"Heart Or Mind?"

"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."  Psalm 139:14

"That my soul knoweth right well."  The Psalmist knew some things about God on a personal level.  "For I am".  He knew that it was God who had made him.  It was God who formed him in his mother's womb.  He knew that God loved him, cared for him, and had compassion on him.  He knew that God had not made a mistake when He made him.  "I am fearfully and wonderfully made." 

These things that he knew about God, he knew in his inner most being.  "My soul knoweth right well".  He did not just have a "head knowledge" of God.  He didn't have a knowledge based on someone else's testimony of God.  He knew it personally in the deepest recesses of his heart.

Sadly, the majority of people only have a head knowledge, an educated understanding, what they have read in a book or what someone else has told them about God.  "Head knowledge" is never enough.  You have to have a "heart knowledge".  You have to know in your heart.  You have to have a relationship with Him that is deep rooted in your heart. 

Even the devils "believe" that God is who He is.  But their belief does them no good.  It is with the heart that man believes, and that heart belief makes him righteous. 

What do you know about God really isn't the right question.  The question is, "Do you know Him?"  But that too still isn't the right question.  The right question is, "Do you know Him with your heart/soul/innermost being?" 

Have a great day.  Do you know the Lord in your heart or only in your mind?

For further reading:
Romans 10:9,10
James 2:19 

 

"I Won't If"

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"  Jeremiah 17:9

How many times have you given into some besetting sin or habit that you know you should not be doing?  It may not be some "big" thing, but it still makes you feel bad and brings guilt along with it.  Each time you did it you have repented and asked God for forgiveness.  Each time you have told Him, and yourself, that you will never do it again.  But you do it again anyway. 

When this happens and we are confessing it to the Lord, we can't make the statement to Him that we will never do it again.  As much as we may not want to do it, as much as we plan on not doing it again, as much as we may even be sincere in our desire and statement not to do it, we can't say it with total honesty because of our own hearts. 

We may believe we won't do it again because of shear will power and determination not to, but the fact is that our hearts are desperately wicked.  They will deceive us.  They will make us think that we won't but yet we will. 

The only true profession that we can make about this has to include an "if". 

I won't do it again if, I seek first the Kingdom of God.
I won't do it again if, I stay in constant fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
I won't do it again if, I continue to follow the Lord in each thing I do, each thought, each action.
I won't do it again if, I submit myself continually to Jesus' Lordship over my life.
I won't do it again if, I will be led by the Holy Spirit.
I won't do it again if, I keep my mind renewed with God's Word.
I won't do it again if, I humble myself before the mighty hand of God.
I won't do it again if, I remain in the position of a living sacrifice.
I won't do it again if, I will listen to and obey the voice of the Holy Spirit.
I won't do it again if, I will rest upon His strength and power.

Because of my desperately wicked heart, which is out to destroy me, I can't keep such a vow, no matter how much I desire to, in and of myself.  I have to have the Lord's help.  I have to walk in His grace, strength and power.  It is as I truly realize that I can do all things through Christ and invoke His help that then my vow and desire not to do certain things is fulfilled. 

Have a great day.  I may say I won't do it again, but that is only if I stay close to the Lord and follow Him.   
 

"It's Just A Thing"

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."  1 Peter 5:17

 My dad has this saying that he uses when things go wrong, when something breaks down, when something tears up, or a situation arises, and something needs to be repaired.  The saying-- "It's just a thing."

When a situation like I have described arises, my dad is responsible and takes care of the problem by fixing what he can but does it with the attitude of "it is just a thing".  Meaning that problems in life happen.  Meaning that you shouldn't be so consumed with the problem.  Meaning that it will be all right, don't worry so much about it.

