Jesus’ instructions with regard to judging others is very simply put; He says, “Don’t.” The average Christian is the most piercingly critical individual known. Criticism is one of the ordinary activities of people, but in the spiritual realm nothing is accomplished by it. The effect of criticism is the dividing up of the strengths of the one being criticized.

The Holy Spirit is the only one in the proper position to criticize, and He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to enter into fellowship with God when you are in a critical mood. Criticism serves to make you harsh, vindictive, and cruel, and leaves you with the soothing and flattering idea that you are somehow superior to others. Jesus says that as His disciple you should cultivate a temperament that is never critical. This will not happen quickly but must be developed over a span of time. You must constantly beware of anything that causes you to think of yourself as a superior person.

There is no escaping the penetrating search of my life by Jesus. If I see the little speck in your eye, it means that I have a plank of timber in my own (see Matthew 7:3-5 ).

Every wrong thing that I see in you, God finds in me. Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-24 ). Stop having a measuring stick for other people. There is always at least one more fact, which we know nothing about, in every person’s situation. The first thing God does is to give us a thorough spiritual cleaning. After that, there is no possibility of pride remaining in us.

I have never met a person I could despair of, or lose all hope for, after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.

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Journal Entry for Today-JDV

June 17, 2010

I feel rather smug today, knowing that one of the gifts God has given me is the gift of forgiveness, and I suspect that is very close to not being judgmental and critical is it not? I mean who are those people that judge other people anyway? I’ve been in those churches and am I glad I am not part of their group.

And God says…”Remember your judgment of those other believers? The ones that are very strict and do not feel the freedom you feel in and from My Spirit? Or what about those in the church that close ranks and do not open their arms wide in acceptance, have you not criticized them?

You can know that when you and others close ranks around your own ideas of what is or is not the right “kind of believer” you are judging, and your only awareness of the right road comes from me. You cannot boast about your gift of acceptance or forgiveness if is Me inside of you. You can boast in Me, and when you boast of Me, you can love others.

When people close ranks it is because they are frightened. Perfect love casts out fear. Help Me cast out fear by loving others right where I direct you. Even if their arms are closed around themselves, you can wrap my arms around them.

Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him. Peter said to the Lord, “I will lay down my life for Your sake,” and he meant it ( John 13:37 ). He had a magnificent sense of the heroic. For us to be incapable of making this same statement Peter made would be a bad thing— our sense of duty is only fully realized through our sense of heroism. Has the Lord ever asked you, “Will you lay down your life for My sake?” ( John 13:38 ). It is much easier to die than to lay down your life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling of God. We are not made for the bright-shining moments of life, but we have to walk in the light of them in our everyday ways. There was only one bright-shining moment in the life of Jesus, and that was on the Mount of Transfiguration. It was there that He emptied Himself of His glory for the second time, and then came down into the demon-possessed valley (seeMark 9:1-29 ). For thirty-three years Jesus laid down His life to do the will of His Father. “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” ( 1 John 3:16  ). Yet it is contrary to our human nature to do so.

If I am a friend of Jesus, I must deliberately and carefully lay down my life for Him. It is a difficult thing to do, and thank God that it is. Salvation is easy for us, because it cost God so much. But the exhibiting of salvation in my life is difficult. God saves a person, fills him with the Holy Spirit, and then says, in effect, “Now you work it out in your life, and be faithful to Me, even though the nature of everything around you is to cause you to be unfaithful.” And Jesus says to us, “. . . I have called you friends. . . .” Remain faithful to your Friend, and remember that His honor is at stake in your bodily life.

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Journal Entry for Today-JDV

June 16 2010

I wonder if I am connected this morning. Did I remember my connection as the first thing of my day, or did I run out and begin without Him again? Sometimes (even though I know better) I think that if I run out and begin my day and forget to give myself and my day to God then perhaps I will not be connected. Maybe I will not feel that intimate completeness that has become so, so right. Sometimes I wonder if I forget Him for a minute or two will I have to fight my way back to where I forgot Him in the hurrying around of the day or crisis or….

And God says…”You can do nothing to separate yourself from Me. I am with you through it all, all the time. You may stop hearing Me, you may not be open to what I am saying, but I am there, all the time speaking and reaching and holding you.

