Tag Archives: fellowship

Morning Musings

Have I REALLY Handed it all to Him?

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     On one of my morning trysts with my Lord in the living room before anyone else was stirring, we were reading together His promises about me in abiding in Him. I was sure I WAS abiding in Him….after all, here we were together enjoying fellowship together over His Word weren’t we?    Then He turned me to that verse in the Old Testament where the psalmist was asking God to search his heart, and know his thoughts, and try him to see if there was still some wicked way in him (Psalm 139:23-24).    I started to squirm as I thought how scary it would be if He turned those pure and holy eyes on my innermost being! I couldn’t trust myself to be totally one hundred percent honest. I knew what I ought to be, and I knew that I wanted to be that, but WAS I? I knew that my heart was deceitful above all things and desperately wicked  and that only God could know it (Jeremiah 17:9-10).  I didn’t even know it myself! ” I know that you want to follow Me with all your heart”, Jesus said, “Would you mind giving me your smart phone for a while?”

What would I do without it? I shrunk back, keeping it in my pocket. What if he went on to the log, and saw what I’d been looking at? And read those catty comments I’d put onto Facebook? And read some of those suggestive remarks my friends had sent to make me laugh?     Suddenly those things didn’t seem quite so clever or witty as I’d thought they were when I got them! Besides, what would I do without the phone there at my fingertips? Someone might try to get hold of me, or worse still, maybe the Lord would answer for me! What would my friends think if they got Him on the phone?

   It came on me in a flash, that He already knew all those things! There was nothing at all that I could hide from Him! He didn’t need to get the phone to know those things…the point was, was I ready to hand all those things over to Him too? Those little resentments and excuses that I always made, refusing to take the blame. Being offended if I thought I was being overlooked? “Oh Lord”, I cried in repentance, “You can see me through and through, you know every little rotten thought I’ve ever had. Help me to walk in Your way everlasting, beginning now so I won’t be ashamed before You as I go into eternity!” “My child”, He said with that beautiful smile of His, “That is what I’ve been wanting to hear from you all along!” He handed me my phone back again, “Now use this for My glory, speaking of the things of Myself to build others up, sending words of encouragement to them, and praising others”.

My desires were now what He desired, and He was giving it all back to me! What joy! What blessings He bestows!  “Oh Lord!” I cried, “Help me to be each day what You want me to be, and to do only what You want me to do!”

 

Morning Musings, Uncategorized

My Rumpus Room

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             As we left the upstairs area of the house, He asked me if I had a rumpus room, where I went for fun and fellowship. I was hoping He wouldn’t ask about that! There were certain things that went on in my rumpus room  that I wanted to keep to myself!

   Very reluctantly I took Him downstairs to the basement, and gave Him a quick look around there. “H’mmmm.” He said, “Do you spend much time here?” “Let’s go upstairs again”, I said hastily before I had to own up about the things that DID go on in this room, and the friends that I entertained there. I didn’t want Him to see the pictures of the different ball games and teams, or the racing car pictures  that were all over the walls, or the well stocked bar in the corner!

   I heaved a sigh of relief as we reached the living room once more, and hoped He wouldn’t say anything more about the rumpus room. As we settled down, He said thoughtfully, “What would you like Me to read to you tonight? Something you would LIKE to hear or something that you SHOULD hear?” I squirmed as I  lamely said, “Perhaps we could have a bit of both!” knowing full well what was likely to come. He quickly reached for the Bible which I had made sure was in full view on the occasional table and turned to the chapter of Psalm 81. “I am the Lord Your God that brought you out of the land of Egypt…..Egypt is a picture of the world and its temptations,” He added as an aside. Carrying on, He continued to read…“open your mouth wide and I will fill it. But my people would not listen to Me and Israel would have none of Me. So I gave them up to their own heart’s lusts, and they went their own way! If only My people had listened to Me and walked in My ways, I would have subdued their enemies, and turned My hand against them…..I would have fed My people with the finest of wheat, and satisfied them with honey out of the Rock”.  I felt thoroughly rebuked as I knew very well that I was feeding too much on the wrong sort of things.

     Another 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.”

   The next day,  we went down into the basement of the house to the rumpus room. What a transformation He made there!  All those suggestive things came down off the walls, and He brought new friends, new excitement, and new joys along. All the old music was thrown out, and we spent many hours around the piano singing the old favourite songs and hymns. Laughter and music have been ringing through the house ever since. He makes sure that we are never the loser when we put Him first in our home!!!

