Category Archives: A heart of faith

What’s On YOUR Mind??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #80

29 Wednesday Mar 2023

Posted by in A Father's Love, A Form of godliness?, A heart of faith, Abiding In Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Choose you this day?, Choosing Jesus or The World?, Christ IN YOU, False Lives, Father of lies, Idolatry, IN HIS TIME!, Jesus Is Coming!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Saves!

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What’s On YOUR Mind???    A Word from THE WORD!!! #80

I’m kind of changing course in the middle of the stream; I really wanted to continue in Jeremiah but feel impressed of The Lord to share some difficult things that I hope God can use to touch our hearts and lead us to examine ourselves and the things that we surround ourselves with, as well as the things to which we give our time, effort, trust, and devotion.  The truth is God’s Word IS TRUTH, no matter how we feel about it.  May we each pray for God to open our eyes, hearts, and minds to have HIS view on life, liberty, and our pursuits?

“Search me, O God,

and know my heart:

try me,

and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way

in me,

and lead me

in the way everlasting.”  Psalm 139: 23-24

We all make choices every day, and Jesus warns us of the danger of wrong choices–may we heed His words and choose wisely by HIS Spirit and not our own earthly “vision”!

“But seek ye first

the kingdom of God,

and his righteousness;

and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow:

for the morrow shall take thought

for the things of itself.

Sufficient unto the day

is the evil thereof.”  Matthew 6:33-34

Jesus goes on in chapter 7 to warn us (still part of His Sermon on The Mount):

“Enter ye in at the strait gate:

for wide is the gate,

and broad is the way,

that leadeth to destruction,

and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate,

and narrow is the way,

which leadeth unto life,

and few there be that find it.

15 Beware of false prophets,

which come to you in sheep’s clothing,

but inwardly

they are ravening wolves.”  Matthew 7:13-15

Paul comes along and warns us of the dangers that will come, and my friends, we are there; his list is like reading the daily news, but it seems that we have become so accustomed to the lies of the enemy of our souls, that we don’t even recognize the danger–we seem to be “getting used to the dark”!

“This know also,

that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be

lovers of their own selves,

covetous,

boasters,

proud,

blasphemers,

disobedient to parents,

 unthankful,

unholy,

3 Without natural affection,

trucebreakers,

false accusers,

incontinent,

fierce,

despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors,

heady,

highminded,

lovers of pleasures

more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness,

but denying the power thereof:

from such turn away.”  2 Timothy 3:1-5

When we read Jeremiah and Lamentations we see a sad reality–that even as Jesus said when He talked to Nicodemus, “men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil…”; and we are no different!  We have allowed the ease and comfort of a prosperous (and yes even we who aren’t what we think wealthy, are part of the 2% of the wealthiest peoples in the world-if we own a refrigerator!) environment, and a church that has been more willing to accommodate sin, than to call us to biblical righteousness!  Go through this list above and think of your own life, the life of those inside our churches, the things that we accept every day because it’s ok to ‘go along to get along’!

I’d like to just name a few things that you might want to take note of and see what you think about them, and then ask, “why” you think it’s ok or not?  Is it a biblical decision or a cultural one–things that we have seen and heard so much, have been incorporated into our culture, our lives and even the very Church of Jesus Christ our Lord!  God forbid!  Think of these popular buzz words and activities, and how far we have come from the truth of God’s Word, all by ourselves; or so we think.  Remember Paul’s words that called us to prepare by putting on that armor of God, “that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil….that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day…” (from Ephesians 6:10-18)!  I can’t help but think that we have laid down on the job rather that “standing” with, for, and through the “power of HIS might”!

Won’t you think with me through a few things that I think worth considering/questioning.

Modesty? —

what is left unseen (male and female) …

Integrity? —

telling the truth in all things, keeping our word…

Biblical view of sexuality? —

“God created them male and female…” (Read Genesis 1-3)

Honesty? —

not taking what’s not ours, rendering unto Caesar, giving good measure (working 8 hours for 8 hours pay?), paying our debts (financial and moral)

Zen? —

a real buzz word today, but do you know it’s part of Buddhism?  Would God call this idolatry?

Yoga? —

I’ll lose some of you here, but check out the origin and determine what you are opening your “mind” to (remember, “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” see Philippians 2:5-11) Pantheism maybe?

 Drugs? —

What substances are we putting into our bodies– For medicine,       relief, ecstasy, laziness (we don’twant to face life God’s way, to live by faith rather than sight?), indulgence, addiction??