When you go off and try to find knowledge, or wisdom or accuracy for your work, distracted as you scurry around looking for answers, perhaps you could remember that I have the answers, for everything, and I will provide them.  There is no reason to run hither and yon, thinking you must do this or that first. There is no reason to believe or feel like you must get this or that accomplished and then reach out for me.

I have all that you need, all the time, and there is no reason to be separated from me……ever. When you believe that you must go off and accomplish this or that you are in effect saying you do not trust Me.

Give Me your life, all of it, all the time. Start with Me in all things, for all things and observe the change in your world.

In the matter of drudgery. Peter said in this passage that we have become “partakers of the divine nature” and that we should now be “giving all diligence,” concentrating on forming godly habits (2 Peter 1:4-5 ). We are to “add” to our lives all that character means. No one is born either naturally or supernaturally with character; it must be developed. Nor are we born with habits— we have to form godly habits on the basis of the new life God has placed within us. We are not meant to be seen as God’s perfect, bright-shining examples, but to be seen as the everyday essence of ordinary life exhibiting the miracle of His grace. Drudgery is the test of genuine character. The greatest hindrance in our spiritual life is that we will only look for big things to do. Yet, “Jesus . . . took a towel and . . . began to wash the disciples’ feet . . .” ( John 13:3-5  ).

We all have those times when there are no flashes of light and no apparent thrill to life, where we experience nothing but the daily routine with its common everyday tasks. The routine of life is actually God’s way of saving us between our times of great inspiration which come from Him. Don’t always expect God to give you His thrilling moments, but learn to live in those common times of the drudgery of life by the power of God.

It is difficult for us to do the “adding” that Peter mentioned here. We say we do not expect God to take us to heaven on flowery beds of ease, and yet we act as if we do! I must realize that my obedience even in the smallest detail of life has all of the omnipotent power of the grace of God behind it. If I will do my duty, not for duty’s sake but because I believe God is engineering my circumstances, then at the very point of my obedience all of the magnificent grace of God is mine through the glorious atonement by the Cross of Christ.

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Journal Entry for Today-JDV

June 15, 2010

Today I know and feel a difference. I know that God is in charge and leading and directing my life, even the drudgery. And I know that even the drudgery need not really be drudgery when we realize we are right in the middle of God’s will. The devotional today suggested, no it said, that we need the drudgery to either take a breather or to make us aware of God’s will……that is right inside the drudgery I can find  joyous anticipation of what God will do next in my life. When we are in His will we know we are right where He wants us to be. Regardless of the circumstance, He is/has/will deliver all we need or could ever hope for.

And God says “ My word is true…I am  able to do immeasurably more than all you ask or imagine, according to My power that is at work within you. Recall that I can see the past, present and future all at once. I know what you have experienced and what you are capable of experiencing. I will cover you with my hand and open the doors of your understanding. Simply be aware, trust and obey. When you abide in Me, you have a full life of knowing and believing in Me. You cannot fear when you are in Me.  You cannot trust the circumstances or what is going on around you, but you can trust Me. Trust that if I gave my Son for you, I will not withhold any good thing, and all things work for the good for those that love Me and are called according to my purpose.

In the matter of determination. The Spirit of Jesus is put into me by way of the atonement by the Cross of Christ. I then have to build my thinking patiently to bring it into perfect harmony with my Lord. God will not make me think like Jesus— I have to do it myself. I have to bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5  ). “Abide in Me”— in intellectual matters, in money matters, in every one of the matters that make human life what it is. Our lives are not made up of only one neatly confined area.

Am I preventing God from doing things in my circumstances by saying that it will only serve to hinder my fellowship with Him? How irrelevant and disrespectful that is! It does not matter what my circumstances are. I can be as much assured of abiding in Jesus in any one of them as I am in any prayer meeting. It is unnecessary to change and arrange my circumstances myself. Our Lord’s inner abiding was pure and unblemished. He was at home with God wherever His body was. He never chose His own circumstances, but was meek, submitting to His Father’s plans and directions for Him. Just think of how amazingly relaxed our Lord’s life was! But we tend to keep God at a fever pitch in our lives. We have none of the serenity of the life which is “hidden with Christ in God” ( Colossians 3:3  ).

