The California Collection/TheCaliforniaCollection.cdr/his086/journey.lzh/JOURNEY.TXT

Text File | 1991-07-07 | 10KB | 158 lines

DEV:Journey through the heart

   Though dark and gloomy my story may be, but so very vital to you and
to me. The subject is Sin and all it can do, so pay close attention,
for many it slew. For us it began in a Garden so fair, who`d ever think
that Sin would hide there? The Serpent did slither on this Hallowed
Ground, a victim was surely there to be found. So unsuspecting as Sin
did draw near... Eve was there waiting; Sin`s target - her ear! "What
did God tell thee ?" Sin did inquire. "Of this we may NOT eat...", Sin
roared, "He`s a Liar !" She saw it was lovely so with Adam she shared
Sin crouched in the darkness...his victims were snared ! So delightful
a setting this Garden Divine, where not only man, but Sin did first
dine. Sin`s fruit, Oh so sweet, he ate to his fill, 'twas not only
Adam, but Mankind his kill. Since then Sin's been feasting, the world
is his table, now WE are his fruit, to escape we're unable. Just how
can we KNOW that WE'VE been his fare? we must look WITHIN and we'll
find him there. He`s clever, that Serpent, doesn't want us to know...
that OUR HEART`S been his CASTLE..., that he's been our foe Look close
and be honest, he may be disguised... for all that you'll find there,
you might be surprised.

   As we stand and we wonder, with entrance so wide DARE WE JOURNEY
FORTH, to see what's inside? The outline looms heavy, we shiver with
fright, we think to ourselves..."such an ominous sight." The gate, it
is lowered, we see as we cross, this castle's not gleaming, `tis all
filled with dross! Each step at a snail's pace, we come to the arch,
the darkness surrounds us... more slowly we march. So dingy, so murky
and blacker than night, can't see very clearly...we must have a light.
But what can we use and where can we find, a reliable torch, that won't
leave us blind? Yea, a light we must have, but also a Guide, to
comprehend fully what in there does abide. As we stand here helpless,
our vision still blurred, Behold, a White Charger...with God's Holy
Word! His two-edged sword for us leads the way, what once had been
darkness, is now bright as day! We creep down the hallway...seems so
full of gloom, we reach the first chamber... we enter the room... With
floors oh so dusty and webs all about, "Who doth reside here?", we say
with a shout. We wait for an answer...there comes no reply... this room
seems unlived in...we all wonder "why". We leave for the hallway..."no
cause for alarm... a room that's this empty can do us no harm." Our
trek we continue, we try every door, they seem never ending and still
there's yet more.

   All chambers were bare, though covered with grime, no lodgers had
been there for quite a long time. Single file we went onward, the path
was so winding, but nary a boarder was there for the finding. Through
doorways and hallways, 'twas truly a puzzle, this vacant old wasteland,
our minds did bemuzzle. The coldness and dampness, to our bones it was
felt, by now we decided that herein no one dwelt. As the exit drew
near, we stepped up our pace, we just couldn't wait to leave such a
place. We crossed o'er the mote, the gate, it rose slowly, we said to
each other, "how impure...how unholy!" Out of that dungeon we now could
think clearly, I pondered the place that I once thought of dearly. When
I thought on my heart, 'twas visions of gold, but now that I've seen
it, 'tis crusty with mold. Our Guide was still leading...He looked like
a King... when we suddenly realized that He spoke not a thing! "We
searched Lord and searched, but couldn't uncover, a trace of the evil,
'twas told we'd discover." Then abruptly He turned, and for us He
unraveled, the truths of that mansion, and the trail that we travelled.
This thought, as He spoke, I could not dismiss, that "never before had
a man spake like this". His Words seemed to echo to the castle and
back, of their power and persuasion there was surely no lack. He said
at the outset, "Take care HOW you hear..." as back through the castle,
our minds He did steer. "The things that doth dwell here, a man, doth
defile..." I knew from that moment, my HEART was on TRIAL ! "The rooms
were not empty, just UNOCCUPIED," I clung to His Words, as I sat
mystified. "The heart is deceitful above all that you know, to trust
what abides here shall bring misery and woe." My thoughts were
discerned, for I wanted to ask, the NAMES of the tenants... this riddle
unmask. But before I could speak, He began to disclose, that question I
pondered...just WHO were my foes? "UNCLEANNESS, IDOLATRY, ENVY, and
MALICE," these were the Demons who lived in the palace! "GREEDINESS,
JEALOUSY, ANGER, and SCORN," He said they had been there ever since I
was born. "CHEATING, and LYING, TALEBEARING, and STRIFE," His Words
thrust in deeply... they cut like a knife. "FIGHTINGS, BACKBITINGS," He
went on to explore... "these are the things," said He, "I deplore."
"These works of the flesh shall surely be known..." the ground shook
around us at the sound of His tone! As to WHERE were these villians, my
mind was perplexed, He answered precisely, for He knew what was next.
"All shall be manifest, this treachery and sin..." but "WHERE COULD
THEY BE?", I thought deep within. "OUT OF THE HEART proceeds evil
things..." His Words came like rapiers, such grimness it brings. I
froze as He told us that THEY'D GONE TO LABOR... to wreak havoc for ME,
upon friend and neighbor!

