Squeezing Into Life

From Henry’s Desk

 

“ …Enter through the narrow gate …” (Mt7:13, NIV)

Have you ever considered the Christian life as a series of narrow gates?  You are cruising along, things are going pretty good, and all of a sudden you come to a gate!  Not only do you come to a gate, but the gate is too narrow to get through with all the stuff you are carrying.  And not only that, but it is a one time gate. You can only pass through it once.  You can’t go through it with some of your stuff and then come back and get the rest of it.  This produces a moment of crisis, a moment of decision, a moment pregnant with opportunity for growth.

 You finally make the right decision and go through the narrow gate.  You even find that it is easier traveling on the other side of the gate, having left some of your stuff behind.  Why, it is much nicer on this side than you ever imagined it could be!  And then you come upon another narrow gate.

Why, this gate is even narrower than the last one!  And all the stuff you are now carrying is not going to fit through it!  There is no way to turn around and no way to go around.  It is another moment filled with potential, crisis, and decisions.  There is a little more of a struggle this time.  You even try to drag some of the stuff behind you through the gate, but you can’t get through, so you let go of it.

 My, what a beautiful place you have walked into!  More wonderful than you ever imagined it could be!  And you don’t really miss what you left behind, it is actually much easier to walk without it.  You continue along and suddenly find yourself at another gate, even more narrow than the last one.  You don’t see how you are going to get much through this gate, and it is going to be hard to decide what to leave behind.  But you face the crisis, make the right decision, and take the correct action.  You continue on, finding the journey delightful!

 Onward you go!  And then another even narrower gate.  This time you aren’t even thinking about your stuff.  You don’t even see how you are going to squeeze through it.  You approach the opening, measuring it with your eyes, thinking, there is no way.  You slowly push your body through, scrapping some of your flesh off on the sides of the gate.  Wow, this is starting to be painful.

Finally you are through the gate.  My, how wonderful it is on this side.  Oh sure, there is still a little pain, and some smudges of blood, but you are through the gate and you are loving it!

You actually have a skip to your step now as you continue on.  You are really beginning to enjoy this life!  Up ahead you see another narrow gate …

Business

From Henry’s Desk

 

“ … who moreover was listening …”

(Lk 10:39)

 

 

Poor Martha, forever negatively contrasted with her sister Mary.  And for what?  She was only doing what she was gifted to do!  Many times she had provided hospitality for Jesus and His companions.  She even had a knack for it!  Everyone knew she had the gift of hospitality, she was quite well known for it!  Why, she was the one who kept the house running.  If it wasn’t for her nothing would ever have gotten done.

 

And that Mary, what a dreamer!  She was always sitting around thinking and dreaming, as if that was productive!  And always wanted to be interacting with the guests instead of helping prepare for their needs.  If she was just more like her sister Martha, she would be doing the stuff that needed to be done instead of just sitting around wasting time and being lazy.

 

And Jesus, what was He thinking!  Couldn’t he see that there was a lot that needed to be done, and Mary wasn’t helping.  She was just sitting there listening to the conversation, while Martha was trying to do it all by herself.  And can you believe that Martha is the one that got into trouble instead of Mary!  He told Martha that she was distracted!  It looked to me like Mary was the one distracted, after all she was just sitting there listening.

 

I wish I had time to just sit around and listen, but who has time?  There is too much that needs to be done, and if I don’t do it, it won’t get done!  Why Martha wasn’t any more distracted than I am.  She was busy, productive, and energetic!  There was a lot that needed to be done and she was doing it!  There is always stuff that needs to be done, who has time to sit down?  Why, I have so much to do that I don’t even know how I’m going to get it all done, where is Mary anyway?  She ought to be helping me!

 

"The seed cast in the weeds represents the ones who hear the kingdom news but are overwhelmed with worries about all the things they have to do and all the things they want to get. The stress strangles what they heard, and nothing comes of it.”  (Mk 4:18-19, MSG)

Constrained By Love

From Henry’s Desk

 

“ … the love of Christ constraineth us … “

(2 Cor 5:14)

 

 

Have you ever been arrested?  Now, I don’t mean by the police, though some of us have probably had just cause in our lives.  I mean have you ever been arrested by the Word of God?  Stopped cold in your tracks, confronted by truth, and unable to continue?  Stopped from going in one direction, and carried in another?

One of the meanings of “constraineth” in the above verse is “to hold together with constraint”.  Being one who has played close to the line that defines sanity, and then being known to stray a bit, one of my first thoughts upon hearing this meaning is ‘straightjacket”.  Now a straight jacket will not only keep you from doing what you want to do, it enables others to take you in a direction they want you to go.  (OK smarty, I know this from the movies, not personal experience!)

I remember one time this verse played out very dramatically in my life.  I was at a church service, and the person leading worship, was a bit “gothic” in appearance and the music style was a little hard for my taste.  I, of course, started going into my “judgment” mode.  Right in the middle of it all, God broke in, and filled my heart with such love for this person that I could no longer think badly of them, judge them, or even comment about them to others, except in the context of me confessing my own sin.

Christ’s love put me in a straightjacket,  prevented me from continuing on my present course, and carried me along in an entirely different direction.

God’s love will constrain us, will stop us, will pressure us, will hold us back, will prevent us, and then will carry us along in an entirely different direction, one that is pleasing to Him.

