growing in christ – Page 46

Using Words Wisely

Leave a Comment / April 12, 2012 April 12, 2012

Before I start today, I just want you to know that I have my husband’s permission to tell this story. He learned a good lesson through this incident several years ago. I feel so blessed to be married to someone who admits his mistakes and chooses to grow from them. Now on to the story–

“What does he want now? He always has a problem, doesn’t he? He is such a pain!” These words, or at least words like these, spilled out of my husband’s mouth as he spewed much of the frustration he had felt towards a troublesome customer for some years. His employee was at the complaining customer’s property and had called with a question. Unfortunately for my husband, the employee on the other end of the call was using his Nextel and had put it on speaker phone. He had called with the customer right beside him and said customer had just heard my husband’s entire deluge of words directed at him.

What to do? Our employee handled it as best he could. He left my husband know immediately and in a nonchalant way that the man was right beside him and listening. The conversation became stilted and was finished quickly. My husband’s heart sank. What kind of mess had he gotten himself into now? He tries to treat all customers courteously and kindly, but every now and again, one stretches him to his limits.

After the mortifying realization of what had occurred, he made the decision to go and apologize to this man. And, quite honestly, he was very well received. After the apology and some open discussion, our relationship with this customer improved considerably and he is still our customer to this day.

As we laugh about it now, we also realize that there are some important lessons to be learned from the unfortunate incident.

1. There will be people who frustrate us in life. It is important that we apply scriptural principles in our dealings with them. In Luke 6:31, Jesus says: And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. If we apply this principle with the irritating people in our lives, it should change our responses.

2. It is important to choose our words carefully, even when we are frustrated or irritated. Too often we spout off words we don’t even mean in the heat of the moment. Whether they are about someone or directly to that person, we need to use self-control when we express our frustration.

3. Don’t be too proud to apologize. The last thing my husband wanted to do was to go to this customer and apologize. First, he doesn’t know him that well personally and second, it was just downright embarrassing. So many times we are afraid to face the person we have offended or hurt, so we just pretend it will go away. But it doesn’t! That pain and hurt, even if forgiven, often lingers on in the heart of the person we hurt. It is important that we offer our sincere apology immediately. In the case of this customer, it was the best thing my husband could have done. And, from my own experience (with my many mistakes in life!), it does get easier the more you do it. If you are out of practice of apologizing, the first time will be agonizing. You will stumble over your words and hesitate and feel foolish. But try it! I think you will find it so beneficial to your relationships, and at the very least, you will know that you have done the right thing.

4. It is important to choose our words carefully always, but especially when we are in a public setting–on the phone, in the bleachers or on the sidelines, in a church hallway, or at a family gathering. Ephesians 4:29 says: Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. Does my speech impart grace to the hearers? What a great test for our language.

Life is full of unpleasant, uncomfortable, and awkward circumstances. It is important that we don’t miss the life lessons hidden in those moments. The story above was just one such moment and even now, years later, we still think on the lessons we learned from that unpleasant incident.

10 Ways to Render a Christian Ineffective

1 Comment / April 11, 2012 April 11, 2012

Okay, so it isn’t Monday or Thursday, but this week you get a bonus post! Here is my list of 10 ways to render Christians ineffective for the cause of Christ.

1. Get them so addicted to entertainment and material pleasures that nothing else seems important.

2. Have them become so reliant on others to solve their problems and meet their needs that they never have to rely on God for anything.

3. Busy their lives with sports, games, meetings, jobs, and church functions that they are far too busy to read their Bibles, much less anything else.

4. Fool them into believing that they can do anything they want and claim it all forgiven, and even sanctioned, by the grace of God.

5. Put out a thousand translations of the Bible and convince them that it doesn’t matter which one you use, as long as it is called the “Bible”.

6. Get them so wrapped up in fighting over insignificant things that they never focus on the issues that really matter.

7. Teach them to believe that the only ways to show true Christian love is giving to the poor and tolerating the beliefs of others, even at the cost of the Truth.

8. Fool them into believing the only way to reach the lost is to become like them.

9. Teach them that a simple prayer is all it takes to declare themselves saved, even if there has never been a transformed life or even a little bit of fruit to give evidence of that salvation.

10. Have them put so much focus on their feelings and emotions that they lose all taste for True doctrine.

After-Easter Days

Leave a Comment / April 9, 2012 April 9, 2012

I hope you enjoy this excerpt from a book called “The Cross of Christ” . This seemed so appropriate for the day after Easter.

