All posts by Gwenyth

I live on the outskirts of Whangarei, the northernmost city in New Zealand. I enjoy many things, ( writing amongst them), have been married to Keith for sixty-one years, have three married daughters, nine grandchildren and seventeen great- grandchildren who are scattered in various countries. No cats and no dogs as they would cramp our life-style.. We are obviously retired, but were farming further north before moving to the town over thirty-five years ago. We attend one of the local churches across the same side of town that we live.
Life Lessons

My Heart, God’s Home…11….The Garden

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     Things settled down and everything seemed to be going smoothly. I was having my daily morning times with the Lord when He opened His word to me and I talked with Him. They were precious times and I wouldn’t have missed them for anything. I had banished all the doubtful things from the study of my mind, and I was feasting on the good and pure things that He delighted in.

  My cupboards were clean and tidy with all the rubbish disposed of to the dump. He was teaching me how to make the best use of my time and to make useful contacts with others. Everything was neat and tidy, with my cupboards all clean and I had nothing to be ashamed of, or so I thought.

   One day, the Lord came to me and said with a whimsical smile, “Um, have you looked at the garden lately?” I glanced out the window, and said hastily, “But Lord, You know how busy I’ve been doing Your work, and taking time to be with You each day!”

“Ah,” He said, “But you cannot afford to get slack in anything that belongs to Me. I know I could do this work for you with a single word, but that is not  how I have ordained things. It is up to you to weed and tend this garden, or you will not be able to totally enjoy the beauty I have provided. The plants will be covered in weeds, and the dead heads on the flowers will prevent new growth and continual flowering!”

“Oh”, I said somewhat shamefacedly, “I’m sorry Lord, I’ll get onto it straight away and promise I won’t let it get away from me again!”    I was beginning to realise that serving the Lord is a lifelong daily task! When the shrubs were starting to grow too rampantly, they needed trimming back to keep their shape, and other plants had to be staked to hold them upright. So as I began to weed and trim, the garden started to look cared for…I had always known this, but had been too busy doing other things. The garden became a joy to behold, and those passing by were able to enjoy it too.

The next time the Lord came to see things, He commended me on keeping it looking so good. He wasn’t the only One to notice this either….the neighbours began to say how much they were enjoying the flowers that were being grown, and not only that, but I was able to give away the extra fruit and vegetables. I had more than enough for my own needs. I thanked and praised the Lord for what He was able to do with my life….after all, all that I had He had given me in the first place! It was up to me to use these things for His glory!

Morning Musings

My Heart, God’s Home…(10) The Rumpus Room…

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The Rumpus Room

He asked me if I had a rumpus room, where I went for fun and fellowship. I was hoping He would not ask about that, There were certain associations and activities that I wanted to keep for myself.

One evening when I was on my way out with some of my buddies, 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 enjoy where we are going. Let’s go out together tomorrow night. Tomorrow night we will go to a Bible class at church, but tonight I have another appointment.”

“I’m sorry,” He said. “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 mumbled, slipping out the door, “we will go someplace together tomorrow night.”

That evening I spent some miserable hours. I felt rotten. What kind of friend was I to Jesus, deliberately leaving Him out of my life, 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 know now that I can’t have a good time without You. From now on, we will do everything together.”

Then we went down into the rumpus room of the house. He -transformed it. He brought new friends, new excitement, new joys. Laughter and music have been ringing through the house ever since. The old things passed away, and all things became new!!

Morning Musings

My Heart, God’s Home….(9)…The Workroom…

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The Workroom.

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

I led Him out there. He looked over the workbench and said, “Well, 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. “Is this the sort of thing you are doing for others in your Christian life?”

“Well,” I said, “Lord, I know it isn’t much, and I really want to do more, but after all, I don’t seem to have strength or skill to do more.” “Would you like to do better?” He asked. “Yes, I certainly would,” 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 Workman, and if He controls your hands and your heart, He will work through you.”

He stood around behind me and putting His great strong hands under mine, He held the tools in His skilled fingers and began to work through me. The more I let Him do the work and trusted Him for it, the more He was able to do with my life. I had to learn to realise that the work was not mine, but His, and He was allowing me to have a part in it! What a blessed thought this was, and what a difference it made in my attitude to the work He was calling me to do!!

Not only that, but He reminded me that I was spending too much time playing games on my computer instead of producing something worth reading, something that would point others in the right direction towards Him. I was convicted within myself, knowing that He was quite right. I had to confess this to Him, and ask Him to help me do better. He is the only One Who can keep me focused and take my mind off these worthless things that are only time wasters!

Morning Musings

My Heart, God’s Home…(8) The Laundry…

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        I was a bit reluctant to take my Guest into the laundry room. But He insisted. “I need to see ALL your house, if I’m to stay with you” He said as we went down the passage. “You know I will never leave you nor forsake you, and I want you to willingly show Me each room in your house!”

   He must have sensed my reluctance. As we opened the door it was as bad as I had feared. The damp clothes that I had been meaning to wash last week made a horrid smell as we went in. “ I meant to do the washing but somehow there were other things to do”, I muttered shamefacedly, “Things like going to Bible Study and church services”, hoping to make it sound a bit better. I still hadn’t learned that He knows it all anyway….there was no way I could fool Him!

“Those things are good things, but we are not to leave the other things undone”, He said, “I have given you twenty-four hours each day to make use of. See that you use them wisely. You don’t really need ten hours of sleep you know! Just get up earlier in the morning….I’m always waiting for you to come and see Me, no matter how early it is!”