 Love yourself first? —

Let me simply say, ‘find that in The Word’.  If we’ll “love The Lord your God with ALL…” (See Matthew 22:37+), love God first, confident that HE loves me enough to give “His only begotten Son” to die for my salvation…  then I can rest in HIS love and follow HIS lead…

These seem like such small, relatively, unimportant things, but it only takes a pinhole (unstopped) to sink a ship.  And the danger is revealed by Jesus Himself, in His letter to the church at Laodicea–and whether we are there or just close is up for debate, the danger is real.  Please know that I write from a heart of love and concern, and not a ‘pocket full of rocks’!

“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write;

These things saith the Amen,

the faithful and true witness,

the beginning of the creation of God;

15 I know thy works,

that thou art neither cold nor hot:

I would thou wert cold or hot.

16 So then because thou art lukewarm,

and neither cold nor hot,

I will spue thee out of my mouth.

17 Because thou sayest,

I am rich,

and increased with goods,

and have need of nothing;

and knowest not

that thou art wretched,

and miserable,

and poor,

and blind,

and naked…”  Revelation 3:14-17

Here is a church that thought they had “need of nothing” –not even Jesus!  How do I know?  If you go on down and read verse 20, you’ll see that Jesus is knocking at the door to get into HIS own church! Will we open the door to the Master or continue to lock HIM out?  I pray that God will use His Word to open our hearts, minds, and lives to HIS Word that we may have ears that hear and yield to HIM!!!

“Behold,

I stand at the door,

and knock:

if any man hear my voice,

and open the door,

I will come in to him,

and will sup with him,

and he with me.”  Revelation 3:20

May we hear God’s voice today.

Amen and Amen!!!

Grateful For God’s Mercy??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #79

23 Thursday Mar 2023

Posted by in A Father's Love, A heart of faith, Choices And Consequences, Choose You This Day!, Faithful Follower, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Faithfulness, God's Mercies Are New every morning..., Jeremiah's call, Jeremiah's faithfulness, Search me O God?

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Grateful For God’s Mercy???    A Word from THE WORD!!! #79

Jeremiah is one of my favorite Old Testament prophets, and while his message is severe, often harsh, and ‘in-your-face’, it was the calling that God placed on his heart and life, and we must never shrink from the call of God on our lives–even when it may mean that we spend some time in the mud.

“Thou therefore

gird up thy loins,

and arise,

and speak unto them

all that I command thee:

be not dismayed

at their faces,

lest I confound thee

before them.

18 For, behold,

I have made thee this day

a defenced city,

and an iron pillar,

and brasen walls

against the whole land,

against the kings of Judah,

against the princes thereof,

against the priests thereof,

and against the people of the land.

19 And they shall fight against thee;

but they shall not prevail against thee;

for I am with thee,

saith the LORD,

to deliver thee.”  Jeremiah 1:17-19

Jeremiah was called to a difficult task, and he is often called the weeping prophet, for his message was a call to repent and not well-received, but he preached on because of God’s call, and his love for his people, Israel; even when he felt like quitting, he made it clear that God was his focus, his source, and his call!

“Then I said,

I will not make mention of him,

nor speak any more in his name.

But his word was in mine heart

as a burning fire

shut up in my bones,

and I was weary with forbearing,

and I could not stay.”  Jeremiah 20:9

Understand that “not stay” doesn’t mean he quit, but that he couldn’t stop (stay meaning stop or stand still)!  God’s message was in his heart and soul, no matter the cost–and for Jeremiah it was often a high price.  Yet, his message is one that we need to heed today. And in the beginning of his call, God made it clear what the problem was in what I believe to be a most concise and precise statement in chapter 2.

“For my people

have committed two evils;

they have forsaken me

the fountain of living waters,

and hewed them out cisterns,

broken cisterns,

that can hold no water.” Jeremiah 2:13

And while this message fits our present condition in this United States of America (and most of the rest of the world–yet our heritage calls us to a higher standard!) of doing it our way, God is still calling people to repent, both the saved and the lost, and while it is a hard message to hear it is one that if ignored will produce a grievous result–much of which we are seeing today.  What are you drinking out of?  The fountain of living waters or a broken cistern?

Through some forty years of preaching, Jeremiah finally saw the fall of his precious Jerusalem, and his people taken into Babylonian captivity, because they wouldn’t heed God’s call to repent; yet he still proclaimed a message in his grief and sorrow. So, I want us to consider an additional message today–a message that I praise God for!  May we take an honest look at our lives, our homes, our standards, our vocabulary, because we do have a God-given influence on those following in our steps.  May we praise God for HIS mercy and follow in HIS steps for those behind us!

“And I said,

My strength and my hope is perished

from the LORD:

19 Remembering

mine affliction

and my misery,

the wormwood

and the gall.

20 My soul hath them still in remembrance,

and is humbled in me.

21 This I recall to my mind,

therefore have I hope.

