September 14, 2011

the simplicity that is in Christ.  —2 Corinthians 11:3

Simplicity is the secret to seeing things clearly. A saint does not think clearly until a long time passes, but a saint ought to see clearly without any difficulty. You cannot think through spiritual confusion to make things clear; to make things clear, you must obey. In intellectual matters you can think things out, but in spiritual matters you will only think yourself into further wandering thoughts and more confusion. If there is something in your life upon which God has put His pressure, then obey Him in that matter. Bring all your “arguments and . . . every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” regarding the matter, and everything will become as clear as daylight to you (2 Corinthians 10:5). Your reasoning capacity will come later, but reasoning is not how we see. We see like children, and when we try to be wise we see nothing (see Matthew 11:25).

Even the very smallest thing that we allow in our lives that is not under the control of the Holy Spirit is completely sufficient to account for spiritual confusion, and spending all of our time thinking about it will still never make it clear. Spiritual confusion can only be conquered through obedience. As soon as we obey, we have discernment. This is humiliating, because when we are confused we know that the reason lies in the state of our mind. But when our natural power of sight is devoted and submitted in obedience to the Holy Spirit, it becomes the very power by which we perceive God’s will, and our entire life is kept in simplicity.

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September 14, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

It is very simple isn’t it God? …Simply bring everything under your will. But whoa, there are a number of things that I would still like control over… God. You know, like what kind of work I do, the kinds of friends I choose, the clothes I wear, the trips and vacations I take.  I can give you the “church stuff”.  And it seems easy to turn it all over to you when I am up against the wall. But I wonder what it would be like if I could give you everything I am and do..all the time?

And God says…”Just as Oswald Chambers wrote in the devotional,  your spiritual confusion comes about when you fail to turn the smallest thing over to Me. When parts of your life are not under My will, confusion results. This is repaired when you obey.  And it is simple…..obedience, that is.  Acknowledge that you have been following your own way, confess, and ask Me to take over that area of your life. You cannot bring everything into submission to My will, however I can do this through You when you let go of every “little thing”.”

Jesus answered and said, ’You do not know what you ask’ —Matthew 20:22

There are times in your spiritual life when there is confusion, and the way out of it is not simply to say that you should not be confused. It is not a matter of right and wrong, but a matter of God taking you through a way that you temporarily do not understand. And it is only by going through the spiritual confusion that you will come to the understanding of what God wants for you.

The Shrouding of His Friendship (see Luke 11:5-8). Jesus gave the illustration here of a man who appears not to care for his friend. He was saying, in effect, that is how the heavenly Father will appear to you at times. You will think that He is an unkind friend, but remember?He is not. The time will come when everything will be explained. There seems to be a cloud on the friendship of the heart, and often even love itself has to wait in pain and tears for the blessing of fuller fellowship and oneness. When God appears to be completely shrouded, will you hang on with confidence in Him?

The Shadow on His Fatherhood (see Luke 11:11-13). Jesus said that there are times when your Father will appear as if He were an unnatural father?as if He were callous and indifferent— but remember, He is not. “Everyone who asks receives . . .” (Luke 11:10). If all you see is a shadow on the face of the Father right now, hang on to the fact that He will ultimately give you clear understanding and will fully justify Himself in everything that He has allowed into your life.

The Strangeness of His Faithfulness (see Luke 18:1-8). “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). Will He find the kind of faith that counts on Him in spite of the confusion? Stand firm in faith, believing that what Jesus said is true, although in the meantime you do not understand what God is doing. He has bigger issues at stake than the particular things you are asking of Him right now.

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September 12, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

There are times Lord when I have absolutely no idea about what is going on. Just like the devotional says, it does not make any sense to me…right now. But I am learning Lord that things do not always have to make sense. Circumstances in my life and the world may not make sense to me, but I am learning to trust you regardless. Now I understand how patience has its perfect reward…that is my faith has become stronger even though my circumstances may remain the same.

And God says…”Trusting in Me is not a natural response even for believers. Trust in Me is a supernatural response that can require development over time. Remember that nothing can ever separate you from My love, and that all things work together for your good…regardless of how you may interpret them. Acknowledge Me in all your ways, and I will make your paths straight. And ask Me for wisdom and understanding and trust Me to meet all Your needs including the need for a stronger faith.”

September 8, 2011

casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God . . . —2 Corinthians 10:5

Determinedly Demolish Some Things. Deliverance from sin is not the same as deliverance from human nature. There are things in human nature, such as prejudices, that the saint can only destroy through sheer neglect. But there are other things that have to be destroyed through violence, that is, through God’s divine strength imparted by His Spirit. There are some things over which we are not to fight, but only to “stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord . . .” (see Exodus 14:13). But every theory or thought that raises itself up as a fortified barrier “against the knowledge of God” is to be determinedly demolished by drawing on God’s power, not through human effort or by compromise (see 2 Corinthians 10:4).

It is only when God has transformed our nature and we have entered into the experience of sanctification that the fight begins. The warfare is not against sin; we can never fight against sin— Jesus Christ conquered that in His redemption of us. The conflict is waged over turning our natural life into a spiritual life. This is never done easily, nor does God intend that it be so. It is accomplished only through a series of moral choices. God does not make us holy in the sense that He makes our character holy. He makes us holy in the sense that He has made us innocent before Him. And then we have to turn that innocence into holy character through the moral choices we make. These choices are continually opposed and hostile to the things of our natural life which have become so deeply entrenched— the very things that raise themselves up as fortified barriers “against the knowledge of God.” We can either turn back, making ourselves of no value to the kingdom of God, or we can determinedly demolish these things, allowing Jesus to bring another son to glory (see Hebrews 2:10).

