Your Open Word e-Devotional for November 10th

Published: Fri, 11/10/17

Hello ,


The following by Ray Ortlund is solid gold in my humble opinion:

You and I are not integrated, unified, whole persons. Our hearts are multi-divided. It's like we have a board room in every heart. Imagine: a big table, leather chairs, coffee, bottled water, and a whiteboard. A committee sits around the table in your heart. There is the social self, the private self, the work self, the sexual self, the recreational self, the religious self, and others. The committee is arguing and debating and voting, constantly agitated and upset. Rarely can they come to a unanimous, wholehearted decision. We tell ourselves we're this way because we're so busy with so many responsibilities. But the truth is that we're just divided, unfocused, hesitant, and un-free.

That kind of person can "accept Jesus" in two ways. One way is to invite him onto the committee. Give him a vote too. But then he becomes just one more complication. The other way to "accept Jesus" is to say to him, "My life isn't working. Please come in and fire my committee, every last one of them. I hand myself over to you. I am your responsibility now. Please run my whole life for me."

"Accepting Jesus" is not just adding Jesus. It is also subtracting the idols.

"You shall have no other gods before me."  Exodus 20:3



Have a great day and God bless!



Pastor Mike / The Open Word