The Heart the Center of Life

The heart is the center of life. It is within this uniquely created internal organ that we have physical life. Without it, life is just not possible. The heart is also the center of spiritual life. Proverbs tell us that we must guard our heart because it is the wellspring of both physical and spiritual life. Our heart determines our actions and reflects whether or not Christ is the center of our lives. That is why it is important that we ask God to continually renew our hearts. Take an inventory of your heart today. Is your heart where it needs to be or do you need God’s renewal? Ask God to renew your heart and commit that He will remain at the center of your heart.

God you be glorified

Renewing

It has been often said that the mind is the devil’s playground. There is a lot of truth in that statement as so many of the spiritual battles we fight against our enemy take place in the mind. Maybe it’s the guilt of a past sin that our spiritual enemy continues to place into your mind or the cravings of an addiction that you have not fully overcome. Perhaps, he whispers negative words that give you doubts about your faith or your ability to accomplish what God has intended for you to do. Do as Romans 12:2 says today and allow God to transform you through the renewing of your mind. Pray and ask God today to remove the negative thoughts our spiritual enemy continues to infiltrate your mind with and allow God to renew your mind and replace the negativity with clarity and purity. Let God help you fight the battle in your mind and gain victory.

God you be glorified

God’s Truth Belong To His Children

Matthew 13:11, “He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”

MATTHEW 13:1-13

The Greek word translated “mystery” here, means “something that could not be known by men except by divine revelation, but that, though once hidden, has now been revealed in Christ and is to be proclaimed so that all who have ears may hear it.”

God’s truths are hidden for His children, not from them. God has given an open invitation to everyone to receive the spiritual rebirth which entitles them to the revelation of these mysteries of the Kingdom. But as stated in 1 Corinthians 2:14, a natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned. Therefore, whoever rejects Jesus rejects the source of all wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3), thereby reserving the deep things of God for those who receive Jesus and draw on His wisdom through the Holy Spirit. This also safeguards the laws of God, upon which all the universe is founded, from being appropriated and misused by Satan’s kingdom.

In context, Jesus is speaking about those who have revelation knowledge of the mysteries of God. They will receive even more revelation and will walk in the abundant life that Jesus provided (Jn. 10:10; 2 Pet. 1:3). Those who do not receive God’s revelation will lose whatever truth they do have and will go farther and farther into deception. God reveals His truths to us in stages and not all at once (Isa. 28:9-10). Therefore, as we walk in the revelation of what the Lord has already shown us, He will reveal more of His truths to us.

The truths of God are mysterious only to those who do not soften their heart by seeking God with their whole heart. As Jeremiah 29:13 says, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

God you be glorified

Limitless Forgiveness

LIMITLESS FORGIVENESS

Matthew 18:33 “Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?”

MATTHEW 18: 21-35

Peter thought he was being very generous by offering to forgive his brother seven times in one day, but Jesus said he should forgive him 490 times in one day. It would be impossible to have someone sin against you 490 times in one day. Jesus is actually saying that there should be no limit to our forgiveness.

When we are offended or hurt, we often feel justified in holding a grudge. The Old Testament law expressed this when it stated, “Eye for eye, tooth for tooth” (Ex. 21:23-25). Until the offense was paid, we did not feel free to forgive. However, God dealt with all men’s offenses by placing sin upon the perfect Savior who was judged in place of every sinner of all time. To demand that others now earn our forgiveness is not Christ like. Jesus died for every man’s sins, extending forgiveness to us while we were yet sinners, and we should do the same.

The main thrust of this parable is that when we have people who wrong us, we should remember the great mercy that God has shown to us and respond in kind. Any debt that could be owed to us is insignificant compared to the debt we were forgiven. We should have compassion on others as Christ had on us.

If God expects us to forgive our brother who has trespassed against us 490 times in one day (actually an unlimited number of times), certainly He who is love will do no less with us.

The forgiveness that we have received from the Lord is infinitely greater than any forgiveness we could ever be asked to extend toward others.

God you be glorified

Alive Unto God

Alive Unto God

Matthew 17:2 “And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.”

MATTHEW 17:1-8, MARK 9:1-8, LUKE 9:28-36

It is interesting to compare Jesus’ transfiguration with that of Moses’. Jesus’ face shone as the sun and His garment was as white as the light. This certainly exceeded what Moses experienced, and yet Jesus’ face did not continue to shine when He came down off of the mountain as Moses’ face did. Moses’ face reflected the glory of God, but Jesus was the glory of God (Jn. 1:14; Heb. 1:3). Moses put a veil over his face to conceal the glory of God (Ex. 34:29-35) so that the people would not be afraid to come near him.

Jesus’ body was His veil that concealed His true glory within. During His transfiguration, He pulled back the veil of His flesh, and we simply caught a glimpse of His glory that he had with the Father before the world was (Jn. 17:5). At Jesus’ death, the veil of His body was “rent in two” giving us direct access to the glory of God (Heb. 10:19-20).

