Enter by the narrow gate . . . . Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life . . . —

Matthew 7:13-14

If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all efforts of worth and excellence are difficult.  The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but its difficulty does not make us faint and cave in—it stirs us up to overcome.  Do we appreciate the miraculous salvation of Jesus Christ enough to be our utmost for His highest—our best for His glory?

God saves people by His sovereign grace through the atonement of Jesus, and “it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). But we have to “work out” that salvation in our everyday, practical living (Philippians 2:12). If we will only start on the basis of His redemption to do what He commands, then we will find that we can do it. If we fail, it is because we have not yet put into practice what God has placed within us. But a crisis will reveal whether or not we have been putting it into practice. If we will obey the Spirit of God and practice in our physical life what God has placed within us by His Spirit, then when a crisis does come we will find that our own nature, as well as the grace of God, will stand by us.

Thank God that He does give us difficult things to do! His salvation is a joyous thing, but it is also something that requires bravery, courage, and holiness. It tests us for all we are worth. Jesus is “bringing many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10 , and God will not shield us from the requirements of sonship. God’s grace produces men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, not pampered, spoiled weaklings. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the worthy and excellent life of a disciple of Jesus in the realities of life. And it is always necessary for us to make an effort to live a life of worth and excellence.

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July 7, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord you know I don’t like the devotionals about how I must be well disciplined, and work hard to become the man you want me to become.  The whole notion that I need to work hard at the Christian life smacks me right there in the “legalism and works” area and makes me remember my diversion from the Christian life because for years I thought I was not able to be a “good Christian”. Given a choice, I always responded to grace and mercy. However, it now occurs to me that the disciplined life is also a part of the development and we come to this training through our trials and circumstances. Given a choice, of course I would often run and hide from my circumstances, and the discipline required to overcome them. However, your grace, strength and courage are provision You make available in the right measure at all the right times. Thank you Lord.

I know you struggle with “legalism and works” and when you are confronted with these notions you push hard on the idea that you must “do the work”. Your reaction to this is not unusual as many of My children chafe under the heavy yoke of legalism and works. However, the work is essential and comes in the form of trials, and circumstances that I use to build your faith, strength and courage. My grace is always there because of course you will fail. It is not necessary that you always succeed; it is only necessary that you stay the course, and you now know you can only do this through Me; constantly accessing My oceans of grace and mercy.

July 7 Journal DJR

Good Morning Lord,

This lesson today from Oswald contains the “Book Naming” central phrase of his teaching.   My Utmost for Your  Highest.   Affirming that goal mentally is no problem,  Any Christian would do so.  But finding the balance grace and striving is the area that we keep focusing on.    Left to our own devices we can strive and get all stressed out … not the Christlike way.   Or we can incorrectly appropriate grace and totally disregard our journey toward Christlikeness.   It seems like what Solomon did in his later days.   But at the end of all the wives, all the projects and all the wealth, he came back to where we are discussing right now.

Here it is in the Message:

Eccl 12: 12-13 But regarding anything beyond this, dear friend, go easy. There’s no end to the publishing of books, and constant study wears you out so you’re no good for anything else. The last and final word is this:
Fear God.
Do what he tells you.

14 And that’s it. Eventually God will bring everything that we do out into the open and judge it according to its hidden intent, whether it’s good or evil.

July 5, 2011

Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass —Psalm 37:5

Don’t plan without God. God seems to have a delightful way of upsetting the plans we have made, when we have not taken Him into account. We get ourselves into circumstances that were not chosen by God, and suddenly we realize that we have been making our plans without Him— that we have not even considered Him to be a vital, living factor in the planning of our lives. And yet the only thing that will keep us from even the possibility of worrying is to bring God in as the greatest factor in all of our planning.

In spiritual issues it is customary for us to put God first, but we tend to think that it is inappropriate and unnecessary to put Him first in the practical, everyday issues of our lives. If we have the idea that we have to put on our “spiritual face” before we can come near to God, then we will never come near to Him. We must come as we are.