Now the LORD says , “Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, while those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed!” (1Samuel 2:30)

Morning Musings

My Living Room.

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   I had invited Jesus Christ into my heart in all sincerity, and was so excited at the thought of  Him being with me all the time. Everything was going to be just wonderful now that He was with me every day! I couldn’t wait to show Him around. The first room we entered was the living room. Now my living room is my favourite room, depending on the time of the day it is! But it is the room where I can relax and be myself. It isn’t always particularly tidy, but it has a nice homey feeling. As Jesus looked around He said, “This is indeed a delightful room. Let’s come here every day and talk 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 every morning. He said, “I will be here early every morning. Meet me here, and we will start the day together.”

     So every morning, I would go downstairs to the living room. He would take a book of the Bible from the case, and we would read  it together. He would unfold to me God’s wonderful truths, and my heart sang as He shared the love and the grace He had toward me. These were wonderful times.

But after a while, this time began to be shortened. 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 sitting 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 shame facedly 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 wanted my company hadn’t entered my head. I hadn’t realised  that He wanted me to be with Him and might be waiting for me! In fact, I had often wondered if my prayers were doing any good, and then I remembered how He has told us to always keep praying, and to never stop doing this ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 25).

    I realised then that the enemy of our souls does everything in his power to keep us too busy to have our prayer time, and he has even whispered in my ear, “You don’t pray very well, and it’s a waste of time doing it”. But God showed me the other side of the coin when He says, “My Spirit also helps you in your weaknesses. Even if you don’t know how to pray very well, He will make intercession for you with groanings which cannot be explained”  (Romans 8:28).  Once I realised that, I went ahead and prayed just the same, no matter how feeble it seemed. So now I make sure that I don’t leave Him alone in the living room of my heart, but to see that I give Him the first minutes of each day….this time with Him is infinitely worth  it!!

Random Devotional Thoughts

Celebrations!

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       We’ve been invited to a Golden Wedding celebration, so we are looking forwards to that with great anticipation. We talked a couple of weeks ago about being made in God’s image, and have we ever thought that God loves celebrations too? Celebrations are a great time of fellowship with each other and God loves to fellowship with His people….that is another way He has made us in His image!

    We read of the Lord Jesus Christ going to a family wedding which no doubt was a time of celebration as we read of the guests running out of wine (John 2:1-10). His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He tells you to do, do it!” Then we read of how He told the servants to fill the water pots with water, and then to take it to the MC of the feast. As they did what He said, the water was miraculously turned into wine….not just any old wine either, but it was the best the guests had tasted!!

    We must always think of how God loves to fellowship with His  people. In some of the Old Testament writings we read of when His people of Israel had wandered away from Him into idol worship, how it hurt His loving heart to see this happen. We must never think we cannot turn to Him in times of loneliness and disappointments….He is always ready and waiting for us to call out to Him at these times!

My Life

Goodbye!

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    This last weekend, we went to the farewell of a dear friend who is leaving the district. She has faithfully served on committees and helped wherever she could, but now is moving to a retirement home right away from our area. Another family of three have left not only our district, but our country and gone back to Canada where they came from a little over twelve months ago. They too, will be missed although we didn’t know them as long as our other friend. It was also the anniversary of our beloved sister-in-law this last week who passed away with cancer two years ago.

    Over the years we have seen many people come and go, and this is how it is for each one of us. Some have stayed several years, while others have only been with us for a few months, but none the less dear. We are meant to interact with each other….this is a God given gift, one of the signs that we are made in His image. Has it ever occurred to you, that God wants to have fellowship with you, His creature? That is the reason that His Son, Jesus Christ came to earth, to show us what God is like and how much He wants us to talk with Him and to live His ways. He has told us that those who seek Him will find Him! What a wonderful thought.

   Of course, modern technology makes it possible to keep in touch so easily, and even see each other. Especially when there are small children involved….how else would they get to know their grand-parents in another country?  Another wonderful thought is that one day there will be no more partings. That we will be able to fellowship with our friends and with our Lord forever with nothing between. Let’s find out the truth of these matters and DO something about it. Don’t put it off as so many do, we have no guarantee of tomorrow, and one day it may be too late.

My Life

My Heart, God’s Home, Part two

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The Living Room……

Livinig RoomFrom the front door, we walked into the living room. This room was cosy and comfortable. I liked it. It had a fireplace, comfortable chairs, a sofa, and a quiet atmosphere.

He said, “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, this time began to be shortened. I had too much to do. 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.