Guard Your Heart

Guard your heart. "If you love Me, keep My commandments, and My commandments are not grievous." Every act of obedience increases the depth of your love. As your love for Him increases, acts of obedience become more and more supernaturally natural. Obey. Love deepens. Obedience grows. Love deepens. Obedience grows, Love . . . You get the principle, right?

Conversely, every act of disobedience is a step into the darkness away from the light of His fellowship and the sense of His loving presence. Thus, disobedience becomes more spontaneous. As if our flesh needs much encouragement to act selfishly. The truth to remember is that wickedness takes over a person's life gradually. Like a moth in the back of the closet slowly eating a hole in your favorite sweater. Or the slow graying of a persons' hair. Almost imperceptibly sin enchains us. So, be sensitive to the small things. Guard your heart. 

Every act of obedience is an act of--evidence of--your love for Him. Every act of disobedience is an act of--evidence of--your love for yourself. No act is insignificant then, is it? No act is "no big deal." The direction of your life is inexorably tied to every choice. Guard your heart.

Definitions

The world defines freedom as the right to do as you please.
God defines freedom as the enabling power of the Holy Spirit that allows you to do what pleases Him.

The world claims that a sure sign of maturity is an independent spirit.
God says that the sure sign of maturity is total dependence on Him.

The world claims that submission is weakness--a position of inferiority.
God says that submission is the willing lending of your strength to someone you love in order to enable that loved one to become all that God intends for them to be. To not have such love in your life is a debilitating weakness.

Again

When you've fallen flat on your face--again. He will not stand over you and say, "I told you so." Or "How many times am I going to have to try to teach you that lesson?" Or, "Good luck getting back on your feet." No, He will come to you as the Great Shepherd of the sheep that He is and gently, as only the omnipotent God can be gentle, lift you up, and whisper these words, 'I love you." And no one you have heard that from has a heart as trustworthy as His heart.

"No one ever cared for me like Jesus; there's no other Friend so kind as He"

Ricochets

Sharing God's truth is your part. What He accomplishes through it and when is His.

----------
 Other people's needs not their opinions is what matters--even those whose opinion of us is negative. Especially those whose opinion of us is negative.
__________

Growth always starts from where we are in our walk with Christ; not where we wish we were.
__________

 Man-made rules will never lead to spiritual growth. They are always a hindrance.

__________

 Though Satan continues to battle, the war has been won. Fight the good fight with confidence. Resist the devil and He will flee from you.

__________

 The Lord works in each of our lives in totally different ways. Why? He created us each uniquely--one of a kind. And the spiritual growth of each one of us matters to Him.

__________

 To desire anything more than God's will is to open up my heart to the possibility--probability--of acting in the most selfish, maliciously cruel ways. And when the day comes when He makes me face up to that . . .

__________

 Nothing shouts more loudly, more profoundly, more lovingly, than a soft answer.

__________

 The root of hypocrisy is fear. Perfect love casts out fear. His love for you is perfect.

__________

 One of the purposes of life's storms is to see if you've been paying attention to what He's been trying to teach you.

__________

 The prayer of the faithful parent is always, "God do whatever it takes to convince my children of your love, your grace, and your wisdom. Whatever it takes.

__________

 I believe that one of the greatest joys of Heaven will be seeing how perfectly God answered every one of my prayers.

__________

 God has never met a sinner He can't transform into a saint.

__________

 The reason He is waiting to return is because He desires to bring more sinners into the eternal kingdom of eternal love. That's a good reason to wait, don't you think? Can't you name people you love who are not in the kingdom--yet?

__________

 When love encounters a real need that it has the resources to meet, it never says, "Later."

__________

 God doesn't mend broken hearts because that heart is finally just like His.

__________

 When you feel that you are being overwhelmed and surrounded by the enemy, remember what Elijah's servant saw. It's the enemy that's surrounded. One third fell. Two thirds are on your side. Always.

__________

 The saint who is resting on His faithfulness can be still in the midst of utter chaos.

__________

 Sometimes God lets you see what He's up to. Don't forget to sing and dance and praise His Name. Well, even when you can't see, don't forget to . . .

__________

"Accepted in the Beloved"

That's the only acceptance you need.

__________

"More than conquerors"

No matter how many times you think you blew it today,

__________

 This day He gave you is almost over. If He gives you one more, use it--joyfully.

Assignments

Your assignment for today. (It's a tough one.)

Say "thank you." The smallest acts are given from a heart that loves you. Yes, given.

 _______________________________________________

Your assignment for today--and assignments are, of course, cumulative--in addition to, not instead of.
Everyone with whom you interact today--family, friends, acquaintances, strangers, enemies---treat them the same way the infinite holy God will be treating you today--with abundant grace, mercy, compassion, empathy. Yes, everybody.

