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Jesus is Knocking - Will You Answer?
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There was a gentle rapping at the front door.

At first it was quiet, but persistent.

Then the knocking grew a little stronger, demanding more attention, and refused to be ignored.

I tried to put the noise out of my mind. But it seemed too demanding. Too urgent. Too much like someone who needed help.

Someone was banging on the front door and needed in immediately!

When I opened the door and saw the Lord Jesus standing there, I realized right away it was me who needed the help. He told me that this is how He usually operates. A gentle consistent tapping on the door of the heart. Then a little stronger if the door is not answered. Then the urgency begins because,

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” (Revelation 3:20, NLT)

Wow! The God of the Universe, the Lord of all Creation is willing to come into my heart as my Lord and Savior and share a meal with me as my new best friend!

At first it was wonderful. We would talk about almost everything. Even when I drove my car I called "Faith" (because it was an act of faith as to whether or not it would get me to my destination) I would picture Him sitting in the passenger seat as we conversed together. The radio, heat and air conditioning did not work in this 1968 Mustang so we had no distractions.

After we got to know each other a little bit driving around and had dinner together for a few weeks, he asked if he could help me cook the meal.

I was reluctant at first, because I didn't know if I would like His kind of food. But what He told me was that now that He was in my heart, He would change my desires from the inside-out. The food I once craved would no longer be tasty to me. The junk food I once gobbled to satisfy instant urges would be replaced with real, lasting nourishment for body, soul and spirit.

I asked the Lord Jesus why He was doing this, and He replied:

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT)

I didn't realize at first that the reason I was so weak emotionally, mentally and spiritually was because of the mental and spiritual food I had been eating. He began to show me that there were certain chips, pop and junk food I had been craving and feeding my mind that were sapping life from me, harming my body immensely, and were damaging my soul.

Would I trust Him to cook up great meals for me every day?

When I asked Him what He was talking about specifically, He instructed me that there were certain foods I had in the kitchen of my heart - appetites, desires and habits I had that made it hard for Him to have a real closeness with me.

Furthermore, they were not only damaging my relationship with Him, they were destroying my life.

For instance, my cigarette smoke was getting in His face, the chewing tobacco was grossing Him out, and He wanted the tobacco in my life to go. I asked him why, and He told me:

“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”
(1 Corinthians 6:19-20, NLT)

It was at this point I realized that three inches and a few leafs from "Tobacco Road" in North Carolina had their nicotine knee in my chest, holding me down from being as close to my best friend as I could.

So I told Him that I would gladly allow Him to help change my desires and get rid of everything that is stopping me from experiencing the life that He died and rose again to give me - but He would have to help me.

He did. Every time I was tempted I would turn it into a prayer for help, "Lord, I can't handle this and I need you to take away this urge, this craving." He always answered with his power, and I haven't used tobacco for almost 40 years.

How wonderful it was to sit down with Him now, knowing His willingness and His ability to help with everything.

Oh, there were other desires and habits, too, that He wanted me to exchange for delicious food. Not just habits that others could see. He also wanted to help me with the desires and habits of the heart.

When He came into my heart - and when He comes into your heart - He does an inside job!

“Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.” (Ephesians 3:17, NLT)

• How much does the Lord Jesus feel at home in your heart, my friend?

Rejoicing, On the Victory Side!

Beau

Rejoicing, On the Victory Side!

Dr. Beau Abernathy

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