Heart

Praise the LORD, all nations!
Extol him, all people's!
For great is his steadfast love
Toward us,
and the faithfulness of the
LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD!

(ESV Psalm 117)

Oh Heart!! Let us rejoice in the LORD always! His mercy is ever before Him!

He has provided and given so much grace. He has protected you and used His staff to discipline you, to lead you back to His flock.

Rejoice! Rejoice always be glad and merry in spirit for He is faithful and steadfast!

Be calm and ponder these things as we sleep O Heart.

6Blessed be the LORD!
   For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
7The LORD is my strength and my shield;
   in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
   and with my song I give thanks to him
(ESV Psalm 28:6-7)

The LORD will go before me and be my shield.

Heart, set the LORD before you to protect you.

Thank you God for protecting me.

Ponder in your own heart

Be angry, and do not sin;
ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
Offer right sacrifices,
and put your trust in the LORD.
(Psalm 4:4-5 ESV)


For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
(Psalm 51:16-17 ESV)

Heart, let us take our lessons slowly and ponder together.

Heart, be remorseful, and broken. God does not delight in our gifts but our sincerity of feeling grieved for our sin.

Heart, let us pause and ponder our sins against our LORD and seek His salvation.


In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
(Psalm 4:8 ESV)

I pray this tonight.

God of My Salvation.

Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and answer me!
You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, LORD, do I seek.”
Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!
For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the LORD will take me in.
(Psalm 27:7-10 ESV)

Do I not forget to quickly the quest of my heart?

Seek your face O LORD? Why do I forget.

Heart. LOOK. Strain to see the face of God. He has been your help, the LORD will take you in when even the most intimate of your life forget you.

Heart, you will be forgotten by the flesh. The LORD will never forget.

Heart, depend on the LORD. Learn to pray and cry out to God through the Psalms! Learn to worship correctly.

He says seek His face. I will seek your face O LORD. My eyes weep and my heart in anguish but your face is my shelter. Restore me LORD.

Teach me to share your grace with others. Tell my heart how he needs to be less and you are to be more!

Teach me to cherish my brothers, and sisters in the faith. To be genuine with them. Humble me. Shelter me. Be my shield.


I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living!
Wait for the LORD;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the LORD!
(Psalm 27:13-14 ESV)

-Amen

Be Gracious

Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
bring me out of my distresses.
Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
(Psalm 25:16-18 ESV)

Oh Heart! Why do you feel so heavy? What stress do you have that our LORD cannot lead you through?

Why does reason not work with you? Heart! Listen, be calm. Breathe...

LORD, lead me. Talk to my heart. Console me! I am low, you are high!

Heart... Do you hear the LORD? Are you being patient?

Be gracious to me LORD, I am broken. You are healer. My heart is stubborn, forgive me.

SLOW TO SPEAK

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
(James 1:19-21 ESV)

Quick to hear, quick to have ears ready to listen to the word of God.

Heart, slow down take time to read the Word and slow down. Reread and understand.

Mouth, don't speak without reason, or allowing the brain to think.

Slow to speak? This does not mean slow in speech. It means contemplate before you respond.

I think that when I become angry my mouth listens to my heart before he listens to my mind and the Word of God.

So quick I have something wicked to say in response.

Heart, remember that 'meekness' does not mean 'weakness'. Meekness is becoming humble to the Word of God our father.

I pray that our LORD will teach me to be slow in speaking, and quick to listen to His Word.


Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
(Psalm 25:8-10 ESV)

Without Works

James Writes,

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. (James 1:2 ESV)

James also writes later in the same letter,


What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

(James 2:14-17 ESV)

I recognized something today in myself while praying about this passage.

My trials are testing my faith. If these trials are testing my faith they should also be testing my works.

I recently was in need of my Christian brothers. The trial in my own life was to much for me to bear and the LORD provided my brothers.

Looking back I see how in as much as God was teaching me steadfastness in my personal struggles my friends proved their faith through the works they showed me.

Their character was being tested by a fellow brother (me) and through God's grace they struck like strong anchors of the faith through their actions in my life.

James is reminding me that faith is not invisible. Faith is not something that CAN be hidden. When i was being helped along towards the face of God by my friends their works by faith stood as a testament to me. LORD willing you have people in your own life that will be the same to you. If you do not then SEEK THEM. This is apart of the wisdom that James is talking about.

I pray that my faith will be seen by my works towards the name of God. Less me more HIM.

Heart, please remember that faith isn't lofty, or high thinking thoughts. Faith is practical. Faith by wisdom recognizes needs and discovers ways to fulfill them. Heart!!! LISTEN TO ME!! LISTEN TO THE WORD OF GOD!!!

FAITH IS PRACTICAL ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT.

Heart, show love and be genuine

Heart, be joyful and know it is okay to express this both at times inwardly and outwardly.

Heart, be at peace. The LORD is going before you, be at peace

Heart, be patient... seriously... be patient. Show this by having self-control! That is right, CONTROL.

Heart, don't be bitter! >:( ... Be kind :).

Heart, show kindness and goodness to all without being partial. Don't judge outward appearance.

Heart, be gentle. Don't be harsh, rash and crazy. Be gentle.

