The Heart United

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(Excerpt from Cheryl Gnagey's Spiritual Healing:  The Surrender That Brings Victory, from Chapter 12, "Unite My Heart to Fear Your Name")

"Have you heard the old adage, 'You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink'?  Well, here is the real truth of that statement.  You can't even lead a horse to water if he refuses to go!  All you can do for some horses is say, 'There's the water over there.  If you want to drink, you will have to walk yourself there.  I will come along for the journey, if you'd like, but I'm not going to drag you there!' You have nearly completed this book.  It has been full of information about your heart and how it can be, and should be, transformed.  As you read this last chapter, my prayer is that you will look forward, see the 'water', and go take a thirst-quenching drink, over and over.

Throughout this book, you have been given three visual aids to help you grow in your understanding of what your heart truly looks like.  We have examined the Tabernacle of the Old Testament in light of how it represents the journey of our hearts, our very life-path, from the moment that we step into Christ to the moment that we are face to face with Him in eternity.  We have looked at a simple representation of our heart with all of its breaches and cracks, gaining a unique look at the sins, the gods, and the idols that have accumulated there since our birth.  Finally, in the chapters on surrender, we were able to visualize how those layers of sin can trap the Holy Spirit inside of us, unless we break through the sin with our surrender and repentance.  I believe that these visuals will help us all see that the matter of our heart is serious business to God, and the journey through it will be difficult, but necessary, for us to make.  He desires that our hearts be a proper home for Him, one in which He is comfortable.  But for Him to have that proper home, we will go through processes that will make us uncomfortable.

Without an understanding that we are to enter into a relationship with Jesus so that we can begin to be conformed to His image, we will helplessly wander in the wilderness of salvation without sanctification.  From our salvation all the way to standing in the presence of the Living God, we are to be engaged in a progressive process that is designed to unite, bind up, and restore our broken, damaged, and yes, sin-filled hearts.  This sanctification, our perfecting in Christ, is accomplished when we begin to surrender piece by painful piece to the only One who can transform our hearts into hearts that are united and that fear the name of Jesus."

The Mind Protectos

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(Excerpted from Spiritual Healing:  The Surrender That Brings Victory, Chapter 8)

"So that our minds will be protected, we are called to put on the helmet of salvation and put the sword of the Spirit to use.  It is critical that we use these two together and necessary that we see the connection between the two.  To me, to use them together is to join the two major parts of the life of every Christian--our salvation and our sanctification.  To put on the helmet of salvation is to protect the mind from satan's lies by standing on the truth of our adoption into God' family by the forgiveness of our sins that Jesus offers us.  But we are also supposed to wield the Sword of the Spirit, the very Word of God, against the enemy and his lies.  It is by the Word itself that our minds become transformed, as we are washed by the water of the Word.  Then we can begin to walk in the Spirit, instead of conforming to the world and its ways.  Overcoming sin in our life is the result of our constant study of the Word and our surrender of those sinful parts of our lives to the rule, authority, and control of the Holy Spirit within us."

The true battle with our enemy takes place in our minds. The helmet of salvation is the protector of our mind, but the only weapon we can use in battle is the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. The helmet and sword are vital in waging war against our enemy, satan. The helmet alone leaves us vulnerable because it cannot be used to attack the enemy.   It's time to dig out that dusty Sword and be armed with it!

THE RESURRECTED LIFE -- Day 27

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Day 27:  The Roman Centurion at the Cross (Mark 15:33-39)

A Roman centurion from early adulthood, he stood guarding the crosses of the three prisoners.  His commander surely trusted him, for the One who hung on the center cross had aroused emotions and grave suspicions of many.  He positioned himself squarely in front of this One whom he heard had claimed to be the Son of God.

All around him he heard the shouts and insults of the crowd.  “If you are the Son of God, come down and save yourself,” they cried, laughing at the accused.  Even the Jewish religious leaders condemned Him, yelling, “You saved others.  If you are the Son of God, come down from that cross and save yourself!” 

He was confused.  Just who was this Man who had been crucified?  How could He look out with such compassion at those who hurled insults at Him?  And why is it that when He looks my direction He seems to see right inside of me and know the very thoughts that I am thinking? 

Then the amazing and frightening began to happen.  From the moment He was nailed to the cross and lifted up, the day turned to night, and for three hours it remained dark.  The centurion could barely make out His face.  And then it seemed to be over.  The Man in the center cried out to someone, devastated for being so forsaken, and He gave up His spirit, and breathed His last.  Finally, this horrible scene could come to an end.