Think of the things that take you out of the position of abiding in Christ. You say, “Yes, Lord, just a minute— I still have this to do. Yes, I will abide as soon as this is finished, or as soon as this week is over. It will be all right, Lord. I will abide then.” Get moving— begin to abide now. In the initial stages it will be a continual effort to abide, but as you continue, it will become so much a part of your life that you will abide in Him without any conscious effort. Make the determination to abide in Jesus wherever you are now or wherever you may be placed in the future.

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Journal Entry for Today-JDV

June 14 2010

I feel like there is enough pressure on me from all directions; work, commitments, follow through and it seems that I am unable to deliver on all the expectations in the time available. I feel the pressure and wonder if I feel the pressure to complete tasks because I am not disciplined enough or if I have put too  any things on my own table OR if I simply have allowed people to make their goals and objectives my crisis. That is; just because they feel pressured perhaps I assume their pressure and make it mine? Perhaps I take on too much by taking on their time lines, responsibilities and then making them mine.

And God says, “Bring me your time lines, deliverables, goals objectives and tasks at hand. Give them all to me. You cannot bring me goals and objectives when you have already committed yourself to someone else though. Whenever you take on a project and give a commitment you have put yourself in a place where you now have the responsibility for delivering on that commitment. However, if you first pray and ask my direction and help, I can tell you when and how we can deliver (or not) before you ever get committed. If you allow others to dictate your calendar, and clock you will always be behind the curve. First be connected to Me (seek first the kingdom of God) and then make certain you are connected and give me the issue or objective. When I have answered you (or not), you can then provide your response and answer to others.

Begin with Me, stay connected to Me then measure your task tension. There is none. I have your tasks and timelines as you have Me living and operating in you.

Where sin and sorrow stops, and the song of the saint starts. Do I really want to get there? I can right now. The questions that truly matter in life are remarkably few, and they are all answered by these words— “Come to Me.” Our Lord’s words are not, “Do this, or don’t do that,” but— “Come to me.” If I will simply come to Jesus, my real life will be brought into harmony with my real desires. I will actually cease from sin, and will find the song of the Lord beginning in my life.

Have you ever come to Jesus? Look at the stubbornness of your heart. You would rather do anything than this one simple childlike thing— “Come to Me.” If you really want to experience ceasing from sin, you must come to Jesus.

Jesus Christ makes Himself the test to determine your genuineness. Look how He used the word come. At the most unexpected moments in your life there is this whisper of the Lord— “Come to Me,” and you are immediately drawn to Him. Personal contact with Jesus changes everything. Be “foolish” enough to come and commit yourself to what He says. The attitude necessary for you to come to Him is one where your will has made the determination to let go of everything and deliberately commit it all to Him.

“. . . and I will give you rest”— that is, “I will sustain you, causing you to stand firm.” He is not saying, “I will put you to bed, hold your hand, and sing you to sleep.” But, in essence, He is saying, “I will get you out of bed— out of your listlessness and exhaustion, and out of your condition of being half dead while you are still alive. I will penetrate you with the spirit of life, and you will be sustained by the perfection of vital activity.” Yet we become so weak and pitiful and talk about “suffering” the will of the Lord! Where is the majestic vitality and the power of the Son of God in that?

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Journal Entry for June 11, 2010- JDV

June 11, 2010

This morning I come to say thank you Lord. Thank you for your love, life and grace. Thank you for leading me, taking me by the hand exactly where I need to be to begin to understand more the magnitude of your love. I really don’t understand it; I know I don’t deserve it. Your limitless love and grace is beyond comprehension. All I know is that you are here with me through all that I face and need. You are more than enough, all the time in all that I do.

You are my supply, my reward, and all that I live for. You are more than enough. (These Chris Tomlin lyrics were playing as I wrote this; they touched me in the center of my heart)

And God says, “You have been calling out my name and asking for more and more of Me in all areas of your life….Ask, and you shall receive. Knock and the door shall be opened. As you reach for me you will find that I am always there, all the time. Simply focus on Me in all you do and you will find the transforming power, grace, love, knowledge, wisdom and power of my Spirit filling the spaces you need filled. On your own you will worry, plan and scheme to try and make it all turn out the way you want it to turn out. When you simply give it all to Me and live in Me, you can always know it will turn out the way I want it. And I love you so much you cannot fathom the breadth and depth. Imagine…..I gave my Son for you. How could I withhold any good thing from you?  Everything I bring your way is good. All things work for your good.