There are many things and problems that arise in our life that we need to basically have this same attitude about--"it's just a thing".  We need to treat those things which are "minor" as "just a thing".  We don't need to turn a "mole hill into a mountain".  We need to stop letting that "thing" cause us so much grief, worry and frustration.  We need to stop letting it steal our joy and rob us of our peace.  We need to stop letting it have so much power over us-- over our attitude, over our emotions, etc.  After all, it is just a thing.  It is a temporary thing that won't last forever.  It is a thing that is subject to failure.  It may even breakdown again, or many times.  It is subject to change. 

You and I need to treat more things in life like they are "just a thing".  You are worrying over something you have no control over.  You are upset with something you can't prevent from happening.  All your worrying and fretting isn't going to change it. You are striving over something that will work itself out eventually anyway.  Loosen up.  Learn to cast your care upon the Lord.  Ask Him to help you to look at things from a proper perspective.  Ask Him to help you see what really is major and merits your attention, and what is "just a thing".

Have a great day.  Stop worrying over something that is "just a thing".

"A Luxury Gift"

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."  Ephesians 2:8

There are two kinds of gifts.  The luxury gift-- a gift that is given for enjoyment.  The provisional gift-- the one that is given to meet a need or practical purpose. 

The Bible says that grace is a gift given to us from God.  Most people look at the gift of grace as a luxury gift.  They see it as something that is to be used for their enjoyment.  It holds no responsibilities with it-- it is there strictly to give them pleasure.  Therefore, they use the gift of grace as a license to do whatever they please.  Grace is not a license-- a luxury gift that is at your disposal to use however you choose.

It is a marvelous gift of provision-- it provides what we need.  It is the provision by which we can be saved based on the merits of someone else.  We can't save ourselves; our good works are never good enough; our own righteousness is unacceptable because it is like filthy rags.  But because of the provision of grace, what Jesus did at the cross can be applied to our lives and make us acceptable. 

Grace is the provision by which we can live life even with a "thorn in the flesh".  It is the provision by which we can resist temptation when it comes our way.  It is the provision that will keep the door closed, and locked, when sin is crouching outside of it.  It is the provision by which we can endure to the end.  It is the provision that will keep us running the race that is set before us.  It is the provision that lifts up our heads and hands when they hang down.  It is the provision that keeps us from being distressed when we are troubled on every side.  It is the provision that gives us peace in the storm, assurance in the trial, strength to run and not be weary, and the ability to walk and not faint. 

Grace is not a luxury item gift to be used at our disposal so that we can fulfill every whim and desire of our flesh.  It is the wonderful gift of provision that God has given to us in order to be able to live an abundant victorious life.

Have a great day.  Grace is not a luxury gift, it is a provision. 

"Overruled"

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9

In our verse this morning, Paul was praying for the thorn in his flesh to be removed, but God "overruled" his request and said no. 

When we are going through a trial, a difficulty, a storm, etc. and we pray that the Lord would deliver us out of it, sometimes He does.  But many times He doesn't. 

We may demand that God do it.  We may ask Him to do it, but that doesn't mean He has to.  The Father has the right to overrule the child.  The King has the right to overrule the subject.  He overruled Paul's prayer to remove the thorn in his flesh.  He overruled Joseph's desire to get out of the prison at that particular time.  He overruled Jesus' request to let the cup pass from Him if it was possible. 

When God leaves you in a situation, when He doesn't deliver you out like you want, when He says no, remember this-- He has a plan for your life.  His plan is a good plan.  Not a plan to harm or to hurt you.  When He says no but allows you to walk through it instead, or be tested by it, He is working all things together for your good.  He is protecting you from being destroyed by the enemy. He is positioning you to fulfill your destiny.  He is cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit in you.  He is making an avenue so that His power might rest upon you.  He is working in you a far greater weight of glory, and He is transforming you into the image of His Son.

Although you may want Him to answer "yes", if He answers "no", He will be with you and give you everything you need to go through it.  He is working all things together for your good.

Have a great day.  If God says "no" to your request, it is because He has something better in mind for you.

For further reading:
Jeremiah 29:11
Romans 8:28