Heart of the Problem

This is a wonderful day!! I spent this morning, at my house of worship, praising the Lord, for His goodness toward me. Worship is a personal event, in a cooperate setting, at the church, of our choice. Does that make sense to you? I believe that, when we go to church, the Lord pays little attention, to the over-all phase of worship. I honestly believe that, our Lord is more concerned, with our individual worship toward Him. I believe that He is more concerned, with the condition, of our heart.

 

In eight hundred, and thirty-three times, in the Word of God, the heart is mentioned, in seven hundred, sixty-five verses. I believe it is mentioned that many times, because Father must thought it was important, for His children to know about. In the Webster’s dictionary of 1828 there were given fifteen definitions for heart. I will not post them all, or any for that fact. Instead I will tell you the bottom line of what the Bible means by heart.

Most of us think quickly, about the organ buried inside of our chest that, pumps blood throughout our bodies. When the Word of God, talks about the heart that is rarely the one, which it is speaking about. Most of the time when we find the word heart in the Bible, whether it be in the Old Testament, or the New Testament, it is referring to the center of our being. The things that, we believe to be the most important issues to us. The things that, we value most, in our lives. Our personal priority system if you will.

Let’s just start off with the real deal, of the way that our Lord sees the issue of our heart condition. I don’t believe that the way that, He sees our heart changes, until we accept the sacrifice of the Son, on the cross, then Father sees us through, the blood of Jesus. 

 

Jeremiah 17:9-10 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. 

 

If you read verse ten, and even happened to breathe a sigh of relief, then verse nine fit you, and me, to a tee. I would much rather have the mercies, of Jesus on me, as have the justice of Father. I don’t want to receive what I am due, when there is an option. The only reason that Jesus came to this earth, was to save the lost, and the sick like us. Yep,…..That’s right,…..I know where I stand, and I am learning just how sick that I was, and still am!!

Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

I can honestly say that, this whole verse applies to me. I am poor. I am brokenhearted. I need deliverance, from the captivity of the wicked one. I am blind, and I have been beat up, and I am not ashamed to cry out, at the foot of the cross, for the help that Jesus offers!! I need the mercy, and love that Jesus offers, because I can’t stand before Him one day, and handle the price, for my own sin. Do you realize what the price will be?

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

 

The price of my sin calls for death. This is not spiritual death, because the unredeemed soul is already spiritually dead. It cannot get any deader than it already is now. This is talking about what the Word of God, calls the second death. The second death is being cast into the lake of fire, and being tortured, for all eternity. From this point forward there will never be a Nano-second of relief!!

Even as horrible as this will be, for those that reject the mercy that only Jesus offers, there is a but, in the middle of this verse. Using the word but, cancels out whatever was said, before the word but. There is a solution. Hell is an option. Nobody has to go there, however many will chose that destination. Rather than accept a free gift, from God called eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, they will go into default mode.

Deception and pride are the reasons why, people chose eternal damnation, over and above eternal life. Satan blinds good folks to the love that, God offers to His children. Why does he do this? Is there something wrong with him? There is something serious wrong with him, and the first thing is that he hates us. The second thing is that, his judgment has already been passed on him, and there is no redemption for him. He is trying to fool those that still have a chance to escape the pit.

Isaiah 14:13-15 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

The only hope that, the inhabitants of the earth have, is found in Jesus. There is no other available, and there will never be. Once you accept the shed blood of Jesus for your personal sacrifice, for your sin, everything will change. Father can now look upon us, because the only thing that He sees is the blood, of His Son all over us. We are family now, and nothing can take that away from us!!

I want to leave you with another verse about our heart. If we don’t have Jesus in our lives, then this verse doesn’t apply. Most of the Bible is meant for those that have a relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Without Holy Spirit the Bible is nonsense, and Holy Spirit only comes with Jesus. Ain’t Jesus Awesome?

Psalms 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

….Much Love

Idolatry

Does anybody happen to recall, what was the main problem, when God passed His judgment, on His people? Father seldom passed judgment, on those that wasn’t His children. By memory I believe the time that, He destroyed Sodom, and Gomorrah was the only time, but still they might have been a victim of circumstance. Even though they still made the wrong choice, as with the Great Flood, of the days of Noah.

I am sure that there were those that, profess the name of the Lord, in the days of Noah. They had just wandered off, and fell into the same trap, that causes God to pass His judgment on His people, in a nation.   Do you know what that it is yet?      IDOLATRY!! 

