. . . men always ought to pray and not lose heart —Luke 18:1

As an intercessor, be careful not to seek too much information from God regarding the situation you are praying about, because you may be overwhelmed. If you know too much, more than God has ordained for you to know, you can’t pray; the circumstances of the people become so overpowering that you are no longer able to get to the underlying truth.

Our work is to be in such close contact with God that we may have His mind about everything, but we shirk that responsibility by substituting doing for interceding. And yet intercession is the only thing that has no drawbacks, because it keeps our relationship completely open with God.

What we must avoid in intercession is praying for someone to be simply “patched up.” We must pray that person completely through into contact with the very life of God. Think of the number of people God has brought across our path, only to see us drop them! When we pray on the basis of redemption, God creates something He can create in no other way than through intercessory prayer.

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December 19, 2011 (Reprise Journal Entry from 2011)

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, this devotional suggests that I make the decision about  who needs  compassion and who does not. I am not certain I am capable of making  that kind of decision. In fact my history says I am not even remotely (and never will be) capable of making that kind of distinction. When people are in  need I suspect I must simply trust You to lead me to my calling.

And God says…”That is  exactly right, when you encounter people in need of Me; you are to rely on Me to respond through you. You are not capable of making those kinds of  distinctions. Trust in Me and simply be available. Trust  in Me with all your heart  and I will make your path straight. When you have absolutely no idea what to say or do for a person that needs Me, simply trust Me and place yourself on My  alter. Let Me deal with them through you; simply be available. Acknowledge Me  in all your ways, and I will make your paths straight.”

. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . . —John 17:22

Personality is the unique, limitless part of our life that makes us distinct from everyone else. It is too vast for us even to comprehend. An island in the sea may be just the top of a large mountain, and our personality is like that island. We don’t know the great depths of our being, therefore we cannot measure ourselves. We start out thinking we can, but soon realize that there is really only one Being who fully understands us, and that is our Creator.

Personality is the characteristic mark of the inner, spiritual man, just as individuality is the characteristic of the outer, natural man. Our Lord can never be described in terms of individuality and independence, but only in terms of His total Person— “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30). Personality merges, and you only reach your true identity once you are merged with another person. When love or the Spirit of God come upon a person, he is transformed. He will then no longer insist on maintaining his individuality. Our Lord never referred to a person’s individuality or his isolated position, but spoke in terms of the total person— “. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . . .” Once your rights to yourself are surrendered to God, your true personal nature begins responding to God immediately. Jesus Christ brings freedom to your total person, and even your individuality is transformed. The transformation is brought about by love— personal devotion to Jesus. Love is the overflowing result of one person in true fellowship with another.

Journal, DJR
Good Morning, Lord.
It is truly good to walk in that state where love has taken over and exceeded our individuality (and independence and rebellion and a lot of other terms that mean doing our own thing with our pleasure, or avoiding pain as our main objective) Why I cant stay in that state more, I dont know, I really do like myself better, and I think you do to, when I am in what Oswald is referring to as personality rather than individuality state.
It has been normal since the garden for humans to think first of themselves. I have offered you a better way to live … with your independence and individuality surrendered and allowing yourself to be led by love. It takes practice and there is some decision making involved. Surrender can be a decision … or it can be what happens when no other options are left. Surrender by decision is a higher level life skill. But I’ll take your surrender either way. And either way, you’ll have a better life. You can surrender your individuality to another person and that is good, you’ll be a team, and two is more than twice as much as one … But the highest and best surrender in the Universe it surrender to the maker of the Universe and the Lover of your soul. It’s really the best way to live and I provided it for you because I love you and want to be in relationship with you.

Jesus said to His disciples, ’If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself . . .’ —Matthew 16:24

The characteristics of individuality are independence and self-will. We hinder our spiritual growth more than any other way by continually asserting our individuality. If you say, “I can’t believe,” it is because your individuality is blocking the way; individuality can never believe. But our spirit cannot help believing. Watch yourself closely when the Spirit of God is at work in you. He pushes you to the limits of your individuality where a choice must be made. The choice is either to say, “I will not surrender,” or to surrender, breaking the hard shell of individuality, which allows the spiritual life to emerge. The Holy Spirit narrows it down every time to one thing (see Matthew 5:23-24). It is your individuality that refuses to “be reconciled to your brother” (Matthew 5:24). God wants to bring you into union with Himself, but unless you are willing to give up your right to yourself, He cannot. “. . . let him deny himself . . .”— deny his independent right to himself. Then the real life-the spiritual life-is allowed the opportunity to grow.

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December 11, 2012

Lord, it seems lately that I have been consumed by my own issues and opportunities and frankly Lord, I needed this devotional. I needed to be reminded that it is not just population…me.  I needed this reminder that life is not my  movie around which everyone else plays a supporting role to my lead character.  Lord, help me see myself not  as an individual but as part of Your kingdom.