Heart, will you be faithful to these? Will you allow the Holy Spirit convict you when you are not showing these fruits? I won't let you forget.

I have been learning not to let my heart get away with so much.

James has been reminding me of my friend's actions by faith, and my tested actions leading to steadfastness.

James has been reminding me that I need to be constantly filtering God's truths through my heart. My heart is so dumb. So dumb...

I pray the LORD restore me constantly for His names sake. :) I have faith He will and Does.

Steadfast

Did you know that James wrote this in his letter to the tribes?


Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
(James 1:12-15 ESV)

Remember that steadfastness is the product of our tested faith through the various trials we face. James 1:2-3

Day in and day out I am a forgetful man.

God, why do i forget so quickly even hourly the works of your mighty hand?

God you don't tempt me.

When my heart is encouraged to do wrong the desires stem from sin, not from the words You have taught me in Your word.

Every time I act out selfishly I think that the actions will produce a situation that will benefit me in the long run.

I see a product that is so very temporal. MY HEART is so STUPID. Every time I feel frail and listen to myself the actions lead to death!

A good friend asked that I spend some time today reflecting on Psalm 23. This verse stuck out to me as I prayed through the Psalm


He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
(Psalm 23:3 ESV)

When I am in a time of trial, whether or not it is of my own making, if I follow my LORD He will lead me and restore my strength. He leads me to righteousness. All of this He does for His names sake!

The LORD does not tempt, He leads. The LORD does not produce death. He leads to me to life.


I pray that the LORD will give me a steadfastness for the glory of HIS NAME.

I was thinking about these things today.

Still on Wisdom

James is so intent on expressing the importance of Godly wisdom that he uses so much of his precious paper writing more on the subject.


Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
(James 3:13-18 ESV)

How do I know my actions are wise?

Are my acts selfish? Do I make choices that only serve to build myself up, my own reputation? Do all my actions stem from wanting others to think highly of me? Do I tell little white lies about my own accomplishments?

How wretched my own heart is! James reminded us that God gives wisdom to those who ask. God not only gives us wisdom, He gives it generously! 


I know now that this wisdom is to think deeply about my own hearts intentions.

Heart, are you acting and speaking like this in order to build me up or to build Christ up?

Heart, is this choice going to cause others heartbreak?

Heart, are you making this choice out of worldly wisdom or Christlike wisdom?

I forget to talk to myself and rethink about the truth in Scripture when I make choices.

Heart, be open to reason. Talk to your family and sisters and brothers in Christ. What do they think?

Heart, has the Holy Spirit given you peace? Are you going to be convicted if you make this choice?

I am not sure how often I consistently ask myself these questions.

Notice what James says,
"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."

Wisdom is a practice.

Have you ever planted anything, watered it and taken care of it. You can sit and watch it. Day in and day out take care of it and it will grow.

Wisdom is a seed that God has given generously, and time and care is necessary to see the fruits.

I am working on wisdom. I mean I am practicing wisdom through the fruits in labor.

How sincere is my heart to the grace I have received? How prone to wonder is my heart from the grace i am given?

Such is my prayer tonight from the hymn "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"

O to grace how great a debtor 
 daily I'm constrained to be! 
 Let thy goodness, like a fetter, 
 bind my wandering heart to thee. 
 Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, 
 prone to leave the God I love; 
 here's my heart, O take and seal it, 
 seal it for thy courts above!

He Gives Wisdom

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
(James 1:5-8 ESV)

There has been a problem that I have been having and I cannot find the solution anywhere in myself or anything I own! Needless to say if I am to be completely honest this problem has allot to do with me and what I have done to get here.

I know that my steps in the future need to be wise. I have made far to many bad and unwise choices in the past to even take any step until I know what to do next.

So here I am set in a new location. I admit I am a little scared. James earlier already reminded us that when we face various trials we should count it all as joy! That this is producing a steadfastness, a patience, a long-suffering that will lead to us being perfect and complete.

Now that I am in this  point of patience, and long-suffering above all else I need wisdom!!! I am at the point of pulling my hair out! God I need that wisdom that you give so much!

I don't know if you have ever read Psalm 39, but if you have not you might feel like this writer when you are in a various trial of your own making.


“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in you.
Deliver me from all my transgressions.
Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
I am mute; I do not open my mouth,
for it is you who have done it.
Remove your stroke from me;
I am spent by the hostility of your hand.
When you discipline a man
with rebukes for sin,
you consume like a moth what is dear to him;
surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah
“Hear my prayer, O LORD,
and give ear to my cry;
hold not your peace at my tears!
For I am a sojourner with you,
a guest, like all my fathers.
Look away from me, that I may smile again,
before I depart and am no more!”
(Psalm 39:7-13 ESV)

The very wisdom God has given me generously has revealed my own transgressions! OH MY!!

I don't know about you but when I ask for a gift from God I hardly expect it to come in the form of a rebuke.

Let me remind myself of this. When I open my mouth let it not be haughty and especially let me not think I can explain to God my situation better than He already knows.

I am still a little bit scared of where I am and upset at how I ended up here. I am however not worried, let God give more generously of His wisdom, but much much more of His grace.

