Looking on the Heart

“ . . Man looks at the outward appearance,

but God looks at the heart” 1 Samuel 16:7 NIV

How often do we look at a person and only see the disheveled clothes, the dirty unruly hair, the scuffed up shoes? How do we react? Do we befriend them? Treat them with kindness? Or do we ignore them and go on our way thinking unkind thoughts about their circumstances?

What would Jesus do? He met a blind beggar, named Bartimaeus. Christ healed him. One of the women in a crowd had a longstanding sickness. Our Lord told her that her faith made her whole. When he met the demonpossessed man, Jesus restored his sanity.

What can we do? The choices are endless. God can help us decide the way we can positively help one of the homeless, someone less fortunate, or someone with a temporary setback.

In each person Jesus met, He saw past the outer façade and saw their hearts. We are to emulate our Lord in all we do. In order to do this, shouldn’t we follow his lead and look past the external?

Surrender

“The man who loves his life will lose it,

while the man who hates this life in this

world will keep it for eternal life.” John12:25 NIV

How many times have we seen small children hold tightly to a toy when another child wants it. They scream and cry, if they are two years old, they yell, “No.” as loud as they can.

At the writing group I belong to, we recently had an exercise in free writing. The lady sitting next to me finished before everyone else. She then said for no one to copy from her. Being in a good mood, I acted like I was looking over at her paper. She reacted by covering her notebook with the upper half of her body. My next remark was that she was territorial. A lady sitting across the table called the first lady possessive. We were all joking but the lesson stuck with me.

We, as children of God have to learn to surrender our possessions to Him. In 1988, we bought or first brand new car, my husband said it was in celebration of our 20th wedding anniversary. I was so overcome with emotion that I made a vow. I promised to use that car for the Lord.

A close friend of mine sometimes prays with her hands held open as a sign of her giving the issues she has on her heart to the Lord. I recently remembered this and held my right hand open and out in front of me during prayer. I found it to be freeing.

Another lady I know has taught me not to be so tied to possessions. We talked one time when we were at the hospital seeing a mutual friend.  I complimented her on her outfit.Her water was acting up, they live in the country. Her granddaughter had done her laundry and carried it around in her trunk for ‘two weeks’. I was appalledI thought of the respect issue. My friend saidit’s just clothes.

Could it be that God is telling us to hold things loosely? Could He be wanting His to give Him the best we have and let Him provide for our temporal needs?

Mountain Tops and Valleys

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John

the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain

by themselves. Mt 17:1 NIV

Have we had mountain top experiences in our Christian walk? Yes, most of us have. Have we been in the valleys as we follow Jesus? Again, we have to say yes.

In one of my favorite songs, God of the Mountain, the beginning words of the chorus say, “The God of the mountain is still God in the valley.” I like this song because it reminds me God is still God, no matter what our need. He’s still in control.

As humans we want to have the mountain top experiences all the time. But, God seems to use them as rewards. We can’t expect them to come on a weekly or monthly basis. They come when God decides we are ready to accept and learn from them.

A very saintly lady I had the privilege of knowing said in Sunday School that we are the most teachable when we are in the valleys. As I had gotten to know her earlier, I decided she knew what she was talking about.

How many valleys can there be? We have the valley of doubt, of discouragement, of sorrow, of defeat, of depression, of anxiety, of worry. These are just a few of them. But God can lead us through them and help us overcome these time of despair.

Praise God for his watch care over us as we go through the valleys. Praise Him for taking us to the mountain tops.

Right now, our church is going through a valley. A man who was a robust, vibrant man has gone on to be with the Lord. His departure came unexpectedly. The chemo treatments were supposed to cure him 100% of his Leukemia and his lymphoma. We don’t understand but we have to trust God for this.

Epiphany

Just then there appeared before them

Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Mt17:3

Sometimes, believers have moments when they read something in God’s Word that answers a question they have or opens up a new way of thinking about Him.

We can call these times spiritual breakthroughs. Some call them sanctifying moments.

God speaks to us through the beauty of nature, through other people, and His Word. As we pray for revival, we should expect to have these spiritual epiphanies. But, even if they surprise us, we should give thanks for them. if they don’t they are just as special.

Some of these special mountaintop experiences can change how we view our relationship between our heavenly Father and us. Others may call us to action or cause us to work or spend our time differently.

As we are still in the beginning of a new year, may I suggest we all keep our mind’s eye focused on God’s Word and be open to what message or messages He gives us? When I had an epiphany moment in midDecember, it energized me. I pray one will do something similar for you.

Waiting For Jesus’ Return

“ Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming.

. . . be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s

coming is near. James 5:7,8 NIV

We go through our days, living as we believe God wants. We know the scriptures tell us that Jesus Christ will come again. We sing the chorus, 'Coming Again'. We honor God’s Word. We aim for peaceful relationships with our neighbors and fellow worshipers.

But every once in a while, we hear of someone who makes a ‘prediction’ of when Jesus will appear in the skies. Scripture tells us that Jesus himself doesn’t knowonly God knows.

James tells us to be patient, and to stand firm. He reminds us of the farmer who waits for his crops to be ready for harvest and how he also had to wait for the seasonal rains that nourish the crops and the soil.

We don’t know why God seems to be taking His time to fulfill this promise. Scripture says He doesn’t want anyone to perish and that God is patient. At one time I felt all the signs were there for Christ’s re-entrance into our world. Then I heard a pastor say, our job wasn’t to worry but to work for the enlargement of the Kingdom.

The enemy know his time is short. We see the results of his actions every day. What we need to remember is that God has already won.

When We Are Afraid

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed,

for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” Isaiah 41:10

Sometimes in our lives we have an event happen that causes us to be afraid. Our spouses become ill or injured. Our children are physically hurt or sick. We see our parents or our in-laws go through processes that aging brings.

Jesus tells us not to fear (John14). The Angel of God told the shepherds to not be afraid. (Luke 2) Isaiah records God’s words (Isa, 41:10) so well that I hope to us it as my verse for 2010.

In this verse God tells me that He is with puny little ole me. He’s not some distant being that looks in when He feels like it. My Creator then tells me He is my God. Then He tells me I will receive strength and help, as I need it, from Him. And He will support me with righteousness in his right hand.

In looking back over the past years, God has done these things many times over. All I can do is give Him praise for being my God, my companion, my protector, and my friend.

Saved through Faith

“For it is through grace you have been saved,

through faith and this not from yourselves,

it is a gift of Godso that no one can boast.

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ

Jesus to do good works, which God prepared

in advance for us to do” Eph 2:8-10 NIV

When we come to Christ. He accepts us and forgives us our sins. Prior to this, He uses prevenient grace to work in our hearts. God knows what will cause us to surrender to Him. He wants all his created children to become his spiritual children.

The passage in Ephesians 2:8 says something that caught my eye, “For it is by grace you have been saved ,through faithand this not from yourselves. . . .”

The faith that Paul discusses here is a gift from God Himself.

During Advent, one of my fellow bloggers wrote about the gifts God gave her throughout the season. I decided to keep a list of what God had made me aware of during the time leading to Christmas. I found it interesting that I became aware of small things in my life: A hug from a wait staff person at a restaurant. I have known her for several years but I didn’t think it was her way. A phone call from a church friend who needed to tell me she might have to work that night rather than be at drama practice. A personal invitation to eat with the family after a friend’s husband’s funeral.

God loves us so much He gives us gifts in order to help us grow in Him.