The centurion had not completed his thought when the ground began to shake violently and rocks were crushed.  A little later reports reached Golgotha that the veil in the Jewish temple had been torn from top to bottom.  Terror and fear filled this soldier’s heart.  “Who was this Man that such things are taking place?”  his heart screamed silently. 

Then illumination came to him from heaven above.  The centurion began to praise God, and other soldiers around him joined in.  “Certainly this man was innocent and righteous!  Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Do you believe that Jesus is who He claimed to be?  Do you praise Him daily for the horrific death He died for you?  It is not  to be taken lightly.

THE RESURRECTED LIFE -- Day 24

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Day 24:  Nicodemus  (John 3: 1-21)

“I am so confused,” Nicodemus thought. “Being a man, a GOOD JEWISH man, I have been raised and well-schooled in all the laws of God.  I know very well what God demands of me, and I have obeyed Him and His laws.  But this Man Jesus……He is a puzzle to me.  He has come to us proclaiming a new and better way.  I know that He has performed many impressive signs and miracles that only a man of God could do.  But He also overturned the tables of the moneychangers in the temple at the last Passover, declaring that they were making the temple a place of business.  Isn’t that the way it has always been?  What am I, a ruler of the Jews, to do with such a man?  How can He and the God of my fathers both be right?”

When Nicodemus’ questions refused to leave his mind, he decided to seek out Jesus late one night, not wanting to be seen by his fellow Pharisees.

From the moment Jesus started to speak to him, Nicodemus’ heart began to stir.  Jesus spoke to him of being born again.  “But how?”  he questioned.  As Jesus began to explain just how a man could be spiritually born again , the fog in Nicodemus’ mind began to clear for the very first time.  It was all about the Spirit, not the Law!  And then there was the issue of eternal life, the gift to all who would believe that Jesus was God’s Son AND live their lives by the Spirit according to His commands.  This was the salvation and hope that Nicodemus had longed for his whole life!

He had choices to make.  Would he continue to live in his dark world of sin and the laws he couldn’t possibly keep on his own?  Would he continue to hide his desire for Jesus from his friends?  Or would he confess Jesus as his Lord, coming boldly into the Light that would expose his sin?  Would he live his life by the Spirit as one who practiced the truth he claimed to believe, as a witness to his friends?

These questions also beg questions of us.  Will we receive Jesus in a way that changes our lives dramatically? Will we be witnesses of the One we call Lord? Will we be ashamed to openly worship Him?  Or will we stay safe?

THE RESURRECTED LIFE -- Day 6

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Day 6:  Simeon  (Luke 2: 25-35)

How long Simeon had waited.  For his whole life he had been waiting!  In his wait he had been transformed into a holy man.  Two words described him accurately—righteous and devout.

Many years had been spent learning as much about his God as was humanly possible.  He never missed going to temple, where he sat under great scholars who interpreted the Scripture in a way that he could understand.  Simeon had learned so much through the ancient fathers of the promise, and the prophets’ words had taught him to be watching constantly for Israel’s consolation—the Holy One, the Messiah.  Because of his deep longing for God and his desire to know Him, Simeon had found favor with God, a favor that not many men had experienced.  This favor had produced a Power working in his life that he didn’t completely understand, but he had certainly learned to depend on it.  This Power had clearly spoken to him a message of hope—that he would not die until he had seen with his own eyes the very Messiah he knew was coming.  From that day on, Simeon’s hope in seeing Messiah was the foundation of all that his life entailed.  It was his only focus.

One day that same Power urged him with great persuasion to go immediately to the temple.  Long ago Simeon had learned to obey that powerful inner Voice, and he made haste to go to the temple at once.  Upon arriving, he contemplated the message of the Voice.  Why was it so necessary for him to be at the temple right now?  Anticipation filled him as he waited for God’s revelation on the matter.  And then the most  amazing thing happened!  In walked a man and his wife carrying a baby swaddled in linen cloths.  As his eyes landed on the infant, he knew at once!  This is the One!  Messiah has come!  Taking the babe in his arms, he blessed God for the fulfillment of His faithful promises.  Salvation had come to earth, a Light for the Gentiles and the glory of Israel.

Is the hope of seeing Jesus the motivation of all you do?  How much time are you willing to invest in studying God’s Word to know Him?  Are you attending studies on a regular basis where you can be instructed about God and the things of God?  Are you hearing and responding in obedience to the inner voice of the Spirit? What does your walk reveal?