And God says…” The enemy would like you to feel like an individual, isolated, and alone even in your victories; and especially in your pain. But you are not alone, ever. I hold you in my hands and arms as I do everyone. And I loved them all even before they loved Me.  Seek Me in all you do…stay connected to Me and you will feel and act on your connection to others. When you are connected to Me, you will be connected to others as I live through you, reaching out and connecting all the time. One way to determine if we are truly connected is your connection with others. When you are reaching out naturally, it is an extension of you and I being connected. When you feel isolated, check
your connection with Me. Seek first the kingdom of God, which is Jesus ……..”

It is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman —Galatians 4:22
]’?

Paul was not dealing with sin in this chapter of Galatians, but with the relation of the natural to the spiritual. The natural can be turned into the spiritual only through sacrifice. Without this a person will lead a divided life. Why did God demand that the natural must be sacrificed? God did not demand it. It is not God’s perfect will, but His permissive will. God’s perfect will was for the natural to be changed into the spiritual through obedience. Sin is what made it necessary for the natural to be sacrificed.

Abraham had to offer up Ishmael before he offered up Isaac (see Genesis 21:8-14). Some of us are trying to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God before we have sacrificed the natural. The only way we can offer a spiritual sacrifice to God is to “present [our] bodies a living sacrifice . . .” (Romans 12:1). Sanctification means more than being freed from sin. It means the deliberate commitment of myself to the God of my salvation, and being willing to pay whatever it may cost.

If we do not sacrifice the natural to the spiritual, the natural life will resist and defy the life of the Son of God in us and will produce continual turmoil. This is always the result of an undisciplined spiritual nature. We go wrong because we stubbornly refuse to discipline ourselves physically, morally, or mentally. We excuse ourselves by saying, “Well, I wasn’t taught to be disciplined when I was a child.” Then discipline yourself now! If you don’t, you will ruin your entire personal life for God.

God is not actively involved with our natural life as long as we continue to pamper and gratify it. But once we are willing to put it out in the desert and are determined to keep it under control, God will be with it. He will then provide wells and oases and fulfill all His promises for the natural (see Genesis 21:15-19).

I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth —Genesis 9:13

Waiting for God to act is fleshly unbelief. It means that I have no faith in Him. I wait for Him to do something in me so I may trust in that. But God won’t do it, because that is not the basis of the God-and-man relationship. Man must go beyond the physical body and feelings in his covenant with God, just as God goes beyond Himself in reaching out with His covenant to man. It is a question of faith in God–a very rare thing. We only have faith in our feelings. I don’t believe God until He puts something tangible in my hand, so that I know I have it. Then I say, “Now I believe.” There is no faith exhibited in that. God says, “Look to Me, and be saved . . .” (Isaiah 45:22).

When I have really transacted business with God on the basis of His covenant, letting everything else go, there is no sense of personal achievement— no human ingredient in it at all. Instead, there is a complete overwhelming sense of being brought into union with God, and my life is transformed and radiates peace and joy.

. . . only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you —Genesis 41:40

Paul said, “I beseech you . . . that you present your bodies a living sacrifice . . .” (Romans 12:1). What I must decide is whether or not I will agree with my Lord and Master that my body will indeed be His temple. Once I agree, all the rules, regulations, and requirements of the law concerning the body are summed up for me in this revealed truth-my body is “the temple of the Holy Spirit.”

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December 5, 2012

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, lessons like this one stop me cold. Because I know I could and should treat my body as if it is yours and not mine. I know that I should take much better care of myself; work out more frequently, eat the right foods, think better thoughts, and in general demonstrate that I understand that my body belongs to You and is the temple of the Holy Spirit.  This lesson convicts me Lord. What can I do to become more disciplined about my body? How can I bring it under control?

And Gods says…”It is the very same lesson you have been learning for many years. You cannot, as Paul wrote, do the right things, but Jesus living inside of you can and does. Let go of your idea that you need to be a better man with more discipline. It does not work. Grinding your teeth and promising to do “the right thing” will only frustrate you, as you fail time after time after time.  Surrender your entire person to Jesus every day, every hour and every minute. Keep Jesus in your sight and let Him live through you. There is no reason to keep fighting a fight that has  already been won. Trust in the Lord with all your might and do not rely on your own methods and  discipline and He will make your paths straight. I will finish the good work I began in you; simply stay connected to Jesus and observe…. as the Spirit of the living God remakes you in His image.”

To him who overcomes . . . —Revelation 2:7

Health is the balance between the physical parts of my body and all the things and forces surrounding me. To maintain good health I must have sufficient internal strength to fight off the things that are external. Everything outside my physical life is designed to cause my death. The very elements that sustain me while I am alive work to decay and disintegrate my body once it is dead. If I have enough inner strength to fight, I help to produce the balance needed for health. The same is true of the mental life. If I want to maintain a strong and active mental life, I have to fight. This struggle produces the mental balance called thought.