22 It is of the LORD’S mercies

that we are not consumed,

because his compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning:

great is thy faithfulness.

24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul;

therefore will I hope in him.

25 The LORD is good unto them

that wait for him,

to the soul

that seeketh him.

26 It is good that a man should

both hope

and quietly wait

for the salvation

of the LORD.”  Lamentations 3:18-26

I leave us with the call of the Psalmist:

“Search me, O God,

and know my heart:

try me,

and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way

in me,

and lead me

in the way everlasting.”  Psalm 139:23-24

 Amen and Amen!!!

Who Will You SEE??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #74

08 Wednesday Mar 2023

Posted by in A Father's Love, A heart of faith, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Born Again, Bow Before our God, Come to Jesus, Come To Worship HIM, Judgment, Just Jesus!, The Word, Who will you SEE?

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Who Will You SEE???       A Word from THE WORD!!! #74

A simple but profound question for today; there is a day coming for each of us, and our choice in this life will set our eternal consequence; what will you choose?  We will either see Jesus our Savior, Lord and King and spend eternity with HIM, or we will face HIM as our judge at the Great White Throne of judgment and find that our choice about Jesus was the wrong one, and face eternity in the Lake of Fire.  Not a subject that most want to discuss today, but a subject that I feel led to state simply with the truth of God’s Word not mine!

“And I saw a great white throne,

and him that sat on it,

from whose face

the earth and the heaven fled away;

and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead,

small and great,

stand before God;

and the books were opened:

and another book was opened,

which is the book of life:

and the dead were judged

out of those things which were written

in the books,

according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead

which were in it;

and death and hell delivered up the dead

which were in them:

and they were judged every man

according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.

This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written

in the book of life

was cast into the lake of fire.”  Revelation 20:11-15

Jesus Himself shared this with Nicodemus who came to Him to know truth, which Jesus provided.

“For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world

to condemn the world;

but that the world through him

might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him

is not condemned:

but he that believeth not

is condemned already,

because he hath not believed

in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation,

that light is come into the world,

and men loved darkness

rather than light,

because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil

hateth the light,

neither cometh to the light,

lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth

cometh to the light,

that his deeds may be made manifest,

that they are wrought in God.”                          John 3:16-21

Even as Jesus told Nicodemus earlier:

“Jesus answered and said unto him,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born again,

he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him,

How can a man be born when he is old?

can he enter the second time

into his mother’s womb,

and be born?

5 Jesus answered,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born of water

and of the Spirit,

he cannot enter

into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh

is flesh;

and that which is born of the Spirit

is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee,

Ye must be born again.”  John 3:3-7

“But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.”  John 1:12-13

The test question is simply, “What have you done with Jesus?”  Have you been “born again” or not.  The question isn’t “will you bow” before King Jesus; but rather when will you bow?  For God says that “every knee shall bow” and “every tongue… …confess that JESUS IS LORD”!  Will you bow before The Lord Jesus in this life and receive HIS forgiveness for your sin, or will you bow before HIM as your judge with no opportunity for salvation by grace through faith?

“And being found in fashion as a man,

he humbled himself,

and became obedient unto death,

even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,

and given him a name

which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow,

of things in heaven,

and things in earth,

and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.”  Philippians 2:8-11

Jesus will be the judge and HIS WORD will be the standard.  No matter how much the world says that there are new rules–God hasn’t changed, nor will HIS Word.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday,

and to day, and for ever.”  Hebrews 13:8

“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.

13 Neither is there any creature

that is not manifest in his sight:

but all things are naked and opened

unto the eyes of him

with whom we have to do.”   Hebrews 4:12-13

The choice is yours!  Will you bow before Jesus, seeking His forgiveness of your sin (which HE paid for at Calvary with His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for our salvation) and receive His new birth, or reject HIS love, grace, and provision for you to spend eternity with HIM?

“Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet

to be partakers of the inheritance

of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us

from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us

into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:” Colossians 1:14

The choice is yours, what will you do?

“For as the Father raiseth up the dead,

and quickeneth them;

even so the Son quickeneth

whom he will.

22 For the Father judgeth no man,

but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

23 That all men should honour the Son,

even as they honour the Father.

He that honoureth not the Son

honoureth not the Father

which hath sent him.

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you,

He that heareth my word,

and believeth on him that sent me,

hath everlasting life,

and shall not come into condemnation;

but is passed from death

unto life.”  John 5:21-24

It’s your choice, but there is a test coming!  Please receive this KING who loves you and died for your salvation.  He paid the price so you don’t have to, but you must come to Him in repentance and faith, trusting to HIS perfect sacrifice!  I pray that you will heed His call while there is still time.