 

I want to show you the definition, of the word idolatry, in the Webster’s Dictionary of 1828.

Idolatry

IDOL'ATRY, n. [L. idololatria. Gr. idol, and to worship or serve.]

1. The worship of idols, images, or any thing made by hands, or which is not God.

Idolatry is of two kinds; the worship of images, statues, pictures, &c. made by hands; and the worship of the heavenly bodies,the sun, moon and stars, or of demons, angels, men and animals.

The Old Testament of the Bible has numerous verses of the Lord claiming His jealousy over his people. I want to show you a couple, and the only one found in the New Testament.

Exodus 20:4-5  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; Exodus 34:14-15  For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: 15  Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;  2Corinthians 11:2  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

How do you think God feels about the media today?  It is not uncommon to see people, running into each other, while staring at their hand held device. Folks can’t even drive today, for having to look, at what they are holding, in their hands. Most of the car horns that, I hear in the city is because somebody is texting, and not driving.

How many hours is your television set, on during the day?  I ask that question in that way, because your subconscious is honing in on the program, whether you are paying any attention or not. Most television programs are not designed to edify the Christian. As far as that goes, the majority of Christian programming on television is not fit to instruct any Christian that, are worth their salt!!

In America we worship the images that these over paid, so called entertainers produce. I say that we worship the images, because if we knew how most of them really felt about us, we would change our object of worship. Most of the modern day musicians have made a deal with Satan, in exchange for fame, and they don’t even try to hide the fact any longer. Most of Hollywood are atheists, and I can’t even say about our gods, of the arena.   American Idol?

I feel like a prophet, in the Old Testament calling out, to the children of God. Warning them that, the Judgment of God is going to fall, on our land. I pray that we have not gone too far, or waiting till it is too late, for God to hear our cries to Him. Knowing that He would rather see our repentance, than to receive more lip service.

I personally think that we have waited too late, and crossed the line of no return. I believe that our country has followed the leading, of the world, for too long. I believe that the Judgment of God is coming, on the whole world, because there are too many signs, of His coming in place.

No matter how strongly that, I believe this is true, I continue to cry out to God for mercy. I am asking for mercy for myself, because I am not in much better standing, than the undegenerated person. The really sad part of this post is the fact that Father is not calling the unsaved person into repentance. He is calling His children to turn from their wicked ways, and we are all guilty of having wicked ways, in the sight of a Holy God.

 2Chronicles 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Are you willing to humble yourselves and pray?      Ain’t God Awesome?

           ….Much Love    

Great Movie

I saw the movie named, “Son of God,” this week, and I really enjoyed it. Actually I have enjoyed it so much, that I have watched it, at least two more times in full, and selected parts numerous times. Although, I have found it very entertaining, I must admit that it is not Biblically correct. I simply think that, Jesus was the coolest human that ever walked the face, of the earth. I realize that using the phrase coolest, just does not do my King Justice, but forgive me, because my vocabulary is limited.

It is written through the eyes of John. I am going to tell you much about this movie, because I would recommend that everyone that can, needs to see this movie. I didn’t find it blasphemous in any way. If you know the Word of God, you can easily see the variances. It was like the writers was putting a different spin, on case scenarios, of the what if syndrome. What if Jesus did this, instead of what that He really did?

All in all, I would have to give this movie nine out of ten stars, if I were to rate it. I am biased though, because I am simply in love, with the main character. I actually owe my life to Him. I love to watch the movies about, all the great prophets, of the Bible. However none compares to my Lord and Savior.  

Do you ever hear a promise, in the Word of God several times, and pay little attention to it? It is like we get used to hearing a certain Word, and just blow it off. Then you hear it once more, and Holy Spirit tells you to pay attention. You listen more intently, but are still hard in your heart toward that verse.    Oh,…..excuse me. I have forgotten who that I am talking with. I know that none of, the readers, have a problem, with the heart, since Jesus moved in. I will keep it more personal.

This happened to me this week. I kept hearing this Word from God, and dismissing it, as just another Word. Holy Spirit went to speaking to me, and I still didn’t receive the Word, that was for me. I heard it again, and Holy Spirit told me, that scripture was meant, for me personally, at this time.  Do you want to know what it was?