Don’t plan with a concern for evil in mind. Does God really mean for us to plan without taking the evil around us into account? “Love . . . thinks no evil” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). Love is not ignorant of the existence of evil, but it does not take it into account as a factor in planning. When we were apart from God, we did take evil into account, doing all of our planning with it in mind, and we tried to reason out all of our work from its standpoint.

Don’t plan with a rainy day in mind. You cannot hoard things for a rainy day if you are truly trusting Christ. Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (John 14:1). God will not keep your heart from being troubled. It is a command— “Let not. . . .” To do it, continually pick yourself up, even if you fall a hundred and one times a day, until you get into the habit of putting God first and planning with Him in mind.

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July 5, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Last week you taught us to follow the “yes” in our salvation. So here I am in front of another Oswald Chambers’ lesson about “don’t” instead of “yes”. However, You led me right to the music and supplied the “yes”. The lesson then becomes less about what we should not do and more about what we can do inside our salvation…We can follow You.

And God says…”If your walk is about loving Me and or loving others you know you are planning well. When you look to Me and then to others you are right in the center of My commandments. Acknowledge Me in all tour ways and I will make your paths straight. Seek first the kingdom of God, namely the person of Jesus Christ, and all these other things shall be added unto you.”

July 5 DJR

Good Morning, Lord,

Today’s central message is the same as always. (I think you only have one central message….)  Stay connected in relationship with me and relax … All will be well … at least in the end.   Today I’m hearing to hold the business things in an open palm and let you be God and direct them.   This is hard for me because either my aggressiveness or my laziness or obsessions or repulsions tend to push my planning and activity one way or another that may not be your best,  which is also my best.   Help.

OK, that’s what I wanted to hear.   And that’s what I’m here for.  I will help you.  And all students who want to be trained.   Note, I did not say “learn”     You can learn all you want.  Theologians and Pharisees do a lot of that and many dont know much of me and my ways.   But if you want to be trained in the ways of prayer and righteousness … then I’m here for you.

Was that prayer answer on Saturday an invitation to come deeper?

Yes.   The invite is always there, but because my kids get off track and so hard of hearing,  I sometimes need to send a wake up call, like that.

OK,  I’m awake but dont know what to do next.  I dont want to be a wacko … you know what I mean.

Dont worry about that.  With who you are and who I’ve made you … you wont be a wacko.   But you must be willing to be wrong some.   It is part of training.   Getting it wrong is a foundation of getting it right.    Connection will hasten your training curve.    Stay connected.  Be willing to miss it.   Dont condemn yourself.  I dont.  I wont.    Hold it in an open palm with curiosity.   You’ll be fine.    Remember it’s training, not just learning.

OK I’ll be expecting more revelation on the differences and relationship between those…

Stay plugged in and you will learn as we train.

2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

July 1, 2011

You will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny —Matthew 5:26

There is no heaven that has a little corner of hell in it. God is determined to make you pure, holy, and right, and He will not allow you to escape from the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit for even one moment. He urged you to come to judgment immediately when He convicted you, but you did not obey. Then the inevitable process began to work, bringing its inevitable penalty. Now you have been “thrown into prison, [and] . . . you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny” (5:25-26). Yet you ask, “Is this a God of mercy and love?” When seen from God’s perspective, it is a glorious ministry of love. God is going to bring you out pure, spotless, and undefiled, but He wants you to recognize the nature you were exhibiting— the nature of demanding your right to yourself. The moment you are willing for God to change your nature, His recreating forces will begin to work. And the moment you realize that God’s purpose is to get you into the right relationship with Himself and then with others, He will reach to the very limits of the universe to help you take the right road. Decide to do it right now, saying, “Yes, Lord, I willwrite that letter,” or, “I will be reconciled to that person now.”

These sermons of Jesus Christ are meant for your will and your conscience, not for your head. If you dispute these verses from the Sermon on the Mount with your head, you will dull the appeal to your heart.

