Heart of the problem

Heart of
the
Problem
by Mark Hamby

Dear Mark,
I had hoped to see you again before I was
transferred to the State Prison. I am the guy who played
the guitar in the prison chapel after you shared what I
conceived as a very powerful message. In fact, I was and
have been very much moved and inspired by the
presentations. On two occasions you didn’t even have a
black board to illustrate your teachings, yet I can visualize
so vividly what you clearly showed me on the invisible,
make believe black board. You also gave me a book,
The Hedge of Thorns, I believe this was the title which
was also inspiring to me. I also believe now that God, in
His amazing wisdom has taken me out of the world that I
was suffering in with temptation, sins and desires. These
prison walls do not imprison me, the steel bars and razor
wire are actually God’s hedge of protection so that I might
grow, strengthen, and learn in the ways of his word
before I face the challenges of the world again. And so I
believe you are right. What a terrible prank God has
pulled on me, to get me to see, listen, and learn; his
methods are ingenious. He did the only thing He could in
his effort to protect and save me!

I was looking very much forward to
seeing you again. I had written a song to play
and sing.
Please do not stop in your efforts to bring
the word to prisoners. I’m a hard case Mark, I
spent 23 years of my life in prison. If I heard
you and your message touched and moved me.
Believe when I tell you, you did move a
mountain! The rest should be easy pickins for
you.
Thank You Mark!
J.L. Prisoner of the Lord

Just wanted to let you know I finished reading "Giant Killer" to
my kids last weekend and started Basket of Flowers Sunday
Night. We are really enjoying these books. Last night my kids
had the choice of watching a half an hour of TV, playing video
games for half an hour or having me read an extra half an hour to
them and they chose reading a Lamplighter book. They knew I
was going to read to them at bedtime anyway, but still chose the
extra half hour of "story time". I was very excited to have my 9, 7,
5 and one of our neighbors kids (also 5) all want to sit around my
living room while I read a couple chapters of Basket of Flowers. If
they could have stayed awake, we would have read until
midnight. They love this book and so do I. Lamplighter ministry is
having a tremendous, positive effect on me and my family. Grace
is flourishing in our home.
George

1. The Presence precedes the plan. Younger
people have asked me how they could know
God's plan for their life. The saints of old were
concerned not with the plan but with the
Presence. When we have a guide, all we need to
do is follow. Without the Presence we attempt
work for God instead of letting God work
through us. Fénelon said: Put aside your self-
interest and simply let God's will unfold around
you. Everything he does for you is for your good.
Worship him without having to know and see
everything. Continue doing the good things that
you do since you feel that you should and you
can do them so easily. Be careful that all your
extra energy does not lead you into trouble and,
above all, live in the present moment and God
will give you all the grace you need. God's glory
and his purpose are the end of all things. You
will find happiness and deliverance but not as
an end in itself. It is all for God.

2. Self-love is subtle.
"You will be tempted to speak out in
a humble tone of voice to tell others
of your problems. Watch out for
this. A humility that is still talkative
does not run very deep. When you
talk too much, your self-love
relieves its sense of shame a little."

3. Suffering is useful.
Suffering is necessary for all of us. You
will be purified by dying to see your
own desires and will. Let yourself die.
You have excellent opportunities for
this to happen. Don't waste them. . . .
God never makes you suffer
unnecessarily. He intends for your
suffering to heal and purify you. The
hand of God hurts you as little as it can.
The yoke that God gives is easy to bear
if you accept it without struggling to
escape.

but, though he cause grief, he
will have compassion according to
the abundance of his steadfast love;
for he does not willingly afflict
or grieve the children of men.
Lamentations 3:32-33

Ashes are the food that I eat,
My drink is mingled with tears,
Because of your fury and anger,
Since you have raised me up
only to cast me away.
David sounds a little bitter…Job
thought the same until he heard God speak…
Psalm 102: 9, 10

When Isaiah caught a glimpse of
God he said,
“Woe is me! I am shattered! For a
person of unclean lips am I…For my
eyes have seen Yhwh the King.”
The closer we draw to God, the
more clearly we will be able to see
our own sinfulness.

Once we see ourselves from God’s
perspective, we begin our journey to
spiritual health. P. 80 In the Depths

Surely it was for my benefit
that I suffered such anguish.”
Isaiah 38:17

It is more important to know
the presence of God than to seek the
will of God, because when you walk
in His presence you will more easily
find and understand His will.
Romans 12:2

Yahweh has leaned down from the
heights of his sanctuary,
has looked down from heaven to
earth,
to listen to the sighing of the
captive,
and set free those condemned to
death. Psalm 102: 19, 20 NJB

4. One test of relation with God is peace.
"Encourage peace, become deaf to your
overactive imagination. Your spinning
imagination will harm your health and
make your spiritual life very dry. You
worry yourself sick for no good reason.
Inner peace and the sweet presence of
God are chased away by restlessness."

