Guard Your Heart

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:23

The heart is a very sacred and vital organ both to your physical and spiritual life… If we take the analogy of the heart being a pump, we know that whatever is inside the heart will be pumped out (in the physical sense this is the blood that travels through our veins, in the spiritual we are talking about whatever Godly or worldly things that reside within)…This is why we are reminded that if we want to live we must keep our hearts…  The heart is the source, it’s the critical point and it’s the very place you’re most likely attacked by the devil… Luke 6:45 says, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” How often do you give your heart to others? How many times have you found yourself allowing someone or something to have authority over you by controlling your heart…Whether we have come to realize it or have not comprehended it yet, the heart is the center of our living and being… David wrote in Psalm 37 that if we delight in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our heart… God knows how critical it is that we maintain our hearts; He knows the importance of the heart and has told us that if we make Him first in our lives He will give us the things that we seek… God knows that some of the things that we seek are love, appreciation, acceptance, and happiness… Today we are reminded that just because we seek those things doesn’t mean we try to obtain them at all costs… The proverb today reminds us that we must “Keep thy heart with all diligence…” 

The book of Proverbs was written by the wisest man that ever lived (Solomon), but even he was subdued and humbled when he did not protect his heart… I am a firm believer that doors open in your life, but I am an even firmer believer that not every door is meant for you to walk through… That being said, we must understand that being patient and thorough when it comes to matters of the heart are critical not only in Christianity but in simply living in this world… The Bible says that the devil is seeking to steal, kill and destroy and the truth of the matter is that he will only accomplish this by obtaining control of your heart… Today's verse says with all diligence, we must make every effort, put every last bit of energy in preserving our heart… The bible records many verses speaking to the importance of the heart and how it is the foundation of our direction… Paul wrote to the Romans about salvation and how it is received through the heart, Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” It is critical that we understand the value that the heart holds… When we say that we truly love someone, that love comes from the depths of our heart, when we look beyond someone’s faults what is displayed is the genuine heart that we possess… Solomon goes on to tell us that the reason we must protect our heart is because the issues of life come from the heart… When we have a heart for something we have the mindset and drive to do it, that in and of itself is important because a lot of us have the heart to do the wrong things… We have allowed the enemy to penetrate our minds so long, that our heart has become poisoned and we have begun to go down the wrong roads in this life… Every turn you make in life is decided by your heart, every decision you make is validated by your heart and if your heart is in the wrong place than that is where you will be also… “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Your Struggle Will Be Over Soon

But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.

Malachi 4:2

When you feel dejected and ready to throw in the towel, just know that “the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings…” Jesus was persecuted and appeared to lose; however, the death on the cross produced His greatest ministry… Today, know that you will be persecuted, but in your most troubling days, your ministry will be that much more intense and exalted…  God knows that walking under His guidelines subjects you to many obstacles and hardships that are thrust upon you or in your path by the ways of this world… The Lord realizes that every time you choose to follow Him you run the risk of losing friends and having sleepless nights; however He wants us to find encouragement in today’s study verse knowing that we will run free in victory and overcome the storms we face… This first verse starts by saying, “But for you who revere my name…” We must stay the course and revere (honor, respect, and admire) the name of the Lord… Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” No matter what you face or what opposition comes before you, stand upon the promises of God and trust Him knowing that when you revere His name He will protect and keep you… Malachi goes on to inform us that the sun of righteousness will rise again, there is a day marked on the eternal calendar, an hour when the clouds will part and Jesus will return unto this earth… 

When the sun goes down darkness covers the earth; this very principle is one that we must apply today knowing that darkness has covered the earth… If we understand that He will rise again we must understand that things must appear to have fallen first; situations must seem to be insurmountable, trials must seem unconquerable, sin must feel too tempting and Satan must appear to be winning… During the days of Noah, there were many who walked by him mocking him while he built the ark, and there were many laughing and being merry while he appeared loony and out of his right mind, but when the floods came upon the earth we know who survived and who perished. Likewise, in Christ we appear to be loony from time to time, we appear to people of this world to not know “how to have a good time,” but we eagerly await the sun’s rise knowing that we will be victorious and exalted… Understand that our hope may not be evident in the present sufferings that we may be encountering right now; see Malachi reminds us today that in revering God we patiently await His return and our rescue from this world of sin… We all have been enslaved at one point in time in our lives… We have been imprisoned by our bad choices, locked up behind our fleshly desires, and hindered by our own transgressions… There is good news today for those who revere the Lord, those who serve Him in spirit (within) and in truth (through circumstances)… The good news is that through Christ's death we no longer are captives to sin. We have the key to our destiny, the choice is up to us and we can choose to learn from our mistakes instead of allowing our mistakes to control us. 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Do Your Part So God Can Do His

