. The overruling passion of his life is Jesus Christ. Whenever you see this quality in a person, you get the feeling that he is truly a man after God’s own heart (see Acts 13:22).Never allow anything to divert you from your insight into Jesus Christ. It is the true test of whether you are spiritual or not. To be unspiritual means that other things have a growing fascination for you. Since mine eyes have looked on Jesus, I’ve lost sight of all beside, So enchained my spirit’s vision, Gazing on the Crucified.__________________________________________April 2, 2012Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, thank You for the reality check…for the reminder that  my very best day in this world is the day, hour and minutes that I am absolutely  and positively connected to Jesus. Thank You for continuing to guide me past  the rules and guidelines that I thought were part and parcel of our  relationship. Thank you for demonstrating over and over again, your  forgiveness, love and grace.

And God says…”You have begun to understand that I do not  want you following rules. I do not want you measuring yourself against a set of  guidelines that simply demonstrate your inability to be “good enough”. I gave  you my Son and the love, mercy and grace He embodies so that you would  experience life and life more abundantly knowing that if I loved you enough to  give you my only Son, I will surely not withhold any good thing from you…including unlimited grace and mercy. Be  connected to Jesus and be transformed and whole in our relationship, living in freedom from rules, alive in My love, mercy and grace.”

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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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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March 29, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, I admit that sometimes in the living I take my eyes off of the life giver. Sometimes I get focused on the comings and goings; all the natural day to day issues of life and I forget the most important thing of all, staying connected to You. My list of “to dos” grows, people call for appointments, my “important” list of what I must do grows larger as the day grows shorter, and suddenly I realize that I was off in my own little world chasing issues and answers that really do not matter in the long run. And then I discover that I can take care of all my “to dos” when I hold them up to you, and make communion and connection with You my very first and most important item of the day.

And God says…”Seek first the kingdom of God (which is Jesus), and all these things shall be given you. Acknowledge the Lord in all your ways and He will make your paths straight. Ask anything in keeping with My will (and you know my will by being in relationship with Me) and it will be granted; I will supply all your needs according to My riches.”

“When you let go of your fear of not accomplishing, having or getting, of even not living, and embrace Me as your savior, provider and Lord, I can give you a peace that passes all understanding and lead you into a daily abundant life. Go ahead and make your lists, and review your “to dos” but this time put our relationship at the very top of that list, hold your list up to Me, and engage your day knowing that you can accomplish “all things” in Christ Jesus”.

Just because I don’t understand what Jesus Christ says, I have no right to determine that He must be mistaken in what He says. That is a dangerous view, and it is never right to think that my obedience to God’s directive will bring dishonor to Jesus. The only thing that will bring dishonor is not obeying Him. To put my view of His honor ahead of what He is plainly guiding me to do is never right, even though it may come from a real desire to prevent Him from being put to an open shame. I know when the instructions have come from God because of their quiet persistence. But when I begin to weigh the pros and cons, and doubt and debate enter into my mind, I am bringing in an element that is not of God. This will only result in my concluding that His instructions to me were not right. Many of us are faithful to our ideas about Jesus Christ, but how many of us are faithful to Jesus Himself? Faithfulness to Jesus means that I must step out even when and where I can’t see anything (see Matthew 14:29). But faithfulness to my own ideas means that I first clear the way mentally. Faith, however, is not intellectual understanding; faith is a deliberate commitment to the Person of Jesus Christ, even when I can’t see the way ahead.Are you debating whether you should take a step of faith in Jesus, or whether you should wait until you can clearly see how to do what He has asked? Simply obey Him with unrestrained joy. When He tells you something and you begin to debate, it is because you have a misunderstanding of what honors Him and what doesn’t. Are you faithful to Jesus, or faithful to your ideas about Him? Are you faithful to what He says, or are you trying to compromise His words with thoughts that never came from Him? “Whatever He says to you, do it ” (John 2:5).

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March 28, 2012

Lord,

Thank You for Your redemption, grace and mercy. Thank You for washing me clean every day, and allowing me to start fresh. I recall that You said You are the God “I am” and I took that to mean that You are with me right now; in the present. That I find You in the present. I cannot find you in my yesterdays or my tomorrows; I find You living and breathing life into me in the present. Thank You for reminding me that I can always find You in the present moment.

And God says…”Yesterdays are where you find regret and guilt; you will not find me there. Tomorrow is where you find your anxiety and fear. You will not find me inside of your anxiety, worry and fear. You will find Me holding you right now, in the present. Seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened. Let go of your yesterdays, and tomorrows and live with Me in the present. I give you this day,
your daily bread…that is to say that I give you all that you need for this day. You live the abundant life, when you live one day at a time, immersed in My love, grace, mercy and power. Simply close your eyes, and feel My arms around  you, present in your day.”

