Tag: Hope

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In The Closet

MAY 24

MATTHEW_6:6 and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret…

Prayer time in the closet is a two way street. In order to give more emphasis, Jesus says more than enter the closet. He adds shut the door. This is even more private, more intimate. A closed door keeps the outside in its place – out. It also keeps the inside in its place – behind a closed door.

This is a time to pour out your heart – all those innermost thoughts, hopes, and dreams. Outside the door are the things which distract – social media, games, sports, TV. Inside the closet are only you and the Heavenly Father. 

This is a time to learn more of the One who loves you so deeply. This is how it becomes a two way street. It’s not just you speaking with the Father. It is also the Father speaking with you. You have a heart full to say to Him, and the Father has a heart full to say to you.

To hear everything the Father has to say requires Bible time as well as prayer time. Adding the Bible into your prayer life (like those Psalms) is a great way to learn to pray.

PRAYER

God Who Hears, Praise You that You hear every word of my mouth, and every beat of my heart. I long to hear You as well. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

 Christ hears all my prayers—I will hear His words to me!

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Your Loved One’s Heart

MAY 22

MATTHEW 6:6_But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet…

Closet in this verse is a private room, or secret chamber. That’s a long way from a street corner. 

When you fall in love, you long to be with the one you love. You want to talk – a lot! You want to make everything in your heart known, and you want to know everything in your loved one’s heart. You want to share hopes and dreams. The only way to know those dreams is to talk with your loved one. 

During times of intimate communication you want to be alone with the one you love. The deepest part of your soul is meant to be revealed to only one person – the one who has captured your heart. It is not for public view, unless you are only using the other person to help you love yourself.

If you use the other person to make you look good, it may be to your advantage to have those conversations in public. Who you are seen talking with might raise your social status. 

Using people to make you look good never equals love. Giving of your time serving, honoring, praising, and encouraging someone equals love.   

PRAYER

Lord of Lords, Thank You I can talk with You about my deepest needs, wants, and desires. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                       

Christ desires I talk with Him—I will express my heart!

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The Perfect Plan

APRIL 9

MATTHEW 5:32_and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Is Jesus too harsh on divorce? He brings adultery into the picture after the divorce! Why?

In Mark 10:5-8, Jesus went back to the beginning – to creation itself – to the original marriage – to God’s perfect plan. The Garden of Eden was perfection and everlasting life. Adam and Eve blew the whole plan by their disobedience to God, all life reaped the consequence – sin. Life will continue to reap sin consequences until an end comes, and all things are made new.

God’s perfect plan for marriage is one man and one woman for life. Their union causes them to become one. Perhaps Jesus adds adultery to re-marriage because no piece of paper (divorce contract) can sever God’s design of the physical union. The divorce contract can sever the legality of the marriage, but it cannot sever the oneness of flesh. This is why sexual sins are so devastating.

Why is purity marriage insurance? Foremost, it is God’s plan. His plan builds love by denying the flesh and bonding spirits – two people for each other. It builds respect for each other. It builds loyalty for one and only one. Aren’t those things you want in marriage?

We discussed before how impurity spells betrayal like no other sin. It is definitely one of the hardest to forgive. The Great Hope can give power to forgive. He asks you to do no more for your betrayer than He has done for you.

This is not to simplify the devastation. It may require a time of separation., and the key word in this sentence is time. Running straight to the divorce court does not give The Great Surgeon time for the surgery – including the time for healing and recovery. The basis of any decision has to be what action you believe will please Jesus.

When the marriage is broken beyond repair (one spouse has re-married), The Great Hope has good news. An individual life is not beyond repair.

Jesus repairs broken lives.

Jesus wants to bring His love into all families. Let Jesus use you to shine His love in your family.

PRAYER

Dear Jesus, Some of Your teachings are very difficult and hard. I know they are all designed for the very best life. I want that! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                    

Christ loves God’s original plan—I want to love it!

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Marriage Insurance

 APRIL 8

MATTHEW 5:32_saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery…

Fornication is sexual behavior outside of marriage. If you have sexual relations after marriage with someone other than your spouse, it is adultery. Some commentaries I’ve read say the word for fornication used in this verse means both adultery and sexual acts by single people. 

When Jesus referred to “what hath been said” He refers to Deuteronomy 24:1-4. This is a case where you entered into marriage believing your spouse came to you as a virgin. If after marriage you discover otherwise, or if your spouse is unfaithful during your marriage, then divorce is permissible. 

The single greatest thing you can do to ensure a fulfilling lifetime marriage is to have Jesus in your heart. Let Him lead you to someone in whose heart He also resides. The second greatest thing you can do for marriage insurance is to remain a virgin. If it is too late for you to remain a virgin, allow The Great Hope to keep you pure from now until your marriage.

Never underestimate the power of purity!

PRAYER

Dear Jesus, I want to live my life in the way You teach me. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                            

Christ is marriage insurance—I trust His Words!

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The Great Hope

APRIL 7

MATTHEW 5:32_But I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife…

You wouldn’t want to have open heart surgery without some kind of anesthetic. Even with an anesthetic, the entire process will not be a piece of cake. Expect pain. It will come. Pain is an inevitable part of the heart transformation process. Even if you choose to opt-out of Jesus’ heart surgery – pain is a part of the life process. If you are expecting a pain free, drama free, heart-break free, struggle free, or easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy-mac’n-cheesy (learned that from my niece, Mary) life – face reality!

If someone offers you something for nothing – beware! The good things don’t come easy. When you receive the results of your surgery, or the payment for your hard labor, or whatever you have suffered your way through to success, the pain is not something you dwell on. It was simply a means to an end. 

The Holy Spirit will help you focus on the facts. The fact you have a hard heart. The fact The Great Surgeon can transform your heart to love. The fact heart surgery transforms self-centeredness to self-sacrifice.   

All of life is all about decisions. The ultimate decision is to make the main thing (Jesus) the main thing. Make that decision first and you greatly lessen your chances of feeling compelled to put away your spouse.

Nobody enters a marriage expecting it to end in divorce. Sometimes things happen – don’t give up.

The Great Surgeon is also known as – The Great Hope!

PRAYER

God of Hope, Help me never lose hope that You can change any situation I bring to You for a cure.  In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                             

Christ wants to give me hope—I will accept it!