We need to be conformed to the death of Christ. That is, reckoning ourselves dead to sin and all its effects upon us in the same way that Christ is dead to sin and all its effects upon Him. Many people focus on the death to sin and omit, or at least put secondarily, being alive unto God. It is assumed that if we will just die to sin, then life with Christ comes automatically.

That’s no more so than physical death automatically producing physical resurrection. God doesn’t need dead people. He needs people who have risen from the dead spiritually. People who know who they are “In Christ.” The victorious New Testament believer is not just living for the Lord, but the risen Christ is actually living through him. There are over a hundred scriptural references to the indwelling presence of the Lord in the life of a believer. Look into the Word, and see what God has to say about you.

God you be glorified

He Rewards Even Little Things

HE REWARDS EVEN LITTLE THINGS

Matthew 10:42, “And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.”

MATTHEW 10:1-42, 11:1, MARK 6:7-13, LUKE 9:1-6

This verse shows that even our smallest acts of kindness will be rewarded. As revealed in 1 Corinthians 3:13, every man’s work shall be tried to determine “what sort it is,” not what size it is. Many people who have never done anything to gain the attention of the masses will shine bright in the day when the Lord passes out His rewards.

Some of the Lord’s rewards for our actions come in this life, such as children, financial blessings, health, and many others. However, some of our rewards will not be realized until we stand before God. This is the case with the reward for enduring persecution.

Many of the rewards for ministering the Gospel will not come until we appear before the Lord. Rewards can be shared by those who aid others in their righteous tasks.

The ungodly who are not in the Kingdom of God will receive no rewards even though some of their actions might have been good. Rewards are only for those who have been cleansed from their evil deeds by the blood of the Lamb.

Regardless of what these rewards shall be, there will not be any exalting of self over others. “For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1 Cor. 4:7) The twenty-four elders in Revelation 4:10 are shown casting their crowns (which were rewards) down before the Lord and giving all their praise and worship to Him. It’s all because of Him. Thank Him today for His goodness.

God you be glorified

Making Faith Work

MAKING FAITH WORK

Luke 8:46, “And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.”

LUKE 8:43-48

Is it possible that Jesus, who was God manifest in the flesh, and therefore all-knowing, did not actually know who touched Him? Yes! Although Jesus’ spiritual man was divine, He took upon Himself a physical body with its limitations. Jesus drew on His divine ability through the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and so can we (Jn. 14:12; 1 Cor. 12:7). Before His resurrection, He operated as a man (sinless) by receiving from His Father through faith. Luke 8:47 says that the woman “saw that she was not hid.” It is evident that Jesus received a word of knowledge from the Holy Spirit and had singled out this woman. However, this was after He felt the power of God flow out of Him and heal her. The woman was healed before He discerned her by the law of faith.

The law of electricity has been here on earth since creation. Man has observed it in such things as lightning and static electricity, but it was not until someone believed that there were laws that governed the activity of electricity that progress began to be made in putting it to use. Likewise, you don’t deny the existence of faith, but it is only when you begin to understand that there are laws that govern faith, and begin to learn what those laws are, that faith will begin to work for you.

God you be glorified

Let My Love Stream Through You

LET My LOVE STREAM THROUGH YOU, washing away fear and distrust. A trusting response includes Me in your thoughts as you consider strategies to deal with a situation.
My continual Presence is a promise, guaranteeing that you never have to face anything alone. My children teethe on the truth that I am always with them, yet they stumble around in a stupor, unaware of My loving Presence all around them. How that grieves Me!

When you walk through a day in trusting dependence on Me, My aching heart is soothed. Gently bring your attention back to Me whenever it wanders away. I look for persistence–rather than perfection–in your walk with Me.

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. Psalm 52:8

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you ; He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

God you be glorified

Wait Patiently

WAIT PATIENTLY WITH ME while I bless you. Don’t rush into My Presence with time-consciousness gnawing at your mind. I dwell in timelessness: I am, I was , I will always be. For you, time is a protection; you’re a frail creature who can handle only twenty-four-hour segments of life. Time can also be a tyrant, ticking away relentlessly in your mind. Learn to master time, or it will be your master.

Though you are a time-bound creature, seek to meet Me in timelessness. As you focus on My Presence, the demands of time and tasks will diminish. I will bless you and keep you, making My Face shine upon you graciously, giving you Peace.

But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the LORD God, “who is , and who was , and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8

“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26

God you be glorified

Hold My Hand—–And Trust

HOLD MY HAND— AND TRUST. So long as you are conscious of My Presence with you, all is well. It is virtually impossible to stumble while walking in the Light with Me. I designed you to enjoy Me above all else. You find the deepest fulfillment of your hearts in Me alone.

Fearful, anxious thoughts melt away in the Light of My Presence. When you turn away from Me, you are vulnerable to the darkness that is always at work in the world. Don’t be surprised by how easily you sin when you forget to cling to My hand. In the world , dependency is seen as immaturity. But in My kingdom, dependence on Me is a prime measure of maturity.

” So do not fear, for I am with you: do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. Psalm 62:5-6