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September 8, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Turning my natural life into a spiritual life, making choices that I would never make before….Lord that capacity must come from You.  Just when I think I have crossed over into spiritual maturity, I find that I have tremendous capacity to go backwards. Just when I think I have conquered and overcome that notion, fear, or attitude and behavior, I disappoint myself and God.

And God says…”You can never disappoint Me because I know you and love you from your past, present and future, because of Jesus. If and when you are faithless, I will remain faithful to you in Christ Jesus. Because of Jesus, I can remain faithful and loving, full of mercy and grace, even when you fail time after time, after time. But over time, from the inside out, your natural man will be replaced by the character of Jesus. Stay the course, stay focused and stay energized and positive. Jesus, died, arose and lives in you. Even as you fall you are being transformed. Recall the scriptures….Acknowledge the Lord in all you do and He will make your paths straight. He that began a good work in you will complete it.”

September 7, 2011

The picture our Lord described here is not that of a simple stream of water, but an overflowing fountain. Continue to “be filled” (Ephesians 5:18) and the sweetness of your vital relationship to Jesus will flow as generously out of you as it has been given to you. If you find that His life is not springing up as it should, you are to blame— something is obstructing the flow. Was Jesus saying to stay focused on the Source so that you may be blessed personally? No, you are to focus on the Source so that out of you “will flow rivers of living water”— irrepressible life (John 7:38).

We are to be fountains through which Jesus can flow as “rivers of living water” in blessing to everyone. Yet some of us are like the Dead Sea, always receiving but never giving, because our relationship is not right with the Lord Jesus. As surely as we receive blessings from Him, He will pour out blessings through us. But whenever the blessings are not being poured out in the same measure they are received, there is a defect in our relationship with Him. Is there anything between you and Jesus Christ? Is there anything hindering your faith in Him? If not, then Jesus says that out of you “will flow rivers of living water.” It is not a blessing that you pass on, or an experience that you share with others, but a river that continually flows through you. Stay at the Source, closely guarding your faith in Jesus Christ and your relationship to Him, and there will be a steady flow into the lives of others with no dryness or deadness whatsoever.

Is it excessive to say that rivers will flow out of one individual believer? Do you look at yourself and say, “But I don’t see the rivers”? Through the history of God’s work you will usually find that He has started with the obscure, the unknown, the ignored, but those who have been steadfastly true to Jesus Christ.

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September 7, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Thank you Lord for the fountain of life, love, peace and joy. We used to talk about “peace meters” and other ways to tell if we were really connected to you, but we talk about that less and less now. Over time and a bit of history and experience it is easy to know if we are truly connected to you. It is not necessarily explainable, but we just “know” when we are connected to You. We just “know” when Your fountain of living waters flow through us. And Lord, the peace, love and joy we experience, reflects a desire to stay right here with you in Your fountain. And we understand that our fountain continues freely flowing as we give away the blessings You provide. I am not really certain how to accomplish this but stand ready and eager to be used in this fashion.

And God says…”You will not be aware of the blessing you are to many people and circumstances. I cannot tell you, as you cannot carry the burden of glory. It is toxic to you. But you will know it is a fountain freely flowing as your love, peace and joy is manifested in you.  Simply continue to ask to be changed from the inside out and be willing to be used by Me and many blessings will flow without your knowledge or awareness.  You will, however, be aware that your connection has been secured as you live moment by moment.”

Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven —Luke 10:20

Jesus Christ is saying here, “Don’t rejoice in your successful service for Me, but rejoice because of your right relationship with Me.” The trap you may fall into in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service— rejoicing in the fact that God has used you. Yet you will never be able to measure fully what God will do through you if you have a right-standing relationship with Jesus Christ. If you keep your relationship right with Him, then regardless of your circumstances or whoever you encounter each day, He will continue to pour “rivers of living water” through you (John 7:38). And it is actually by His mercy that He does not let you know it. Once you have the right relationship with God through salvation and sanctification, remember that whatever your circumstances may be, you have been placed in them by God. And God uses the reaction of your life to your circumstances to fulfill His purpose, as long as you continue to “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7).

Our tendency today is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make their request for help on the basis of someone’s usefulness. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure who ever lived. For the saint, direction and guidance come from God Himself, not some measure of that saint’s usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that our Lord gives His attention to in a person’s life is that person’s relationship with God— something of great value to His Father. Jesus is “bringing many sons to glory . . .” (Hebrews 2:10).

Aug 30 2011   Journal  DJR

Good Morning Lord

It’s become so clear to me that my righteousness is as filthy rags … and that all that is good in me is You.   Oswald’s last line … that all that you give attention to in my life is our relationship … seems right but I have a question.   What about all the places where you say a man’s works and fruits will be judged?   Isn’t it important what I do and produce in your kingdom and in the world?

Yes, it is important and of value but I dont focus on it and you shouldn’t either.  It would be putting the cart before the horse.   If you produce “results” by setting goals for the results and pushing forward toward those goals (the way of the world) … then you will achieve some results.   But our relationship will get left behind.   That is not what I want and I dont value those type of results.

What I want is relationship and then the vision and goalsetting can come out of that … as a result of the relationship.   So the relationship is primary, not an add-on or an afterthought.   So it is what I focus on.   You should too.  It’s more efficient.  You take fewer laps around the mountain and thru the desert that way.