Easter morning is the beginning of a unique and most tenderly interesting portion of our blessed Savior’s life. It is the transition period between His earthly ministry and His heavenly exaltation. Like the Indian summer of the year, there is a tender veil of loveliness and mystery about it which links it with both worlds, and makes it a peculiarly appropriate pattern of a life hid with Christ in God, in which we may walk with Him all our days with our heads in heaven, while our feet still tread the earth below. May the Holy Spirit vividly reveal to us such glimpses of this blessed life as will enable us to reproduce it in our own experience and to walk with Him with a new sense of His abiding presence and glorious reality!

This glad resurrection morning dispels from the religion of Jesus all the shadow of the sepulcher and all the morbid atmosphere of sorrow, depression, and death. The Christ of true Christianity is not a bleeding, thorn-crowned Ecce Homo, but a gold and radiant face, bright as the springtime morning and radiant with immortal life. “I am the Living One; I was dead,” is His message, and “Behold I am alive for ever and ever!” (Revelation 1:18). Oh, may this day impress upon our hearts the reality of a risen and living Christ, until He shall be more actual to us than any other personality; and we shall know what it means to be not only “reconciled to him through the death of his Son,” but “shall we be saved through his life!” (Romans 5:10).

What a picture of easy and uttermost triumph is that resurrection scene! Satan had done his utmost; men had done their best to hold the Captive of the tomb. But without an effort the mighty Sleeper calmly rose before the Easter dawn, deliberately laying off the grave clothes and wrapping up the napkin, and putting all in place as naturally as any of us this morning arranged our bedroom. Then through that colossal stone that closed His tomb, He passed without even rolling it aside or breaking the seal. And before the guards could know that He was risen, He was standing calmly in the garden, talking with Mary as though nothing had happened. The infinite facility with which He put His feet on every foe and rose above every obstacle is, perhaps, the most overwhelming impression we have received from all the incidents of His resurrection.

So, too, we see the same victorious power expressed in the attitude of the angel who followed Him, and with a single touch rolled away the stone from the sepulcher and coolly sat down upon it, and then looked in the faces of the keepers till they grew pale with terror and flew in horror and dismay without a struggle.

Such is our risen Christ still, the mighty Victor over all His foes and ours. Could we see Him now, we would behold Him sitting on His Father’s throne, undismayed by all the powers of darkness, and “since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool” (Hebrews 10:13). Oh, how it cheers our timid hearts to behold our glorious and victorious Captain, and to hear Him say of every adversary and every difficulty, “I have overcome for you.” God help us to see the Captain as Joshua beheld Him, and before Him the walls of every Jericho will fall and the legions of every opposing force will melt away!

—The Cross of Christ, by A.B. Simpson

Glorious Freedom

2 Comments / April 5, 2012 March 23, 2016

Johnny was born into slavery. He was hauling water and helping his mama in the kitchen since he could remember. As he grew older, he became his master’s special servant. He would help his master get dressed in the morning, run errands for him, and serve his meals. He was expected to be available at all times, just in case his master needed anything. Johnny obeyed his master, Mr. Clark, because that was his duty.

But, over the years, a strange thing happened. Mr. Clark began to feel a fatherly love in his heart for young Johnny. He saw Johnny’s lack of education and hired a tutor. He saw his need for clothing and hired a tailor. He even started having Johnny join him in the main dining room for meals. You see, Mr. Clark did not have any children and was a very lonely man. After several years, Mr. Clark decided to adopt Johnny as his very own son. Mr. Clark even changed his will so that Johnny became the sole heir of his vast estate.

After Mr. Clark adopted Johnny, you may think that their relationship changed. Suddenly, Johnny could do what he wanted. He was free. But Johnny continued to serve Mr. Clark in the same capacity. Only now it wasn’t because it was his duty but, instead, because of his love for his master–who was now also his father.

I would submit to you that our freedom in Christ is quite similar. I believe that Christian freedom has been misinterpreted for so long now, that we don’t even question whether or not today’s definition of “Christian Freedom” is biblical. Christian freedom isn’t about what we are allowed to do–it is about what we can do. What can we do to please the Father who adopted us as sons and daughters? What choice will bring glory to God?

This applies to everything–from the tone of voice we choose to use when we are frustrated to whom we decide to marry. From what show or movie we watch on our television after a long, hard day to which career path we follow. Our desire to please the One who saved us should encompass every decision we make.

