Seven Words For Your Christian Journey

Our church was blessed by an interim pastor a little more than a year ago. He shared many life-changing spiritual lessons with us, and we were all inspired by his temporary leadership. One day he gave us a paper called "Seven Words For Your Christian Journey." I share his God-given wisdom here... May the thoughts written here, be as much of a blessing to you as they have been to me.

OMIT: If we are really to be reconciled to God, the Spirit will show us plainly the things which must go out of the life. "O God, according to Your loving kindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Purge me with the hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." Psalm 51:1, 7

ADMIT: The Savior often stands outside the heart's door, knocking. He brings with Him a feast of good things. He will not force open the door. He waits for you to open it. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me." Revelation 3:20 RSV

REMIT: Here we settle up old accounts: we get right with our fellow man. One way to do this is to humbly kneel at another's feet as Jesus did - and has asked us to do - and act of serving one another in love. Zacchaeus recognized that if he was to have the approval of Jesus, he must make wrongs right. He said to the Lord, "If I have swindled anybody out of anything I will pay him back four times as much. Jesus said to him; 'Salvation has come to this house today!'" Luke 19:8, 9.

SUBMIT: This is total dedication. "Be submissive then to God. Stand up to the devil and he will turn and run. Come close to God, and He will come close to you. Sinners make your hands clean; you who are double-minded, see that your motives are pure." James 4:7, 8 NEB

PERMIT: When I think of the word permit I think of the word let. Let is a permissive word. It does not imply a struggle nor does it allow striving - it is merely permit, allow or let. "Let the mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5

COMMIT: I like to think of this as a daily experience. "Commit your way to the Lord; trust also in Him; and He will bring it to pass. And He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgement as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him." Psalm 37:5-7.

TRANSMIT: It is almost paradoxical that when we commit all, then we are able to transmit. Jesus said, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture says, 'Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water." John 37:38.