“I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart” Psalm 40:8
“I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart” Psalm 40:8
John Jasper is a friend and colleague who served as elders board chair during my time as pastor at Mission Creek Alliance in Kelowna (John’s wife Pat is sister to Jon Freeman – one of our CAC elders). Together we met weekly to chart the course of the church. Recently I heard that John is not well. As we went back and forth it was clear that our encounters with the Lord become so valuable when we find ourselves in a time of trouble. I am grateful that John has agreed to write about his spiritual journey at this time, and today I share the second half of what he has written for you.
The heart is next to talk about surrendering to the Lord Jesus. The blood of our bodies flows from the heart. It is the source of life. Every part of my life is given to Him. The Bible says a lot about the heart and from it there comes out all the sinful things I have let in through various acts of disobedience and omission. We are also to love the Lord our God with all our heart as well as with all our soul and with all our mind and with all our strength. I asked God to reveal to me any unconfessed sin in my life. He started with small things that I had completely put out of my mind. Each time I asked He showed me harder and more complex things that I confessed immediately until I was living day by day confessing immediately as I was conscious of sin. 1 John 1:9 says that “if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Christ must be, and now is the ruler and king of my heart and life. I believe from experience that this is true.
The mind is something that is very personal. No one knows what I am thinking, but God does. He needs that surrendered to Him as well. What do I focus my mind on? What do I fill my mind with? I found that most fiction books are not filling my mind with the Christ-honoring thoughts I should have. Most television shows and movies fill my mind with things not honoring to Him. I must be in constant communication with Christ through my day to find my way through the jungle of filth and corruption that is available so readily today. I began filling my mind with things of God. The Word of God became very precious to me, and my prayers for people became more of a concern for their spiritual well-being rather than for their physical well-being. Not that I neglected their physical needs, but the spiritual needs are far more important.
The final act of dedication and surrender is the will. This was brought to a reality in my life when I decided I wanted God’s will to replace my will. We, as people, are created with the will to choose. Right from wrong, obedience or disobedience, what to do with our day, to accept Christ as Savior or reject Him, and the many other countless choices that come upon us – big and small. Right away I decided to go all the way in surrender. My will is now conformed to the will of God. What a freeing, blessed experience. About this time, I met with a friend for coffee at Tim’s. It was in April and early May of 2024 when my speech had started to slur a small bit and we had no idea what was going on. I remarked to my friend that I no longer wanted my will to get in the way of God’s will. I think he was shocked at first but then I explained the situation and that everything pertaining to me was in His hands and that this is part of being led by the Spirit of God. Since that day he has joined me in celebrating that God will be in control of a life that is completely surrendered to Him, and being led by the Spirit is the greatest joy that a person can experience. Each day I have begins with the fresh filling of the Spirit and the request for Him to lead, guide, and have His way in my every activity of the day.
Through the last few months, with Jesus as my Savior and the Holy Spirit as my guide, I have experienced great peace in my heart and soul. I know that whatever is ahead is under His control, so I can rest assured that the best is yet to come. With either longer life or close death, I win either way. Knowing my Lord and Savior and believing that He has a place prepared in Heaven for those who love and follow Him, my greatest prayer to Him now is that whether by life or death, God will receive honor, glory, and praise. May the rest of my life be an example to many of the power and grace of my Lord Jesus Christ.
John Jasper
jjasper@telus.net
What great input from someone who has taken their faith seriously and walked with God for a long time! I hope that John’s thoughts encourage you to seek the Lord as you journey toward seeing Jesus face to face!
Pastor Leon Throness
