Pilgrim Jim's Treasure Field
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21
KJV
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GROWING HUNGER
I know not from whence it came, the gentle,
wisp of a thought that I might want to be a Christian, a follower of Jesus. The
thought seemed to gently float across my mind like a feather floating in the
breeze. I wasn't happy or content with the way my individual life was going and
some recent developments were causing me to take a closer look at my life. I
knew that many things were wrong and something was missing but I didn't know, or
couldn't pinpoint exactly what was missing. I felt guilty about some of the
areas of my life. I did not go to church, and my life certainly
leaned, or maybe even fell over backwards, in the opposite direction with
entirely different interests and pursuits, but the wisp of a thought, I might
want to follow the teachings of the bible, kept returning and becoming a little
stronger each time. I was somewhat puzzled about the thoughts, thinking it to be
very unusual, and everybody knew that my lifestyle, actions and words were
contrary to the teachings of the word of God. I certainly didn't have to
tell anyone that I was not a Christian, and did not follow the Lord, they knew,
but the thoughts kept returning.
We had a bible, little used, but I found it
and began reading some of it at night, just here and there in the book, not
necessarily anything specific. The words and passages started to become
interesting to me and I began to read more and more, somewhat amazed at some of
the passages, especially some of the teachings of Jesus. From somewhere, a
hunger to read and understand the word developed within me and I spent even more
time reading from the bible. I did not know at the time that God's Word was
beginning to take root within my soul and spirit and the Holy Spirit was making
it real to my heart. I remembered that as a little boy, just learning to read
well, I had sat down with Mom and Dad's old family bible and had read some of
the stories that it contained. The teacher at the little country school that I
attended also regularly asked us to memorize a scripture verse from the bible
and then quote it in school. If I had trouble with the verse that I had been
memorizing I could always fall back on the little short verse in John 11:35,
"Jesus wept". But now it was different because there was a real desire to
believe what I was reading and a desire to understand it's meaning. Very
unusual. I had read about the jailer in the city of Philippi who came trembling
and said to Paul and Silas, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said,
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
Acts 16:30-31 KJV
One Wednesday evening, something strange
occurred as I was silently reading from the bible. I will not attempt to explain
or add to what happened, I'll just tell you the truth, as it happened to me.
While reading from the bible and desiring to believe and understand what I was
reading I suddenly sensed a very strong presence that made me uncomfortable, and
a silent, but strong, voice that spoke to me within, said, "Why don't you throw
that bible down on the floor and curse it, it isn't true". I had never
experienced anything like that before in my life but I knew from reading the
word where that voice was coming from and I knew that I needed to do something
about it, but what! I sensed a strong, discomforting, evil presence
and feeling and could not get rid of it. It was as if a battle was taking place
within me as I tried to read more from the bible but could not concentrate on
anything that I was reading. I did not attend church anyplace but I went into
the kitchen and picked up the phone book and looked under the heading of
Churches. I dialed the number of a local church that was at the top of the list
and wondered if I would get an answer because it was getting late. Finally
someone answered, it wasn't the Pastor, it was the Janitor, who was there
cleaning the building for Thursday night's service. I didn't know him but I told
him who I was and what was happening with the bible reading and the strong,
silent voice that had spoken to me.
The Janitor's name was Lester Lingle. Lester told me
that the strong presence and voice that spoke to me was the devil. I told him
that I had more or less figured that to be true but I couldn't get rid of the
influence or whatever it was. I wanted to rid myself of the evil presence
because I wanted to read more of the word of God and I wanted to try and believe
and understand it. Lester suggested that we pray and he surprised me by making
this statement, "Now, Jim, we're going to pray and something is going to
happen". He said that very emphatically and he sounded like he was sure of what
he was saying. Sure enough, when he started to pray and call upon the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ, something definitely happened. The cold, discomforting
feeling and presence left me. I could feel it go and this rough, callous, sinful
heart of mine began to experience something that I had never sensed before in my
life. I didn't understand it but I knew it was real. I was sitting on a high
kitchen stool while talking to Lester and as the evil presence left me, a soft,
warm, comforting presence began to come in to take it's place. I had never
experienced anything like that before. I grew weak and almost slipped off the
kitchen stool. I began to cry and let me tell you, that was very unusual for me.
I knew that God had done something to get rid of the evil presence and He had
done something for me, and I still know that fact today. I have always been very
thankful that Lester Lingle answered that phone when I called and that his faith in God
was real. God had Lester and me exactly where he wanted both of us that night. When Lester, in faith, called upon the name of Jesus Christ, something
good and powerful happened, no question about it.
".......The
effective, fervent prayer of a righteoous man avails much."
From James 5:16 NKJV
I didn't understand it all but I knew beyond
a shadow of a doubt that God had done something for me. The devil had tried to
prevent me from understanding and believing the word of God but when Lester
prayed and God answered that prayer, the devil had to leave. God delivered me
from that hindering spirit of unbelief.
Jesus taught in a parable: "A sower went out to sow
his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down,
and the birds of the air devoured it." Luke 8:5
NKJV
"Now the
parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones
who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest
they should believe and be saved."
Luke 8:11-12 NKJV
Since that Wednesday night I have found
comfort, instruction, understanding and joy while reading and studying the word
of God and contemplating the teachings found therein. I am amazed and thankful
for the power of God's word. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my
path."
Psalm 119:105 NIV
"For the word of God is living and active.
Sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul
and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes
of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 NIV
And that's the way it was that day, in
Pilgrim Jim's life.
James Lloyd Clark
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