Category Archives: Morning Musings

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)

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.

Morning Musings

     My Heart, God’s Home (3)…. The Living Room

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      As  we walked into the living room, we could feel that this room was intimate and comfortable. I liked it. It had a fireplace, overstuffed chairs, a sofa, and a quiet atmosphere. The Lord said to me,  “This is indeed a delightful room. Let us come here often. It is secluded and quiet, and we can fellowship together”      Well, 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 close 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. He would take a book of the Bible from the case, We would open it and read together. He would unfold to me the wonder of God’s saving truths. My heart sang as He shared the love and the grace He had toward me. These were wonderful times.

    However, little by little, under the pressure of many responsibilities, this time began to be shortened. Why, I’m not sure. I thought I was too busy to spend regular 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 days now and then. Urgent matters would crowd out the quiet times of conversation with Jesus.      I remember one morning rushing downstairs, eager to be on my way. I passed the living room and noticed that the door was open. Looking in, I saw a fire in the fireplace and Jesus was sifting there. Suddenly in dismay I thought to myself, “He is my guest. I invited Him into my heart! He has come as my Saviour and Friend, and yet I am neglecting Him.” I stopped, turned and hesitantly went in, With downcast glance, I said, “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. Remember, I love you. I have redeemed you at great cost, I value your fellowship. Even if you cannot keep the quiet time for your own sake, do it for mine,”

     The truth that Christ desires my companionship, that He wants me to be with Him 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 time when, with your Bible and in prayer, you may be together with Him. May it be so.

Morning Musings

My Heart, God’s Home…Whose House?

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     When I said to the Lord,  “Lord, I want this heart of mine, this house of mine,  to be Yours. I  want to have You settle down here and be perfectly at home. Everything I  have belongs to You”.      I was never more sure of anything else in my young life and I have never doubted that He came in  then,  to stay. I have never regretted that decision and I never will.

As it happened, it proved to be many years before I was willing to let Him be truly Master and Lord of everything in my house! But at the beginning I couldn’t wait to show Him around!  After a while, a thought came to me, and I asked Him, “Lord, is there any chance that You would take over the management of the whole house and operate it for me as it should be done?  Would You take the responsibility to keep my life what it ought to be?”

His face lit up as He replied, “I’d love to! That is what I want to do. You cannot be a victorious Christian in your own strength. Let me do it through you and for you. That is the way. But,” He added slowly, “I am just a guest. I have no authority to proceed, since the property is not mine.”     I dropped to my knees, and said, “Lord, I see You have only 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.”

    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. I eagerly signed the house over 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.”

    I didn’t realise how different things would be once Jesus Christ became the owner and made His home in my heart!

Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Morning Musings

Near Enough!

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    We were working on a project together, and I was thinking it  was time we were finished. “Well, that’s near enough”, I said as I put my gear down. My brother looked at it, and said, “Near enough is not good enough, Gwenyth, you’ll have to spend a bit more time on it!” Those words have stuck with me for over forty years, and whenever I am tempted to think “Near enough”, they come back to haunt me.

    King Solomon was one who chose what was good, but it was not the best. We would normally think that the fact that he asked for wisdom to rule his people well was a good thing to ask for, but in spite of that, in his older age he stopped trusting the Lord for safety, and used his human reasoning instead. He figured that if he married princesses from the surrounding nations, that their fathers would not attack the land their daughter was in! But there seemed to be more and more of these princesses, and he ended up with “seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. (1 Kings 11:3,4,8)”.     What a warning this is for us! No-one could have had a better start than Solomon did and yet he allowed himself to be swayed by the opinions of others rather than what God had told him. We have to be so careful that we continue to read what God’s Word has to say to us, and to follow what it tells us. Those who we associate with closely, have a greater influence over us than we think.

    We all know the dangers there are in our teenagers keeping company with the wrong crowd, but here was a mature man, and supposedly a very wise man, being swayed by the opinions of his many wives. Instead of him being the leader of his household, he was being led by the women of his household. He could have said his thoughts and actions were “near enough” as far as God was concerned, but they weren’t enough to keep him safe from turning away from the things of God. So you can see that we need to be so awake to the dangers around us and not allow ourselves to be swayed by anything that will take all our thoughts….any game, club, or interest that takes all our time or thoughts needs to be pruned back out of our minds!

  • We need to remember those verses that say we are to love the Lord our God with ALL our heart, with  ALL our soul and with  ALL our strength (Mark 12:30-32). If we feel short of this command of our Lord, then we are to ask Him for the strength to do it! Everything else will fall into the right place after that.
Morning Musings

Don’t Grumble!

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                                                Don’t  Grumble!

    My Bible reading this morning was from the book of Numbers chapter 16, and was the story of how these two men were complaining bitterly about Moses and Aaron, and how they could be far better leaders if they only had the chance!      Moses heard this and was very upset. Not only Moses heard their rantings, but the whole lot of the people did too. So he did what he always did when confronted with a problem he couldn’t deal with….he took it to the Lord. He felt the Lord had to deal with this one as it was beyond him. So he told them to each bring their offering of incense in their hand and come before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle the next morning.     

    They did this, and as many people as could, crowded around to see what was going to happen. God appeared before them all in the cloud of glory, and spoke to Moses and Aaron saying, “Separate yourself from these people so I can destroy them in a moment!”     But Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the Lord, and said, “Oh no! Will You be angry with ALL the people because of these two men’s complaining?”

“Tell all the people to get away from these two men and those with them”, God said. So the people moved away hastily from them while the two men and their families stood defiant before the Cloud. Moses said to the people, “God is going to deal with these people….if they die an ordinary death, then He has not sent me to be your leader. But if there is an earthquake and they are destroyed, then you will understand that it’s not me they have rejected but it is God Himself!”     He had hardly finished telling them this when there was a great rumbling sound and the ground began to move. The people all backed off in terror while the others still stood their ground. But worse was to come. Not only did the ground shake, but a great split opened up in front of their eyes, and these men and everything they owned fell into it. There was another shake and the ground closed up again and all was quiet.

     It is hard to visualise this scene….one can imagine the people  talking about this for days afterwards! But there were others who also had their offerings of incense in their hands all standing around watching what was happening. They had no business to be handling the incense, that job was only for the priests to do and they all knew that. They were just as guilty as the two leaders had been.

     While they were trying to catch their breath, there suddenly appeared a fire coming out from the Cloud that God was in. It was much quicker than a man could run, and there were two hundred and fifty of them that died with that. God then told the priest to pick up the censers that were being held by these people, and take them away.  

We might ask ourselves why are these stories recorded for us to read today?  We have no concept of the seriousness of sin. We are so surrounded by it, that we don’t even realise when we sin! These two men who started this complaining had no idea of where it was going to lead.      God hasn’t changed. He is still pure and holy today, just as He was then. Our complaints against things we can’t change, are still classed as sin in God’s sight. How often we fall into this trap! But there is one thing that we can do about it, we can realise and admit this, and ask forgiveness.  We are told that if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from it all. (1 John 1:9). Don’t keep putting it off!