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Revelation 2:17

Hold on just a little while longer; keep fighting and running the race that has been laid before you… The words of today’s focus verse provide encouragement for what lies ahead for the believer… Those who have exhausted high levels of energy; those who have pressed through sweat and tears should find comfort in knowing that your work is not in vain and that the Lord teaches us today that “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna…” All your aches and pains will be eased; all the tears that you have shed will water the seed of abundance that God has planted in you… The Bible declares that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning… This verse provides hope to the man or woman who is walking in the spirit of faith; understand today that joy may not come tomorrow morning, but as a child of God you are assured that it will come… Let us not become weary in well doing, for in due time we shall reap a harvest if we faint not… These are the words that Paul uttered to the church of Galatia as they endured the storms of life… Today, we must live by those same words, being reminded that we must overcome to receive the good and perfect gifts from the Lord… John reveals to us today some of the most precious promises God offers; however the first thing that we must do is overcome… To overcome something, you must recognize that it is an obstacle, trial, or hardship… This is the first and greatest step that we must see and take… 

A lot of things that we face in life we don’t recognize… A close friend can be a stumbling block, a desire for a particular person can be a hindrance and a false since of security can lead to your demise… This verse penned in John’s revelation calls for all to pay attention to the things that God will reveal unto us,we will eat of the hidden manna and receive a white stone which will have a new name written for us… The promises put forth unto us today are that we will no longer suffer from the things of this world; the offer put forth is that God will reveal himself unto us and we shall be revealed unto ourselves as to who we really are… When the Israelites were in the wilderness, God feed them with manna from heaven, today we are informed that God will take care of all our needs according to His riches and that we will be clothed in righteousness through His love and sacrifice… John records that we will be given a new name, the things of this world will not follow you into your eternal rest, the mistakes you have made will be wiped out when Jesus returns unto this earth and you will be made clean through His blood… Your new name won’t be scarred by your past; your new identity will not be prohibited by mistakes or wrong turns… The hidden manna is the substance that we have desired since our birth; the hidden manna will fill the voids of our lives and make us whole and complete… It is hidden because we can only obtain it through God and His perfect offering… The good news today is that we will be filled… No matter how much you have suffered, no matter how hard you have fallen or how many scars you have obtained… The hidden manna will fill your life and God’s love will be poured out upon you… This manna that we will partake of will not wear off; this will not be a quick fix… We are afforded a golden opportunity in Christ to have all our sins wiped away; we are given a golden chance to turn from our wickedness and develop an intimate relationship with God… 

John calls for all of us to hear what the Spirit says to the church! The spirit says there is hope for those who want to give up, the spirit says there is a way out for those in bondage, the spirit says there is forgiveness for the backslider, the spirit says there is grace for the humble, the spirit says there is mercy for the wicked and that we all can be transformed… “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;”

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Avoid Worldly Thoughts

And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

Luke 16:15

As a child of God we seek to please our Creator; not those who were created like us… Luke reminds us today that we can fool people as we seek to find justification in and through them; however, the heart from which your actions derive is what God takes note of… I know how hard it is to accept people not liking or accepting you; however, Luke brings our attention to the fact that the people we seek to please cannot get us to the Eternal Rest that we desire… As you journey through life, what is your objective each and every day? When you open your eyes and when you open the door to leave; what is your mind set on to accomplish… Are you striving to hear the words well done from your supervisor or your Father…? When you are faced with a choice and it will lead you to your divine destiny or away from it, which path do you choose…? Despite what people may want you to believe, pleasing God and obtaining His approval is all that matters…The question that aligns with this statement is do we really believe that… The answer to this question is not given verbally, but lies in our walk on this earth… It isn’t about what you say you’re about, it’s about what you display that you are about… Yes, you can be highly esteemed among men and yet find yourself being an abomination in the sight of God… There are a lot of us walking this earth that fit this description… We have completely strayed away from the path that God outlined for us; however, we believe that everything is under control because we are getting the proverbial pat on the back from our friends and colleagues…  

