Pat,
The booklet is only a dollar, I think from Inter Varsity press.
Kathy



At 03:19 PM 10/12/2006, you wrote:
>Hi Kathy and Everyone,
>
>I am glad you liked it, I think it is beautiful.
>
>I kind of wondered if there was more to it, but this is all I could 
>find without buying the book. Someone had asked me to do a Google 
>search for it, so I did and this is what I found.
>
>I'll try to see what else I can find on it.
>
>Thanks for the input. <smile>
>
>Love and Blessings,
>Pat Ferguson
>
>
>
>At 10:05 AM 10/12/2006, you wrote:
>>Hi Pat,
>>Thank you for this.  I first became awear of this piece back in 
>>college.  It was produced as a little booklet by Inner Varsity 
>>press.  I had been wanting to hand it out for a while to our 
>>church, but, in the booklet, another room is described, the 
>>bedroom.  It's really a good read for college students, but most of 
>>our church members are senior citizens, so I was wondering how to 
>>get around that.  You've just provided me with the tool.  thank 
>>you.  By the way, I'm not saying that senior citizens don't think 
>>about the bedroom, but why risk it when so many keep landing in the 
>>hospital with heart attacks and strokes.  I wouldn't want to add to 
>>anybodys stress level by handing out a booklet about sex, as the 
>>pastor's wife.  After all, probably in many of their opinions, 
>>pastor's don't do that sort of thing.  I have no clue how they 
>>explain our four children, but I'll leave that to their imaginations.  GRIN!
>>Kathy
>>
>>
>>
>>At 10:26 PM 10/11/2006, you wrote:
>>>My Heart Christ's Home
>>>by Robert Boyd Munger
>>>
>>>In Paul's epistle to the Ephesians, we find these words:
>>>"That (God) would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, 
>>>to be strengthened
>>>with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell 
>>>in your hearts by
>>>faith" (Ephesians 3:16). Or, as another has translated, "That 
>>>Christ may settle down
>>>and be at home in your hearts by faith."
>>>Without question one of the most remarkable Christian doctrines is 
>>>that Jesus Christ
>>>Himself through the presence of the Holy Spirit will actually 
>>>enter a heart, settle
>>>down and be at home there. Christ will make the human heart His abode.
>>>Our Lord said to His disciples, "If a man love me, he will keep my 
>>>words: and my
>>>Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our 
>>>abode with him" (John
>>>14:23). It was difficult for them to understand what He was 
>>>saying. How was it possible
>>>for Him to make his abode with them in this sense?
>>>It is interesting that our Lord used the same word here that He 
>>>gave them in the
>>>first of the fourteenth chapter of John: "I go to prepare a place 
>>>for you .. that
>>>where I am, ye may be also."  Our Lord was promising his disciples 
>>>that, just as
>>>He was going to heaven to prepare a place for them and would 
>>>welcome them one day,
>>>now it would be possible for them to prepare a place for Him in 
>>>their hearts and
>>>He would come and make His abode with them.
>>>They could not understand this. How could it be?
>>>Then came Pentecost. The Spirit of the living Christ was given to 
>>>the church and
>>>they understood. God did not dwell in Herod's temple in Jerusalem! 
>>>God did not dwell
>>>in a temple made with hands; but now, through the miracle of the 
>>>outpoured Spirit,
>>>God would dwell in human hearts. The body of the believer would be 
>>>the temple of
>>>the living God and the human heart would be the home of Jesus 
>>>Christ. It is difficult
>>>for me to think of a higher privilege than to make Christ a home 
>>>in my heart, to
>>>welcome, to serve, to please, to fellowship with him there.
>>>One evening I invited Jesus Christ into my heart. What an entrance 
>>>He made! It was
>>>not a spectacular, emotional thing, but very real. It was at the 
>>>very center of my
>>>life. He came into the darkness of my heart and turned on the 
>>>light. He built a fire
>>>in the cold hearth and banished the chill. He started music where 
>>>there had been
>>>stillness, and He filled the emptiness with His own loving, 
>>>wonderful fellowship.
>>>I have never regretted opening the door to Christ and I never will 
>>>- not into eternity!
