The Plank in My Eye - My Personal Testimony

When I first came to know Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, I couldn’t stop talking about him (the first love of the new believer) even though I knew absolutely nothing about him of the Bible. I felt that I was now ready to cut loose and change the world. I was a late bloomer and only gave my life to Jesus in May 1988 two weeks after my 36th birthday.

I had at last found what was missing in my life and my life now had purpose and something to work towards. This is true of course, but I was so lacking in wisdom and guidance that I immediately set off on the wrong track – little realising that I need to do things the right way – His way!

This of course, is all very good and well, but yes of course there has to be a but, besides setting off on the wrong track, I made another big mistake at the same time. I was so busy trying to change others and pointing out their faults, that I neither knew nor even dreamt that God wanted to deal with me first! Ignorance is bliss – but no excuse!

You can imagine the kind of havoc I wreaked on those around me! Within a noticeably short space of time, I became the greatest finder of other people’s mistakes you could ever meet and from the base of complete ignorance of all things spiritual. I was a judgmental finger pointer extraordinaire! Needless to say, I didn’t go down too well with most people including my family!

My wife doesn’t suffer fools gladly, and in my ignorance that’s what I had become – a fool! I’m so glad she loves me with the love of the Lord! After causing the umpteenth argument in only a few months of being saved, I couldn’t understand why nobody was listening to me and why people went out of their way to avoid me. At this stage humility was definitely not one of my strong points.

Proverbs 18:2 (AMP)

A [closed-minded] fool does not delight in understanding,

But only in revealing his personal opinions [unwittingly displaying his self-indulgence and his stupidity].

No prizes for guessing who it was that finally shook me out of my personal crusade to change others and brought me down to earth with a crash. That’s right, Jacqui, my wife! Praise God for Jacqui. She lovingly sat me down and showed me this scripture:

Matthew 7:1-3 (AMP)

“Do not judge and criticize and condemn [others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge], so that you will not be judged [unfairly]. 2 For just as you [hypocritically] judge others [when you are sinful and unrepentant], so will you be judged; and in accordance with your standard of measure [used to pass out judgment], judgment will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the [insignificant] speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice and acknowledge the [egregious] log that is in your own eye?

That’s right God set me aside and drew me to salvation in Christ Jesus so that He could deal with me; refine me in the fire and get rid of the dross that bubbled out of me; so that He could send me out to do the good works that He had predestined me to do in the power of the Holy Spirit and to glorify His name!

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Well, I knew nothing of this! I had never been ‘churched’ before as I had grown up in a home void of God and where the name of the Lord was extensively used only as a curse word. I didn’t have a clue about anything spiritual and had even less a clue of what was in the Bible. I hadn’t even started having a quiet time!

I mistakenly thought that because I had accepted Jesus as my Lord and saviour I had suddenly, overnight become a spiritual giant. I didn’t realise that Christianity is a road that I had to walk on in total submission to God – a road to maturity that will never end! Not only did I have to give my life to Jesus, but I also had to surrender my will too him as well. I needed to follow these immortal words from my Lord himself.

Luke 22:42 (NIV)

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

I thought that because I was now saved and born-again that was it, free access through the pearly gates, job done. All I needed to do now was show other people what they were doing wrong.

I never knew that God now wanted me to change and build a personal relationship with him and be led for the rest of my life by His Word in the power of the Holy Spirit and to the glory of Jesus! I had no idea that there was a path to Christian maturity that I needed to follow every day and that God had a plan for my life that I needed to consult him about!

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (AMP)

11 For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call on Me and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear [your voice] and I will listen to you. 13 Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

So, after my initial disastrous start at the beginning of my Christian walk, I learned a lesson that I will always carry with me - if I want to walk in maturity as a Christian, I need to allow the Holy Spirit to work on me and to change me so that I can be more and more conformed to Christ’s image. I have to work on the plank in my own I before I can even have a hope of helping my brother remove the speck of sawdust in his eye!

