. . . work out your own salvation . . . for it is God who works in you . . . —Philippians 2:12-13

Your will agrees with God, but in your flesh there is a nature that renders you powerless to do what you know you ought to do. When the Lord initially comes in contact with our conscience, the first thing our conscience does is awaken our will, and our will always agrees with God. Yet you say, “But I don’t know if my will is in agreement with God.” Look to Jesus and you will find that your will and your conscience are in agreement with Him every time. What causes you to say “I will not obey” is something less deep and penetrating than your will. It is perversity or stubbornness, and they are never in agreement with God. The most profound thing in a person is his will, not sin.

The will is the essential element in God’s creation of human beings— sin is a perverse nature which entered into people. In someone who has been born again, the source of the will is Almighty God. “. . . for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” With focused attention and great care, you have to “work out” what God “works in” you— not work to accomplish or earn “your own salvation,” but work it out so you will exhibit the evidence of a life based with determined, unshakable faith on the complete and perfect redemption of the Lord. As you do this, you do not bring an opposing will up against God’s will— God’s will is your will. Your natural choices will be in accordance with God’s will, and living this life will be as natural as breathing. Stubbornness is an unintelligent barrier, refusing enlightenment and blocking its flow. The only thing to do with this barrier of stubbornness is to blow it up with “dynamite,” and the “dynamite” is obedience to the Holy Spirit.

Do I believe that Almighty God is the Source of my will? God not only expects me to do His will, but He is in me to do it.

Journal DJR
Good Morning Lord,
You have shown us wonderful things about your love and grace. And how connection with you is the key. You’ve amplified Jn 5:19 for us … you only did what you saw and heard from Father, and encouraged us to live the same way. You’ve shown us to live expectantly and curious to see what you’re doing next. We understand in our minds that all these are parts of kingdom living, a better way to live,…… But we’ve been frustrated that we sometimes fail to implement all these good ideas. And we pray every day to improve the transfer of the things we understand to the ways that we walk them out in our daily lives.
The message of today, Work out our salvation by what you’ve worked into us, and blow up the resistance with the dynamite of Obedience speaks clearly to me. This is normally a “day off” for me. But as I awoke the thought was in my mind, “What are you going to do first? Check your email or spend time with me?” I sensed that although checking email is not a sin, for me, it would set the tone for my day. Set it toward the cares of the world. For me, it would be an indicator of what comes first in my life. So here I am. The Action Point is summed up in the title of the song. I Choose Now.
I was going to close with a prayer to still help me implement the concepts you’ve taught us. You’re showing me that there is a time when prayer is not the most important thing. Choosing is the most important thing. Choosing, Deciding and Obeying. When I’ve gone past a point of choosing to obey without actually implementing the obedience, i.e. when I’m in disobedience, it is fruitless and frustrating to pray. It’s like I’ve skipped first base. Rather I need to always tag all the bases. The building block you’re showing today is to Choose Now and blow up the resistance by Obedience to your Holy Spirit.

He Himself has said . . . . So we may boldly say . . . —Hebrews 13:5-6

My assurance is to be built upon God’s assurance to me. God says, “I will never leave you,” so that then I “may boldly say, ’The Lord is my helper; I will not fear’ ” (Hebrews 13:5-6). In other words, I will not be obsessed with apprehension. This does not mean that I will not be tempted to fear, but I will remember God’s words of assurance. I will be full of courage, like a child who strives to reach the standard his father has set for him. The faith of many people begins to falter when apprehensions enter their thinking, and they forget the meaning of God’s assurance— they forget to take a deep spiritual breath. The only way to remove the fear from our lives is to listen to God’s assurance to us.

What are you fearing? Whatever it may be, you are not a coward about it— you are determined to face it, yet you still have a feeling of fear. When it seems that there is nothing and no one to help you, say to yourself, “But ’The Lord is my helper’ this very moment, even in my present circumstance.” Are you learning to listen to God before you speak, or are you saying things and then trying to make God’s Word fit what you have said? Take hold of the Father’s assurance, and then say with strong courage, “I will not fear.” It does not matter what evil or wrong may be in our way, because “He Himself has said, ’I will never leave you . . . .’ ”

Human frailty is another thing that gets between God’s words of assurance and our own words and thoughts. When we realize how feeble we are in facing difficulties, the difficulties become like giants, we become like grasshoppers, and God seems to be nonexistent. But remember God’s assurance to us— “I will never. . . forsake you.” Have we learned to sing after hearing God’s keynote? Are we continually filled with enough courage to say, “The Lord is my helper,” or are we yielding to fear?

Journal DJR

Good morning Lord,
This lesson is right down to the practical aspects of where I live. It was stressful like this right before I came here to meet you and JD this morning … and as I begin to think about what’s next, I can see that it can be more of the same. With me trying to solve my problems and stressing out about it. I get it (in my head) that you will never leave me or forsake me. But I’m like that guy who said, ” Lord, I believe, Help my unbelief”

That was a pretty good prayer. Acknowledged his shortcomings and continued coming to the source. Also remember yesterday’s message and the last few days. I will even dwell in your common sense as you keep coming to me.

What about when I pray for an answer and it looks like it doesn’t come or it sure is the opposite of what I prayed for?

You will have stress if you specify what your answer is to look like. The verse said I would not leave you or forsake you. It didn’t say I would deliver up all your requests in the time frame and exact manner that you expected. Realize that I have not left you or forsaken you … even if it seems your prayer didn’t get answered. Hang on to that. Meet me there. And as you stay connected and curious and expectant, you will feel your stress drain away.

