Merlin Carothers - Bringing Heaven Into Hell

www.merlincarothers.com

Published in Escondido, CA

Copyright 1976 by Merlin R. Carothers Printed in the United States of America ISBN 978-0-943026107
eISBN 978-0-943026490

Edited by Jorunn Oftedal Ricketts

All rights reserved. Written permission must be secured from the publisher to use or reproduce any part of this book, except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles.

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version, NIV, copyright 1973,1978,1984, by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House, The NIV and New International Version trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society.

Scripture quotations from the Holy Bible noted: KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible. TLB are taken from the living Bible, copyright 1971 by Tyndale House Publisher, Wheaton, IL (used by permission).

ADDITIONAL TITLES

BY MERLIN R. CAROTHERS

Prison to Praise

Power in Praise

Answers to Praise

Praise Works!

Walking & Leaping Victory

on Praise Mountain

More Power to You

Whats on Your Mind?

Let Me Entertain You

From Fear to Faith

You Can Be Happy Now

Secret Sins

The Bible on Praise

Gods Secret Weapon

Amazing Power of Faith

Table of Contents

Chapter One

What Is Praise?

For seven exciting years, I have written and taught about praise, yet I am beginning to see that so far I am barely into the kindergarten of praise myself. This is no statement of false humility. Each day I am more and more convinced that I know very little of all there is to learn about praising God. In fact, I am finding out that praising Him is one of the most important things I can learn while I am here on earth - because to praise Him, as He intends for us to praise, involves every aspect of my life.

Praise is meant to be the focal point of our relationship with God.

Over the years I have seen thousands of people approach the subject of praising God. For some, praise revolutionized their lives. For others, it meant nothing. I have observed the same contrast in my own life. Sometimes praise works. Sometimes my words of praise fall flat and empty.

What makes the difference?

First of all praise can never be a surface thing. It isnt saying, Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, all day long. The secret is something that flows from the center of what is really you. It is something that brings an immediate response from the heart of God.

This something is true praise. What does it consist of? What conditions must be present in our lives for our praise to be true? What conditions in our lives hinder praise? If I live to be a hundred years old, I expect to be still learning more about the answers.

Beyond the mechanics of praise lies the heart of praise and the way actually to bring heaven into hell. More than anything else in this world, I want to understand more of how God wants me to praise Him. More than anything else, I want my heart to flow in a continuous stream of worship to God.

Suffering draws people together. If you suffer, and think others do not, you will be convinced they could not possibly understand you. If you read my books and think, Merlin doesnt really have to suffer because God always answers his prayers immediately, you wouldnt believe I could help you. But I do suffer, and God often permits me to wait a long while before He shows me the results of trusting Him. I was once charged with misappropriating church funds, and by someone I had loved and trusted. There was absolutely no basis for the charge and no evidence of even the slightest kind. A judge looked at the charge for a few minutes and responded with, What is this doing here? There isnt any evidence of even a mistake in judgment by this defendant. But the vicious harm had been done. My reputation had been attacked, and this was all the accuser wanted to do. Many people would leap at the opportunity to declare, I knew something was wrong all the time or Here is proof that praise pays - in dollars. On and on the accusations could go. But the point is - I want to learn obedience even as He learned it. Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered (Heb. 5:8 KJV).

I pray that as I share with you some of the things I am learning, you too, will want to stretch and grow and open your heart to the flow of praise that glorifies God and demonstrates His love and power.

Chapter Two

From Big-Shot to Nothing

The solid steel door clanged shut, and the prisoner was alone in the tiny underground cell. The words of the guard still rang in his ears, Get in there, big-shot - well be back for you in fifty years!

It was no nightmare. On the outside the prisoner had been a well-known criminal lawyer, enjoying the power and luxuries that money and the right connections could supply. He had lived what he believed - If you like it - do it. If you want it - get it.

It was the liking for excitement that led him into big time crime: gun and explosives dealer, smuggling drugs, bank robberies, and insurance frauds. His connections were big names in organized crime. At forty, when his power was rising fast, he was caught selling drugs. All was lost. His wife and two small children were left desolate. He faced a first sentence of fifty years with more charges pending. They would be added on if he lived long enough to be even considered for parole.

The walls of the cell were smeared with blood and human excrement. Some poor prisoner before him had kept track of the years with pencil marks on the concrete: ten years - twenty years - thirty years. There was no escape. The cell was dark and damp, and the silence only broken by the clanging of steel doors down the corridor and the screams of a prisoner pushed to the brink of insanity.

Stripped of the glamor and success of the outside world, suddenly completely helpless, the prisoner felt as if he were buried alive in a stinking grave, forgotten and alone. Overcome, he fell to his knees on the cold floor. Like a child he sobbed, Oh, God - I dont even know if You exist, but if youre out there and can hear me - I am so very, very sorry for what I have done. Please forgive me. If you will only forgive me and give me one last chance, Ill give you my whole life - everything - every bit of me. Forever!

The darkness remained silent, but something had happened. The fear and horror were gone. Instead he was filled with an overwhelming sense of forgiveness and love. Warm tears of gratitude rolled down the prisoners face. He felt like a small boy who comes to his father to ask forgiveness and is caught up in loving, strong arms.

The loathsome cell was no longer a place of despair and loneliness. Gone was even the desire to get away from there. Never had I felt so free - so happy, the prisoner wrote me. I thanked God from the bottom of my heart for bringing me into that stinking little hole to meet Him.

The prisoner was Dr. Gene Neill. I first learned of his existence when he wrote to tell me he had received the book, Power in Praise . After surrendering his life to God, he eagerly studied the Bible someone had smuggled into his cell. More than anything he wanted to know Gods instructions for his life. Reading Power in Praise , it became even clearer that God wanted him to be thankful in every circumstance.

So he thanked God for the lice and the cockroaches and for the abuses of the guards. He gave thanks for the stench of urine and filth. He praised God for his five-year old son who would be a middle-aged man before his father was released from prison. He even praised God for the greed and callousness of his own heart that had driven him to destroy his family.