>>>This, of course, is the first step in making the heart Christ's 
>>>home. He has said,
>>>"Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice 
>>>and open the door,
>>>I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." 
>>>(Revelation 3:20).
>>>If you are interested in making your life an abode of the living 
>>>God, let me encourage
>>>you to invite Christ into your heart and He will surely come
>>>After Christ entered my heart and in the joy of this new 
>>>relationship I said to Him,
>>>"Lord, I want this heart of mine to be Yours. I want to have You 
>>>settle down here
>>>and be perfectly at home. Everything I have belongs to You. Let me 
>>>show You around
>>>and introduce you to the various features of the home that you may 
>>>be more comfortable
>>>and that we may have fuller fellowship together."
>>>He was very glad to come, of course, and happier still to be given 
>>>a place in the
>>>heart
>>>The Library
>>>The first room was the study - the library. Let us call it the 
>>>study of the mind.
>>>Now in my home this room of the mind is a very small room with 
>>>very thick walls.
>>>But it is an important room. In a sense, it is the control room of 
>>>the house. He
>>>entered with me and looked around at the books in the bookcase, 
>>>the magazines upon
>>>the table, the pictures on the walls. As I followed His gaze I 
>>>became uncomfortable.
>>>Strangely enough, I had not felt badly about this before, but now 
>>>that He was there
>>>looking at these things I was embarrassed. There were some books 
>>>were there that
>>>His eyes were too pure to behold. There was a lot of trash and 
>>>literature on the
>>>table that a Christian had no business reading, and as for the 
>>>pictures on the walls
>>>- the imaginations and thoughts of the mind -  these were shameful.
>>>I turned to Him and said, "Master, I know that this room needs a 
>>>radical alteration.
>>>Will You help me make it what it ought to be? - to bring every 
>>>thought into captivity
>>>to you?"
>>>"Surely!" He said. "Gladly will I help you. First of all, take all 
>>>the things that
>>>you are reading and looking at which are not helpful, pure, good 
>>>and true, and throw
>>>them out! Now put on the empty shelves the books of the Bible. 
>>>Fill the library with
>>>Scriptures and meditate on then day and night. As for the pictures 
>>>on the walls,
>>>you will have difficulty controlling these images, but here is an 
>>>aid"  He gave me
>>>a full-size portrait of Himself. "Hang this centrally," He said, 
>>>"on the wall of
>>>the mind."
>>>I did, and I have discovered through the years that when my 
>>>thoughts are centered
>>>upon Christ Himself, His purity and power cause impure thoughts to 
>>>back away. So
>>>He has helped me to bring my thoughts into captivity.
>>>May I suggest to you if you have difficulty with this little room 
>>>of the mind, that
>>>you bring Christ in there. Pack it full with the Word of God, 
>>>meditate upon it and
>>>keep before it the immediate presence of the Lord Jesus.
>>>The Dining Room
>>> From the study we went into the dining room, the room of 
>>> appetites and desires. Now
>>>this was a very large room. I spent a good deal of time in the 
>>>dining room and much
>>>effort in satisfying my wants.
>>>I said to Him, "This is a favorite room. I am quite sure You will 
>>>be pleased with
>>>what we serve."
>>>He seated Himself at the table with me and asked, "What is on the 
>>>menu for dinner?"
>>>"Well," I said, "my favorite dishes: money, academic degrees and 
>>>stocks, with newspaper
>>>articles of fame and fortune as side dishes." These were the 
>>>things I liked - worldly
>>>fare. I suppose there was nothing radically wrong in any 
>>>particular item, but it
>>>was not the food that should satisfy the life of a real Christian. 
>>>When the food
>>>was placed before Him, He said nothing about it. However, I 
>>>observed that He did
>>>not eat it, and I said to Him, somewhat disturbed, "Master, don't 
>>>You care for this
>>>food? What is the trouble?"
>>>He answered, "I have meat to eat that you do not know of. My meat 
>>>is to do the will
>>>of Him that sent Me." He looked at me again and said, "If you want 
>>>food that really
>>>satisfies you, seek the will of the Father, not your own 
>>>pleasures, not your own
>>>desires, and not your own satisfaction. Seek to please Me and that 
>>>food will satisfy
>>>you." And there at the table He gave me a taste of doing God's 
>>>will. What a flavor!