If you find yourself asking, “I wonder why I’m not growing spiritually with God?”— then ask yourself if you are paying your debts from God’s standpoint. Do now what you will have to do someday. Every moral question or call comes with an “ought” behind it— the knowledge of knowing what we ought to do.

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July 1, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Once again Lord when I feel like I cannot do one thing right, when I feel like I have walked outside your direction and left a trail of unrighteousness, you show me that You are still working on and in me. Right when I thought I was incapable of living the life you called me to live, You show me that it is You that works in me regardless of my condition.

And God says…”All things work together for the good of those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. Give it to me…whatever it is…, I will make it holy and righteous. Just as the song says… I do make beautiful things out of dust. Stay in my presence and grace and know that I love you beyond anything you can imagine. You are much more to me than your right or wrong choices. And regardless of your choices, I can and will make you  beautiful.”

June 30, 2011

In this verse, Jesus Christ laid down a very important principle by saying, “Do what you know you must do— now. Do it quickly. If you don’t, an inevitable process will begin to work ’till you have paid the last penny’ (Matthew 5:26) in pain, agony, and distress.” God’s laws are unchangeable and there is no escape from them. The teachings of Jesus always penetrate right to the heart of our being.

Wanting to make sure that my adversary gives me all my rights is a natural thing. But Jesus says that it is a matter of inescapable and eternal importance to me that I pay my adversary what I owe him. From our Lord’s standpoint it doesn’t matter whether I am cheated or not, but what does matter is that I don’t cheat someone else. Am I insisting on having my own rights, or am I paying what I owe from Jesus Christ’s standpoint?

Do it quickly— bring yourself to judgment now. In moral and spiritual matters, you must act immediately. If you don’t, the inevitable, relentless process will begin to work. God is determined to have His child as pure, clean, and white as driven snow, and as long as there is disobedience in any point of His teaching, He will allow His Spirit to use whatever process it may take to bring us to obedience. The fact that we insist on proving that we are right is almost always a clear indication that we have some point of disobedience. No wonder the Spirit of God so strongly urges us to stay steadfastly in the light! (see John 3:19-21).

“Agree with your adversary quickly . . . .” Have you suddenly reached a certain place in your relationship with someone, only to find that you have anger in your heart? Confess it quickly— make it right before God. Be reconciled to that person— do it now!

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June 30 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord when I read one of Oswald Chambers’ devotionals like this one I wonder if I measure up or if I can ever measure up to the standards you have set? When I read these high standards I wonder if I am good enough to be one of your children, or if I can ever measure up to the standards You have set? Sometimes I realize I am so far off from your standards, I feel like giving up.

And God says…”That is exactly where you should find yourself…giving up. Part of the transforming process for My children is coming to realize that you must surrender your entire life to Me. You cannot hold onto any part of your old life, including the discipline to do the right things. I can use that, but you cannot. Trust in Me with all your heart, do not rely on your own devices and I will make your paths straight. I cannot be you partner in life; I cannot be your copilot. I can only be your life. Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you. I am the way, the truth and the life.”

I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me —Philippians 3:12

Never choose to be a worker for God, but once God has placed His call on you, woe be to you if you “turn aside to the right hand or to the left” (Deuteronomy 5:32). We are not here to work for God because we have chosen to do so, but because God has “laid hold of” us. And once He has done so, we never have this thought, “Well, I’m really not suited for this.” What you are to preach is also determined by God, not by your own natural leanings or desires. Keep your soul steadfastly related to God, and remember that you are called not simply to convey your testimony but also to preach the gospel. Every Christian must testify to the truth of God, but when it comes to the call to preach, there must be the agonizing grip of God’s hand on you— your life is in the grip of God for that very purpose. How many of us are held like that?

Never water down the Word of God, but preach it in its undiluted sternness. There must be unflinching faithfulness to the Word of God, but when you come to personal dealings with others, remember who you are— you are not some special being created in heaven, but a sinner saved by grace.