Morally it is the same. Anything that does not strengthen me morally is the enemy of virtue within me. Whether I overcome, thereby producing virtue, depends on the level of moral excellence in my life. But we must fight to be moral. Morality does not happen by accident; moral virtue is acquired.

And spiritually it is also the same. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation . . .” (John 16:33). This means that anything which is not spiritual leads to my downfall. Jesus went on to say, “. . . but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” I must learn to fight against and overcome the things that come against me, and in that way produce the balance of holiness. Then it becomes a delight to meet opposition.

Holiness is the balance between my nature and the law of God as expressed in Jesus Christ.

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December 4, 2012

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, I am not really certain what Chambers was trying to say here, but the thread of a lesson has been working its way into my mind over the last few days; that struggles and trials are essential for spiritual maturity.  There was a time when I believed that life was supposed to be day to day living without pain, fear, anxiety or trials. And that if there was hardship then there must be something amiss. I must be doing something wrong, and perhaps You even abandoned me.

And God says…”It is a very important lesson to learn. It is like a demonstration of courage.  Courage is not acting as if you have no fear; courage is doing the right thing, taking the right action even in the midst of fear. Abundant living is not living without trouble, trials, fears or pain. Abundant living is the act (s) of living in Jesus and His abundant life even in the midst of trials, doubt and uncertainty.  You may still have difficult circumstances, and be pressed upon all around, but when you surrender it all to Jesus, you still can live an abundant life. And as you look back you will notice that those difficult times were the very sandpaper and whetstones that shaped you into the person I knew you to be. Do not try and get out of your trials too soon. Let them have their perfect result. You must feel the hurts, pain and trials for them to have their very positive result in you. And never fear; I am with you always and will allow nothing to touch you that has not first passed through My hands.”

My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power . . . —1 Corinthians 2:4

Once you are rooted in reality, nothing can shake you. If your faith is in experiences, anything that happens is likely to upset that faith. But nothing can ever change God or the reality of redemption. Base your faith on that, and you are as eternally secure as God Himself. Once you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you will never be moved again. That is the meaning of sanctification. God disapproves of our human efforts to cling to the concept that sanctification is merely an experience, while forgetting that even our sanctification must also be sanctified (see John 17:19). I must deliberately give my sanctified life to God for His service, so that He can use me as His hands and His feet.

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Journal Entry for Today-JDV

December 3, 2012

Lord, what takes You so long? Why do you wait, and wait, and then wait some more when I am in pain, hurt or doubting? Why must I go through the pain, doubt and uncertainty? Lord, I know You love me; I know that You want  the very best for me. Then why do You leave me alone and adrift sometimes wondering if you are there at all? Why don’t You respond to my cries for help immediately? Why must I be left alone inside my own pain, hurt or doubts for  what seems to be a long, long time before you show up?

And God says…” My ways are not your ways, and I do know what is the very best for you. I also know how you will learn, grow and become purified over time.  Trust in Me and even when you do not see or hear Me just know that I am letting the trial, doubt or uncertainty have the perfect result in your life. Know that I love more than you can ever imagine and the evidence of that is the sacrifice of Jesus. Look for Me to love You and because I love you, know that very often immediate rescue is not the answer. Look for me inside all that surrounds you, not just the rescue. Look for Me in all that touches you and know that I am God, and I will allow nothing to touch you that has not first passed through My hands. Know that many things that shape and mold you are Jesus in disguise.”

He will glorify Me . . . —John 16:14

The holiness movements of today have none of the rugged reality of the New Testament about them. There is nothing about them that needs the death of Jesus Christ. All that is required is a pious atmosphere, prayer, and devotion. This type of experience is not supernatural nor miraculous. It did not cost the sufferings of God, nor is it stained with “the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 12:11). It is not marked or sealed by the Holy Spirit as being genuine, and it has no visual sign that causes people to exclaim with awe and wonder, “That is the work of God Almighty!” Yet the New Testament is about the work of God and nothing else.

The New Testament example of the Christian experience is that of a personal, passionate devotion to the Person of Jesus Christ. Every other kind of so-called Christian experience is detached from the Person of Jesus. There is no regeneration— no being born again into the kingdom in which Christ lives and reigns supreme. There is only the idea that He is our pattern. In the New Testament Jesus Christ is the Savior long before He is the pattern. Today He is being portrayed as the figurehead of a religion— a mere example. He is that, but He is infinitely more. He is salvation itself; He is the gospel of God!

Jesus said, “. . . when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, . . . He will glorify Me . . .” (John 16:13-14). When I commit myself to the revealed truth of the New Testament, I receive from God the gift of the Holy Spirit, who then begins interpreting to me what Jesus did. The Spirit of God does in me internally all that Jesus Christ did for me externally.