    He knew me only too well. “Oh Lord!”, I cried, “You know all my weaknesses and failings, there is nothing I can hide from You! Search my heart and show me where I’m at, and lead me to do better!” He knows me through and through, so there is no point in trying to hide things from Him . I didn’t waste any time getting those clothes into the machine after He had gone, and it was such a good feeling to be able to get them clean again!

In the same way, we have in Him redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace . (Ephesians 1:7)

Life Lessons

My Heart, God’s Home….(7)…the Hall Closet

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The Hall Closet….,.

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’s a peculiar smell in the house. Something must be dead around here. It’s upstairs. I think it is in the hail closet.” As soon as He said this, I knew what He was talking about. There was a small closet up there on the hall landing, just a few feet square. In that closet, behind lock and key, I had one or two little personal things that I didn’t want anyone to know about. Certainly, I did not want Christ to see them. I knew they were dead and rotting things left over from the old life, but I didn’t really want to get rid of them.  What if I ever needed them again? Reluctantly, I went up with Him, and as we mounted the stairs the odor became stronger and stronger.

     He pointed to the door. 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, and the bathroom,  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 smell, you are mistaken. I will go out on the porch.” Then I saw Him start down the stairs. When one comes to know and love Christ, the worst thing that can happen is to sense Him withdrawing His fellowship. I had to give in.

“Yes I’ll give You the key,” I said sadly, ‘but You will have to open the closet and clean it out. I haven’t the strength to do it.” “Just give me the key,” He said. “Authorize me to take care of that closet and I will.” With trembling fingers I passed the key to Him, and He took it, walked over to the door, and opened it. The stench that came out of it nearly took my breath away! But He entered, took out all the putrefying stuff that was rotting there, and threw it away.

Then He cleaned the closet, washed it out and painted it. It was done in a moment’s time. Oh, what victory and relief to have those dead things out of my life! I thought of that verse that says, “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1John 1:9)

Morning Musings

My Heart, God’s Home (6)….  The Bathroom

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    “This is the bathroom”, I said proudly as I took My Guest in. Surely there wouldn’t be anything wrong in here! This was the room where there was fresh running water at all times. I never spent much time in this room, as I just did the necessary things like a quick shower.

“Ah, yes,” He said, “The place where all the impurities are washed away!” I began to squirm a little. His eyes seemed to pierce through to the very innermost parts of my being. It was almost as though He knew how little time I really spent there! He walked in to where the shower cubicle was. I glanced down at the base of the shower, and hoped He wouldn’t notice the beginnings of the algae settling in the corners. I hadn’t had time to give it a good scrub for some time.    But alas, His glance followed mine and His piercing eyes took it all in…the grime and the scum that was accumulating through neglect.

“My blood cleanses from ALL sin”, He said meditatively, “You just have to confess it to Me. That is why I died“,  He continued, “To pay the penalty of your sins”.

“Oh Lord”, I cried, “I DO believe it! Help me to keep this room in my heart cleaner by daily confession. I promise to get into all the corners with the brush and get rid of everything that grows into sin!”   

He smiled at me, and said, “My child, this is why I came to earth and died for you. My Father is in the work with Me you know, I and My Father are One”.

I couldn’t help thinking of that verse that says,  “ If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”.   (1 John 1:9) What comfort that gave me!

Morning Musings

My Home (5) The Library and Study

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   The next room we went into was the library with the study attached to it. In my home this room of the mind is a very small room with very thick walls. But it is a very important room. In a sense, it is the control room of the house.     I was very proud of this room, and couldn’t wait to show Him around.  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, I had not felt self-conscious about this before, but now that He was there looking at these things I was embarrassed.     Some books were there that His eyes were too pure to behold. On the table were a few magazines that a Christian had no business reading. As for the pictures on the walls – the imaginations and thoughts of the mind – some of these were shameful.

    Red-faced, I turned to Him and said, “Master, I know that this room needs to be cleaned up and made over. Will You help me make it what it ought to be?” “Certainly!” He said. “I’m glad to 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, and helpful study books. Fill the library with Scripture and meditate on it day and night. As for the pictures on the walls, you will have difficulty controlling these images, but I have something that will help.”     He gave me a full-size portrait of Himself. “Hang this centrally on the wall of your mind” He said, “and you will find it a great help.”

    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. I found too, that saying the verse out loud, “The blood of Jesus Christ. cleanses me from all sin”, helped greatly too. His cleansing blood does indeed, cause these impure thoughts to disappear. So He has helped me to bring my thoughts under His control. Bad thoughts cannot be in the same room that He is in!!

Morning Musings, Uncategorized

My Heart, God’s Home (4) The Dining Room

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     From there we went into the dining room. the room of appetites and desires. I spent a lot of time and hard work here trying to satisfy my hunger and my wants. I said to Him, “This is a favourite 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 favourite dishes: money, academic degrees and stocks, with newspaper articles of fame and fortune as side dishes.”  These were the things I liked – secular fare.

When the food was placed before Him, He said nothing, but I observed that He did not eat it. I said to Him, “Master, don’t You care for this food? What is the trouble?” He answered, “I have food to eat that you do not know of. If you want food that really satisfies you, you must do the will of the Father. Stop seeking your own pleasures, desires, and satisfaction. Seek to please Him. That is the food that will satisfy you!”

    It was there at the table, that He gave me a taste of the joy of doing God’s will. What flavour! There is no food like it in all the world. It alone satisfies the hungry soul.