Tuesday, May 23, 2006

My heart;Christ's home

April 18th was the day I started walking. It started out as a short ten minute walk, but has increased now to the point that I walk for 1 hour a day minimum. This has had several benefits. One, I get out of the house everyday... Outside is good for the cooped up soul. Two,walking is exercise. Allthough I have exercised over the years ( off and on), I can not think of a time when I found myself exercising every day for 35 days straight. But have done the walking everyday. Three, there has also been some very needed weight loss... It is amazing how , if you watch what you eat, and exercise, good things happen. It is slow, but it is effective.

I have alot of weight to lose. But I don;t worry about that. I am committed to a certain lifestyle, and I figure if I follow the lifestyle, over time the weight will take care of itself.

There has been another benefit. I have listened to great sermons. The IPOD is a great little tool for guys like me on a walk. John Ortberg is one of the best preachers for me. He takes me deeper... makes me think. He challenges some of the suppostions that I have built my life on. ( That is a good thing) He takes the life of Jesus and makes it come alive with history, and reality.

One series he did last year is a series based on Robert Munger's book My Heart- Christ's Home. The sermon series is powerful. The little book is explosive.

For instance, Munger talks about Christ coming into our heart. In John 14, we read that Jesus says that "He is going to go and prepare a place for us." We ( or least I) have always taken that to mean Heaven. And that is true. However, on the day of Pentecost, something unexpected happens. ( Jesus had warned the disciples that this would happen, but those guys....) The Holy Spirit showed up, and began indwelling people. As I read the opening pages of this little book, it occurred to me that Jesus really does prepare a place for us in heaven WHILE he is living in our hearts. Rev. 3:20 says "Behold I stand at the door and knock;If anyone hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him." I don't know how it works, how he can do both, but he does..

Doesn't that just blow you away? It does me. He takes up residence in us...IF we will invite him to do so.

The little booklet is a picture of the implications of that decision to let Him in. You might want to pick it up. It is worth the five dollars.

No comments: