Lasting Influence

Tonight I was thinking about life and faith and why I have stayed in the faith since I was 5 years old. As I was growing up, the Lord was an ever-present part of my life, and my life was centered around the church. Although I was not the popular kid and I was pretty shy and unconfident in who I was, I still had a deep spiritual faith and love for Jesus. When I was 13 years old, a college kid took an interest in me. Every week, a group of about 100 guys and girls came down from a Bible Institute and did ministry work at our church. Since Dad had a bus route which brought 50-60 people to church every Sunday, I was pretty involved with those who were a part of our route. I met this guy named Jim and he became a person who, to this day, I consider as one of the greatest influences on my spiritual development.

Jim was an artist, a free spirit, with a deep love for the Word of God, a respect for nature and life, and a man who spoke life and truth into me. Our discussions would range from architecture to art to spiritual living, and he was always calling me up – pushing me to go deeper. I was thinking about him tonight and I dug through my filing cabinet and found some of the letters he wrote me. (These were the days before emails and texts, when we would actually put pen to paper!) Jim’s letters were never dull, as they often contained humorous illustrations and silly jokes (after all, I was still 13), but the heart of his letters was so clearly a call to a deep relationship with the Lord. Sometimes there were little notes he sent along with letters –  jots from morning devos or Bible classes. I’m going to share a few things he wrote me in some letters from 1985-1987.

I want to stress one more thing with you, Joshua. I want to stress to you the importance of being “filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” Why? “So that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. “ (Col 1:9-10) What does this mean? Simply this – in order to make correct judgments as to how you need to live, what is sin, what isn’t sin, what the right interpretation of events in your life should be, etc., you need to know what God says about such things. What does God think in any certain situation? Does God say this is sin, so I shouldn’t do it? And so forth. This is “the renewing of your mind” in Romans 12:2 and it is carried out by the Holy Spirit as you meditate on and read the Scriptures. This is a challenge from me to you for your growth!

Your house must be designed as economically as possible. The days of extreme flamboyancy are gone. Energy, space and such are vital factors. An assignment: decide what the laws of function are for planet Earth and design a house following them as guidelines.

Regarding devotions:
In our spiritual life, we build up to a plain of spirituality – but the devil like to tear us down from there. Here’s an illustration to help you see what I mean.

Whenever you are tempted to forget God, or to feel that the devil’s way is better, remember that He is sitting on the throne and will one day change the way life is lived to HIS way. (Acts 17:30-31, Revelation 20:6).

“The kingdom of my Father is in the hearts of men. Men’s hearts are often not in the Kingdom…”

There were many more poems and thoughts and encouraging topics of discussion and things for me to think about as a young man in these letters and times we spent together. He introduced me to a radical singer named Keith Green and I remember getting that cassette tape and just being amazed by this guy who was so “out of my little fundamentalist box.” Naturally, my parents hated it at the time, but we all chuckle about it now. Looking back, I still remember those days with my fondness as I think about a college guy who saw a kid that needed someone to affirm him, and who needed someone to show him that life was wide open and that the Lord desired him to live it … for Him! And since then, I have strived to do just that. The Lord is good, and he puts people in our lives at critical junctures, to speak truth, hope and life to us.

So thanks Jim – twenty five years later – wherever you are, for the profound influence you had on me. Thank you for being a man of truth and honor, who helped give me a increased love for God and for His Word. I pray that the Lord will bless you and keep you, and that He will make His face to shine upon you and give you peace.