>>>There is no food like it in all the world. It alone satisfies. 
>>>Everything else is
>>>dissatisfying in the end.
>>>Now if Christ is in your heart, and I trust He is, what kind of 
>>>food are you serving
>>>Him and what kind of food are you eating yourself? Are you living 
>>>for the lust of
>>>the flesh and the pride of life - selfishly? Or are you choosing 
>>>God's will for your
>>>meat and drink?
>>>The Living Room
>>>We walked next into the living room. This room was rather intimate 
>>>and comfortable.
>>>I liked it. It had a fireplace, overstuffed chairs, a sofa, and a 
>>>quiet atmosphere.
>>>He also seemed pleased with it. He said, "This is indeed a 
>>>delightful room. Let us
>>>come here often. It is secluded and quiet, and we can fellowship together."
>>>Well, naturally as a young Christian I was thrilled. I couldn't 
>>>think of anything
>>>I would rather do than have a few minutes with Christ in intimate 
>>>companionship.
>>>He promised, "I will be here early every morning. Meet me here, 
>>>and we will start
>>>the day together." So morning after morning, I would come 
>>>downstairs to the living
>>>room and He would take a book of the Bible from the bookcase. He 
>>>would open it and
>>>then we would read together. He would tell me of its riches and 
>>>unfold to me its
>>>truths. He would make my heart warm as He revealed His love and 
>>>His grace He had
>>>toward me. These were wonderful hours together. In fact, we called 
>>>the living room
>>>the "withdrawing room." It was a period when we had our quiet time together.
>>>But, little by little, under the pressure of many 
>>>responsibilities, this time began
>>>to be shortened. Why, I'm don't know, but I thought I was just too 
>>>busy to spend
>>>time with Christ. This was not intentional, you understand; it 
>>>just happened that
>>>way. Finally, not only was the time shortened, but I began to miss 
>>>a day now and
>>>then. It was examination time at the university. Then it was some 
>>>other urgent emergency.
>>>I would miss it two days in a row and often more.
>>>I remember one morning when I was in a hurry, rushing downstairs, 
>>>eager to be on
>>>my way.
>>>As I passed the living room,  the door was open. Looking in, I saw 
>>>a fire in the
>>>fireplace and Jesus was sitting there. Suddenly in dismay I 
>>>thought to myself, "He
>>>was my guest. I invited Him into my heart! He has come as Lord of 
>>>my home. And yet
>>>here I am neglecting Him."
>>>I turned and went in. With downcast glance, I said, "Blessed 
>>>Master, forgive me.
>>>Have You been here all these mornings?"
>>>"Yes," He said, "I told you I would be here every morning to meet 
>>>with you." Then
>>>I was even more ashamed. He had been faithful in spite of my 
>>>faithfulness. I asked
>>>His forgiveness and He readily forgave me as He does when we are 
>>>truly repentant.
>>>"The trouble with you is this: you have been thinking of the quiet 
>>>time, of the Bible
>>>study and prayer time, as a factor in your own spiritual progress, 
>>>but you have forgotten
>>>that this hour means something to me also. Remember, I love you. I 
>>>have redeemed
>>>you at great cost. I value your fellowship. Now," He said, "do not 
>>>neglect this hour
>>>if only for my sake. Whatever else may be your desire, remember I 
>>>want your fellowship!"
>>>You know, the truth that Christ desires my companionship, that He 
>>>loves me, wants
>>>me to be with Him,  wants to be with me and waits for me, has done 
>>>more to transform
>>>my quiet time with God than any other single fact. Don't let 
>>>Christ wait alone in
>>>the living room of your heart, but every day find some time when, 
>>>with your Bible
>>>and in prayer, you may be together with Him.
>>>The Workroom
>>>Before long, He asked, "Do you have a workroom in your home?" Down 
>>>in the basement
>>>of the home of my heart I had a workbench and some equipment, but 
>>>I was not doing
>>>much with it. Once in a while I would play around with a few 
>>>little gadgets, but
>>>I wasn't producing anything substantial or worthwhile.
