Many of us suffer from the unbalanced tendency to “be ready” only “out of season.” The season does not refer to time; it refers to us. This verse says, “Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season.” In other words, we should “be ready” whether we feel like it or not. If we do only what we feel inclined to do, some of us would never do anything. There are some people who are totally unemployable in the spiritual realm. They are spiritually feeble and weak, and they refuse to do anything unless they are supernaturally inspired. The proof that our relationship is right with God is that we do our best whether we feel inspired or not.

One of the worst traps a Christian worker can fall into is to become obsessed with his own exceptional moments of inspiration. When the Spirit of God gives you a time of inspiration and insight, you tend to say, “Now that I’ve experienced this moment, I will always be like this for God.” No, you will not, and God will make sure of that. Those times are entirely the gift of God. You cannot give them to yourself when you choose. If you say you will only be at your best for God, as during those exceptional times, you actually become an intolerable burden on Him. You will never do anything unless God keeps you consciously aware of His inspiration to you at all times. If you make a god out of your best moments, you will find that God will fade out of your life, never to return until you are obedient in the work He has placed closest to you, and until you have learned not to be obsessed with those exceptional moments He has given you.

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April 25, 2010

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord you have been teaching us this lesson for a number of days now…”regardless of how we might feel, we are to stay connected and take you at your word.” Not trust our circumstances or our feelings…simply trust you. The main thing is the main thing over and over again….stay connected with you in an intimate relationship. Focus on you; not our mission or work we think we are doing for You, nor our feelings as we wait upon fickle inspiration or our even more fickle feelings. We are to focus on You, all else will take care of itself.

And God says…”When you focus on Me, have your eyes on Me, the Holy Spirit can transform you and if necessary and important (to My plans) transform your circumstances. As you are learning and experiencing, when you focus on Me, your love, trust hope and faith flows from Me and allows you to transcend the storms, just like Peter as he walked on the water toward Me. Don’t be transformed by your circumstances or difficulties, be transformed. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed  by the renewing of your minds. live by the Spirit….don’t let the day to day issues of this world impact you…in fact they cannot as long as you are connected to Me. Acknowledge Me in all your ways and I will make your paths straight. ”