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