>>>I led Him down there.
>>>He looked over the workbench and what little talents and skills I 
>>>had. He said, "This
>>>is quite well furnished. What are you producing with your life for 
>>>the Kingdom of
>>>God?" He looked at one or two little toys that I had thrown 
>>>together on the bench
>>>and held one up to me. "Are these little toys all that you are 
>>>doing for others in
>>>your Christian life?"
>>>"Well," I said, "Lord, that is the best I can do. I know it isn't 
>>>much, and I really
>>>want to do more, but after all, I have no skill or strenghth to do more."
>>>"Would you like to do better?" He asked.
>>>"Certainly," I replied.
>>>"All right. Let me have your hands. Now relax in me and let my 
>>>Spirit work through
>>>you. I know that you are unskilled, clumsy and awkward, but the 
>>>Holy Spirit is the
>>>Master-Worker, and if He controls your hands and your heart, He 
>>>will work through
>>>you." And so, stepping around behind me and putting His great, 
>>>strong hands over
>>>mine, controlling the tools with His skilled fingers He began to 
>>>work through me.
>>>There's much more that I must still learn and I am very far from 
>>>satisfied with the
>>>product that is being turned out, but I do know that whatever has 
>>>been produced for
>>>God has been through His strong hand and through the power of His 
>>>Spirit in me.
>>>Do not become discouraged because you cannot do much for God. Your 
>>>ability is not
>>>the fundamental condition. It is He who is controlling your 
>>>fingers and upon whom
>>>you are relying. Give your talents and gifts to God and He will do 
>>>things with them
>>>that will surprise you..
>>>The Rec Room
>>>I remember the time He asked me about the playroom. I was hoping 
>>>He would not ask
>>>about that. There were certain associations and friendships, 
>>>activities and amusements
>>>that I wanted to keep for myself. I did not think Christ would 
>>>enjoy them or approve
>>>of them, so I evaded the question.
>>>But there came an evening when I was on my way out with some of my 
>>>friends, and as
>>>I was about to cross the threshold, He stopped me with a glance 
>>>and asked, "Are you
>>>going out?"
>>>I replied, "Yes."
>>>"Good," He said, "I would like to go with you."
>>>"Oh," I answered rather awkwardly. "I don't think, Lord Jesus, 
>>>that You would really
>>>want to go with us. Let's go out tomorrow night. Tomorrow night we 
>>>will go to prayer
>>>meeting, but tonight I have another appointment."
>>>He said. "That's alright. Only I thought that when I came into 
>>>your home, we were
>>>going to do everything together, to be close companions. I just 
>>>want you to know
>>>that I am willing to go with you."
>>>"Well," I said, "we will go someplace together tomorrow night."
>>>That evening I spent some miserable hours. I felt wretched. What 
>>>kind of a friend
>>>was I to Jesus when I was deliberately leaving Him out of my 
>>>associations, doing
>>>things and going places that I knew very well He would not enjoy? 
>>>When I returned
>>>that evening, there was a light in His room, and I went up to talk 
>>>it over with Him.
>>>I said, "Lord, I have learned my lesson. I can't have a good time 
>>>without You. From
>>>now on we will do everything together."
>>>Then we went down into the playroom of the house and He 
>>>transformed it. He brought
>>>into life real joy, real happiness, real satisfaciton, new 
>>>friends, new excitement,
>>>new joys. Laughter and music have been ringing through the house ever since.
>>>The Hall Closet
>>>There is just one more matter that I might share with you. One day 
>>>I found Him waiting
>>>for me at the door. An arresting look was in His eye. As I 
>>>entered, He said to me,
>>>"There is a peculiar odor in the house. There is something dead 
>>>around here. It's
>>>upstairs. I think it is in the hall closet." As soon as He said 
>>>this, I knew what
>>>He was talking about. Yes, there was a small closet up there on 
>>>the landing, just
>>>a few feet square, and in that closet, behind lock and key, I had 
>>>one or two little
>>>personal things that I did not want anyone to know about and 
>>>certainly I did not
>>>want Christ to see them. I knew they were dead and rotting things 
>>>left over from
>>>the old life. And yet I loved them, and I wanted them so for 
>>>myself that I was afraid
>>>to admit they were there.