Your worry about the result is worry about my character and my goodness. Trust Me completely in all areas of your life and watch your life be transformed.  Faith and Hope are the ways you shall walk. You will not be disappointed. Trust and obey, and rest.

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters. . .” (Isaiah 55:1  ). Are you thirsty, or complacent and indifferent— so satisfied with your own experience that you want nothing more of God? Experience is a doorway, not a final goal. Beware of building your faith on experience, or your life will not ring true and will only sound the note of a critical spirit. Remember that you can never give another person what you have found, but you can cause him to have a desire for it.

“. . . knock, and it will be opened to you” ( Luke 11:9 ). “Draw near to God . . .” ( James 4:8 ). Knock— the door is closed, and your heartbeat races as you knock. “Cleanse your hands . . .” ( James 4:8 ). Knock a bit louder— you begin to find that you are dirty. “. . . purify your hearts . . .” ( James 4:8 ). It is becoming even more personal— you are desperate and serious now— you will do anything. “Lament . . . ” ( James 4:9 ). Have you ever lamented, expressing your sorrow before God for the condition of your inner life? There is no thread of self-pity left, only the heart-rending difficulty and amazement which comes from seeing what kind of person you really are. “Humble yourselves . . . ” (James 4:10 ). It is a humbling experience to knock at God’s door— you have to knock with the crucified thief. “. . . to him who knocks it will be opened” ( Luke 11:10  ).

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Journal Entry for Today- JDV

June 10, 2010

I am reading books and hearing music and experiencing a level of understanding I have not experienced before. My paradigms or should I say limitations of and on God are falling away as I try to grasp new levels of understanding and awareness. The searching comes from the need to know more, feel more, experience more and experience more personal growth.  Not for the sake of growth itself, but because of the hollow sinking sense that I am less than I should be in Christ Jesus.

I am frustrated with myself and my growth so I reach out for more and more understanding. So it seems that my need sparks my search and even as I pray for peace and tranquility and grace I am motivated to even deeper levels of understanding because I do not feel the peace.  Even as I sense and know the scripture concerning God and love, truth and grace I am anxious and concerned about my life, my faith and my personal ability to hold onto the intimate relationship and trust God.

And God says “You are searching for more and more of me, and that is a very good thing. You want more and more of my life in yours, and that too is a good thing. Very often the trials and challenges of life drive you to seek a closer relationship with me. Men are driven to me out of their need. Even your sense of wanting and needing more comes to you from your sense of need. Needing and wanting more of Me is not to be confused with anxiety or fear. That is the enemy talking. “

“You can feel at peace when reaching out for more of me. You can want more and more of me without feeling fearful. I will not forsake you. Nothing can separate you from my love. Know that I will finish the work I started in you. You do not have to worry about the disconnects in our daily intimate relationship, you simply need to trust Me. Rest in Me, and be submerged in my love through the Spirit of God. I am love, I am truth and I am life. I am grace, forgiveness,  peace, knowledge, wisdom and understanding. You find and have all these things in Me. Simply stay connected to me and look to me for all things, you are complete and lacking nothing when you look to Me. I came to give you life and life more abundantly. I shall meet all your needs (including your need for more of Me and the need to feel more worthy, because no one is truly worthy except…..) through Christ Jesus.

Ask if you have not received. There is nothing more difficult than asking. We will have yearnings and desires for certain things, and even suffer as a result of their going unfulfilled, but not until we are at the limit of desperation will we ask. It is the sense of not being spiritually real that causes us to ask. Have you ever asked out of the depths of your total insufficiency and poverty? “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God . . . ” ( James 1:5  ), but be sure that you do lack wisdom before you ask. You cannot bring yourself to the point of spiritual reality anytime you choose. The best thing to do, once you realize you are not spiritually real, is to ask God for the Holy Spirit, basing your request on the promise of Jesus Christ (see Luke 11:13 ). The Holy Spirit is the one who makes everything that Jesus did for you real in your life.

“Everyone who asks receives . . . .” This does not mean that you will not get if you do not ask, but it means that until you come to the point of asking, you will not receive from God (seeMatthew 5:45  ). To be able to receive means that you have to come into the relationship of a child of God, and then you comprehend and appreciate mentally, morally, and with spiritual understanding, that these things come from God.

