Week 2. March 2018

 March 7, 2018

Beware the Frozen Heart

photo by Rachel Ramsdell Photography

Last week I talked about the heart being pleasing to God.
📖 May the words if my mouth and the mediations of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.  Psalm.19:14

And how God is more concerned with our heart than our outward appearance.
📖 The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

When I was thinking about the condition of the heart a song from the animated Disney movie Frozen came to mind...and no, not Let It Go!

Beware the Frozen Heart 
Born of cold and winter air
And mountain rain combining
This icy force both foul and fair
Has a frozen heart worth mining

Cut through the heart, cold and clear
Strike for love and strike for fear
See the beauty sharp and sheer
Split the ice apart
And break the frozen heart

Beautiful, powerful, dangerous, cold
Ice has a magic can't be controlled
Stronger than one, stronger than ten
Stronger than a hundred men

Born of cold and winter air
And mountain rain combining
This icy force both foul and fair
Has a frozen heart worth mining

Cut through the heart, cold and clear
Strike for love and strike for fear
There's beauty and there's danger here
Split the ice apart
Beware the frozen heart

(Music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez)
📽 Beware the Frozen Heart

 Now I am going to take some liberties...as the song writers, I am certain, had NO spiritual message wrapped up in these lyrics.

But for me and my "funny" brain..
We must "beware the frozen heart."  A heart that becomes hardened with bitterness, anger, resentment, deceit, self righteousness, jealousy, fear, worry.
"powerful, dangerous, cold"  that is what these things are.  They can be very powerful....powerful enough to destroy relationships, powerful enough to change the course of our lives.  So powerful that we justify letting them stay in our heart...."I was hurt so I can be angry and bitter."  "I worked as hard as that person did yet they get the reward, the promotion."  I don't have to be honest, it would just cause turmoil and pain...and who is it hurting if I keep this secret." "I know I am right, and they are just being ridiculous."  
And as we continue to justify the unChrist like attitudes they will continue to make our hearts hard, and frozen.

📖 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;

    there is no one who understands;

    there is no one who seeks God.

All have turned away,

    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one.”

“Their throats are open graves;

    their tongues practice deceit.”
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”

    “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
“Their feet are swift to shed blood;

   ruin and misery mark their ways,
and the way of peace they do not know.”

   “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.  Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—  he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Romans 3:9-26

I know that is a big chunk of scripture but I couldn't find a place to stop....it all was "IT"

We can not be righteous, not one of us, we can not be acceptable or pleasing to God, our hearts are frozen!  

and the frozen heart may be strong.....

"Stronger than one, stronger than ten

Stronger than a hundred men"

EXCEPT!  

NOT stronger than THE ONE! CHRIST!

Through Christ's blood and death on the cross He cuts through the frozen heart!  

He strikes with love!  love for us!

We need to be diligent and careful, not to let even a shard of that frozenness start to grow....

Otherwise it will spread as fast as frost on a window pane!  

📖 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32

We are all going to have times when the pieces of ice are there and seem to want to grow, but remember, through Him we have the power to "split the ice apart"

📖 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5: 8-11

Can I get another AMEN!!!!
🙏🏼My prayer for you is that you are ever aware of those "shards" in your heart and that you allow God to melt them away!❤️

Week 1 March 2018

 March 1, 2018

Heart and Mouth

📖 " May these [Let the] words of my mouth and this [the]meditation of my heart be pleasing [acceptable] in Your [Thy] sight, [O] Lord, my Rock [Stength] and my redeemer." Psalm 19:14 NIV [KJV]

I had been working on another thought for this weeks blog....but yesterday this verse was part of my devotion...and it really spoke to me as I meditated on it...broke it apart and looked at it.
(It is a life verse of a very dear friend of mine, and when I see it I always think of her! ❤)

It is totally amazing to me how God has been continuing to show me "rest"  in verses that keep coming up!  As I read this, even though the word "rest" isn't in the verse it solidified things, for me at least.
REST, as I have said, isn't just the physical staying still, stop moving sort of rest.  Quiet our soul....so that we have nothing of ourselves in our minds as we rest....but we are filled with Him.