If we view Christian freedom as an excuse to fulfill our own desires and lusts (Galatians 5:13), we mock the cross. Christ loved us so much that He died to free us from the heavy chains of sin. And yet so many of us crawl right back to the sinful place we started and wallow there, claiming Christ’s continual forgiveness–or even worse yet, claiming that our salvation has eradicated the need for “rules”. And you would be right: Rules no longer dictate our behavior after we are saved.

But is this even the question we should be asking? Just like Johnny obeyed out of love, so we, too, upon our adoption by our Heavenly Father, change from obeying God’s law out of duty to obeying it out of love. The law doesn’t change–our hearts change. What is expected of us doesn’t change, it is why we do what is expected of us that changes. No longer do we feel like obedience is a chore, but, instead, we now consider it a privilege. And so, from the smallest choice to every life-changing decision, our question becomes: How can I best please my God?

As we celebrate Easter this weekend, may we remember that Christ died and rose again to free us from our chains. May we consider this amazing grace and our eternal inheritance with all sobriety and sacredness. And may we endeavor to please Him because we love Him more than we love ourselves.

Are You Sure About That?

3 Comments / April 2, 2012 May 17, 2016

The headlines read “26 Years Later, Haven’t Lost Anyone”. The article went on to give the lawn company’s philosophy and why they never – yes, it said NEVER – have lost a customer. Having owned a lawn company for 25 years, my husband first recognized the impossibility of this statement. And then he started laughing as he realized that he was actually bidding some work for one of their unhappy customers. The credibility of that company and of the newspaper that ran the article was thrown into question after reading what we knew, firsthand, to be an outright lie.

Around this same time, our daughter was in a car accident with another driver, a young girl. There were not any witnesses of the incident and the young girl proceeded to lie about what had occurred. Our auto insurance is headed to battle over it, as the dents in the cars tell the true story and they believe they will be able to prove it was not our daughter’s fault.

We also had two incidents with buying mowers recently. In one, a verbal agreement was made and we were on our way to pick it up (a drive of several hours) when we were called and told that he had sold the mower to someone who had offered to pay him more. In the other case, we traveled to Philadelphia to pick one up, being told it was in mint condition, only to hear a tap in the motor.

So, what do all of these stories have in common? Integrity.

No longer do people feel it necessary to be truthful in advertising…to keep their word…to be honest in their interactions with others. Instead they do whatever is to their own advantage, with no concern for the truth.

The lack of concern about the truth in this culture is truly frightening. But the lie that there are no moral absolutes has seeped its way into the culture so thoroughly, that now we are reaping the consequences. And they will be heavy consequences. You could see it happening twenty years ago. I remember a song in the 80s talking about this change in teaching absolute truth to our public school students. You could see it happening when TV sitcoms would (and still do) glorify and make light of someone telling a lie to get something they wanted. You could also see it coming, when parents started to set examples of lying on their taxes and being dishonest about sick days and why they couldn’t come to the phone. Another big red flag was when a person’s “happiness” became the ultimate goal for life. You see, these things set the stage for a generation that has no respect for the truth, unless it is to their advantage.

So, as a Christian (and, hopefully, as one who practices telling the truth), what are we to do? Well, first and foremost, of course, is that we stand out in this culture by being honorable and trustworthy. We should tell the truth, no matter what the outcome (Proverbs 14:5). We also need to be unwavering and to set a godly example as we teach our children the importance of honesty and integrity.

Another important thing we need to do in this day and age is to listen to everything with the proverbial grain of salt . Whether it is in the newspaper, on the TV news or on a reality show, or even hearing a story about someone else’s tragic circumstances from a friend, we shouldn’t be so quick to believe what we hear. So many are the agendas and slants given to stories, that we need to be really careful in what we believe.

As I write on this topic, I find myself filled with sadness at the state of this culture. I could see it coming and now I realize that we are here. I also know the inevitable outcome of a country that holds no respect for the truth. But, alas, here we are. And so it is our duty and responsibility to live the Christian life with integrity in a culture that holds no esteem for the truth.

Righteous Anger

8 Comments / March 29, 2012 March 29, 2012

I found myself really angry the other day. My daughter, Susan (names have been changed to protect the innocent), had said something very hurtful to me. We were sitting as a family at the dinner table eating and talking, when out popped this comment from Susan’s mouth. I felt myself grow hot with anger. My pride was hurt and I grew cold and quiet. I escaped to my office and spent the rest of the night working, as far from Susan as I could get. The following morning I did not treat Susan very kindly. She finally asked me about why I wasn’t being very nice. And, I am ashamed to say, that all of that coldness and those hurt feelings came welling up in me and I started explaining to her in a very loud and not-so-nice voice why her comment had been hurtful, unkind, and downright wrong. And then I walked out and I may have even slammed the door.

