THE KEY TO EVERYTHING by Norman Grub

A Book Recommendation

"Christianity might be a good thing if anyone ever tried it." 

-George Bernard Shaw, atheist British playwright

The world and the devil seek to persuade us that Christianity is all about activity--being a good person by keeping the rules of life and by enforcing those rules on other people. When we buy that lie we bear ugly fruit, as indicated by the sarcasm of the famous atheist above. But Christianity is the life of God coming down from heaven and manifesting itself in the death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah.  That life then was poured out into this world at Pentecost, filling God's people who had embraced the way of unmerited favor. Once in the way, we Christians can easily get distracted from the simplicity that is in Christ (2Cor 11:3). Christianity is simply the life of Christ overflowing from saints (those in Christ) as they fix their vision on Christ, the source of perfect love. This overflow creates community--a beautiful community of the love (righteousness and compassion) of Christ. 

The Key to Everything by Norman Grubb, is about this topic and points out hindrances to recognize. We are all born gripped with the conceit of self and need to learn to see past that conceit to Christ our life.  I read this short, simple, and practical book twenty years ago to my great blessing and then gave away 100+ copies. In re-reading it recently I found the blessing to be even more invigorating and refreshing than I had remembered it to be the first time. Here is one excerpt.

"Once you have seen that [Christ in you as your inspiration], you see that He is the illimitable One.
Then you relax and say, 'That is what life is: Another living His life in me.'
You've got the key to everything.
Every problem becomes an opportunity.
Every tough spot becomes a chance to enjoy the luxury of seeing Him deliver us out of it.
And you welcome such spots." pp. 31-32 in 1999 edition

Do you want to get to the place where this excerpt describes your experience? Your relatives, friends, and co-workers certainly would be blessed if you did. Why not read this book, take some simple steps forward, and bless those around you? It can't hurt anything except your pride.

The book retails for $4.99 or can be read online here: 
http://www.unionlife.org/KeyToEverything.htm

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An Example of Loving a Very Difficult Brother

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protests, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 
-1 Corinthians 13:4-7

WHAT LOVE LOOKS LIKE

In the 1800's, in a small town in England, in a very poor neighborhood, there lived a kind old pastor, Mr. Robert Chapman, who was well known, even outside England, for his loving and humble character. The church that he pastored for 70 years was very divisive when he moved to that town. As the years passed, he patiently loved these saints and taught them to love one another. Many years later, a short conversation was preserved which gives us a window into the soul of a man marked by unusual humility and love. Let us pay attention to his attitude that we might see higher into the heavenlies.

A Christian man moved to town and joined the church pastored by Chapman. Years later an enquiry was made about that man by someone from his previous church in another town. The enquirer was curious about how Chapman got along with him as the man had been very difficult to deal with. "Chapman replied that he was a valuable brother, a very valuable brother; and added: 'We did not know our need of patience till he came among us.'"

DO YOU WANT TO GROW IN LOVE?

Did you notice Chapman's attitude? He considered the very difficult brother to be God's instrument to reveal the church's need to grow in patience. Chapman clearly learned that lesson of love well, seeing the man as a "very dear brother." Do you want to learn to love? Are you willing to welcome the difficult saints in your life as God's chosen instruments to reveal you need of patience? If not, what does that reveal about your real desire to grow in love? Does this bother you? How wonderful it is that our loving Father is patient with us when we are not so with each other.

Reading about God's gracious work in and through Robert Chapman has been a great blessing to me. The first post on this blog is a recommendation of Agape Leadership: lessons in spiritual leadership from the life of RC Chapman. If you want to grow in love, or become more sensitive to your lack of love, this books would be a great help. You friends would benefit from you reading it, too. The above excerpt was taken from a book recently reprinted entitled: Robert Chapman, by Frank Holmes
"Father in heaven, help us to see the difficult people around us as a blessing from your hand of grace to show us our need of more love. Convict us when we only tolerate them instead of loving them. Please do this soon. Thank you for loving us even when we neglect to love. Amen."