📖 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 1 Peter 1:8

It is fairly easy (well, maybe not for everyone) to control the words of our mouth.  In James it talks about how difficult it is to control the tongue. 
📖 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. James 3:5-6


but if we try hard we can usually stop those words from coming out our mouth.  BUT the thoughts are still in our mind!  We have them in our hearts! We may not tell that person just what we think of them, or that situation or that choice they made,  but we sure think about it....even dwell on it ...let it make us angry or bitter or resentful.  Or just self-righteous.
If the meditation of our hearts aren't all Christ then we can not expect our words to be pleasing.  And if we have "pleasant" words, but what is on our hearts is not pleasing ...those words are not pleasing to God.

The verse says ....the words of my mouth AND the meditation of my heart!  We must rest in Him so that we can capture every thought!

📖 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5

 So that what is going on inside is as pleasing to Him as the outside seems.
What I see in scripture and what I know of the character of Christ.....He is as much  or more, concerned with matters of the heart....what's inside!  (another BLOG!)
📖The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

So as I read the verse, Psalm 19:14,
I realized that the stillness/rest I seek is for my soul....so that I can meditated on Him....so I am filled with Him.  and then the words of my mouth will flow from that...from Him...and then both, the mediations of my heart AND the words of my mouth, please Him today!
And my prayer for you is the same!

🙏🏼

📖 I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,  so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,  filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. 
Philippians 1:3-6, 9-11

❤️

Week 4 February 2017

February 27, 2017

Random Acts Of Kindness 

I wonder, is there really such a thing as "random acts of kindness"  at least for those of us who are followers of Christ?

We are CALLED to perform acts of kindness.....SO that means that they aren't random right?
Stay with me.....

IF we have Christ in us then we have His Spirit in us....

📖 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,  gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-25

and as God's we are to "wear" kindness, like putting on a comfy sweater.
 ^📖 Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,  Colossians 3:12

The parable of the Good Samaritan is very clear about showing kindness.....not randomly, but when it is right in front of us.  click on the link to read the whole parable.

📖Luke 10:25-37

as does the Sheep and the Goats

📖Matthew25:31-46

But what about when it might not be needed......

as Christians even if kindness is not needed it is necessary!

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6

📖We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. (NLT)

Paul also says in Philippians 1:20-22

📖 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.

LIVE as CHRIST!  And Christ showed kindness where ever He was, to who ever He came in contact with.

So today, this week, show kindness where ever you are to every one you meet and remember you are doing what you have been called to as a child of God!  and I believe it is why we are are here!

📖 Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24 (HCSB)

Kindness and love to you until next time!

Week 3 February 2017

 From the Bottom Of My Heart

February 20. 2017

You have heard this before I am sure...."Thank you from the bottom of my heart"  "I love you from the bottom of my heart"

Now, I understand the sentiment behind the statement, but you know me...it got me thinking!

I am so grateful that JESUS loves me with His WHOLE heart!
and I am to love Him with ALL of my heart!

The definition of this statement is "with sincere feeling"....
and that IS how the Savior loves us,

📖 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  1 John 4:10

with such sincere feeling that He made a way for us to be saved from our sins!
Christ loved us so much He gave up His life!
and we are called to follow God's example....

📖Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  Ephesians 5:1-2

The whole chapter of  Ephesians 5  is how we are to follow God's example, and instructions for Godly living! I encourage you to click on the link and read it for yourself!

And since we know that God loves us with His whole heart, we are motivated, compelled, called to love Him with all of ours!

Notice that in Deuteronomy 4 it says SEEK Him with all your heart.....

📖 But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:29

and then goes on in chapter 6 to say LOVE Him with all your heart!

📖 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.   Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.  Deuteronomy 6:4-9

And this is such an important concept that Jesus himself quoted this old testament scripture passage.

📖 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”         Matthew 22:37-40

So if we love God with ALL of our hearts, we love like He loves then......