There are so many people who are fooling themselves because they actually believe that they can fool God since they are able to fool others… Luke writes today about the difference between being men-pleasers and a pleaser of God… The Bible tells us that you cannot serve two masters and Luke reminds us today that when we are justified by men, our heart is known by God and it is indeed a (n) abomination to Him… This verse is recorded after Jesus has told the parable of the shrewd manager and how he tried to obtain stability through the debtors of his master by lowering their debts… We may not be engaging in evil like this manager; however, we often find ourselves (much like this manager Jesus speaks about) seeking approval of men at the detriment of our heavenly Master… After telling this story the Bible says that the Pharisees began to sneer at Jesus… At this, Jesus then uttered the words recorded here in the 15^th verse… The Pharisees were a very vocal religious sector of Judaism that believed they were the most loyal to God… They were so caught up in themselves that they did not recognize who Jesus was or what He was here to do… Instead of seeking Jesus, they were the ones Jesus speaks about when He says, “they which justify yourselves before men…” We are challenged and tempted at just about every turn of life; however, we must stay the course in our faith and not deter… It’s so easy to get bogged down in being justified before men… We want to fit in, we want to be cool, we want to be seen in a certain light; however, we are reminded today that the light of God will never go out and that is the light that we must seek to shine upon us… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Love Is Required

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

John 13:34-35

The sooner that we learn to love; the sooner we will be able to walk in the commandments that God has given us… Love is an essential part of our everyday life and daily affairs… When we walk in love we are able to build relationships instead of tearing people down… Love is the key to opening the doors of people’s hearts around you; which therefore will allow them to receive the word that God has placed in you to provide to them… Love can be the difference between offending someone and providing constructive criticism that is received… This is why Christ provides a new commandment for us in the gospel of John… Did you know that there are actually 624 commandments in the bible? You have the original ten given by the Lord to Moses, then 613 that were adopted under Moses as the Mosaic Law and last but not least the commandment found in today’s scripture lesson… Jesus Christ teaches the disciples about the importance of love and abounding compassion… 

This commandment does not void the previous ones recorded in the Bible; it simply sums up how all these things can be accomplished… When you love you won’t steal or kill; when you walk in love you won’t covet your neighbor's things nor disrespect your mother and father… Ill-will, wickedness, malice, or resentment cannot live in a garden where a seed of love is planted… I find it interesting to note that Christ gave this commandment before His death and while trying to minister to His followers and disciples! Jesus says a new commandment I give you, that ye love one another! Understand that the previous statutes were to govern the body (you shouldn’t do this and you shouldn’t do that), Christ's commandment calls for action and involvement within each person as a child of God! He says that it is by this action that you will be His disciples! Christ not only says that we are to love, but He says that we are to love “…as I have loved you…” There are so many different forms of love and many people confuse love with other things…The love that Jesus refers to is a (n) Agape love, a love that transcends differences, a love that sacrifices and remains humble… The love that we are to display isn’t just brotherly, but spiritual… You are called to walk as Christ walked; extend a hand the same way in which Christ extended His hand to you… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

His Love Has Covered Us

He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

Song of Songs 2:4 

As sinners, we are outsiders looking in… We don’t have the right, nor the ability to enter the presence of God nor can we sit at His table; however, we are reminded that through His great mercy and His extended hand of Grace we have been called from darkness into light… Solomon writes at the very beginning of this verse that, “He brought me”; understand that he couldn’t get there on his own; likewise, we (through the banner of love) have been brought to this point in life and have been given a chance of Eternal Life through the outpouring of Jesus Christ… A banquet is a formal meal, feast, or dinner… When someone is hosting a banquet it is a special event that specific people or individuals are invited to, a banquet is an invite that will be remembered and cherished… Again, Solomon says that God “brought me to the banqueting house…” Solomon recognized that this was not a place that he could go on his own, we must come to realize that we cannot enter in without God’s escort (love) right by our side… To bring someone in, you must first go and get them… God saw the place where Solomon had been, the things he had done and went to him, picked him up, and turned him around… Today, God has sent you an invitation to His glorious banquet… When someone throws a banquet people usually go and buy a nice dress or tuxedo, they make sure they display the very best they have to offer; God’s banquet is a little different, the attire is that you simply come as you are and he will dress you in royalty… 

The banquet that God has invited you to doesn’t respect persons or individual accomplishments; that being said, don’t worry about what you are going to wear to this banquet, don’t worry about how you will get there or if people will look down on you; Matthew 6:25-77 says, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” God will clothe you when you have little, God will provide the path when you are confused and His unfailing love will lift your head up and keep you going… Solomon speaks to us of the love, compassion and desire God has for us to be with him…Let us take a moment today to simply reflect on the goodness of Christ… He woke you up this morning (a blessing); He started you on your way… You were able to arise and prepare for another work day (some would love to be in your shoes), you are able to maintain on this earth while dealing with all kinds of temptations and snares (many people have lost faith and belief in God)… Understand that Christ has blessed us just today along with a surplus of blessings and reasons to be thankful, and it is out of love… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Walk In The Will of God

Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.