“If any of you lacks wisdom . . . .” If you realize that you are lacking, it is because you have come in contact with spiritual reality— do not put the blinders of reason on again. The word ask actually means “beg.” Some people are poor enough to be interested in their poverty, and some of us are poor enough spiritually to show our interest. Yet we will never receive if we ask with a certain result in mind, because we are asking out of our lust, not out of our poverty. A pauper does not ask out of any reason other than the completely hopeless and painful condition of his poverty. He is not ashamed to beg— blessed are the paupers in spirit (see Matthew 5:3  ).

Be determined to know more than others. If you yourself do not cut the lines that tie you to the dock, God will have to use a storm to sever them and to send you out to sea. Put everything in your life afloat upon God, going out to sea on the great swelling tide of His purpose, and your eyes will be opened. If you believe in Jesus, you are not to spend all your time in the calm waters just inside the harbor, full of joy, but always tied to the dock. You have to get out past the harbor into the great depths of God, and begin to know things for yourself— begin to have spiritual discernment.

When you know that you should do something and you do it, immediately you know more. Examine where you have become sluggish, where you began losing interest spiritually, and you will find that it goes back to a point where you did not do something you knew you should do. You did not do it because there seemed to be no immediate call to do it. But now you have no insight or discernment, and at a time of crisis you are spiritually distracted instead of spiritually self-controlled. It is a dangerous thing to refuse to continue learning and knowing more.

The counterfeit of obedience is a state of mind in which you create your own opportunities to sacrifice yourself, and your zeal and enthusiasm are mistaken for discernment. It is easier to sacrifice yourself than to fulfill your spiritual destiny, which is stated in Romans 12:1-2. It is much better to fulfill the purpose of God in your life by discerning His will than it is to perform great acts of self-sacrifice. “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice . . .” ( 1 Samuel 15:22 ). Beware of paying attention or going back to what you once were, when God wants you to be something that you have never been. “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know . . .” ( John 7:17  ).

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Journal Entry for June 8, 2010 JDV

June 8 2010

So I observe my own life pattern of worship and praise then malaise. I feel stagnant; the fire is not there, I feel tired just searching for the spark of energy; of excitement and passion for a life I cannot seem to live. Like Paul I often find myself doing that that I don’t want to do, or feeling and knowing that I am being self centered and self concerned. I wonder about not being connected.

I wonder about where I stand with God because it doesn’t feel like He is here with me. Perhaps I miss the daily study with my brother David; he has been gone two weeks. Perhaps I miss the daily discipline of iron sharpening iron. All I know is that I would like to absolutely know and feel alive in Christ Jesus and right now I feel a little sluggish.

 And God says “I am with you always even until the end of the age. I am here with you, but you are not listening for Me. You need to take some time during the day to stop! Just stop and hear me. I am love, I am truth and I am knowledge. I am energy, patience, discipline, and blessings. All that you need for an abundant life is in me. If you are in need of anything, look to me. It is a sure indicator that you have taken your eyes off of me when you feel in need of anything. …….Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. It is not that I give you life and life more abundantly; it is that I am life and life more abundantly and you find this abundant life in me. Submerge yourself in me and be refreshed. You can come to me through the living water of Jesus Christ guided by the Holy Spirit.

How do you do this? You simply keep your eyes on Jesus and submerge yourself in His living water. Stop several times today and be refreshed by Jesus. Know that you are connected to me and refreshed as often as you need be.

Am I fulfilling this ministry of intercession deep within the hidd en recesses of my life? There is no trap nor any danger at all of being deceived or of showing pride in true intercession. It is a hidden ministry that brings forth fruit through which the Father is glorified. Am I allowing my spiritual life to waste away, or am I focused, bringing everything to one central point— the atonement of my Lord? Is Jesus Christ more and more dominating every interest of my life? If the central point, or the most powerful influence, of my life is the atonement of the Lord, then every aspect of my life will bear fruit for Him.

