By MG Henry
I read by mistake, or so it had seemed at the time, a Scripture this morning which touched , actually shook up my heart, exceedingly. Actually I was looking up another Scripture and mistakenly read the wrong Psalm, right verse. Although this Scripture did not seem to jive with the reference I was seeking….it spoke volumes to me and stopped me in my tracks..
You can imagine my great interest during the teaching part of our service when our Bible teacher, Gary, started leading us through 1 John and describing what “walking in the Light as Jesus is in the Light” might look like. He spoke of our ‘walk’ consisting of how we conduct ourselves, the way we regulate and discipline our lives and the way we progress and use the opportunities the Lord presents to us to see and become more and more like Christ. The Light shines on our darkness and exposes it. Then we have the opportunity to change that behavior or…..continue in it until it becomes very dark in our lives.
He made another surprising comment. If we have stumbled into the darkness and are regretful, asking God to forgive our sin, we really haven’t repented until we CHANGE OUR BEHAVIOR….not do that again and BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY.
But I still haven’t told you my Scripture because after Gary’s dissertation on walking in the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ and conducting our lives accordingly, Sara brought to the LIGHT a clarity that one must either accept or reject. There is NO middle ground. If we reject it, we are in denial and we lie. John wrote that in 1 John 1. If we accept what she said we will have to do something about it.
Sara taught that we, each of us, have an AGENDA. Everyone of us living on the face of the earth has a deep seated, deeply motivating force in our hearts (souls). Whatever that AGENDA is we will conduct our lives in such a way to bring forth the ‘fruit’ of that , against all odds. Some of the fruit may be nourishing or some may be rotten depending on what our agenda truly is. And so when we discover by walking in the Light that Gary taught about, that our AGENDA is ungodly because the Light of Christ’s countenance and as His Word reveal it to us, then we have the godly and moral responsibility to change our agendas or we can never change the fruit that will result in insisting that every action, every word, every thought and desire/design will cater to that Agenda to prove it right, even when it is not righteous.
What is the solution to this enigma? How did we get these particular agendas? Perhaps they are generational; or from a scarred youth; or as a way of manipulating other people from an early age; or how certain cultures mold habits and thoughts. But whatever the source it is a forceful power to be reckoned with. First needed is a sincere desire to change one’s way of thinking and being, really. Not wanting to “hang on and pet” that nasty creature that inhibits our relationship with Jesus. Jesus Christ did the faultless work on the cross to deliver us from these conditions of our hearts. And Gary said we must NOT live our lives being ‘alluded to’ as being a Christian….that is, broadly being regarded as such but without genuine proof because our Agendas are not Christ’s perfect plan for our lives not indicative of a transformed life.
So, my take on this is that I will employ the WORD OF LIGHT AND INSTRUCTION, the WORD of GOD to determine the true motives of my heart and cease and desist in this operation of making my Agenda’s rotten-fruit dreams come true…like a self-fulfilling prophecy. For our ungodly agendas, though hidden deeply in our hearts identify themselves by their (rotten) fruit.
So what is my Scripture that has the liberating task of helping me through this transformation of renewing my mind and my heart? It is Psalm 16:7 …” I will bless the LORD, who has given me counsel: my heart also instructs me in the night seasons.” Or more explanatory, “ I will praise the LORD, who advises me. My conscience warns me at night.
I will listen to the counsels of the Lord and my earthly counselors and allow my heart whereof the Holy Spirit indwells to convict me of my sins and allow my conscience instructed by the HIM to work through the changes that need to come to be able to walk in the Light as He is in the Light so that blood of Jesus cleanses me from all unrighteousness.
BECAUSE I AM WILLING, and desire greatly, TO LET IT CHANGE MY AGENDA.
Consider the lilies of the field… Matt 6:28
thedailylily.com 
“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3
This looks like good advice in assuring that our agenda or plans are successful and upright in the Lords estimation.
I posted this OCt 1, 2011 on this site but thought might go with what we are studying now:
THE HEART
A storage shed…
The Heart cries;
Let me be a Heart!
No! says, the secrets of old;
I need you for a storage shed.
Why? Why? Why?
Says, the blood that pumps the Heart?
Easy to know says the sad, sad soul;
I have secrets hidden deep within.
Don’t pump the heart with health,
or you will spill a lot of junk!
My past of Mom and Dad.
And, fraternal family crammed with
Sealed lips and a tongue that lies.
Keep the heart’s door closed
And store the clutter of deceit.
No one will ever know says the voice
From deep down within.
The knock, knock of Revelation;*
Says; open the hearts door.
A healthy, helpful guest is waiting to come in.