"Peace and comfort are to be found only
in simple obedience. Remain at peace,
for peace is what God wants for you no
matter what is happening. There is in
fact a peace of conscience which
sinners should enjoy as they are
repenting. Suffering should be peaceful
and tempered with God's comfort.“
And regarding the future: "Live in peace
without worrying about the future.
Unnecessary worrying and imagining the
worst possible scenario will strangle
your faith."

“There never is peace in
resisting God . . . . Allow
yourself to be humble. If
you are silent and peaceful
when humiliating things
happen to you, you will
grow in grace."

5. Growth and change are the work of
the cross.
The work of the cross--redemption--
is the constant tension of growth and
change as the old nature gives way
to the new. It is a putting off of the
flesh and putting on of the fruits of
the spirit daily. Fruit is the Spirit’s
work; it is our work to die to self on
the cross He has given us to bear.

"You and I are nothing without
the cross. I agonize and cry
when the cross is working
within me, but when it is over I
look back in admiration for
what God has accomplished.
Of course I am then ashamed I
bore it so poorly."

6. The focused life is the simple life.
"Our hidden agendas can poison the
simplicity of a situation. The desire to do a
work for God is simple enough, but I
greatly complicate it when I add the hidden
agenda of wanting to be recognized and
appreciated while doing it."

8. Give grace to yourself and others.
"Do not be surprised to find yourself
overly sensitive, impatient, proud, and
self-willed. Realize that this is your natural
disposition. Bear with yourself, but do not
flatter yourself into thinking you are better
than you are but wait on God's timing to
transform it. Stop at once when your
activities become too hurried. Guard
against placing responsibility above
relationship.”

1. The test of precedence.
How do we react when another is
selected for the assignment we expect
or for the office we coveted? When
another is promoted and we are
overlooked? When another out shines
us in gifts and accomplishments.

2. The test of sincerity.
In our moments of honest self-
criticism we will say many things
about ourselves and really mean
them. But how do we feel when
others, especially our rivals, say
exactly the same things about us?

3. The test of criticism. Does
criticism arouse hostility
and resentment in our
hearts and cause us to fly to
immediate self-justification?
Do we hasten to criticize
the critic?
The jealous person is apprehensive and
suspicious of rivals.

“Are you jealous for my sake?” was
his untroubled response. “Would that
all the Lord’s people were prophets.”
The leader who is jealous for God’s
glory need have no concerns for his
own prestige and prerogatives. They
are safe in His hands.

Cursed is he who does the work of
the LORD with slackness, and cursed is
he who keeps back his sword from
bloodshed.
Moab has been at ease from his
youth and has settled on his dregs;
he has not been emptied from vessel to
vessel, nor has he gone into exile;
so his taste remains in him, and his
scent is not changed.
Therefore, behold, the days are
coming, declares the LORD, when I shall
send to him pourers who will pour him,
and empty his vessels and break his jars
in pieces.
Jeremiah 48:10-12

Offer to God a sacrifice of
thanksgiving, and perform your vows
to the Most High,
and call upon me in the day of
trouble; I will deliver you, and you
shall glorify me."
Psalm 50:14-15

In the arena of adversity, the
Scriptures teach us three essential truths
about God—truths we must believe if we are
to trust Him in adversity. They are:
•God is completely sovereign.
•God is infinite in wisdom.
•God is perfect in love.
Someone has expressed these three
truths as they relate to us in this way: “God
in His love always wills what is best for us.
In His wisdom He always knows what is
best, and in His sovereignty He has the
power to bring it about.”

But I fear, lest somehow, as the
serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness,
so your minds may be corrupted from
the simplicity that is in Christ.
II Corinthians 11:3

But if we walk in the light as He is
in the light, we have fellowship with one
another, and the blood of Jesus Christ
His Son cleanses us from all sin.
I John 1:7
(And this is condemnation, that light
is come into the world, and men loved
darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil. For everyone
that does evil hates the light, lest his
deeds should be reproved.

But He gives more grace. Therefore He
says: “ God resists the proud, but gives grace
to the humble.”
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil
and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to
you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and
purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Lament and mourn and weep! Let your
laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to
gloom.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the
Lord, and He will lift you up.
James 4:6-10

For where envy and self-
seeking exist, confusion and every
evil thing are there.
But the wisdom that is from
above is first pure, then peaceable,
gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy
and good fruits, without partiality
and without hypocrisy.
Now the fruit of righteousness
is sown in peace by those who
make peace.
James 3:16-18

…Yes, all of you be submissive to
one another, and be clothed with humility,
for “ God resists the proud, but gives
grace to the humble.”
Therefore humble yourselves under
the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt
you in due time,
casting all your care upon Him, for
He cares for you.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your
adversary the devil walks about like a
roaring lion, seeking whom he may
devour.
I Peter 5:5b-8

For if you forgive men their
trespasses, your heavenly Father will
also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men their
trespasses, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:14-15
God’s healing love can transform the most miserable life
into one of comfort, joy, and deep personal peace.