Matthew 10:32  Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. Luke 12:8  Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 

I still didn’t grasp this right away, even though, I am fully capable of reading, and my understand gets better, all of the time. I must admit that I needed to meditate, on what Jesus was saying to me. I have never been much of a soul winner, so my confession of Jesus, as my Lord and Savior has been limited. Knowing this I just thanked the Lord, for giving me this Word, and started on my normal business.

How many of you know that, Holy Spirit never has dropped a mission? He said, “James, the Lord wanted you to know that He has heard your confession, about Him, before men. You do it several times a week, in the blog, which you write. Jesus has sent a Word, for you doing this that, He will confess you before the Father, and before His angels.”

Don’t shoot me down, before I finish this post.   Ain’t that what the Word, of the living God, supposed to do to us?  Shouldn’t it speak to us, in such a way that, we know that it is alive? Even if you are a knuckle-head like I am at times, Holy Spirit is there to help us. I can’t live without His presence, in my life, for even a day. I am growing so dependent on Jesus, that I can’t even walk, without Him holding on, to my hand!!   Yep,…that's right.     I am braggin’ now!!

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

Do you understand, what this verse, of scripture is saying?   The Word of God is alive, and powerful, and sharper than any piece of surgical equipment, including a laser. It will fillet soul from Spirit, and the bone from the marrow within. It can even judge the thoughts, and the intents of the heart. It is used to preform Spiritual surgery, on the true believer, but is foolishness, to the unredeemed. 

Can I submit this thought to you?   If the Christian has a secret weapon, it truly is the Word of God!! It does everything that the true believer of God, will ever have any need of, on this earth. It heals, it commands, it teaches, it arms, it prophesizes, there will never be a secret withheld, from the Christian, within its pages. The word of God has a mission, and to complete His mission it speaks to us. Now the Word can speak all day, and without the presence of the Holy Spirit, it will remain as much foolishness, as to the sinner.   Amen?

I know that I am speaking a strong word right now, but that has been my personal experience.    I have a great question for you.   Who are the top three, Spiritual human’s beings in history?   Any three, and they can still be living, on the earth.   I will name three of my favorite picks also; Elijah, John, and Paul.  I need to ask another question. With the three that you picked, place them in order of preference, that God hears their prayers. Let’s have some fun now, OK?    Place your name on that list keeping the order of God hearing your prayers, and place the number beside the name as they will fall into category.

Are you ready to see the right answer?   I will show you on my list.   Elijah (1)   John (1) Paul (1) James (1)      Yep,     That’s right.     As children of God, Father doesn’t favor any one child above the other child.  He truly is no respecter of persons.   I believe that we need to hear that over, and over, so it stays on the top of our heart.

Acts 10:34-35  Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35  But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 

Ain’t God Awesome?

           ….Much Love       

Day by Day by Grace

read this certain devotional every night called, “Day by Day by Grace.” It is written by Bob Hoekstra. I wish I could tell you the time period that is was written, but it is in one of my Bible programs called The Word. If you would care to look at this program it is free, and can be found here.

http://www.theword.net

I want to share one that I found valuable to me, from the 22^nd of June.

Permissible Promises Made to God

I will love You, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies. (Psalm 18:1-3)

The scriptures are quite clear. The work of God in our lives depends upon His promises to us, not our promises to Him. However, this does not mean that we are forbidden to express our love and devotion to God through promises made to Him. In this rich testimony from the heart of David, he makes two significant promises to the Lord. "I will love You, O LORD...I will call upon the LORD." As we examine what accompanies these promises, we will see the kind of promises that are permissible to make to God.

Loving God is the essence of our relationship with the Lord. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37). Our love for the Lord is in response to His great love for us. "We love Him because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Long ago, the Lord had promised that He would be available to work in the heart of His people, if they were to love Him properly. "And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deuteronomy 30:6). The context of David's promises to love God indicates that He understood this promise from the Lord. "I will love You, O LORD, my strength." God was the one David was trusting in to give him the strength that was needed to walk in a loving relationship with the Lord.

As we grow in awareness of the love of God, we learn to call upon Him to deliver us in times of trouble. "I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies." David's promise to cry out to God in the midst of difficulties was based upon the Lord's praiseworthy character. David had called upon the Lord many times before, and He had delivered him. David had come to know the Lord (to experience Him) as his mighty protector. "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust."

As we noted previously, in Israel's promises to obey the law of God, they were depending upon themselves. In David's promises to love God and to call upon Him in times of trouble, he was depending upon the character and capacities of God!

…..Much Love