I was immediately totally and completely ashamed of myself. My whole reaction from the time the comment was made to the moment I spoke unkindly was sinful. What had I just done? And why was I so angry? I was angry because of a derogatory comment directed towards me. My sinful self shines so brightly in situations like this. And I am mortified at how quickly it shows itself. And so, within five minutes, I was apologizing, and a few minutes later we had a good long talk as to why that comment was made in the first place (which was actually frustration about a totally different situation).

So what does it matter? Why do I feel this is worth a blog post? In a conversation with a woman the other day she was telling me about her husband’s anger and how he will use the excuse that Jesus got angry. Many of us do that. Well, Jesus got angry, so I am allowed to get angry. We don’t view anger as the sin it is.

But, let’s stop and think for just a moment about that incident in the temple (Mark 11). Jesus went into the temple and drove out the moneychangers. Why was He angry that they were there? He was angry because they were offending God the Father. They were turning worship into a business.

And then let’s turn back to the last time we got angry. Was it because someone used God’s name in vain? Or because they are murdering babies in the womb every day? Or perhaps because they have glorified sin and have offended my Savior? In my case, it was because someone offended my pride. Other times it is because I don’t get my own way. Or perhaps someone did something hurtful to my child and I get angry about that.

Truly righteous anger is when we are offended because someone is offending our God. Any other anger is sinful. That is hard to swallow if we are someone who grows angry rather quickly. Some of us are so prone to outbursts of anger that we don’t even give it a thought anymore. It is just part of who we are and we don’t even feel conviction about it. We tell our spouses and children that it is just who we are and we can’t change it (which is just a lie and an excuse, of course).

And some of us rarely get angry. Our personalities are just pretty laid back and we don’t get riled about much of anything. If you are like this, you are probably wondering why I would even write on this topic.

And some of you are like me – very convicted about how angry and offended we get and realizing that this is not an attitude that pleases God. And so we continue the cycle of growing angry and then apologizing. And while I don’t expect perfection on this side of heaven, I have seen many people grow and mature in this area of anger. Even in my own life I have noticed that these angry moments have grown fewer and farther between. We can have victory in Christ! We don’t have to let our anger rule over us…but instead must choose to rule over it.

As I look out my window this morning, I see a beautiful sun-drenched sky. I see the beginning of a new day. Let’s take our focus off of ourselves for this one day. Let’s turn away from our offended and angry thoughts and stop and think for just a second about why we are so angry instead of letting our emotions take over. Let’s say YES to the Spirit and NO to the flesh. (Galatians 5: 16-25).

Hunger Games Mania

33 Comments / March 26, 2012 March 26, 2012

Can someone please explain to me the Hunger Games Craze? Why are Christians flocking to this movie in droves? I am so confused by this.

Over the weekend I was discussing this with a group of ladies and as we discussed the plot, certain things came up. Words like dark and depressing and suicide. A plot of children trying to kill each other or be killed. A sinister town with an evil game.

As we watch children try to kill each other, how do we decide who is the good guy? If they are the killer and the victim, how do we know who to root for? Suddenly, the protagonist is the antagonist, too. We know who to root for because the author tells us. But why? Why is that character so much better than the others? Don’t you think the others have the same thoughts and fears and questions? Aren’t they in the same predicament?

So, does the theme of sacrificial love that is also part of the plot make up for all of this darkness? I would really like to hear from you why it should? What am I missing by not seeing this film? There are so many beautiful stories filled with sacrificial love. Do we really need to fill our mind with the likes of Hunger Games to enjoy that theme?

I know I am stepping on a ton of toes here. This movie has been all over Facebook and I know many of you will vehemently disagree with me. Please tell me why? Tell me why you think a Christian should see this? I really want to know.

When something is popular in the world, it usually means danger. At the very least, we need to keep our eyes open to the media around us and the messages they are pumping into our heads. Did you know that after Harry Potter’s popularity, interest in the occult rose incredibly? They are not just books and movies. These things are tools that shape our culture.

As believers, we need to live above the status quo. We can never let our guard down or take off our armor. We are soldiers in a spiritual battle. Discernment isn’t an option, it is a command.