   By this I was smitten, seemed to know all along... of the misery I'd
caused...all the pain... all the wrong. We now knew the reason for the
filth and the slime... with evils THIS BUSY, to return was no time.
They were constantly working, from our hearts did they vent, we each
knew too dearly, to whom they were sent. These workers were tireless,
to rest was no need, they were sent with no mercy, this horrible breed.
The past flashed before me, such pictures they brought, of so many
people with whom I had fought. My head and my shoulders sank deep with
despair, for all I had injured and treated unfair. In the midst of my
groaning, our Lord did insist, that we look back behind us...to the
FLAG that we missed. Waving on high above that dark manor, the word
that was there, inscribed on the banner... Raging and flapping like the
Fires of Hell, the name of the LANDLORD for us it did tell! Shattered
and broken I lift up mine eyes... the word "S E L F" was upon it, and
HOW PROUDLY IT FLIES! The silence was deafening, inside was this
growing... that over MY heart, this flag was STILL BLOWING! With
unquenchable thirst and Sin as my drink... in the Abyssal of Self, I
continued to sink. My mouth hung wide open, my eyes closed with shame,
a war raged within...no peace could I claim. Heart's song like a death
march, it pounded much faster... each beat brought me nearer, to
certain disaster! My foes marched before me, like SINS ON PARADE... and
I was there General! What a fool have I played! That my heart was their
FORTRESS, Oh I can't bear this load... the feelings inside me, like
bombs they explode! With my mind as there battlefield and my soul as
the spoil, my heart and God's Word continued to toil. Sin gave in not
so easy...it gathered it's forces, I viewed in amazement, at all it's
resources. REASON and LOGIC, EXCUSES and LIES, so unwilling Sin was to
relinguish it's Prize. "I'm not so bad, I'd done some good deeds," I
soon was aware, 'twas LOGIC that pleads. EXCUSES came next, then LIES
and then REASON... but all was revealed, to my heart this was TREASON!
Not a thing my heart offered, before HIM could stand, it's foundation,
you see, was built upon sand. His search light for me, had so clearly
revealed, all of this wickedness, my heart had concealed. My defense
was so useless, these sins I COMMITTED ! But now came the truth of the
things I OMITTED! "LONGSUFFERING, MEEKNESS, GOODNESS and JOY," a heart
without these, Sin would surely destroy. "SELF-CONTROL, FIDELITY,
SHARING and PEACE," without these within, Sin would always increase.

   "COMPASSION, HUMBLENESS, CHARITY, LOVE, every good gift comes down
from above." But the worst of my crimes, those sins of omission,
was...NO TIME FOR GOD, to Him - no submission! A moment perhaps, just
one here or there, but to FIND WHAT HE WANTED...'twas no time to spare.
Oh, I'd gone to church, I'd been there each Sunday... but I'd rather
not say what I did on each Monday! I took time to pray...seems I wanted
so much, so to Him I would turn...did I USE Him such??? My Bible was
there but it stayed on the shelf, too busy, I guess, in pursuits for
MYSELF. His Name, I remember, was oft used in vain, my speech, to be
honest, was mostly profane. I sat and reflected, overcome with such
shame, MYSELF I had lived for...NO TIME FOR HIS NAME! His salvation for
me, well, it held no appeal. This whole business of "God", it seemed so
unreal! Death was far off, I could deal with that later... must live
for the NOW, to MYSELF I must cater. All of these thoughts were just
the conclusion, of a spirit so dead...of a heart of delusion. Deaf to
His Word and Blind to His Scripture, my soul in a casket...what a
horrible picture! That I could do nothing, 'twas made very clear... my
heart was depraved, it's state too severe. Within ME was NO CURE, I was
TOTALLY LOST! For my God was no time, now I must pay the cost.

   Heart's Trial was fast closing...my soul seemed to wilt... the
verdict was coming...'twas sure of my guilt! The offense of my life
would demand the worst sentence, but with words sweet as honey...He
spoke of REPENTANCE! I sat there astounded, not a thing did I merit...

   And yet His Kingdom was offered for me to inherit!

   His Arm rose up slowly, He beckoned me COME... A NEW HEART He'd give
me...His plea left me numb. What could I do, with such a Grand Offer?
Would YOU follow Him...or go on as a scoffer? The end of my story has
NOT YET BEEN REACHED... but I leave it for now, and to YOU I beseech,
Gird up your loins and draw nigh the Gate... take Heart's Journey
yourself...before it's TOO LATE!

   RLW