Tag: The Heart

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An Infected Heart

NOVEMBER 11

MATTHEW 7:17_but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

The word evil in this verse means bad or worthless. The source which brings forth worthless fruit is in itself weak or bad. Drug dealers bring evil fruits to keep their addicts in bondage. 

Addictions are evil fruits. One of the strongest addictions in the world is pornography. It is an extremely corrupt tree bringing forth extremely evil fruit. It is not something to take lightly, or think is not harmful. It goes far past the eyes and infects the heart. An infected heart will destroy the soul.

You were not created to be bad or worthless. Nor can the circumstances of life produce that kind of fruit in you—unless you submit to them as your source. If you think you’re not beautiful or handsome enough—what’s your source of beauty? Is it a friend? A celebrity? When God is your source, you understand things like: I Samuel 16:7 (KJV), “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”  

God sees true beauty—from the heart, not the face. When you reach the place you believe God loves you unconditionally—it will be the most attractive thing you can do for yourself, and it will show in your face!   

PRAYER

Creator, I want my beauty to come from Your love for me. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.   

Christ is The Source of all beauty—He gives it to me!

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Every Time!

 NOVEMBER 8

MATTHEW 7:17_Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit…

Now the perfect combination! Grapes and thorns don’t combine, neither do figs and thistles. But good trees and good fruit combine every time! Here’s God’s creation design—good produces good. Be a good gardener, plant this principle in your heart.

Ask yourself a question. Do your eyes allow in good only? What your eyes allow in stays in … the heart … the mind. With time it takes root and grows. Depending upon how much you tend and nurture, what your eyes have taken in begins to bear fruit.

If you’ve taken in evil the fruit resembles thorns. Thorns can pierce the people in your life. Some people may even begin to avoid being too close to you for fear of the pain. The fruit that resembles thistles can appear attractive, but the briars on the stems pierce those who try to be close to you. This leads to a hot mess! You cannot find genuine relationships. Your life is grown up with thorns and weeds. This also applies to what you allow your ears to hear, your hands to touch, and where your feet go.

In your quest to become perfect, you can ask, seek, and knock for righteousness. Let the Holy Spirit guide in these areas, and let good produce good.        

PRAYER

Only God, I want to produce good fruit for Your kingdom. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                                  

Christ is the good tree—In Him I produce good fruit!

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Inward Character

NOVEMBER 5

MATTHEW 7:16_Ye shall know them by their fruits…

The word fruit here is not literal, as in something to eat. It is a metaphor of the outward character of a person produced by the inward character of their heart.

Beware of teaching that is not in-sync with what you have learned from the Bible! If someone is teaching the Bible and living completely contrary to its principles—beware! If someone tells you the Bible has errors because it was written by men—beware! If someone of the opposite gender says if you love me you will express it physically—beware! If someone uses the expression married in the eyes of God to get you to be sexually involved—beware!

Jesus left heaven, came to earth, and lived in the flesh. He knows how strong fleshly desires can be. His desire is to keep you from becoming snared into bondage. Hebrews 4:14-16 (KJV), “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”  

PRAYER

Holy Jesus, You feel all the temptations of my flesh. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                                      

Christ was tempted in the ways that I am—He helps me!

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Something You Give Away

OCTOBER 30

MATTHEW 7:14_and few there be that find it.

You enter the strait gate when you answer the knock of Jesus on your heart’s door. Some baggage automatically drops off at that time. I have known people with strong addictions who were instantly set free through the power of Jesus in their heart.

The baggage that Jesus does not relieve instantly goes with you through the gate. The narrow path, like the Needle’s Eye, can become narrower as you travel. When you reach these narrow passages, which are tight places, they force you to make some changes. You may need to turn sideways to pass through. In some places you’ll have to bend down, because to go through also requires going under a large rock formation.

The changes you make as you pass through the tight places require two things—repentance and humility. When you repent you’ve changed your position. You no longer see value in earthly pain relievers. You are filled with the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. You walk free through the narrow path and exchange all your baggage for true love.

True love is not baggage. It is something you give away—to keep it to yourself would not be true love.

Holy Spirit power reproduces love daily and daily you give it away.

PRAYER

King of Kings, Help me to repent and worship You. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                                                   

Christ calls us to repent and be humble—He helps me!

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We All Have Baggage

OCTOBER 29

MATTHEW 7:14_strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life…

If we had to be baggage-free to enter the strait gate, there would be no need to enter. After all, we’re already living free so what’s there to gain?

We all have baggage. Bags filled with broken pieces of our hearts, hopes, and dreams. Some baggage we choose of our own free will. Other baggage was inflicted upon us by the circumstances of life. They came with the life package—a life we live in a dark and sinful world every moment of every day.   

The difference in the sizes of our baggage depends upon how we deal with them. The wide gate allows for a lot of baggage. That is why it is wide. The path is broad so we don’t have to drop off any bags. It is the designed path for those who have been subdued by the world—to accept its darkness as if there were no other choice. It is for those who don’t want to check their bags at the gate because the bags contain their pain relievers. Some may be for physical pain, but the majority are for pains of the soul. The spirits of darkness work to keep us depressed and discouraged. Life doesn’t have to be that way—there is hope!  

Colossians 1:27 (KJV), “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

PRAYER

Lord Who Reigns, Only You can truly relieve the pains of my life. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ is the pain reliever—I will make Him mine!