Learning from Twitches

Leave a Comment / March 22, 2012 March 22, 2012

Rules. What a bother. Often we are tempted to think that the rules (or commands) held within the pages of the Bible are there to make our life miserable. The world tells us that we have no fun as Christians. And, yes, many are the commands given to us as followers of Jesus Christ and Jesus says if we love Him, we will keep His commandments. (John 14:21). But what would happen if there weren’t any rules? Something happened to our family awhile ago that gave insight into this question and led me to the conclusion that perhaps many of the commands Jesus gives us are not only for His glory, but also for OUR protection.

We used to have pet rabbits. One weekend, after we had just gotten our new baby bunnies, we decided to take them along on a camping trip. We brought a crate along to set right outside the door of the camper where they could be kept safe and sound. We gently placed our four bunnies in the crate on Friday night but when we woke up the next morning, we only had three! My son’s bunny, Twitches, had disappeared. He must’ve been small enough to squeeze through the narrow bars. Unfortunately, Twitches did not know that he had everything he needed right where he was. He didn’t know that he should have been perfectly happy and content. Instead he longed for adventure and so he escaped the crate only to be eaten or to starve or to drown. We never did find out what happened to him. Needless to say, it cast a bit of a shadow over that particular camping trip.

This incident reminds me of God’s commandments. Sometimes we want to leave God’s “crate”. It’s not a crate you can see, but it is a safety zone, set up by the commandments and laws God has placed in the Bible. Here are a few examples: “Do not commit adultery” brings protection and well-being to the family. “Do not bear false witness” brings peace and love to relationships. “Honor your father and mother” keeps young people from making the stupid mistakes their parents made and learned from. “Do not be unequally yoked together” protects young people from a marriage that could never be truly unified.

We are safe in God’s safety zone, but many of us are not content. We want the fun the world offers! We want adventure! We want to do our own thing and we declare in our hearts that no one- not even God- is going to tell us what to do…and then we reap the consequences. And often during those consequences we cry out “Why?!” to God angrily. Sinful choices always reap harmful consequences.

God, All-Knowing, has placed great wisdom within the holy scriptures for us to live by. Great are the blessings to us if we follow the commands found there. Sure, life won’t be all roses, but we will avoid many painful experiences if we obey the Lord and His commands. And we will also experience more joy and happiness than anyone in the world could imagine. You see, the things that look “fun” in the world really aren’t much fun in the end.

And yet so many of us are just like Twitches. We long for release from the “safety zone”. We want to experience the WORLD and its lusts and its passions, not realizing that we are going to only end up hurting ourselves and often those we love. May we cast aside our rebellious spirits and submit ourselves wholly to God…which is the only way we will ever experience peace on this earth.

Exodus 20: 1-7; John 14:21

NOTE: This was originally published under the title “Rules – Good or Bad?” It was one of my first posts. I felt it deserved an encore, as my readership was very limited at that time, so this is the re-worked original.

My Heart, Christ’s Home

Leave a Comment / March 15, 2012 March 15, 2012

Below is an old story that has brought delight and conviction to others for many years. When I read it the first time, my heart was smitten. I realized how much of my life I was withholding from the Lord. We truly are to surrender all. I believe this little story is a good reminder for all of us.

My Heart, Christ’s Home

by Robert Boyd Munger

One evening I invited Jesus Christ into my heart. What an entrance He made! It was not a spectacular, emotional thing, but very real. It was at the very center of my life. He came into the darkness of my heart and turned on the light. He built a fire in the cold hearth and banished the chill. He started music where there had been stillness, and He filled the emptiness with His own loving, wonderful fellowship. I have never regretted opening the door to Christ and I never will – not into eternity!

This, of course, is the first step in making the heart Christ’s home. He has said, “Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20). If you are interested in making your life an abode of the living God, let me encourage you to invite Christ into your heart and He will surely come.

After Christ entered my heart and in the joy of this new relationship I said to Him, “Lord, I want this heart of mine to be Yours. I want to have You settle down here and be perfectly at home. Everything I have belongs to You. Let me show You around and introduce you to the various features of the home that you may be more comfortable and that we may have fuller fellowship together.” He was very glad to come, of course, and happier still to be given a place in the heart.

The Library

The first room was the study – the library. Let us call it the study of the mind. Now in my home this room of the mind is a very small room with very thick walls. But it is an important room. In a sense, it is the control room of the house. He entered with me and looked around at the books in the bookcase, the magazines upon the table, the pictures on the walls. As I followed His gaze I became uncomfortable. Strangely enough, I had not felt badly about this before, but now that He was there looking at these things I was embarrassed. There were some books were there that His eyes were too pure to behold. There was a lot of trash and literature on the table that a Christian had no business reading, and as for the pictures on the walls – the imaginations and thoughts of the mind – these were shameful.