Jeremiah 6:16

Jeremiah reminds us today that if we desire to advance in life, we must ask for the older paths… Since we enter this world as sinners; our first steps upon this earth are on a course that leads to death… The “old paths” that Jeremiah speaks of is the path that God paved when we were created… It’s the path that leads the Israelites out of Egypt and made the forgiveness of sin possible… This path is spoken of by Jesus in the New Testament, Matthew 7: 13, 14 say, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” We must seek the old path because the new path isn’t the right path… The new path is broader than the old, but it lead to destruction… This is why Jeremiah says we must stand, see, walk and ask… So many of us have wondered aimlessly through this life thus far, wherever the wind blows is the direction in which we travel… 

Today, we come to know and understand the direction that we not only should travel, but the way in which we can identify the purpose that we have on this earth… Jeremiah was called by God to speak to the house of Israel; however, he (being young) was reluctant to go… A lot of us have been called by God for a specific purpose or task, we have been ordained before the foundation of this earth, but many of us have been reluctant to accept God’s calling upon our lives… We are afraid of what people will say, we are scared of failing and we are hesitant to take the leap of faith that being a child of God calls for… As a result of this, we along with people around us have begun to perish and lose out on the blessing that God offers… Today we receive the three steps to a fulfilling life… Just like Jeremiah, we are timid when it comes to doing things out of the ordinary or changing our direction, but God tells us today how we can obtain success, find our purpose and sit down with Him in glory…

Step 1: “Stand ye in the ways…” God has already shined His light of mercy and grace upon your life, He has already opened up doors and made ways out of no way; when you face trials, change or misfortune, you must stand… You must be planted like a tree by the rivers; you must be unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord… Trials display your character and help to identify your purpose, stand strong in the Lord and in the power of His might…

Step 2: “…ask for the old paths…” We must seek the ways of the Lord instead of our own direction… The Bible teaches us that there is nothing new under the sun; the same God that delivered in the Old Testament is the same God that delivers today… Look at the “old paths” God made, look at the miracles that He has already performed and seek His guidance in everything that you do…

Step 3: “…and walk therein…” You must be committed to the will of God; you must not only stand and seek, but you must be willing to walk… When you walk you are taking steps, there is a direction in your life, there is a purpose to your movements and you are accepting your calling…

Jeremiah knew that the road placed before him would be difficult, but he also knew and trusted God… Today we come to know and understand this by standing when everyone around you sits down so that you obtain success, it is by seeking the ways of old and looking back on the past that you identify your purpose, and by walking in the will of God that you will fulfill the calling that He has on your life and “find rest for your souls…”

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

It's Deeper Than Flesh and Blood

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Ephesians 6:12

In today’s focus verse, we learn two important things that we must not only understand but carry with us daily… The first lesson is that upon this earth we will wrestle… There is a battle that takes place daily, the problem is that it comes in many forms… Laziness (a desire not to get up or go to work), jealousy (a desire to have what others have obtained) and malice (hatred, spite or cruelty) which will cause us to be nasty to people or disrespectful just to name a few… Know that battles are at your door and sometimes have already invaded your house… You must follow the guidelines that are outlined in this letter to the church of Ephesus… Paul teaches us in the verse that precedes this one that we are to put on the full armor of God… After instructing us about the importance of being prepared he goes on in today’s focus verse to explain why we need to equip ourselves… Again, whether we recognize it or not, daily we are at war within ourselves and our societies…  We see many young men and women becoming chalk outlines, many kids having kids and more and more decisions being made that lead to catastrophic outcomes… To understand the war that we are fighting (this is the second lesson that we must learn and comprehend), we must understand who the enemy really is… 

When someone commits a heinous crime we are quick to pass judgment, but the truth of the matter is that we should be praying for that individual to be released from the bondage of evil that has taken His or Her life captive… This war that we are fighting isn’t about the flesh; it’s not about what you see but about the motives and where the decisions derive from… Jesus taught that we are to love the sinner and not the sin… There are so many people that have been written off and pushed to the side instead of lifted up and laid before Christ… Paul reminds us today that As Christians, we are taught to love the sinner, but hate the sin. We must remember that evil comes in many forms in fashions (a wolf and sheep’s clothing) and that it is seeking whomever it can devour… Paul wrote in his letter to Rome that we aren’t to retaliate toward evil deeds, but that we are to overcome evil with good… Romans 12:20 says, “On the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Paul’s message was that we cannot allow the devil to manipulate situations and cause us to fall short… When we look beyond faults and wrongdoings we are allowing God’s love and compassion to enter in and manifest itself… It is so easy to give someone a piece of our mind when they have hurt us and this is the war that Paul is speaking of today…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!