________________________________________________

 Assignment for today; (Remember in addition to)
Edify, build up, submit, encourage--synonyms, you know. And I know it's so much easier to just be negative and tear down. I do that so naturally. Building up demands intentional love--it's a "labor of love." And it requires humility which is difficult when I love myself so much. But you can't have a relationship of any depth without edifying, building up, submitting, encouraging. You can destroy one very quickly with just one negative, critical word. And you know who the promoter of destroying is, don't you? Be intentional today. Strengthen the body of Christ, one person at a time. Be the embodiment of the gentleness of Jesus.

The Heart of Prayer

The heart of prayer is not acquisition but total submission.
The heart of prayer is not coming fearfully but coming boldly.
The heart of prayer is not help me do such and such but Lord, I cannot do it; I am too weak. Be Thou my strength.
The heart of prayer is not do what's best for me but do what lifts Your Name on high.
The heart of prayer is not sending God a message, it is going into His very presence.
The heart of prayer does not begin with petition but with worshipful adoration.
The heart of prayer is not now but waiting while soaring.
The heart of prayer is not eloquence but the inner groaning of the Spirit on our behalf.
The heart of prayer is not duty but longing love.

Celebration

One of the saddest moments in the story of the prodigal son was his doubt in the Father's willingness to forgive and restore. God doesn't just forgive sin, God doesn't just restore, He delights, rejoices in doing so. Nothing gives Him a greater joy. The angels in Heaven in sync with the Father's heart catch the joy and join the celebration! Take one step toward Him seeking His forgiveness; He will "sprint" to your side and embrace you with His love. And Heaven will erupt--joyfully. Seek forgiveness; let the angels dance with gladness.

The Gap

There is a gap between my theology--what I know intellectually--and what I have learned by experience to be true. There is a wider gap between what I know in my head, what I have learned by experience, and the depth of my obedience. Always falling short. Yet, our God is the God of our hearts. He knows my desire for obedience, and He is satisfied. In my struggles He gives more grace. In my exasperation because "the things I desire to do I don't, and the things I don't want to do, I do," He assures my heart so that I can cry out with the Apostle Paul, "Thanks be to God who gives the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." How miraculous to be loved by the God who knows my weaknesses and my struggles with faithfulness and instead of condemning lavishes my life with His grace and mercy and strength.

Circumstances

Job lost everything--financial security, family, health. Response--remained faithful. Result--God's blessing.
Joseph lost everything--betrayed by his family, jailed unjustly. Response--remained faithful (even though his faithfulness was the reason he ended up in a prison). Result--God's blessing for him, his family (yes, even those who betrayed him), the world.
Ruth--lost everything--husband, financial security. Encouraged by her mother-in-law to go away and go back to her own people and gods. Heard her mother-in-law blame God for her own poor choices--bitterly. Response--pursued God, remained faithful to her mother-in-law. Result--God's blessing on her, her mother-in-law, the world, you.
Daniel--lost everything--home, country. Placed in a society that was doing everything in could to conform him to their image. Response--remained faithful. Result--God's blessing

Your circumstances are designed by God to be a pathway to blessing for you and for who knows how many other people in need of His grace. Just one thing is required--remain faithful. And you only need to do that one day--today. And He promises you the strength to so live if you'll embrace His presence in your life. Circumstances? What will your response be?

Rest

 Been in the Word yet? Prayer? Could be a long day without any sustenance.

One of the blessings of our salvation is the restoration of rest. There is, of course, a future eternal rest, but there is also a present tense rest for us to enjoy. Christ told the multitudes, "Come unto Me, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me." In a burdened, restless, dissatisfied world, we should stand out as those who are at rest.
The Holy Spirit defined that rest for us in Hebrews 8:10. He that has ceased from his own labor just as God completely rested from the work of creation; he it is who has found the rest intended for him by his Savior.
Now the difficult thing to accept is that I enter into that rest by laboring zealously. The key is that it is not my own labor, but it is only accomplished through Christ. The reason I grow weary in well-doing, tired of Christian service, is that I am constantly trying to do God's work in my own strength. The only way to rest and labor at the same time is by faith and obedience. I must be in the Word of God for it reveals to me what I am--strengthless without Him--and what I must do--rely totally on His strength abundantly available through the Spirit. To fully understand myself, I must understand God's truth. His Word is the mirror into which I gaze to see myself as God sees me. Such an "assessment" motivates me to come boldly in prayer in order to obtain help in time of need. (Which, by the way, is all day long every day.) If I am in the Word, I will fully understand as the Spirit leads me that the victorious Christian life is totally impossible outside of total submission to Him and total reliance on His grace and mercy through prayer. That is true rest. That makes "I can do all things through Him" an energizing truth. .That is realizing that His strength is made perfect in weakness; that when I am weak, then--and only then--am I strong. And only then will I find my daily ministry to be overwhelmingly restful--even in its most hectic, demanding moments.

