Elisabeth Elliot: Offer up to God the clutter. Offer up to God that desire that is eating your soul away, something for which you have battered on heaven's door which has been withheld. Are you prepared to be detached?

Lisa Barry: All this week, Elisabeth Elliot has been challenging us to cut ourselves loose from those things that entangle us. Things that may not be inherently bad in themselves, but they keep us from knowing God's best plan. Maybe you're in a relationship that you know isn't God's will, yet you fear you might never love anyone else again. And some of you might be guided by the tyranny of the urgent rather than submitting your schedule and tasks to God. Let's find out what Elisabeth Elliot thinks the next step should be on Gateway To Joy.

Elisabeth Elliot: "You are loved with an everlasting love." That's what the Bible says, "and underneath are the everlasting arms." This is your friend Elisabeth Elliot, continuing my talks today on the subject of "Detachment," that strange old word which simply means becoming unattached to things. To desires, to lusts, to a conviction that we know what will be good for us or that we know what is going to make us happy. Only God knows what's good for us. Only God knows what's going to make us happy.

We've mostly forgotten this word "detachment." We're very much attached in the world today. Especially in our American, very comfortable, very rich world, by comparison with most of the rest of the world. We are terribly attached to things.

We need to destroy false love in order to give place to true love. Jesus said that we are to honor our father and mother. He also said that we are to hate our father and mother. That seems like an impossible contradiction, doesn't it? How can I love those that I'm supposed to love (or honor my parents) and at the same time hate my father and mother?

I think the only way that we can resolve that seeming dilemma or contradiction in terms is to realize that what Jesus surely meant was that we would hate anything that would turn our thoughts from God. It's wonderful to have a father and a mother, isn't it? It's wonderful to have a godly father and a godly mother, as I did, a tremendous gift.

But the time comes, of course, when I have to make some decisions, which may not be in accordance with their preferences. I may be called to do something that God has clearly revealed to me which is going to be extremely hard for them to take.

I had that experience, but I did not want my love for my father and mother ever to exceed my love for God. Even their misgivings about some decision that I made had to be surrendered to God. I had to do quite a lot of praying and saying, "Now Lord, am I making a mistake here? Ought I to heed their warnings or have You truly called me to do this, to walk that pathway, to make this choice?"

Detachment will not be understood necessarily by other people. There's a little tract, which has greatly instructed me throughout many years of my spiritual life. It's called "Others May; You Cannot." I'll read it to you.

"If God has called you to be really like Jesus, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility. God's call will put such demands of obedience on you that you will not be able to follow other people or measure yourself by other Christians. At times, He will let other people do things, which He will not let you do. Other Christians who seem very religious will push themselves, pull wires and work schemes to carry out their plans. You cannot. And if you attempt it, you will meet with failure and rebuke from the Lord.

"Others may boast of themselves, of their work, of their successes. But the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it He will lead you to despise yourself and all your good works. Others may be allowed to succeed in making money or may have a legacy left to them. But it is likely, God will keep you poor.

"God wants you to have something far better than gold; namely, a helpless dependence upon Him, that He may demonstrate His faithful love for you in supplying your needs day by day. God may let others be honored and put forward and keep you hidden in obscurity in order to produce some fragrant fruit for His coming glory which can only be produced in the shade.

"He may let others be great, but keep you small. He may let others do a good work for Him and get the credit for it now. The reward for your work is held in the hands of Jesus and you will not see it until He comes.

"The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch over you with a jealous love. He will rebuke you for the little words and feelings or for wasting your time. So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign. He has a right to do as He pleases with His own. He does not owe you an explanation of these mysteries.

"But if you give yourself to be His child, He will wrap you up in a jealous love and give you the precious blessings for those who belong heart and soul to Him. Settle it forever, then, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit. It is His option to tie your tongue or chain your hand or close your eyes in ways that He does not seem to use with others.

"When you are so possessed by the living God that your heart delights over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven."

"Love divine has seen and counted every tear it caused to fall. The storm which love appointed was His choicest gift of all." I have this little poem over my typewriter and I'll read it to you again. "Love divine has seen and counted every tear it caused to fall. The storm which love appointed was His choicest gift of all."

There is no holiness without tears. There will be no sanctification without tears. Do you want to be detached from the things of this world? Be grateful when God corrects you, deprives you of something, changes you, changes what you thought you were supposed to do. It may even look as though God has changed His mind. We have to learn to take one day at a time, with each day as God's appointment.

One writer of a letter says, "I'm trying, Elisabeth, to die each day to what I think I want and give what I have into His keeping and let Him work out His plan and His purpose in my life. I have found peace."

Well, I'm going to end on a much lighter note than we've been talking. Detachment from things, the becoming unattached from things has been our subject this week. Now listen to this poem.

"Things, things, things. On the tables, on the floor, tucked away behind the door. On the shelves and on the chairs, dangerously on the stairs. Bureaus crammed and closets filled, boxes packed and boxes spilled. Bundles everywhere you go, heaps and piles and overflow of things, things, things.

"Things of value, worthless trash. Things preserved or gone to smash. Ancient things or things just bought. Common things and things far sought. Things you mean to throw away. Things you hope to use some day. Cellar, attic, all between, one exasperating scene of things, things, things.

"Things that take our precious time, hold us from the life sublime. Things that only gather dust, things that rot and things that rust. Things that mold and things that freeze, things that harbor foul disease. Things that mock us and defy, till at last we grimly die of things, things, things.

"Let me cease to be their fool. Let me fly their crafty rule. Let me with unsparing knife cut their canker from my life. Broad and clear and all serene, let me make my mansion clean. Now and evermore to be, calm, unfettered, gladly free from things, things, things."

Now please don't write me letters and say, "But Elisabeth, we need certain things." Of course we do. And God knows what we need. You and I don't always know. But I have a pretty strong suspicion that every last one of us needs to get rid of some literal things that are cluttering up our houses.

When things clutter up our houses, the chances are pretty good that our minds get cluttered and we get frustrated. We begin to think there is no way to take care of all this junk. I can't throw this away because my husband treasures it. Do you know what I mean?

What is the secret of a quiet heart? The recognition that all that I am, all that I have, all that I do and all that I suffer are to be offered to God.

Offer up to God the clutter. Offer up to God that desire that is eating your soul away, something for which you have battered on heaven's door which has been withheld. Are you prepared to be detached? Are you willing to become uncluttered, to become unattached? Remember, the world and all its passionate desires will one day disappear, but the man who is following the will of God is part of the permanent and cannot die.

Lisa Barry: You might also want to write in to purchase a copy of this week of talks. Re-listen to these programs with a friend and hold each other accountable for the things you want to work on. The title to ask for is "Detachment," and if you've been challenged by what you've heard this week, I'd like to encourage you to share your inspiration with us. Would you just take a few minutes to write down what you are able to apply to your own life this week and why it made a difference? We love to hear how God is using this program for His glory. If you feel led to send along a financial gift for the ongoing expenses of Gateway To Joy, we welcome that as well. Here's our address:

Gateway To Joy, Box 82500, Lincoln, NE 68501. That's Gateway To Joy, Box 82500, Lincoln, NE 68501. Or, call toll-free, 1-800-759-4JOY. That's 1-800-759-4569. Gateway To Joy has been a production of Back to the Bible.

Next week, Elisabeth begins a series called "The Two Selves." Find out more the next time we meet for Gateway To Joy.