I turned to Him and said, “Master, I know that this room needs a radical alteration. Will You help me make it what it ought to be? – to bring every thought into captivity to you?”

“Surely!” He said. “Gladly will I help you. First of all, take all the things that you are reading and looking at which are not helpful, pure, good and true, and throw them out! Now put on the empty shelves the books of the Bible. Fill the library with Scriptures and meditate on them day and night. As for the pictures on the walls, you will have difficulty controlling these images, but here is an aid” He gave me a full-size portrait of Himself. “Hang this centrally,” He said, “on the wall of the mind.” I did, and I have discovered through the years that when my thoughts are centered upon Christ Himself, His purity and power cause impure thoughts to back away. So He has helped me to bring my thoughts into captivity.

May I suggest to you if you have difficulty with this little room of the mind, that you bring Christ in there. Pack it full with the Word of God, meditate upon it and keep before it the immediate presence of the Lord Jesus.

The Dining Room

From the study we went into the dining room, the room of appetites and desires. Now this was a very large room. I spent a good deal of time in the dining room and much effort in satisfying my wants. I said to Him, “This is a favorite room. I am quite sure You will be pleased with what we serve.”

He seated Himself at the table with me and asked, “What is on the menu for dinner?” “Well,” I said, “my favorite dishes: money, academic degrees, and stocks, with newspaper articles of fame and fortune as side dishes.” These were the things I liked – worldly fare. I suppose there was nothing radically wrong in any particular item, but it was not the food that should satisfy the life of a real Christian.

When the food was placed before Him, He said nothing about it. However, I observed that He did not eat it, and I said to Him, somewhat disturbed, “Master, don’t You care for this food? What is the trouble?”

He answered, “I have meat to eat that you do not know of. My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me.” He looked at me again and said, “If you want food that really satisfies you, seek the will of the Father, not your own pleasures, not your own desires, and not your own satisfaction. Seek to please Me and that food will satisfy you.”

And there at the table He gave me a taste of doing God’s will. What a flavor! There is no food like it in all the world. It alone satisfies. Everything else is dissatisfying in the end.

Now if Christ is in your heart, and I trust He is, what kind of food are you serving Him and what kind of food are you eating yourself? Are you living for the lust of the flesh and the pride of life – selfishly? Or are you choosing God’s will for your meat and drink?

The Living Room

We walked next into the living room. This room was rather intimate and comfortable. I liked it. It had a fireplace, overstuffed chairs, a sofa, and a quiet atmosphere. He also seemed pleased with it. He said, “This is indeed a delightful room. Let us come here often. It is secluded and quiet, and we can fellowship together.”

Well, naturally as a young Christian I was thrilled. I couldn’t think of anything I would rather do than have a few minutes with Christ in intimate companionship. He promised, “I will be here early every morning. Meet me here, and we will start the day together.” So morning after morning, I would come downstairs to the living room and He would take a book of the Bible from the bookcase. He would open it and then we would read together. He would tell me of its riches and unfold to me its truths. He would make my heart warm as He revealed His love and His grace He had toward me. These were wonderful hours together. In fact, we called the living room the “withdrawing room.” It was a period when we had our quiet time together.

But, little by little, under the pressure of many responsibilities, this time began to be shortened. Why, I’m don’t know, but I thought I was just too busy to spend time with Christ. This was not intentional, you understand; it just happened that way. Finally, not only was the time shortened, but I began to miss a day now and then. It was examination time at the university. Then it was some other urgent emergency. I would miss it two days in a row and often more.

I remember one morning when I was in a hurry, rushing downstairs, eager to be on my way. As I passed the living room, the door was open. Looking in, I saw a fire in the fireplace and Jesus was sitting there. Suddenly in dismay I thought to myself, “He was my guest. I invited Him into my heart! He has come as Lord of my home. And yet here I am neglecting Him.”

I turned and went in. With downcast glance, I said, “Blessed Master, forgive me. Have You been here all these mornings?” “Yes,” He said, “I told you I would be here every morning to meet with you.” Then I was even more ashamed. He had been faithful in spite of my faithfulness. I asked His forgiveness and He readily forgave me as He does when we are truly repentant.

“The trouble with you is this: you have been thinking of the quiet time, of the Bible study and prayer time, as a factor in your own spiritual progress, but you have forgotten that this hour means something to me also. Remember, I love you. I have redeemed you at great cost. I value your fellowship. Now,” He said, “do not neglect this hour if only for my sake. Whatever else may be your desire, remember I want your fellowship!”