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:

if any man hear my voice,

and open the door,

I will come in to him,

and will sup with him,

and he with me.”  Revelation 3:20

Amen and Amen!!!

Please join me at Jesus’ table for eternity!!!

This IS The Day??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #73

06 Monday Mar 2023

Posted by in A Father's Love, A heart of faith, Abiding In Jesus, His Mercies Are New Every Morning, HOPE

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This IS The Day???         A Word from THE WORD!!! #73

“This is the day

which the LORD hath made;

we will rejoice

and be glad in it.”  Psalm 118:24

What will you and I do with our “day”?  Whatever you are facing, whatever trials have come your way, whatever choices are crushing your soul–God is in your day!  If we will but look up and be willing to receive the answers that God whispers into our hearts!  Just a word from an old grandma–the choices that you make today can be led by God or your own fleshly desires–they will be the delights or regrets of your old age!  Let God rule in your day today–and today–and today–and today!

“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.”  Matthew 11:28-30

And as God spoke long ago, I have found this to be a dependable truth!

“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying,

This is the way, walk ye in it,

when ye turn to the right hand,

and when ye turn to the left.”  Isaiah 30:21

Amen and Amen!!!

Hear Ye HIM??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #68

22 Wednesday Feb 2023

Posted by in A Father's Love, A Form of godliness?, A heart of faith, Abiding In Jesus, Doers or intenders?, Forgetting or Remembering?, Hear ye HIM!, Hearing God, Holiness, Holy, Holy Living, Holy Spirit, It's Your Choice, JESUS, Jesus IN You!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Just DO it!

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Hear Ye HIM???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #68

“While he yet spake,

behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them:

and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said,

This is my beloved Son,

in whom I am well pleased;

hear ye him.

6 And when the disciples heard it,

they fell on their face,

and were sore afraid.

7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said,

Arise, and be not afraid.

8 And when they had lifted up their eyes,

they saw no man,

save Jesus only.”  Matthew 17:5-8

Have you heard the voice of Jesus?  No, not audibly with your ears, but with your heart and mind?  Jesus speaks in unique ways, at unique times, and usually with a unique calling.  The problem is we don’t always hear for the clatter of the world.  Or sometimes we tempt/test God by saying, “God, if you don’t want me to do this/or that, then stop me!”  Well, I can tell you, I have said that more than once, and on more than one occasion, God has sent events, circumstances, or people to “stop” me, and on more than one occasion I just ran full throttle ahead into a fray that cost me dearly.  Scripture warns us over and over again, that we must cultivate a heart that is open to the voice of God, and that when we don’t there are consequences to pay.

Paul had a lot to say about how to avoid unpleasant consequences.

“This I say then,

Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil

the lust of the flesh.”  Galatians 5:16

“If we live in the Spirit,

let us also walk in the Spirit.”  Galatians 5:25

Jesus closed each of the seven letters to the seven churches of Revelation chapters 2 and 3 with a phrase that should resound in our hearts as well as our “ears”!  Do you have an “ear to hear”?

“He that hath an ear,

let him hear

what the Spirit saith…”.  Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29, 3:6, 13, 23

If Jesus repeated this call to the seven churches–to those who claimed HIS name, it would seem to merit our attention to what HE is saying to us–to you and me–today, from HIS WORD as well as HIS Holy Spirit’s voice to our hearts.

James described it in another way, as he reminded us of our ability to “forget”. And believe me, at my age, I certainly know that fact well!  But will we heed James’ call and stay in The Word, or will we continue to live lives ruled by our culture rather than our LORD?

“But be ye doers of the word,

and not hearers only,

deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a hearer of the word,

and not a doer,

he is like unto a man beholding his natural face

in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself,

and goeth his way,

and STRAIGHTWAY FORGETTETH

WHAT MANNER OF MAN HE WAS.

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty,

and continueth therein,

he being NOT A FORGETFUL HEARER,

BUT A DOER OF THE WORK,

this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26 If any man among you SEEM TO BE religious,

and bridleth not his tongue,

but DECEIVETH HIS OWN HEART,

this man’s religion is vain.

27 Pure religion

and undefiled before God and the Father is this,

To visit the fatherless

and widows

in their affliction,

and TO KEEP HIMSELF UNSPOTTED

FROM THE WORLD.”  James 1:22-27.                          (Added emphasis is mine.)

So, my friends, will you “hear ye HIM”, or will you continue to be a “FORGETFUL HEARER” and go your own way?  As Jesus warned us in Matthew 7, the broad way (our way) “leadeth to destruction”!

“Search me, O God,

and know my heart:

try me,

and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way

in me,

and lead me

in the way everlasting.”  Psalm 139:23-24

Amen and Amen!!!