He Himself has said, ’I will never leave you nor forsake you’ —Hebrews 13:5

The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him . . . —Psalm 25:14

What is the sign of a friend? Is it that he tells you his secret sorrows? No, it is that he tells you his secret joys. Many people will confide their secret sorrows to you, but the final mark of intimacy is when they share their secret joys with you. Have we ever let God tell us any of His joys? Or are we continually telling God our secrets, leaving Him no time to talk to us? At the beginning of our Christian life we are full of requests to God. But then we find that God wants to get us into an intimate relationship with Himself— to get us in touch with His purposes. Are we so intimately united to Jesus Christ’s idea of prayer— “Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10)— that we catch the secrets of God? What makes God so dear to us is not so much His big blessings to us, but the tiny things, because they show His amazing intimacy with us— He knows every detail of each of our individual lives.

“Him shall He teach in the way He chooses” (Psalm 25:12). At first, we want the awareness of being guided by God. But then as we grow spiritually, we live so fully aware of God that we do not even need to ask what His will is, because the thought of choosing another way will never occur to us. If we are saved and sanctified, God guides us by our everyday choices. And if we are about to choose what He does not want, He will give us a sense of doubt or restraint, which we must heed. Whenever there is doubt, stop at once. Never try to reason it out, saying, “I wonder why I shouldn’t do this?” God instructs us in what we choose; that is, He actually guides our common sense. And when we yield to His teachings and guidance, we no longer hinder His Spirit by continually asking, “Now, Lord, what is Your will?”

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June 3, 2014

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, it has seldom occurred to me to think about Your joy; or what makes You happy. I seem to always be focused on how I can be a better Christian, or simply a better man, father, businessman,  brother, son or friend. Or how can I avail myself of Your provision and or blessings; how can I increase my faith and live a more fulfilled life?  I want to live in Your will Lord, but then it occurs to me that sometimes my giving up on my wants and needs with a “Whatever is in Your will” has simply been my way of giving up on being curious and expectant about how You will answer my prayers. Lord, please help me stay connected to You, Your joy and to remain curious about how you will guide me in all that I do this day.

And God says…”My joy is an intimate relationship with you. My joy is demonstrating my love for you. I am joyful when you trust and obey and I am joyful when you cannot trust and obey and must rely on my grace, love and the forgiveness provided by the sacrifice of Jesus. I am joyful when you expect Me to act on your behalf, when you are curious about how I will respond to your needs. “

“Nothing can separate you from My love; nothing. Trust in Me with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding or actions, and I will make your paths straight. Seek Me first, and I will provide all that you need to live this day. And focus on this day; this daily manna. Our connection, your surrender and curiosity about how and what I shall do to make all your paths straight. I find My joy in our relationship; our love and your surrender, trusting Me to be God while you let go of rational ideas about how and when I will choose to work in your life and the lives of those you love. “

Who is the man that fears the Lord? —Psalm 25:12

Lord, I will follow You, but . . . —Luke 9:61

In that day you will ask in My name . . . for the Father Himself loves you . . . —John 16:26-27

In that day you will ask in My name . . . ,” that is, in My nature. Not “You will use My name as some magic word,” but—”You will be so intimate with Me that you will be one with Me.” “That day” is not a day in the next life, but a day meant for here and now. “. . . for the Father Himself loves you . . .”— the Father’s love is evidence that our union with Jesus is complete and absolute. Our Lord does not mean that our lives will be free from external difficulties and uncertainties, but that just as He knew the Father’s heart and mind, we too can be lifted by Him into heavenly places through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, so that He can reveal the teachings of God to us.

“. . . whatever you ask the Father in My name . . .” (John 16:23). “That day” is a day of peace and an untroubled relationship between God and His saint. Just as Jesus stood unblemished and pure in the presence of His Father, we too by the mighty power and effectiveness of the baptism of the Holy Spirit can be lifted into that relationship—”. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . .” (John 17:22).

“. . . He will give you” (John 16:23). Jesus said that because of His name God will recognize and respond to our prayers. What a great challenge and invitation—to pray in His name! Through the resurrection and ascension power of Jesus, and through the Holy Spirit He has sent, we can be lifted into such a relationship. Once in that wonderful position, having been placed there by Jesus Christ, we can pray to God in Jesus’ name—in His nature. This is a gift granted to us through the Holy Spirit, and Jesus said, “. . . whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.” The sovereign character of Jesus Christ is tested and proved by His own statements.

Journal DJR
Good morning Lord, This describes a place of calm confident faith that I’ve rarely experienced. It seems that my faith is less than what is being described here … or perhaps the relationship isn’t as tight as it needs to be???
Or perhaps I’m judging things on the wrong scale?

Our relationship can always get tighter. That’s the main thing to work on. The main thing I want. You cannot grunt and grow faith. Only seek to know me and walk with me and your faith will grow. Automatically.

So what about when I pray “in Jesus name” and the thing doesn’t happen?

You cannot just tack my name onto prayers and gain the magic powers. In my name means totally engulfed in me … where our thinking and seeing and hearing become one. Prayers from that place get answered. Mainly because they are perfectly in the Father’s will. Walking closely with me purifies your prayer before you even pray it because from there you see as I see. So walk closer with me and watch your prayers become my prayers. And they get answered.

In that day you will ask Me nothing —John 16:23