NO, No! Not today; says,
The deep throated voice from deep down within.
I am using this room for a storage bin.
I want to write stories without an end.
My stories are like; Hey, you and “Rin Tin Tin.”
Full of feelings that runs like a generator.
Always on limited power.
Plug me in cries the weak O soul.
Even the noise may calm my nerves.
But, but, a sputter-sputter,
That hums generation after generation,
Must guard these secrets within.
Then comes a voice like a
Peter and John;
Enough is enough of the lies that lie deep within.
Peter, the heart knows like a bouncing ball all over the place.
He even makes the seawaters seem lacking for a fisherman’s skill.
Yet a Rock for many generations he became.
When Truth saved an ear.
Beloved John! Why were you sent out to live on an
Isolated island?
The answer comes in deep-seated Revelation.
When the end of secrets come;
A New Beginning Begins!
(c) sm 10/2011
@Revelation 3:19,20 “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
Sara, your poem inspires me to write this;
Sara, is that the heart that holds such secrets….that now isn’t sure they’re even so?
Has this heart clung so long To lies that whether true or not we do not know?
Have we made an AGENDA of this vain deceit. “I will be first. I will succeed. Come Hell or High water. I will conquer each deed. My ego flies. My ego soars but you will never know. For I won’t let it show. I will be demure and sleek.
If I cheat or if I snoop or if I snitch you won’t know why.
Because my Fortress…my SHED is locked up tight against the sky.
I see the the STORAGE SHED you write of, not shabby or worn but shut up tight! Not made of palm or pine but iron gates that never seem to rust.
This heart is locked against the truth, against trust.
Christians….What are you cradling in that secret shed of your heart? That bastion, that fortified camp?
The Sacred Heart of Christ cries out to you to open the door as said above in Revelation 3:10-20. Let the light of Christ shine in your Secret Shed and drive out the corruption. Let His light melt the metal bars that hold your heart a prisoner to the lies. James says, ” Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands (YOUR HEARTS), you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded .” What loving words those really are! Thanks, Sara!
MG, your wording sounds like someone wants to be God and not invite God into their lives with Jesus at the helm and The Holy Spirit doing the directing, Obedience of a heart serving God of the Universe sure seems like a foreign object has been dropped in the mind of the thinking you have written about. You have quoted James 4:8 giving the antidote for ‘foreign object’ by drawing near to God. In this same verse James gives the diagnosis, saying; ‘you are double minded.’ Do we really want to give up our option to be double minded. Then we are slaves to another. Hum!
“I want to write stories without an end.” This spells drama queen to me. Always have to have a spin going to get attention. If the story ends, no more readers, takers and attention providers.
Debi quotes from poem above; “I want to write stories without an end.” I agree Debi, without a spin on me what would I be? Sounds like self-pity, low self-esteem or distorted ego. Now, all these words including your drama queen comes with little knowledge except for the seeing and hearing of some types of behavior. Peace is the answer, if we view this shed from God’s Word. Jesus said; “I am leaving you with a gift–peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27 NLT
Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be
thankful.”
The Peace dove comes to my mind when I think of John The Baptist, baptizing Jesus. When Jesus went under the troubled water He came up with a new bang of hope giving a place for ‘Peace’ to alight her (dove’s) footing. Maybe some like me need a dunk under to loosen the gook ( dic def.a sloppy wet or viscous substance : all that gook she kept putting on her face.) that glues agitation to heart, mind and mouth drama.
Sara, I love your explanantion that ‘Peace is the answer,’ That sure is the opposite of the agitation you write about.
Thinking more on your poem’s verse, ““I want to write stories without an end.”…that really does leave the Prince of Peace out of the equation. For He said He was the Alpha, Omega, Beginning and the End.
Yes Sara. Those who close their hearts to Christ while maintaining that they are Christian seem to not be able to tell fantasy from reality. The only reality is Christ Jesus’ pure HEART of love. No ‘sad secrets’ hidden there. His Life is an open BOOK……the Bible.
Psalm 16:7 …” … my heart also instructs me in the night seasons.” Taken from the blog…wonder if my heart is shady would it still instruct me in the night seasons?
Yes, that was what struck me when I read that by “mistake”. I thought if our hearts are NOT light or striving for the light and instructing our minds correctly, [our souls] in the night seasons….what are our hearts telling us, anyway? Giving us wrong instructions? Wrong attitudes? Perpetuating myths and vain imaginations?? Wrong perspectives to keep its agenda on course?
That seems to be the understanding I get from that verse.
If our hearts seek the purity of Christ and stay humble and penitent before the Lord then our “night instructions” will be what is honorable and good and true….The Word. If not then our hearts will give “shady instructions”.