Rwanda, Africa: A Love that Overflows in Persecution

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." -1Thes. 5:16-18

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
-Matt. 5:9

Civil war devastated the small central African country of Rwanda in 1959-62. For many years the Hutu people had been downtrodden by their Tutsi feudal overlords—a small minority. The Belgian colonial rulers educated, supported and used the Tutsi.

Christian missionaries arrived about 1920 and preached the love of God for sinners to both Hutu and Tutsi. In 1931 God gave a few missionaries and locals such a vision of the greatness of God's love in the cross of Christ, that they began to confess their sins to one another and embrace one another open-heartedly. The gospel of God's grace began to spread rapidly in the power of the Holy Spirit—not just with missionary perseverance as before, but with an overflowing love, joy and thankfulness. Western missionaries began to see Africans as equals. Barriers between brothers came down as vision of the cross grew. Even the hostility between Hutu and Tutsi was overcome as believers rejoiced in the cross.

As independence from Belgium (1960) drew near, the Hutu began to see their opportunity to gain power and get revenge. What were Christians to do as the massacres spread and terror reigned? How could they be peacemakers when faced with attackers carrying axes, machetes and torches? Christians were from both tribes. Who should they help? Most were intimidated by the terror, but a few saints shone the light of Christ brightly. A missionary doctor who was among that first small group in 1931 to be overwhelmed by a vision of sin and forgiveness, received the following letter from one such African Christian in 1961.

"We are all well because Jesus has turned death into victory through the wonderful Gospel you brought to us. You know all that has happened to us in Rwanda. Here, we have had our home destroyed, and after it happened I was beaten for four days and left for dead. But this time was a blessing to my soul. All the time they were beating me, I couldn't help singing and saying, over and over again, 'Jesus be praised.' I kept praying for them very much all the time, and in my heart I was thankful because they said they had nothing against me except the fact that I was a Tutsi.

"Now, in case we shall never meet again before I die, I want to tell you that you and the other missionaries who brought the Gospel to us have done a great work. When I think how you found me in those days, I love you more than you know. Only Jesus knows how much I love you. I know quite well that you did not come for any personal gain or for what you could make out of it, so I want to comfort you in all suffering that may come to you 'even unto death' not to be downhearted; it is not in vain. Jesus will give you your reward. It is I, A. Mandari (Gahini, 2.3.62)."

This is a love letter--love for the torturers, love for Christ and love for the missionary who had shown him the glory of the cross. What an encouragement this letter must have been to the old missionary. Did you notice who this suffering brother was concerned about? We have the same God of all comfort, the same throne of grace to run to, and the same Holy Spirit of power. Do you want to overflow with heavenly love as this brother did? Do I? The lack is only in our vision of God's love. Let us pray often for God to give us together with all the saints a fresh vision of His great love for us—a love that passes knowledge. And let us expect Him to do it.

[Breath of Life: the story of the Ruanda Mission, by Patricia St. John, page 210]

Love and humility: introduction

Love and humility are the two most glaring blind spots in the Christian church. This is true for individual believers as well as for assemblies of saints. It is true for me and it is true for you. Do you want to shrink your blind spots? Are you willing to have help? About fifteen years ago, God in his kindness and wisdom began intensifying the light of his holiness on these two blind spots in my life. He has given me much conversation with other saints about love and humility. This has blessed me. I hope over the coming weeks to share thoughts from scripture on love and humility not simply to inform but also transform us by the renewing of our minds. “Love builds up but knowledge puffs up.” Let us seek to “grow” in love and humility not just to “know” in love and humility. We can learn from saints who have gone before us. They are part of the great crowd of witnesses testifying to God’s faithfulness. God has granted me the privilege of being a full-time literature missionary in Utah for over 20 years. Much blessing has come to me from hearing from saints from various traditions and centuries–through books and The Book. I hope to share some of that blessing through book recommendations and stimulating quotations.

“It is better to lose your pocket book than your temper.”–Robert C. Chapman

Losing which of these bothers you more?

Agape Leadership is a short biography of Robert Chapman. It is filled with humor and piercing words. It stimulates the reader to a higher vision of Christ. It is a good book to read aloud as a family.