Tag: The Heart

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Your Ticket Out

AUGUST 26

MATTHEW 6:33_the kingdom of God…

If you seek God first, at a young age, you’ve made a wise decision. You are on the right path. If you are toward the end of your teen years, or mid-way through adulthood, or even in your senior years—it’s never too late. Jesus has been knocking on the door of your heart all these years. He is not one to walk out on those He seeks because they don’t welcome Him right away. Jesus patiently seeks you, wherever you are.  Whether that’s the pit, the gutter, or the dead-end street, Jesus seeks you. Don’t think you have to come out from those places for Jesus to want you. Jesus is your ticket out!

Know the most important thing in life and seek it.

Seek the first thing first.

Make the main thing the main thing.

Build a firm foundation on truth.

Proverbs 24:27 (KJV), “Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.”

Work is seeking, the field is the world, and the house is your life. Build your life in accordance to God’s plan, not your own.

Another way to seek God first is in the earliest part of your day. Begin each day with Jesus. Become more aware of His presence.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, Help me seek You in the morning to be aware of You all day. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ seeks me wherever I go—He finds me!

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Worrying or Hurting?

AUGUST 21

MATTHEW 6:31_saying, what shall ye eat or, what shall ye drink, or wherewithal shall ye be clothed?

You can worry yourself sick—literally. Worry takes such a toll on the soul, the body can become weary, weak, and sick. The heart takes the worst beating from worry. The body was not designed to stand up under constant worry. The soul (mind, will, emotions) was not designed to stand up under constant worry. The spirit was not designed to worry at all! The spirit was designed to praise!

You are designed in God’s image to know and worship Him. You are designed to joy in the Lord. Worry can’t stand up against joy. 

Don’t confuse worry with times of struggle and trial that cause suffering. If you don’t believe God has the power and the mercy to bring you through—then you are worrying. If you are suffering during a trial, but believe God will bring you through, you are not worrying. If you believe God will cause some good to come from your pain, you are not worrying. You are hurting. 

Romans 8:35,37 )KJV), “35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”              

PRAYER

Lord of Love, Help me know there is nothing that can overpower Your love. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ’s love conquers—Whatever comes against me!

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As Many Times As It Takes

AUGUST 17

MATTHEW 6:31_Therefore take no thought…

How many times will Jesus teach to stop worrying? How many times will He point out it begins in your thought process? 

As many times as a parent teaches a child to tie a shoe, or ride a bike. As many times as it takes.  

Jesus’ repetitiveness is for you to follow. The longer you follow, the more you understand the heart of God—which increases faith. Eventually, it will make sense that God takes care of you! You begin to see that when you go through tough struggles, not only is Jesus with you, but a host of other believers have followed the same path. (Study George Washington at Valley Forge for one example).

Rather than allowing the deceiver to fill your thoughts with doubts and fear, begin to take Jesus at His word.  Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV), “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Simon Peter caught on to how to deal with worry: 1 Peter 5:6-7 (KJV), “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

PRAYER

Loving Jesus, Please teach me how to wear Your yoke and not worry. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ gives His followers rest—He will give it to me

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Doubts

AUGUST 16

MATTHEW 6:30_shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

The basic purpose of Bible study is to get to know God: to learn how He thinks, to learn His heart. The last part of verse 30 teaches something about God. Another part of the I AM. The words much more describe God’s heart perfectly. A heart which not only sends grass what it needs to survive, but dresses it up as well. Wouldn’t that heart care much more for a human—created in His own image? This is a heart you feel safe to trust. A heart that makes you feel more than just loved, but special.

You can gain understanding of God’s love and provision for His creation right from the get-go – in the very beginning. Genesis 1:28 (KJV), “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

God loved all of His creation and considered it good. He set people above anything else. Just like with the animals, God had already created what people would need to live and enjoy the earth. 

Life brings confusing days of doubts. Doubts come from the devil. Don’t listen, don’t be of little faith. 

PRAYER

Omnipresent God, Thank You that if You care for nature, You care more for me. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ gave people dominion on earth—He cares for me!

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It Took Her Breath Away!

AUGUST 12

MATTHEW 6:29_was not arrayed like one of these.

1 Kings 3:11-14 (KJV),”And God said unto him, ‘Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; 12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days’” 

You simply must read 1 Kings 10 of the account of the Queen of Sheba! She visited King Solomon just to see if all she had heard of him was true. After she heard his wisdom, and saw the vastness of his wealth, verse 5 (KJV) says, “… there was no more spirit in her.”  We would say, “It took her breath away“.

Go back to Jesus’ word, yet. Yet, for all Solomon’s power, wisdom, and wealth, he had nothing in his wardrobe to surpass the beauty of a field of lilies. Simple God-grown lilies do not have to worry about their existence—God supplies all their needs. 

PRAYER

Jehovah Jireh, I worship the magnificent God You are!  In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ’s works in my life—He takes my breath away!