However, I must take the time to realize what this central point of power is. Am I willing to give one minute out of every hour to concentrate on it? “If you abide in Me . . . “— that is, if you continue to act, and think, and work from that central point— “you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” ( John 15:7  ). Am I abiding? Am I taking the time to abide? What is the greatest source of power in my life? Is it my work, service, and sacrifice for others, or is it my striving to work for God? It should be none of these— what ought to exert the greatest power in my life is the atonement of the Lord. It is not on what we spend the greatest amount of time that molds us the most, but whatever exerts the most power over us. We must make a determination to limit and concentrate our desires and interests on the atonement by the Cross of Christ.

“Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do . . . .” The disciple who abides in Jesus is the will of God, and what appears to be his free choices are actually God’s foreordained decrees. Is this mysterious? Does it appear to contradict sound logic or seem totally absurd? Yes, but what a glorious truth it is to a saint of God.

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Journal Entry for the Day……….. J D Vaughn

June 7, 2010

I wonder if my faith is growing at all.  I wonder about my motivations, my sense of self; self promotion, self preservation, self serving thoughts about how to maximize my pleasures and minimize my own pain. They often seem to be at the forefront of my thoughts. Even in worship I wonder if my voice is too loud, my voice off key. These new people in this new church, how will they see me?

What about my business, my new opportunities for financial growth, where are they Lord?

I find I am even worried and concerned about being worried and concerned.  I know I am to be connected to you and to give up my daily worries and concerns to you, I know I am to trust and obey and be in your will, but sometimes I am just overwhelmed by all that is and is not happening in my life. The evidence of what I am to be in Jesus and the evidence of Jesus in my life meeting my needs is not visible to me. I wonder if I am strong enough and obedient enough…. I wonder if I will be “good enough”, obedient enough, or even available and open enough for God to work in my life and for my life.

And God says…”You are being confused by the author of confusion. You are being deceived so that you will not rest in me. The enemy is defeated; he was defeated by the cross. But he continues to fight by trying to spread doubt and uncertainty. There is no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus. Nothing can separate you from the love of Jesus….nothing. Nothing you can say and do and nothing that you fail to say and do. You can take your place as my child in all you say and do, and know that I am leading and guiding you with the Holy Spirit. Do not look for me in your successes, or failures or trials and self doubt. Do not llok for me in your growth or lack of growth.

Look for me in all things, all the time. You see there are no failures, no successes when you are connected to me, there is simply Me in you, and the results of my action, or inaction, the evidence or lack of evidence of my work are the same. The result cannot be interpreted by you or anyone else. The result is not yours to interpret. You are to be connected. And when you are connected and are intimate with me, you know it and are at peace even though you may not understand it all.

You are to simply stay connected. And you are learning and experiencing this in your life and as a result my love and the work of My Son on the cross has an opportunity to transform you.

Perfect love casts out fear…..love transcends all things.

“I will never leave you . . .”— not for any reason; not my sin, selfishness, stubbornness, nor waywardness. Have I really let God say to me that He will never leave me? If I have not truly heard this assurance of God, then let me listen again.

“I will never . . . forsake you.” Sometimes it is not the difficulty of life but the drudgery of it that makes me think God will forsake me. When there is no major difficulty to overcome, no vision from God, nothing wonderful or beautiful— just the everyday activities of life— do I hear God’s assurance even in these?

We have the idea that God is going to do some exceptional thing— that He is preparing and equipping us for some extraordinary work in the future. But as we grow in His grace we find that God is glorifying Himself here and now, at this very moment. If we have God’s assurance behind us, the most amazing strength becomes ours, and we learn to sing, glorifying Him even in the ordinary days and ways of life.

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A Journal Entry for Today…J D Vaughn

June 4 2010

Sometimes I wonder if God hears me at all, other times I know He is right here with me. I wonder if I am walking down the right road and or making the decisions He wants for my life. I worry that I may be hearing my own voice and not His. I wonder if He is there at all as I chase my own thoughts and concerns about my life and the daily circumstances of my life.

And God says….”I am always with you, nothing can ever separate us. That includes your own wants and needs and desires. You know that all you need do to hear me is to listen. My sheep know my voice…You know when you are connected to me. The fear you have is not that you may be hearing your own voice and not mine, because you know the difference, the fear you have is that you may not measure up once you understand my will for your life.

But there is no measuring up. There is no failure when you choose to operate in my will. Simply allow me to operate in and through you. Be transparent, open and available to Me and your brothers and sisters and experience a rewarding and fruitful life. Leave the rest to me.