You know, the truth that Christ desires my companionship, that He loves me, wants me to be with Him, wants to be with me and waits for me, has done more to transform my quiet time with God than any other single fact. Don’t let Christ wait alone in the living room of your heart, but every day find some time when, with your Bible and in prayer, you may be together with Him.

The Workroom

Before long, He asked, “Do you have a workroom in your home?” Down in the basement of the home of my heart I had a workbench and some equipment, but I was not doing much with it. Once in a while I would play around with a few little gadgets, but I wasn’t producing anything substantial or worthwhile.

I led Him down there. He looked over the workbench and what little talents and skills I had. He said, “This is quite well furnished. What are you producing with your life for the Kingdom of God?” He looked at one or two little toys that I had thrown together on the bench and held one up to me. “Are these little toys all that you are doing for others in your Christian life?”

“Well,” I said, “Lord, that is the best I can do. I know it isn’t much, and I really want to do more, but after all, I have no skill or strength to do more.” “Would you like to do better?” He asked.

“Certainly,” I replied. “All right. Let me have your hands. Now relax in me and let my Spirit work through you. I know that you are unskilled, clumsy and awkward, but the Holy Spirit is the Master-Worker, and if He controls your hands and your heart, He will work through you.” And so, stepping around behind me and putting His great, strong hands over mine, controlling the tools with His skilled fingers He began to work through me.

There’s much more that I must still learn and I am very far from satisfied with the product that is being turned out, but I do know that whatever has been produced for God has been through His strong hand and through the power of His Spirit in me.

Do not become discouraged because you cannot do much for God. Your ability is not the fundamental condition. It is He who is controlling your fingers and upon whom you are relying. Give your talents and gifts to God and He will do things with them that will surprise you..

The Rec Room

I remember the time He asked me about the playroom. I was hoping He would not ask about that. There were certain associations and friendships, activities and amusements that I wanted to keep for myself. I did not think Christ would enjoy them or approve of them, so I evaded the question.

But there came an evening when I was on my way out with some of my friends, and as I was about to cross the threshold, He stopped me with a glance and asked, “Are you going out?” I replied, “Yes.” “Good,” He said, “I would like to go with you.”

“Oh,” I answered rather awkwardly. “I don’t think, Lord Jesus, that You would really want to go with us. Let’s go out tomorrow night. Tomorrow night we will go to prayer meeting, but tonight I have another appointment.”

He said. “That’s alright. Only I thought that when I came into your home, we were going to do everything together, to be close companions. I just want you to know that I am willing to go with you.” “Well,” I said, “we will go someplace together tomorrow night.”

That evening I spent some miserable hours. I felt wretched. What kind of a friend was I to Jesus when I was deliberately leaving Him out of my associations, doing things and going places that I knew very well He would not enjoy? When I returned that evening, there was a light in His room, and I went up to talk it over with Him. I said, “Lord, I have learned my lesson. I can’t have a good time without You. From now on we will do everything together.”

Then we went down into the playroom of the house and He transformed it. He brought into life real joy, real happiness, real satisfaction, new friends, new excitement, new joys. Laughter and music have been ringing through the house ever since.

The Hall Closet

There is just one more matter that I might share with you. One day I found Him waiting for me at the door. An arresting look was in His eye. As I entered, He said to me, “There is a peculiar odor in the house. There is something dead around here. It’s upstairs. I think it is in the hall closet.” As soon as He said this, I knew what He was talking about. Yes, there was a small closet up there on the landing, just a few feet square, and in that closet, behind lock and key, I had one or two little personal things that I did not want anyone to know about and certainly I did not want Christ to see them. I knew they were dead and rotting things left over from the old life. And yet I loved them, and I wanted them so for myself that I was afraid to admit they were there.

Reluctantly, I went up with Him, and as we mounted the stairs the odor became stronger and stronger. He pointed at the door. “It’s in there! Some dead thing!” I was angry. That’s the only way I can put it. I had given Him access to the library, the dining room, the living room, the workroom, the playroom, and now He was asking me about a little two-by-four closet. I said to myself, “This is too much. I am not going to give Him the key.”

“Well,” He said, reading my thoughts, “if you think I’m going to stay up here on the second floor with this odor, you are mistaken. I will take my bed out on the back porch. I’m certainly not going to put up with that.” Then I saw Him start down the stairs.