Sara your poem verse, “Must guard these secrets within”… says to me that it takes a plan, scheme and mode of operation to successfully guard something. If you have a secret treasure hidden, you would certainly want to throw others off the trail through distraction, etc so they won’t find your hiding place.
However, it will only work for so long…”God will certainly judge everything that is done. This includes every secret thing, whether it is good or bad.”Ecclesiates 12:14
yeah, you are right Debi…So many distractions all around. Maybe we should all be like John Edwards that said after his day in court, “if I want to find the person to be held accountable for my sins it is me and me alone. I don’t have to go any further than the mirror.” My point of reminder for myself, “stop letting others distract me with their hidden secrets and agendas.” Sometimes we don’t recognize the distraction for a period of time but when we do see it we should take immediate action to rid ourselves of the devious actions of others against us. When I recognize it then it becomes my sin for allowing it, I believe.
Proverbs 4:14-27 “Don’t follow the ways of the wicked; don’t do what evil people do. Avoid their ways, and don’t follow them. Stay away from them and keep on going, because they cannot sleep until they do evil. They cannot rest until they harm someone. They feast on wickedness and cruelty as if they were eating bread and drinking wine. The way of the good person is like the light of dawn, growing brighter and brighter until full daylight. But the wicked walk around in the dark; they can’t even see what makes them stumble. My child, pay attention to my words; listen closely to what I say. Don’t ever forget my words; keep them always in mind. They are the key to life for those who find them; they bring health to the whole body. Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life. Don’t use your mouth to tell lies; don’t ever say things that are not true. Keep your eyes focused on what is right, and look straight ahead to what is good. Be careful what you do, and always do what is right. Don’t turn off the road of goodness; keep away from evil paths.”
Oh, if I could just be careful not to be distracted, as Sara says, and keep my focus where it needs/should be…on God and His Word. As He tells us, that we will have perfect peace, when our mind stays on Him.
Tammy quotes the wise man and answers a question that goes through my mind often; Do they even know what they are doing? “But the wicked walk around in the dark; they can’t even see what makes them stumble.”
And to think I should have listen to the wise; “Keep your eyes focused on what is right, and look straight ahead to what is good.” Guess I better stay focused on the truth and say it and do it or I will be blind as a bat and mirror will be of no help since I am blind as a bat!
Hey, is a bat blind? I better google and see. Dosen’t matter if a bat is blind or not dosen’t change what the old wise man, said! Or, does it?
I googled…Big site of animal facts says; “Bats are not blind. Like many animals, they are born blind, but gain eyesight from the time they are seven to nine days old.
The saying, “blind as a bat,” probably arose because of the way bats fly around, darting here and there at night. Actually, the bat is hunting insects, which people cannot see in the dark when the bat is flying about.
Bats are night creatures. Most come out only at night to hunt. Although they can see reasonably well, they are not equipped with the special eyesight possessed by other night-hunting animals such as owls and cats. Instead, bats fly and guide themselves in the dark by means of a sonar system.
…
During World War II, a special army unit began training bats to carry bombs into cracks and crevices of enemy buildings. The war ended before the project was ever put into…”
The Bat story worst than I thought!
Sara, maybe we should be like bats which can see and guide themselves in the dark. We Christians need to see our way through a darker and darker world, keeping our eyes on the target, Jesus Christ…that LIGHT in a twilight world of sin. Maybe you’re on to something like…. we are to carry the “dynamite” of the Gospel, the GOOD NEWS, the LIBERATING NEWS, the ENLIGHTENING NEWS into deep and dark crevices and enclaves of this world; letting the Holy Ghost be our Sonar and our Radar and allowing that Dynamite of the Gospel to Explode into revival fires all over the earth. Maybe that’s an allegorical challenge that is being put forth, even now.
One part of the quote above from Tammy says, “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.” We may think no one sees our thoughts that we allow to develop across the big screen of our mind, but the evidence will be forthcoming if I understand this scripture correctly. It would seem an agenda is first formulated in the mind. Scary that this thought agenda then runs our lives!
These two verses from Sara’s poem above, “I have secrets hidden deep within.” and “When the end of secrets come; A New Beginning Begins!”, really relate to the June 8 devotional from Sara Young’s “Jesus Calling.” “Bring your most secret thoughts into the Light of My Love. Anything you bring to Me I transform and cleanse from darkness.” God’s purpose for us, she says, is to be ‘filled with the Light of My Presence.”
It says to me that if we keep secrets in the dark shed we won’t be able to be in God’s presence…we will be in that dark shed with the secrets. No ‘new beginning’ there.