A man bought a new radio, took it home and placed it on the bench. He tuned it to WMS Nashville and then proceeded to pull off all the knobs. He had tuned in to all he wanted to hear, so the knobs were superfluous dust-collectors.
I think that man has a lesson for us. His mind was closed to anything other than what he heard from WMS Nashville. We might think him silly, but how often do we close our MINDS in just such a way and refuse to change our ways?
The New Year has begun, and while new year’s day is just another day, like all others to many people, it is a time when most activities and ministries are in recess for the six weeks or more of school holidays (here in Australia at least). This lull in regular activities presents us with a good opportunity to review and assess, to re-think and maybe to re-arrange or to implement new ideas.
As we commence a new year, may we each face it with OPENNESS. May our desire be to continue to learn; to continue to grow; to be open to new ideas without compromising our ethical beliefs and standards; to continue to develop more loving and caring characteristics; to be better citizens in our community.
As we who are blood-bought, adopted children of the living God commence a new year of service for the King of kings, may we face it with OPENNESS: openness to WHATEVER He asks of us; openness to want to be used by Him WHEREVER and in WHATEVER capacity HE chooses. May we be OPEN to His leading and direction at all times, keeping our focus only on Him and His will.
May we be fully open to His desire for a closer relationship as we learn more and more from His Word and learn to trust Him more fully.
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the RENEWING of your MIND,
that you may prove
what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Openness is essentially the willingness to grow, with a distaste for ruts.
The only difference between a rut and a grave is in their dimensions
Good verses for 2013
Ephesians 5:14-17
Awake you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore , my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
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Amanda Beth
adopted80
aliveintheword
Bro Stef
debradoo
Golden Gems from Grandma
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Ula
meetingintheclouds
Helen Murray
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Ang blogger daw na si Iska
rickroehm
Steven Sawyer
My prayer is that we all have a willingness to learn more and grow and the wisdom to discern between the truth and the false teachings of this world. It is only through a combination of openess and discerning wisdom that we are able to grow in Christ. Thank you, Angela, for another great reminder for our walk of grace on the earth. Your posts are always a great blessing!
Thank you Rob. I don’t know if it is just me, but it seems as though the world is getting more and more evil and more and more crafty in its approach to draw people away from the things of the Lord. Voices scream from all directions, denying the truths of the Word. We certainly need to “tune out” from the distractions and “tune in” only to the Word and the leading of Holy Spirit.
My grandparents use to do that with the TV as well. The lesson was to learn that they were in control of what was watched and heard, and it could only be watched and heard with them.
Many parents and grandparents need to do that today, at least I think so. Take back the time and spend it with family and the Lord. Oh yeah, and close the stores on Sundays.
Now that is an idea for parents – control the TV! My five boys were never allowed to touch the TV but my word was enough to prevent them from doing so. They set a lesson for me: I should be as obedient to my Father as they were to their earthly parents.
Because I know that God only wants the very, very best for me and that His way is perfect, I should have no hesitation in following His will with no thought at all to my own will.
Now earth no more my heart divide.
With Christ I am crucified;
To Him my whole soul aspire,
Dead to the world and all its toys;
Its idle pomp and fading joys.
Be Thou alone my one desire!
Amen
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Great illustration! I wish I had a radio with knobs on it. I’d tune it to my favorite Christian radio station and throw away the knobs. Good analogy about tuning things out that don’t matter and tuning into the things that do. Thanks for posting.
Thanks Steven. I don’t listen to a radio at all, but my own personal ‘tuning knobs’ don’t seem to stay tuned in. They go haywire at times, but thankfully it isn’t long before Holy Spirit convicts me and enables and empowers me to get back into focus and fix my attention on the only One who is able to keep me steady.
Won’t it be wonderful – and we are one day closer – when we are permanently tuned in to our amazing God? We will have have no distractions and no self will.
What an incredibly amazing God!
Thank you. Great comments and wise counsel. You have given me inspiration with your thought. At the end of the day we’re one day closer to Jesus’ return and heaven. What an awesome way to end the day! Thank you.
I love this illustration good friend. However, my wife may not appreciate the knobs missing from our radios… considering she likes music and I’d rather stay on the sermon channels.
May we tune in to Jesus, remove the knobs that so easily beset us, and abide in Him. Blessings
I never listen to a radio, but I guess turning knobs there is not more than a slight inconvenience. Removing the knobs when ‘tuned in to full fellowship with the Lord’ however, would be desirable. One day soon, we will experience that, but until that day we need to make it a priority to tune in and stay tuned in so that we hear His voice and His direction at all times.
We serve an incredibly amazing God.