>>>Reluctantly, I went up with Him, and as we mounted the stairs the 
>>>odor became stronger
>>>and stronger. He pointed at the door. "It's in there! Some dead thing!"
>>>I was angry. That's the only way I can put it. I had given Him 
>>>access to the library,
>>>the dining room, the living room, the workroom, the playroom, and 
>>>now He was asking
>>>me about a little two-by-four closet. I said to myself, "This is 
>>>too much. I am not
>>>going to give Him the key."
>>>"Well," He said, reading my thoughts, "if you think I'm going to 
>>>stay up here on
>>>the second floor with this odor, you are mistaken. I will take my 
>>>bed out on the
>>>back porch. I'm certainly not going to put up with that." Then I 
>>>saw Him start down
>>>the stairs.
>>>When you have come to know and love Christ, the worst thing that 
>>>can happen is to
>>>sense His fellowship retreating from you. I had to surrender. 
>>>"I'll give You the
>>>key," I said sadly, "but You'll have to open the closet and clean 
>>>it out. I haven't
>>>the strength to do it."
>>>"I know," He said. "I know you haven't. Just give me the key. Just 
>>>authorize me to
>>>take care of that closet and I will." So with trembling fingers I 
>>>passed the key
>>>to Him. He took it from my hand, walked over to the door, opened 
>>>it, entered it,
>>>took out all the putrefying stuff that was rotting there, and 
>>>threw it away. The
>>>He cleaned the closet and painted it, fixed it up, doing it all in 
>>>a moment's time.
>>>Oh, what victory and release to have that dead thing out of my life!
>>>Transferring the Title
>>>Then a thought came to me. I said to myself, "I have been trying 
>>>to keep this heart
>>>of mine clear for Christ. I start on one room and no sooner have I 
>>>cleaned that then
>>>another room is dirty. I begin on the second room and the first 
>>>room becomes dusty
>>>again. I am so tired and weary trying to maintain a clean heart 
>>>and an obedient life.
>>>I am just not up to it!"
>>>So I ventured a question: "Lord, is there any chance that You 
>>>would take over the
>>>responsibility of the whole house and operate it for me and with 
>>>me just as You did
>>>that closet? Would You take the responsibility to keep my heart 
>>>what it ought to
>>>be and my life where it ought to be?"
>>>I could see His face light up as He replied, "Certainly, that is 
>>>what I came to do.
>>>You cannot be a victorious Christian in your own strength. That is 
>>>impossible. Let
>>>me do it through you and for you. That is the way. But," He added 
>>>slowly, "I am not
>>>owner of this house. I am just a guest. I have no authority to 
>>>proceed, since the
>>>property is not mine."
>>>I saw it in a minute and dropping to my knees, I said, "Lord, You 
>>>have been a guest
>>>and I have been the host. From now on I am going to be the 
>>>servant. You are going
>>>to be the owner and Master and Lord."
>>>Running as fast as I could to the strongbox, I took out the title 
>>>deed to the house
>>>describing its assets and liabilities, location and situation and 
>>>condition. I eagerly
>>>signed it over to belong to Him alone for time and eternity. 
>>>"Here," I said. "Here
>>>it is, all that I am and have forever. Now You run the house. I'll 
>>>just remain with
>>>You as a servant and friend."
>>>He took my life that day and I can give you my word, there is no 
>>>better way to live
>>>the Christian life. He knows how to keep it in shape and deep 
>>>peace settles down
>>>on the soul. May Christ settle down and be at home in your heart 
>>>as Lord of all!
>>>
>>>Robert Boyd Munger (1911-2001) was a Presbyterian minister who 
>>>wrote this timeless
>>>work exactly 50 years ago. As vividly compelling a read then,  I 
>>>have found no other
>>>essay on the ABC's of the Christian life, other than Scripture 
>>>itself, so impacting
>>>as Munger's wonderful work here.    RDM