The Throne

A reminder--for me

He's still on the throne.

He's still in complete control.

He's still infinite goodness, infinite love, infinite faithfulness, infinite gentleness.

He does not have a plan for my life; He has the plan for my life--and it's lovely.

He still loves me just as deeply today as He did when He willingly went to the cross to pay my sin debt.

He still wants me to live for Him today since I can't--today--live over my yesterdays or live in advance my tomorrows.

Life always becomes a struggle when I try to climb upon the throne and take even partial control.

Maturity

My spiritual struggles--even those that are a result of God's discipline for my disobedience--are evidence that God is lovingly working in my life to bring me to maturity. Maturity has nothing to do with age: a mature Christian knows the meanings of consequences--and that they are rarely immediate. When I recognize and admit my weaknesses, I will be empowered by God to be strong.

Loneliness

We all, I believe, have our struggles with loneliness. And if we "quizzed" each other, we would probably come up with a host of different definitions for loneliness as well. Some of us are lonely in the midst of crowds of people because of a sense that we don't fit in. Some of us are lonely because we have lost someone or several someones that we deeply loved and there are holes in our life that no one else can fill humanly speaking. Some of us are lonely because we feel misunderstood or we fear what others would think if they did understand us. Some of us are lonely at times because we have been rejected, betrayed, unloved by those who should love us. Some of us are lonely at times because of the stigma the world places on our singleness. (The church, I believe, is often brutal in the assigning of that ungodly perception.) Some of us have experienced such a deep sense of loneliness in one of those situations I mentioned above that we prefer a "safe" loneliness to the risk of re-experiencing something even remotely similar. Loss, misunderstanding, rejection, betrayal--loneliness. Yet, are there any lonelier words than, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me"? Whatever your loneliness, He does understand. And because of that, there is one truth that you and I must grasp in our struggles with loneliness. No matter how lonely you feel, you are never alone. Never. And the One who is with you knows absolutely everything about you, and loves you as fully and ardently as anyone has ever been or will ever be loved. There is nothing you can do, no place you can hide, to escape His loving presence. Forsaken, you can never be.
And I have found that there is a paradoxical aide to battles with loneliness--getting alone with Him. "Aloneness" and loneliness can be antonyms. It is when I am alone with Him--in the Word, in prayer, in meditation, in remembrance, that I become more fully aware of His ever present love--of the heart filling truth that the Lord is near; the Lord is at hand; that I am eternally enclosed in the hands of the Father and the Son. I am in the inescapable grasp of eternal, infinite love.
I do not think we will ever escape the struggle at times with loneliness until we stand eternally in the presence of the One who alone can satisfy our every heartfelt need--the only One who can fill up all the emptiness. But that feeling of loneliness can be such a positive in our lives if we seek the time to practice His presence in the act of personal, intimate worship--alone with the Lover of our souls.
And there is one more thing we must do. In His name, never reject, never stop listening, never stigmatize, never betray, never become calloused to the loss others are feeling, never be unloving, never fail to forgive and seek restoration, never let the fear of rejection keep us from reaching out to others--no matter how many times they actually do reject us, never be anyone but Him to all those He has placed in our lives--all those struggling with the loneliness that we ourselves struggle with. Never.
One day He will banish loneliness forever. One day He will restore to us--and us to them--those we love that are in Him that we have lost. Until then--and there are few phrases more important than "until then"--seek time to be alone with Him, seek to be His visible presence in the lives of others (glorify Him), and remember: "You are never alone. That's impossible for one of His dearly beloved--for you.
Yes, impossible.

By Name

Mary Magdalene loved her Master. On that "last" day she could be found standing at the foot of the cross. Love is fearless. On that "first" day she could be found hurrying to His tomb at first light. Why? She had a history with Jesus--seven demons had been cast out of her by the Lord. She knew His power, His love, His deliverance, experientially. So when they found the tomb empty, all returned home except Mary. She could not tear herself away and wept uncontrollably in the garden believing that His body had been taken so that she could not show her love to this One whom she mourned. She did not expect a resurrection; she came to bestow an act of love she was sure could never be repaid or returned. She loved unconditionally and completely--selflessly.
How did her Lord comfort His grief-torn child? What great act did He perform to show her that He loved her and cared for her? He simply called her by name. "Mary." She was not a great theologian or well-versed in doctrine, but she knew His voice. That was enough. In that moment the fact of the resurrection needed no further proof. Her reply was as simple and profound as His call. "Master." He was the Savior--her Savior--who knew her by name. And who called her by name in her dark hour of sorrow. And she recognized His voice.

"My sheep know my voice and I know them, and they follow Me."

In the stillness of your sorrow, are you listening? He is still the God of the living who speaks to His children. "Be still, and know that I am God." The eternal Creator-God knows your name. You are His "Mary."

"Master."