Tag: The Heart

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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 is inflicted upon us by the circumstances of life. They come 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. This 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!

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Wrong!

OCTOBER 19

MATTHEW 7:12_Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them…

What’s in your heart is seen in your actions and heard in your words. If you find any kind of pleasure in hurting people, your heart is showing. If you receive some kind of power surge in causing someone to cry, your heart is showing.

Let’s use the adulteress woman we previously studied as an example. Is it your duty to spread the news around as to what she had done—caught in the act, no less? After all, everyone needs to know. And it’s true, so it’s not gossip, right? Wrong! If it’s true keeps it from being slander, but does not keep it from being gossip.

Gossip spreads personal news, which may be factual and true, with someone who is not involved in the issue. Gossip spreads harmful information with the objective of exposing someone else’s failures.

If there is a situation which needs to be discussed, all involved should be present for the discussion. Behind the back discussions are never good. Regardless of truth or facts, motives and intentions are something the accused should be allowed to speak for themselves. 

As gossip spreads, generally the more it is exaggerated.  

PRAYER

Merciful Jesus, Help me know when to keep my mouth shut! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                 

Christ knows the true facts – I don’t need to tell others!

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A Destructive Weapon

OCTOBER 18

MATTHEW 7:12_Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them…

Jesus leaves no room to pick and choose when it comes to how you should treat people. It’s just like Him to say all things. You can wiggle and squirm, but you can’t get past all things. This principle is like the judgment boomerang—only dish out what you would want dished to you.

For example, what is something most people do without thinking, and would never call it by its name? Yet, it is one of the most destructive weapons in any relationship, at any age, or stage of life: Gossip!

Stop and ask yourself would you want someone to gossip about you? Then ask yourself if you gossip about others. Take physical features for example. Do you talk about, criticize, or make fun of the physical features of others behind their back? Perhaps the one you are, let’s go ahead and say it, gossiping about has some kind of defect. For whatever reason, you just feel it is your duty to spread the news around. But then, maybe you were born beautiful. Somehow you feel that justifies your gossip.

Sounds like you do have a defect. It is not physical, but just as easily seen—time for a heart exam.   

PRAYER

God of Heaven and Earth, Help me treat others as I want to be treated. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                 

Christ treats me with compassion—He teaches me how!

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There Was an Almost

OCTOBER 15

MATTHEW 7:11_If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children…

God loves everyone—the entire world. So much, He let His Son suffer and die for the world. 

God wants righteousness and goodness to reign supreme as it did for a brief time in the Garden of Eden. Pure perfection not only in people, but in all nature. But there was an almost in that perfection. When the almost won the battle over free will, everything changed—but God didn’t. He’s still just. He still has all power. He’s still God of the Impossible.

I believe Jesus in His infinite power and unsurpassed love works every day to restore as much of the Garden experience as possible in our fallen world. Every time He transforms a heart and gives it the ability to become salt and light, He’s made some restoration. It will take a new heaven and a new earth to bring full restoration.

When God uses evil people in ways that result in good for His children, He is exercising His fatherly powers. God wants fathers to do good to and for their children. Unfortunately, there are those whose fathers genuinely neglect, abuse, and abandon them.

God has a plan for those children as well, Psalm 27:10 (KJV), “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.”

PRAYER

Jesus Lord, Only You can transform—we all need it. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                          

Christ’s love is perfection—I want to love like that!

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Sounds Strange

OCTOBER 14

MATTHEW 7:11_If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children…

Does Jesus say even the evil know how to treat their children well? No way! Actually, it sounds like He’s calling all of us evil! 

Jesus agrees with what we’ve already learned: we’re all evil and have those hard hearts. That’s why we need the Savior. That’s why we need the Great Transformer. That’s why we need the Great Healer. And this is another reason to stay away from judging. How can one sinner judge another? 

Those of us who made a decision to become salty-lit-up disciples of Jesus are saved sinners. We are not any better than unsaved sinners, because the only righteousness we have comes from Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself. We didn’t get it by being good. We got it by accepting a free (to us) gift from The Savior (who paid the ultimate price to give it to us).

I realize I’m putting myself out there by saying this, but I believe sometimes evil people can treat their children well. I believe God can use evil people to do good works for Him. I know that sounds strange, but King Solomon knew it. 

Proverbs 21:1(KJV), “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever He will.”

Even if it’s an evil king!

PRAYER

King of Kings, Thank You for the miraculous ways You take care of me. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                               

Christ can use anyone for my good—I praise Him for that!