May we all be arrested by the Holy Spirit, confronted with the Word of God, constrained by the love of Christ, and carried along by the Father into a life that brings Him honor and glory.

 

Transforming A Prejudice

From Henry’s Desk

“ … be transformed by the renewing of your mind” 

(Ro 12:1-2, NIV)

I have a problem with a few of the “theys” in this world. One of the “theys” I have a problem with are poodles.  Now I know folks who have poodles love them, and I am glad that they do. However, having had a couple of them get excited and pee either on me or folks I know, I am not real trusting of poodles. Therefore I have put the whole breed into the “they” category over the action of a few. 

Now if we want to get honest, we would have to admit that we all not only do this with breeds, we do it with species, we do it denominations, and we do it with races.  We could even carry this into some more areas, but let’s stick here for now.

Some folks would put a whole race into a “they” category, because of color, creed, culture, or religion.  Now, as Christians, we know that is wrong as God tells us in His word we are not to be prejudice:

“A renewing in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all”  (Col 3:11, NASB)

 However, if a few from an identifiable category of people inadvertently make our life a little more difficult, we do have a tendency to mark them, letting the actions of a few cause us to put the whole batch into a “they” category.  The Word of God again has some direction for us here.  It says:

“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. “  (Col 3:12-13, NASB)

Now, if we do find ourselves putting folks into a “they” category, we need to repent, forgive,  and get over it.  If we find ourselves not wanting to get over it, even feeling justified in it, then we need to remember that the Word of God also says:

“We love each other as a result of his loving us first. If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen? And God himself has commanded that we must love not only him but our Christian brothers and sisters, too.”  (1 John 4:19-21 NLT)

The Manna Principle

From Henry’s Desk

“He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little

did not have too little.”

(2 Cor 8:15)

The Manna Principle

The above verse is a quote originally from Exodus 16.  The Lord was giving manna to the Israelites.  Each morning they would gather it and then divide it up with a certain amount going to each person.  The excess of the ones who had gathered too much was given to the ones who had gathered too little, so that each one had the right amount.

In 2 Corinthians the verse is used in reference to people who had an abundance sharing with those who were in need.

“Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality,” 

(2 Cor 8:13-14).

I also like to apply this verse to when God’s people meet. Any time the church gets together, I believe you will find that some people have an excess and others have a lack.  Some have had a rich time with the Lord and some haven’t.  Some have things to share, and others are lacking and are in need.

What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.  (1 Cor 14:26 NIV)

Based on the above verse, I love meetings where those with full baskets share what is in them with those who have empty baskets.  This can be done with as little as two people or groups of people.

Unfortunately, those with empty baskets usually won’t admit it, those with full baskets usually won’t share it, and most of our meetings are usually so structured that there is no opportunity for basket sharing.

Maybe we need not to have so many usual meetings and have some active participation of the body in basket sharing.

Times of Refreshing

From Henry’s Desk

 

“ … that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19, NIV)

I have used the above text a few times in preparation for and the continuation of renewal.  Using the whole verse, Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, you can easily see four steps:

                                                                                                   

1.      Repentance

2.      Returning

3.      Restoration

4.      Refreshing

 Let’s take a look at it in another situation, our time alone with god.  Nothing is more important than our relationship with God, and it is important to build intimacy with Him.  In order for that to take place, we need to spend time alone with Him.

I know I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know, but if you are like me, sometimes your quiet time is right on, and sometimes you are in a slump.  I thought I’d write a few things for the slump times.

First of all, don’t get into a situation where you feel like you have to do certain things every time, that is just legalism, and won’t bring life.   There are many things you can do to spend time in God’s presence, i.e. prayer, scripture reading, meditating on scripture, singing, spiritual reading,  thinking, etc.  I want to focus in on sitting in His presence.

If you are having a spiritual slump, or even if you are not, I think this will help you.  Go to a place that is quiet where you will not be disturbed.  Get before the Lord repenting of substituting business in place of Him.  Tell Him you are returning to Him, that He is all you want and that you just want to sit in His presence.  Ask Him to restore your fellowship with Him and then wait.  As He brings His manifest presence, don’t say anything.  Just stay in His manifest presence, connected with Him, letting His presence wash over you, fill you, heal you, direct you, refresh you or whatever else He may want to do.

He wants to spend time with us and we are changed in his presence.  I am reminded of the song “Who Am I” by Casting Crowns.

 Who Am I
Casting Crowns

 Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You're

Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who Am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who Am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

I am Yours
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
'Cause I am Yours
I am Yours

Emails To Henry # 5 - Day by Day

Dear Henry,

Just how long will we try to content ourselves with the things of this world, already knowing they won't satisfy. And why would we choose friendship with the world over God anyway? Especially in light of James 4:4 which says You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

We have chosen to love the world and the things of the world irregardless that 1John 2:15-16 says Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. And yet we continually try to provide security and a future to our lives through worldly wisdom instead of taking time to hear God and put His wisdom into practice in our lives.

However Hebrews 11:6 says But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. If we believe God is who He said He is and believe He will do what he said He will do, then let's come before Him and receive His reward.

Of wisdom God says in James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. Wisdom says in 8:33-35 Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD.

God wants to bless us, God wants to reward us, God wants to give us wisdom for living, empowerment for serving, love for sharing, and miracles for praising. He actually wants to spend time with us!

In finishing 2 Corinthians 4:16 says: Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

Keeping Devotion,
jim