Do not underestimate the cleansing
power available when anyone
approaches God as a repentant sinner
who has seen his sin and wants to be
restored and renewed. It doesn’t take
God long to transform a humble person.

Cast your burden on the
LORD, And He shall sustain
you; He shall never permit the
righteous to be moved.
Psalms 55:22
(read page 26)

Time magazine featured an article
entitled “The Burnout of Almost Everyone.”
“They describe the stages of burnout,
progressing from intense enthusiasm and
job satisfaction, to exhaustion, physical
illness, acute anger and depression. Even
the best worker, when thwarted, will
swallow his rage; it then turns into a small
private conflagration, an internal fire in his
engine room.”
According to these authors, the
consequences to adults of being thwarted
(i.,e. not getting their own way) by other
adults (i.e.. Husbands and wives) are rage
and hostility, resulting in physical illness,
depression, and tension headaches.

Given proper alteration in people,
circumstances, and social conditions that
surround an individual, changes can
occur without giving God a thought.
Counseling, done by trained, caring, kind
people, followed by appropriate changes,
can bring great relief to an anxious
confused person. If you want relief, you
can find it.
A change of location or the removal
of a troublesome person can give relief to
an anxious person. That is relief, not
healing. Alcohol can quiet a hostile, bitter
heart, but it only gives relief, not healing.
(read page 36 & 37)

Finding relief from sin
instead of obtaining
cleansing is a cruel trap.
Relief from sin allows me to
be comfortably separated
God.

There is a cure for sin.
Peace does not come in capsules!
(read page 43)
If you want relief, you can find it in
this world. If you want a cure, only
God can help you.
(read page 44 & 45)
Fenelon says “You asked for a remedy,
that your problems might be cured. You
do not need to be cured. You need to
be slain.”

This is the Christian miracle of the cleansed life—a great
mystery—why, after years of fighting, would Malcolm
and Dorothy submit to these biblical guidelines?
But now you yourselves are to put off
all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy,
filthy language out of your mouth.
Colossians 3:8
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and
beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility,
meekness, longsuffering.
Colossians 3:12
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put
away from you, with all malice.
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:31-32

Not that we are in any way
confident of doing anything by
our own resources: our ability
comes from God. It is He who
makes us competent
administrators of the new
agreement…,
II Corinthians 3:5-6

Behold, the LORD's hand is not
shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear
dull, that it cannot hear;
But your iniquities have made a
separation between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from
you so that he does not hear.
Isaiah 59:1-2

If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
I John 1:9
(read page 70ff)

It is important to understand that I could
acknowledge being wrong on all points
without agreeing that I have sinned against
God. It is important to comprehend that
being wrong and being sinful are not
interchangeable words. We must be clear
on what we mean by being wrong.
For godly grief produces a
repentance that leads to salvation
without regret, whereas worldly
grief produces death.
II Corinthians 7:10

It is more important to know
the presence of God than to seek the
will of God, because when you walk
in His presence you will more easily
fine and understand His will.
Romans 12:2

Those who know your name will trust in you, for
you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
Psalm 9:10
In “the providence of God” is that we
either unconsciously or deliberately imply
that God intervenes at specific points in
our lives but is largely only an interested
spectator most of the time. When we
think this way, even unconsciously, we
reduce God’s control over our lives to a
stop-and-go, in-an-out proposition. Our
unconscious attitude is that the rest of the
time we are the “master of our fates” or
conversely the victims of unhappy
circumstances or uncaring people that
cross our paths.

Theologian J.I. Packer defines
providence as, “The unceasing activity
of the Creator whereby, in overflowing
bounty and goodwill, He upholds His
creatures in ordered existence, guides
and governs all events, circumstances,
and free acts of angels and men, and
directs everything to its appointed goal,
for His own glory.” Note the absolute
terms Packer uses: “unceasing
activity.” “all events…all acts,” “directs
everything.”

Who is he who speaks and it
comes to pass, when the Lord has not
commanded it?
Is it not from the mouth of the
Most High that woe and well-being
proceed?

Call to me and I will answer
you, and will tell you great and
hidden things that you have not
known.
Jeremiah 33:3

He brought me out into a broad
place; he rescued me, because he
delighted in me.
The LORD dealt with me according
to my righteousness; according to the
cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
For I have kept the ways of the
LORD, and have not wickedly departed
from my God.
For all his rules were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from
me.
Psalm 18:19-22

Oh, the depth of the riches and
wisdom and knowledge of God! How
unsearchable are his judgments and
how inscrutable his ways!
Romans 11:33

Who can speak and have it happen
if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not
from the mouth of the Most High that
both calamities and good things come?

Heart of the problem

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Heart of the problem