📖 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11

How is that for a plain, clear statement! 

If you want to know what that love looks like I encourage you to read scripture, study the life of Christ.

Read 1 Corinthians 13 for a pretty complete list of what love should look like.

as well as Galatians 5:13-26

I pray that as you read God's word you will be given opportunities to show His love to others.

I hope as you read this you know that I write with LOVE and PRAYERS for YOU!♥️🙏🏼

I LOVE you with my WHOLE heart!❤️

Week 2 February 2017

February 13, 2017

Between Christmas and the Cross 

 I won't do this very often, but occasionally something I have written in the past will fit with something I want to share .

Between Christmas and the Cross 

There is a day set aside that we are reminded to love

There are hearts and flowers and remembrances all around

Valentine’s, as we call them, are sent and received.

Displays of affection seem to abound 

But let’s think, for a moment,

about two days that are more special

Christmas is one

And Easter the other 

God sent his son to earth as a man…..because He loves us

that Man suffered and died on a cross…..because He loves us

HE rose from the dead; was not held by the grave….because He loves us! 

This day, called Valentine’s,

that falls in between Christmas and the Cross,

should be used as a reminder of love,

the great love God has for us! 

As we hand tokens to one another

we should remember God’s example from above,

and remember the command that Jesus gave,

to love each other with that kind of love. 

                 ©Tracey Thompson 2/2006             Reworked from the 2001 writing

Between the previous poem and the following scripture I didn't think that there was too much more I could say!

📖“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (HCSB)

The WORLD means YOU!

📖Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God—God remains in him and he in God.  And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.
In this, love is perfected with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, for we are as He is in this world. There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:15-19 (HCSB)
We MUST respond to His love for us.

📖“As the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you. Remain in My love.  If you keep My commands you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and remain in His love. “I have spoken these things to you so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is My command: Love one another as I have loved you.  No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you."
John 15:9-14(HCSB)
We love because HE commanded us to

📖 One of the scribes approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked Him, “Which command is the most important of all?”
 “This is the most important,” Jesus answered:

Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

“The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.”

Mark 12:28-31 (HCSB)

Loving God with ALL that we are is FIRST and then that love will spill out to those around us!

📖 If I speak human or angelic languagesbut do not have love,
I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
 If I have the gift of prophecy
and understand all mysteries
and all knowledge,
and if I have all faith
so that I can move mountains
but do not have love, I am nothing.
 And if I donate all my goods to feed the poor,
and if I give my body in order to boast
but do not have love, I gain nothing.
 Love is patient, love is kind.
Love does not envy,
is not boastful, is not conceited,
 does not act improperly,
is not selfish, is not provoked,
and does not keep a record of wrongs.
 Love finds no joy in unrighteousness
but rejoices in the truth.
 It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends.
But as for prophecies,
they will come to an end;
as for languages, they will cease;
as for knowledge, it will come to an end.
 For we know in part,
and we prophesy in part.
 But when the perfect comes,
the partial will come to an end.
 When I was a child,
I spoke like a child,
I thought like a child,
I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man,
I put aside childish things.
 For now we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,
but then face to face.
Now I know in part,
but then I will know fully,
as I am fully known.

 Now these three remain:
faith, hope, and love.
But the greatest of these is love.  1 Corinthians 13 (HCSB)

THIS is what Christ like love should look like!

I pray today that you can say that you claim Jesus as your Savior and you can call Him FRIEND, that you understand how much He loves you and what that love motivated Him to do.  To me it is such an awesome concept...that when Christ took the punishment for the sins of the world....that was MY sin.  If I had been the only person in the world He still would have died on that cross for my sins....if YOU were the only person in the world He would have died on the cross for YOUR sins!

What do we do with that knowledge, that understanding, with that kind of love????

We pass it along.....we LOVE!  it is not complicated...it may not be easy, but it is not complicated!

We love Him with every fiber of our being, and then we show that to as many people as we can in the time God gives us here on earth!

AMEN??

AMEN!!

You have already gotten the BEST valentine ever!!