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do. . . I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

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June 28, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, just last night I was talking to a brother about “pressing on”.  He shared his story about pressing on and on and on through what seems like a never-ending repetition of trials and difficulties. We spoke about the children of Israel and the daily manna you fed them fresh every morning and how we both seek you and your fresh manna of hope every day. And this morning you offer us both the lesson and music about “pressing on” in your name.

And God says…”Remember this is an everlasting race of endurance. It is a step by step development of your life and character. You can only be shaped through trials and pressures. Silver is made pure with fire, and when the impurities are skimmed off the silver is pure enough to see My reflection. Once you believe in Me and are committed to Me, your life and character begin to take on the image of Jesus over time. And remember, Jesus could do nothing apart from the Father. When He walked on water, turned water into wine, healed the sick and raised the dead….He did all these things as a man dependent on God the father. Often trials and difficulties become part of the daily life of a believer as you learn that you can nothing apart from the Father as well. Other times the trials and difficulties are part of your life as you discover that this is where your faith and hope are strengthened. “

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Journal DJR   June 28th 2011

Good morning Lord,
I’ve been traveling a lot for a month. I dont like routine … but I can see that it is good for me. As I wasn’t able to take this routine with me ….. Maybe I just need to press on and try harder, to make sure I get this kind of time … even traveling?

Working on doing the routines will have some value. But not the value that you think. The real prize is changing the hardwire to where our relationship is the first thing you think of even (and especially) in times of stress.

Yes, Traveling is stressful and I tend to revert to my own senses to make the next decisions. It doesn’t seem that doing devotions in the morning works, or that when I force it to happen, that it helps in the stress of the day?

That will always be the case if you are pushing it. If you are drawn to it, the results will be different.

How do I get this motivational change to happen?

That’s where doing these routines helps. They are not the answer but they can lead to the answer. So keep on, and keep on reminding yourself that it is our relationship that is the goal … not just an “answer” here or a “blessing” there.

June 27, 2011

I am with you to deliver you,’ says the Lord —Jeremiah 1:8

God promised Jeremiah that He would deliver him personally— “. . . your life shall be as a prize to you . . .” (Jeremiah 39:18). That is all God promises His children. Wherever God sends us, He will guard our lives. Our personal property and possessions are to be a matter of indifference to us, and our hold on these things should be very loose. If this is not the case, we will have panic, heartache, and distress. Having the proper outlook is evidence of the deeply rooted belief in the overshadowing of God’s personal deliverance.

The Sermon on the Mount indicates that when we are on a mission for Jesus Christ, there is no time to stand up for ourselves. Jesus says, in effect, “Don’t worry about whether or not you are being treated justly.” Looking for justice is actually a sign that we have been diverted from our devotion to Him. Never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it. If we look for justice, we will only begin to complain and to indulge ourselves in the discontent of self-pity, as if to say, “Why should I be treated like this?” If we are devoted to Jesus Christ, we have nothing to do with what we encounter, whether it is just or unjust. In essence, Jesus says, “Continue steadily on with what I have told you to do, and I will guard your life. If you try to guard it yourself, you remove yourself from My deliverance.” Even the most devout among us become atheistic in this regard— we do not believe Him. We put our common sense on the throne and then attach God’s name to it. We do lean to our own understanding, instead of trusting God with all our hearts (see Proverbs 3:5-6).

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June 27, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, I think I understand more and more about why I should live a moment, hour and day at a time. You meet me right in the moment …unless I chose to listen to my own voice instead. Being with my daughters over the last few weeks it occurs to me how difficult it is to allow a child you love so dearly to run independent of complete safety and protection.

And God says…”You are free to choose. And you will make wrong choices when you follow your own inclinations.  It is only natural. When you live your life in Me, trust in Me with all your heart, and do not rely on your own devices, a knowing peace will overcome you.  When you wait patiently; believing, you will know the outcome before it occurs. You will rise up like the wings of eagles.”