A higher state of mind and spiritual vision can only be achieved through the higher practice of personal character. If you live up to the highest and best that you know in the outer level of your life, God will continually say to you, “Friend, come up even higher.” There is also a continuing rule in temptation which calls you to go higher; but when you do, you only encounter other temptations and character traits. Both God and Satan use the strategy of elevation, but Satan uses it in temptation, and the effect is quite different. When the devil elevates you to a certain place, he causes you to fasten your idea of what holiness is far beyond what flesh and blood could ever bear or achieve. Your life becomes a spiritual acrobatic performance high atop a steeple. You cling to it, trying to maintain your balance and daring not to move. But when God elevates you by His grace into heavenly places, you find a vast plateau where you can move about with ease.Compare this week in your spiritual life with the same week last year to see how God has called you to a higher level. We have all been brought to see from a higher viewpoint. Never allow God to show you a truth which you do not instantly begin to live up to, applying it to your life. Always work through it, staying in its light.Your growth in grace is not measured by the fact that you haven’t turned back, but that you have an insight and understanding into where you are spiritually. Have you heard God say, “Come up higher,” not audibly on the outer level, but to the innermost part of your character?“Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing . . . ?” (Genesis 18:17). God has to hide from us what He does, until, due to the growth of our personal character, we get to the level where He is then able to reveal it.

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March 27, 2012

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

 

Lord, just when I think I have become bulletproof, protected by my faith and obedience, I up and do something or say something….or just think something far and away from the man and character I thought I had become. Just when I thought I was “measuring up” to your standards, I fell to earth. My selfless thoughts and prayers for others suddenly shifted into a selfish concentrated focus onto myself and my wants and needs….and carry with them an intensity that I had forgotten was inside of me. How can I deal with this? How can I reclaim the man I thought I was and am in you?

And God says…”You are no more saint or sinner than the Apostle Paul when he wrote to the Romans about wanting to do the right thing and then being pulled in another direction…..”Romans 7: 21-25 (MSG)…It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. 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. 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? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does.”

“Focus on Jesus, who He is and what He has done for you, and you will be energized, and transformed, as the song says…one day at a time.”

Purity is not innocence— it is much more than that. Purity is the result of continued spiritual harmony with God. We have to grow in purity. Our life with God may be right and our inner purity unblemished, yet occasionally our outer life may become spotted and stained. God intentionally does not protect us from this possibility, because this is the way we recognize the necessity of maintaining our spiritual vision through personal purity. If the outer level of our spiritual life with God is impaired to the slightest degree, we must put everything else aside until we make it right. Remember that spiritual vision depends on our character— it is “the pure in heart” who “see God.”God makes us pure by an act of His sovereign grace, but we still have something that we must carefully watch. It is through our bodily life coming in contact with other people and other points of view that we tend to become tarnished. Not only must our “inner sanctuary” be kept right with God, but also the “outer courts” must be brought into perfect harmony with the purity God gives us through His grace. Our spiritual vision and understanding is immediately blurred when our “outer court” is stained. If we want to maintain personal intimacy with the Lord Jesus Christ, it will mean refusing to do or even think certain things. And some things that are acceptable for others will become unacceptable for us.A practical help in keeping your personal purity unblemished in your relations with other people is to begin to see them as God does. Say to yourself, “That man or that woman is perfect in Christ Jesus! That friend or that relative is perfect in Christ Jesus!”

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March 26, 2012

Lord, on this retreat, I thought I would rise up and embrace You even more tightly than before. But then I found that I was and am the same man with the same short sightedness, the same man creating the same roadblocks for myself. And then You remind me that Jesus removes all the roadblocks and all my failed attempts for becoming a better person. You remind me that I can live
like a man consumed by Jesus, not through any effort of my own, but by simply focusing on Jesus. You remind me to let go of the results, the outcomes, and to give myself to Jesus.

And God says…”Jesus is the way, the trust and the light. All things are accomplished by and through Him. Do not try to become a better person, or to live out the commandments, or
even to demonstrate your Christianity.  Do not give to the poor, invest in missions, or build a new and powerful church. Rest and trust in Jesus, and let Him accomplish all things as you are simply available, open and surrendered. In this way you will become a better person, you will live out the commandments, and your Christianity will be visible to all. You may then give to the poor, invest in missions and build a powerful and new church. But it will not be you living your Christianity and demonstrating Jesus, it will be Jesus living through you.”