Hard Heart?

I have had many times in my life where I knew God was speaking to me but I strayed from that still small voice, denying Him access to my life for a period of time was the biggest set back I have ever had. When I read verses like this one in Hebrews 3:7-8 “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness,” I think gosh if only I had read this at that time when I was wondering it would have slapped me in the face. The truth is this verse not only applies to times of deep denial of God but it applies to the every day. We need to acknowledge Him daily, we need to seek His presence daily. Jeremiah 29:13 says "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” We must desire to hear God and then listen to His voice when He speaks to us. 

When I think of a relationship with God I think about how I might treat a friend. A friend desires regular interaction, companionship, love. The Lord is so much more than just a friend He is our Heavenly Father. Jesus is our savior, doesn't He deserve my heart to be open, doesn't He deserve to see my brokenness laid out at His feet, the brokenness for which He gave His life! Friends if you hear His voice today please don't harden your heart. The Lord is ready and willing, no one is too lost or too far away that His love can't reach and His mercy can't save!

Circle of Influence

Sometimes we don't realize that we do have a circle of influence and our impact good or bad touches those closest to us. I love how this positive impact is presented in my reading today Paul in his second letter to Timothy opens up by speaking of Timothy's strong faith, he said in 2 Timothy 1:3-5 "I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I maybe filled with joy when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, I am persuaded it is in you also." 

Wow these women, Timothy's grandmother and mother, had such a strong faith and that heritage was a great influence for Timothy. How powerful it is that the genuine faith that Timothy has FIRST abided in the women around him! These women had a circle of influence and they made an impact, and it was one that was obviously impactful on Timothy's whole life.

Sometimes the smallness of our life makes us feel less than effective but if we step back and remember the grandness of our Lord we realize our life is not small and ineffective at all! We all have people close to us that we can leave a lasting impression on. If you are struggling ask God to reveal to you how he can use you right where your at! How will you use your circle of influence today? 

Go for godliness!

If you could do one thing and one thing well what would it be? In Pauls letter to Timothy he names one thing that is good for everything, one thing that should be a prime focus! In 1 Timothy 4:7-8 he says "...exercise yourself toward godliness for bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come." That word profitable is from the Greek word ōphelimos and it means beneficial and useful. We we are exercising godliness, piety, we are really doing something that is beneficial and useful in ALL things! Not only that it is good for the life that we are in now and most certainly for the life to come! The word is so clear here about where our focus should be for the best results! Happy Friday friends 💗

Promises!

When I read a promise like this in the bible I get excited! 

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV

No matter what life throws at you we can be fully confident that we have a savior who is coming again and in a mighty way!!! Those who know him will be gathered together and taken to be with Him forever, eternally to a place of perfection! A place where suffering does not exist! I mean that is something to believe in and hope for! Look at this verse:

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

And I love this from Revelation 3:10 "Because you have kept my command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world." 

Now that is a promise!!! If we can just hang in there and keep fighting the good fight the Lord will spare us in the end! If you are ready to just give in today I encourage you to think about the end of this life and where you want to be eternally. Our life is but a breath on this earth and compared to forever is so small! Healing and joy is a promise and one day we can have it forever!!!

Anger...

I have always been a joyful person, no matter what was going on the joy of the Lord was just deep in my heart. However when satan attacks or sin really gets ahold of a person it can take the God given good and turns it on its head if were not careful. For me that was anger. At one of the lowest points in my life anger crept in and I have spent years turning myself around from that point and learning how to be a gentle quiet spirit. I remember so many years ago how God spoke to me through this very verse "Better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious angry woman." Proverbs 21:19 That word was alive to me as I read it and the Bible has continuously invaded and overwhelmed my heart with truth. As it showed up in my reading today and I saw the old highlighted verse it reminded me of how grateful I am to know how far God has brought me since that time in my life! Thank you Lord for giving us your Spirit and your Word!!!

Correction is Cleansing

Raise your hand if life ever feels like being out in the middle of an ocean fighting against the waves to survive (my hand is up)... Some days it might be doggy paddle kinda days where the water is smooth and the sun is shining but other days oh that's when the storm is rolling in and you are going under. Your not just drowning you are being pulled toward the mirky bottom. 

I hate those days, sometimes it's many of them in a row. I don't always understand why things happen. I know sometimes it's my own fault and sometimes it's the enemy BUT sometimes it is the Lord. He allows things to happen sometimes in our life and sometimes it is a correction that we need. I have resolved my self, at this age, to know I am just not knowledgeable like the Lord. Proverbs 3:5 tells me to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." That word direct is from the Hebrew word yâshar which means to be straight and to be right. So what ever is going on in life, even in the deepest of waters, I know that if I trust in the Lord He is continually straightening my path. 

I also know that with this verse from Proverbs 20:30 that "Blows that hurt cleanse evil, as do stripes the inner depths of our heart" See the Lord is searching our hearts and for the ones who love Him, He will continue to cleanse us and straighten our path. We should actually be honored that the God of the universe corrects us, chastisement out of love is a good thing! 

Last night my son made a bad decision that led to our daughter getting hurt and as a punishment I made him write sentences. Oh how he cried at the unfairness of the whole event. Oh how he thought he was the victim, even though his sisters lip was bleeding. Don't we tend to think we're the victim and that things coming against us are unjust? But wouldn't I have been wrong had I not corrected him? We have to accept the Lords correction and lean not on our own understanding knowing that He is a loving father who wants to bring us to submission for His glory and when He is glorified our deepest longing to be satisfied is fulfilled!

He Nailed It!

Colossians 2:14-15 “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”

When Christ died for our sins all of the records against us were destroyed, I love how the bible says they were nailed to the cross. Christ came as a perfect man and took on all of our shame, making a public spectacle of our wrongs and TRIUMPHED over them! That triumph wasn't once, it was was once and for all!!!

Sometimes I find myself keeping a record of my past. Hanging on to guilt, lies, and wrong things I've done. Have you ever felt like that? Like your mind keeps a running log of all the bad you've done to remind you of the low person you really are? 

That is why scripture is so important it reminds us of the truth and the truth is what sets us free! Jesus didn't just nail past wrongs to the cross, he nailed ALL of them! Past present and future! This is how we are forgiven now, the Cross of Christ set us free!

Take your record of wrongs and discard it knowing that our adversary the devil wants us to live in our wrongs, our guilt and our shame. But Jesus! Oh sweet Jesus! He came giving life! Listen to what John 10:10 says "The thief does not come except to kill, and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." And then in John 15:11 "These things I have spoken to you that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full."

The devil is out to kill and destroy and if he can use our past guilt and shame to paralyze us he will! BUT rest in Jesus who came to give life and unending joy. If it's over your head today take that record to the Lord in prayer and thanksgiving asking for forgiveness, destroying that record, that you may move forward in truth and love! After all Jesus sees who he plans for us to be even when we only see who we used to be. Letting go of the past through forgiveness is our first step toward confidence in Christ for our future!