For me getting rid of the plank in my eye has been a long and oft time painful process and one that even today I have to keep my eye on so to speak. Remaining non judgmental is something I have to consciously work on as I work out my salvation with fear and trembling.

Philippians 2:12c-13 (AMP)

continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ]. 13 For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to ulfil your purpose] for His good pleasure.

In the above verses from Philippians the Apostle Paul had the perfect formula for getting rid of the plank in my eye.

Work out your salvation by:

Cultivating it – tend it with regular doses of the Word and being obedient to it and water it with the continued infilling of the Holy Spirit.

Bring it to full effect by putting the Word into practice in my daily life.

Actively pursue spiritual maturity by humbling myself under God’s mighty hand.

Regularly evaluate myself using the Word as my plumbline and best practice standards, and above all be obedient to all it says and teaches!

• Recognise and give thanks to the Lord that it is only in his strength that I can progress to maturity and fulfil His purpose in my life.

• Actively pursue fellowship with Father, Son and Holy Spirit – live life in the Spirit as Jesus did.

• Ensure that my actions and speech always bring glory to Jesus and are always compliant with the Word!

• Build others up in Christ Jesus. Don’t gossip. If I can’t say anything to build up, then shut up – I’m talking about gossip here! God’s correction is designed to build up not break down!

Over the years of my Christian walk the Lord has taught me many lessons and, thanks be to Jesus, he is still teaching me and will continue to do so – this I know for sure.

At the time of my salvation, I considered myself to be a self-made man. I had a good job. I was well paid. I had a good position. I had a wonderful wife and family. I had done it all.

Yep! You are right I was the original “I”-specialist! I was so “I” orientated that I missed the plank in my eye! And along with the “I” specialist syndrome I carried a huge dose of self-pride!

Of course, God couldn’t leave me this way if I was going to be of any use to him as a true Christian. I’m so glad that Jacqui showed me Matthew 7:1-3. It wasn’t easy for her as I’ve mentioned I carried a huge dose of pride that was easily offended at first but the more the Holy Spirit worked on it the better I became. Thanks be to Jesus who gives me victory!

The answer to pride and stubbornness is:

1 Peter 5:6-11 (AMP)

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time, 7 casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. 8 Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.] 10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace [who imparts His blessing and favor], who called you to His own eternal glory in Christ, will Himself complete, confirm, strengthen, and establish you [making you what you ought to be]. 11 To Him be dominion (power, authority, sovereignty) forever and ever. Amen.

After 34 years of walking this road I still slip but I have learned as well to be quick to repent and to say sorry.

The Christian walk carries many challenges with it. My wife and I have suffered much but the Lord brought us through the death of our eldest son who was killed in a hit and run motor accident when he was thirty one. The Lord brought me through a heart attack when I was just fifty one. We lost everything we had when our business collapsed with misappropriation of funds by our Christian business partners.

Thanks be to God; the Lord has brought us through these times and has restored everything the locust had eaten. Our God supplies all or needs!

Was it easy? No. Did I question God? Yes.

But these scriptures brought such comfort to us in all those times and still does to this day!

John 16:33 (AMP)

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]

1 Corinthians 15:57-58 (AMP)

57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose].

Do problems still come our way? For sure, the world we live in hasn’t changed! But now I know that when I pour contempt on all my pride and humbly kneel before Him and rely on His strength, he draws me through to victory!

John 3:30 (NLT)

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

God turns all things to His good purpose when we humbly come before Him with true repentant hearts and allow the Holy Spirit to change us!

Romans 8:28 (AMP)

And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.

Let me leave you with these words from King David, a man after God’s own heart!

Psalm 34:12-13 (NIV)

12 Whoever of you loves life

and desires to see many good days,

13 keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from telling lies.

Prayer:
Lord, I pray that you would help me to humble myself under your mighty hand and that my spirit would remain teachable and compliant to your Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I pray that you would help me to put the needs of others before my own and always seek to build others up in their faith and not break them down. I pray that you would put a guard on my tongue so that I will speak no evil that I may bring glory to the name of Jesus. Amen

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus, the Name above all names!