Are You Showering or Soaking

 

 

August 23

 

What a wonderful God, what a marvellous God; You have done it again and again. What seemth impossible to men; Father, You did without recourse, we reverence You, we are adore You Lord Amen.

Dearly beloved, for two weeks the Lord had systematical exposed us to both “Meditating and Scripture memorizing” on the Word. I sincerely pray that we grasp as much as we can to travel along on this pilgrim. Beloved, do you know that the best traveller is that person that travels light? If you want to find out the truth ask those who travel with a lot of luggage and some one that has only a brief case or laptop.

Before we hang up this week, it will be good to find out whether we “Showering or Soaking in the Word”? In case you or you know someone struggling with some things in their lives thereby hindering them, our good Lord is promising a “Heart of Flesh”. Please share this series with a friend, don’t partake alone and God will bless you richly. Find out more from below:

Sam is a high-geared executive with a multinational corporation who is routinely engaged in analysis, problem solving, and decision-making.

Recently I sat down with Sam and asked him to share his observations from a passage of Scripture. In seconds he grasped the essence of the section and in crisp fashion spewed his assessment back to me. His analysis was correct, but seemed cold… lacking in heart. “What‘s next!?“ came his inquiry.

“K-N-O-W-I-N-G God,“ is what I felt like answering.

Sam knows the Bible, but does he K-N-O-W God?

Like Sam, most of us approach the Scriptures with all the depth of taking a shower. That is, we splash under the water, rub on some soap, rinse off, and are out of there!

By way of contrast, soaking in a bathtub is considerably slower and more deliberate. You choose to lie there, relax, and allow the hot water and bath oil to penetrate the skin, and open the pores. You soak. But it takes time. When you finally do step out of the tub your body is soft and mellow.

Sam needs to learn how to soak in the Scriptures.

For example, in Matthew 18:3, 4 Jesus said, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

If Sam were “soaking” on this passage, his thoughts might run something like this: He would picture Jesus’ gentle and relaxed manner with children as they climbed up on to His lap. Perhaps he would realize how he tends to dismiss little children and their world as “irrelevant.”

As Sam pondered the scene, his mind might flash back to the sophisticated and self-assured people in his business world. Then he would visualize the innocent and unaffected children gathered around Jesus. Doubtless he would be struck by the contrast between his world and theirs.

Almost without realizing it, he could find himself praying, “God, forgive me for being so unlike Christ. I need to exhibit Jesus‘ quality of gentleness with children, by being gentle with the people in my office. I need to take more un-rushed time with my own children. In the crush of corporate life, I have lost much of my childlike innocence. Father forgive me for my stiffness, and air of self-importance.”

That is soaking on the Scriptures!

So my QUESTION is: “Are you showering or soaking when it comes to the Scriptures?”(FOTM)

All these analyses above will not be expect were Christ had change your heart from the heart of stone to a new heart “a heart of flesh”. Come alone let’s dig it out:

“And I will give you an heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26

A heart of flesh is known by its tenderness concerning sin. To have indulged a foul imagination, or to have allowed a wild desire to tarry even for a moment, is quite enough to make a heart of flesh grieve before the Lord. The heart of stone calls a great iniquity nothing, but not so the heart of flesh.

“If to the right or left I stray,

That moment, Lord, reprove;

And let me weep my life away,

For having grieved thy love”

The heart of flesh is tender of God’s will. My Lord Will-be-will is a great blusterer, and it is hard to subject him to God’s will; but when the heart of flesh is given, the will quivers like an aspen leaf in every breath of heaven, and bows like an osier in every breeze of God’s Spirit. The natural will is cold, hard iron, which is not to be hammered into form, but the renewed will, like molten metal, is soon moulded by the hand of grace.

In the fleshy heart there is a tenderness of the affections. The hard heart does not love the Redeemer, but the renewed heart burns with affection towards Him. The hard heart is selfish and coldly demands, “Why should I weep for sin? Why should I love the Lord?” But the heart of flesh says; “Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee; help me to love Thee more!”

Many are the privileges of this renewed heart; “‘Tis here the Spirit dwells, ’tis here that Jesus rests.” It is fitted to receive every spiritual blessing, and every blessing comes to it. It is prepared to yield every heavenly fruit to the honour and praise of God, and therefore the Lord delights in it.

A tender heart is the best defence against sin, and the best preparation for heaven. A renewed heart stands on its watchtower looking for the coming of the Lord Jesus. Have you this heart of flesh?

Let me conclude with Jas 1:21-25. Read it and blessed.

 

Remain blessed in the Lord.

Evang. Ifeoma Ohondu