I am so much like that psalmist, do i actually want the LORD to stare at me for to long? How long can I hold His attention without feeling devolved of my being?

I am pondering these things today.    

Heal My Land

The fact that weeping has ceased does not mean ones heart is finished praying. 

The tension of the heart directly after a sin is revealed  is great. Vision is blurred and breathing even becomes a chore. You might not know what your next steps should be. Did you know that Christ said that;

15“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:15-20)

You are given scripture and your friends to help guide you in what actions you should take. 

(Craig, to his friend) "I was truly hurt when I found out you stole my five dollars yesterday. Will you give back the money?"

(Justin, to his friend) "George I don't think it was right for you to not write out your insurance information on that parked car you bumped into the other day, it has been weighing on my conscience these past few days. You need to find out who that was."

 The church exists in order to keep itself pure for Christ. When a person who is saved sins they are outside of the working order of the church and make it sick. James writes this about coming over the sick and the sinful in the church.

James 5:15-18
"15And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit."

In 2 Chronicles 7:14 the LORD says this, "if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 

As a sinner I find such great comfort that God will be glorified in saving me from my sins. When I confess and turn from what actions I have taken in the past and pray fervently fruit will sprout and others will be blessed by the grace God has shown me. He alone will heal my land. 

Count It All Joy

(Me, ten minutes ago) "OUCH! I Stubbed my toe!"

(Daughter, to her husband) "My father just called... He was diagnosed with lung cancer..." 

(Sue to her parents) "Mom and Dad, I am sorry. I guess I didn't think that the lie would affect you this 

much."

(Judge giving a verdict) "The State of Tennessee finds you guilty of three counts of man-slaughter while 

under the influence of alcohol. We sentence you to life in prison without the possibility of parole."

    James writes,       

      "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:

Greetings.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

(James 1:1-4 ESV)

The human experience is vast, and not two people will have the same personal story to tell. The intensity of trials might come from something as simple as an ache in your shoulder, to the sentence from a Judge in a court room from breaking the law. 

What all trials have in common is they are the product of living in a sinful world. In these our faith in Christ is being tested. But thanks be to God because we are born again to a living hope! Jesus Christ! Peter writes about our trials,

 

   "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

(1 Peter 1:6-9 ESV) 

Our faces our humbled by sin, and our pride broken and we are freed to faith in steadfastness! We REJOICE WITH JOY THAT IS INEXPRESSIBLE AND FILLED WITH GLORY! 

I praise God for my trials, though many are ones that I bring upon myself. Our God is the salvation of my soul. :)

What Will Tomorrow Bring?

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
(James 4:13-17 ESV)

Today I am packing to move to a new place. I had no plans of doing this less than a week ago. Little did i know that the LORD would be using these events to tear my own expectations to align myself with Him in such a way. Earlier in this very same chapter James wrote.


But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
(James 4:6 ESV)

Now know this, James is not reminding us that it is wrong to make future plans and pursue them with gusto! What James is saying is pursue with a humble gusto! Knowing that the LORD is the one that directs our steps, it is not our own doing. I know that i need to be seeking the face of the LORD and in so doing He will go before me and prepare my way.

The LORD teaches us in each aspects of our lives. He even cares about what we might consider tiny parts of our lives. Be humbled by not making your own plans of your heart, lest God humble you. Take an active precaution to be at peace knowing that we have the LORD of the UNIVERSE going before us!

I am taking some time today to consider these things.

Face Down Worship

What does that mean? To be face down in worship? I believe that we have a God that wants a face to face relationship with us. I also believe that our God is so mighty and awe inspiring that He demands our adoration to be expressed in the humility of face down worship and tears of relief. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 27

27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation;
   whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold[64] of my life;
   of whom shall I be afraid?

2When evildoers assail me
   to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
   it is they who stumble and fall.

3Though an army encamp against me,
   my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
   yet[65] I will be confident

4One thing have I asked of the LORD,
   that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
   all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
   and to inquire[66] in his temple.

5For he will hide me in his shelter
   in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
   he will lift me high upon a rock.

6And now my head shall be lifted up
   above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
   sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

7Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
   be gracious to me and answer me!
8You have said, “Seek[67] my face.”
My heart says to you,
   “Your face, LORD, do I seek.”[68]
   9Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
   O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
   O God of my salvation!
10For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
   but the LORD will take me in.

11Teach me your way, O LORD,
   and lead me on a level path
   because of my enemies.
12Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
   for false witnesses have risen against me,
   and they breathe out violence.

13I believe[69] that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD
   in the land of the living!
14Wait for the LORD;
   be strong, and let your heart take courage;
   wait for the LORD!

The Power of God is our refuge, and our sin shrinks when we are lifted by His grace. Our goal is to actively seek the face of God. Reveal our sin and confess it with our faces down,let the Lord by His Grace lift our faces towards Himself in our humility.

Now I know it now I am responsible for allowing the Holy Spirit to convict me towards it.

No Condemnation for the Humbled

Romans 8:1-8 (NIV) 
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you[a] free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,[b] God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.[c] And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
 5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.