When you have come to know and love Christ, the worst thing that can happen is to sense His fellowship retreating from you. I had to surrender. “I’ll give You the key,” I said sadly, “but You’ll have to open the closet and clean it out. I haven’t the strength to do it.” “I know,” He said. “I know you haven’t. Just give me the key. Just authorize me to take care of that closet and I will.” So with trembling fingers I passed the key to Him. He took it from my hand, walked over to the door, opened it, entered it, took out all the putrefying stuff that was rotting there, and threw it away. Then He cleaned the closet and painted it, fixed it up, doing it all in a moment’s time. Oh, what victory and release to have that dead thing out of my life!

Transferring the Title

Then a thought came to me. I said to myself, “I have been trying to keep this heart of mine clear for Christ. I start on one room and no sooner have I cleaned that then another room is dirty. I begin on the second room and the first room becomes dusty again. I am so tired and weary trying to maintain a clean heart and an obedient life. I am just not up to it!”

So I ventured a question: “Lord, is there any chance that You would take over the responsibility of the whole house and operate it for me and with me just as You did that closet? Would You take the responsibility to keep my heart what it ought to be and my life where it ought to be?”

I could see His face light up as He replied, “Certainly, that is what I came to do. You cannot be a victorious Christian in your own strength. That is impossible. Let me do it through you and for you. That is the way. But,” He added slowly, “I am not owner of this house. I am just a guest. I have no authority to proceed, since the property is not mine.” I saw it in a minute and dropping to my knees, I said, “Lord, You have been a guest and I have been the host. From now on I am going to be the servant. You are going to be the owner and Master and Lord.”

Running as fast as I could to the strongbox, I took out the title deed to the house describing its assets and liabilities, location and situation and condition. I eagerly signed it over to belong to Him alone for time and eternity. “Here,” I said. “Here it is, all that I am and have forever. Now You run the house. I’ll just remain with You as a servant and friend.”

He took my life that day and I can give you my word, there is no better way to live the Christian life. He knows how to keep it in shape and deep peace settles down on the soul. May Christ settle down and be at home in your heart as Lord of all!

Obeying the Coach

4 Comments / March 5, 2012 March 5, 2012

A month or so ago I found myself sitting on the bleachers in a gymnasium, waiting for a basketball game to start. I watched the floor as the assistant coach took the team through rigorous drills. He commanded and the team responded immediately. They didn’t care what they looked like or who was watching. As soon as their leader barked an order, they obeyed. That same immediate obedience and passion continued as the team played the game. Each player always had an ear out for what the head coach was shouting to them and obeyed his instructions. We all know this is really the only way a team can be successful. If one of them would have decided not to listen to the coach, it would have caused disorganization at the very least and chaos at most.

It was a team of high school boys and I couldn’t help but reflect on how often boys that age don’t want to be told what to do. So why were they so acquiescent for these coaches? I believe it is because playing basketball is something they love to do. The cost of obedience and hard work was worth the opportunity to play a sport they enjoy.

I couldn’t help but compare that to how we follow Jesus. We say we love Him and yet, so many of us want to listen to our own voices instead of His. We take Bible verses out of context and instead of obeying what it is truly commanding, we devise meanings that soothe our souls. And, in the meantime, the body of Christ reaps the harm of our personal choices.

We often choose to not obey, or perhaps partially obey:

“God, I will give you this $100, but I just can’t afford to give 10% all of the time.”

“God, I know that you have blessed me with this comfortable home, but I just don’t have the energy to host anyone.”

“God, I know you have given me a healthy, strong body and that there is something I could be doing to minister in my church, but I just don’t have time.”

“God, I know you call me to live a pure and holy life, but the entertainment of today is just so funny and it is only portraying real life.”

Of course, there would be many more examples. And we end up hurting not only ourselves but our team (the body of Christ) with our selfishness and our insistence to do things our own way. And I can’t help but go back to the question of why.

The basketball players obey because they love the game of basketball. Many of us claim to love Jesus, but we do not want the obedience and call to selfless and holy living that goes along with that claim. Oh, we want the perks of peace and joy and eternal life. But we would prefer to ignore the commands like deny ourselves (Luke 9:23), to be generous (2 Cor 9:5), to live a holy life (Ephesians 1:4), and that we should not love the world or the things in it (I John 2:15), just to name a few. We are called to completely surrender our lives to Christ.

So I look way down deep in my heart and ask the question: Do I love Jesus enough to follow without question or exception? Or am I squirming and questioning when it gets inconvenient and uncomfortable and costs me something? It is a sobering thought.