Category: heart

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10.17.24. Exam Time!

2 Cor 13 Examination Time

As long as we were students, we faced the ultimate exam to test our understanding of the material the master had taught. In our personal examination often are we ready to exam others before ourselves. Paul reminds the Corinthians that they should first examine themselves before taking the exam from the Lord or anyone else. Self examination often reveals more about our spiritual walk than any other word or deed outside of ourselves. Where do you need to do a self examination? What questions are needed to see where you are spiritually? We can easily say, I have been in the Word each day. But, that is a deed and does not reveal what is in the heart. The point Paul is making is this: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?”  (Guzik)

Remember the words of Jeremiah: The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, who can know it? God knows and He has given each believer the indwelling Holy Spirit who will fulfill the words of 2 Tim 3:16: “teaching, rebuking,correcting, and training in righteousness.” In this way, He becomes our inward examination and reveals where we need cleansing or encouraging. 

So where do you need to do a self-exam today? 

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10.15.24.Keeping Love Fresh

How do you sound today

2 Cor 11 Paul loved the Corinthian church and its people, but like many then and today, the love between them had become strained. We see this in churches and in marriages today. How do we keep the love fresh? We purposely spend time with one another and we encourage one another. It is in the absence of these that our love grows cold and we lose our first love as the Ephesians had, and now the Corinthians had done the same. 

Paul charged the Corinthians: “But I am afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve by his treachery, your minds may be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus different from the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the one you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it well enough!” In fact, the Apostle John told the early churches that they were too falling for those false teachers who had sought to infiltrate the church. 

Beloved reader, we must be on guard for the evil one will seek to usurp our love for Christ. Spend time in the ‘Word, spend time in prayer for those you love, spend time encouraging one another as the days are growing colder. 

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10.8.24. Encourage

Snail ,mail

2 Cor 7 Rejoicing

What thoughts bring joy to your mind today? For Paul, it was the moment he embraced Titus upon his return. Paul had been despondent at not finding him at the last stop he had made and so did not serve God in that place. But, now, Paul was excited to see his precious friend once again and even more so when he shared the good news from the church in Corinth. A happy heart is good medicine, so the Proverbs author said, and it seems to be true. When we are downtrodden, we are sad beyond measure and nothing anyone says or does draws us out of our doom and gloom. But, let a friend call or a friend drop by or receiving good news, we are moved from sadness to joy. 

So it was when Titus returned with good news from Corinth, that Paul was able to share with the Corinthians by letter how pleased he was at this news. 

Paul writes “Therefore we have been encouraged. And in addition to our own encouragement, we rejoiced even more at the joy of Titus because all of you have refreshed his spirit.” [2 Cor 7:13] 

Today someone needs your words of encouragement and your friendship. Take a moment today to speak to that person in writing or by a phone call or by personal attention.  

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Happy October! 10.1.24.

How to handle a broken heart

1 Cor 2 Heartbreak 

Have you ever faced a troublesome day or week or month in which it seems like there is a huge rock along your path? It could be something real, or it could be a circumstance, but whatever it is, it has blocked your ability to study, meditate, and minister. This is where we find Paul. God opened the door for him to minister in Troas, but his heart was so heavy having not found Titus, his co-minister, he was unable to move forward. (He would later find Titus) 

Paul has opened his heart to the reader so that we might be able to relate to his circumstance. Sadness of heart often renders our service lacking. We say it like this; my heart wasn’t in it. Even though Paul went through the motion of presenting the gospel—we later learn that a church was founded there because of his teaching—-his heart was not in it. He, like us, went through the motions but lacked the fervency of the message. Yet, even in this, God used the message, even though the messenger was lacking, to bring many to Christ. This is an important point: it is the message not the messenger that God uses to bring many to repentance.

If this is where you are, let us come alongside you to be your encouragement. 

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9.24.24. Love is…

God is LOVE

1 Cor 13 Love is Supreme

God so loved….therefore we are to emulate His love. “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth.” [1 John 3:18] Without the Father’s love, we are wandering in the wilderness and are bereft of His blessings. Love is the mark of those who belong to God and the opposite is true, you have no claim to be God’s child. The Apostle John explained it this way; love is what is required, not as a convenience thing to do as Cain attempted to do. 

So what is this love thing? It is what God requires of His children so that the world will know we are His and He has bestowed it upon us as His precious gift. It is the gift of life through His Son Jesus Christ. Practically speaking, it is being kind to those who are undeserving. It is a gift that is ongoing with no end. It is as John said, what we do and what we think and what we say. Paul explains it this way: what love is and what love is not. The contrast is clear and is worthy of our reflection. Is God first in our thinking, our motives, our actions? What do we love: God or the world that fancies itself as loving. Reader, remember this:  actions speak louder than words and without God’s love you are empty and void of this truth: God is love and He so loved. 

Use 1 Cor 13 as your checklist. 

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9.21.24 Do’s…Don’t’s

1 Cor 10 “Do’s and Don’ts”

Can you hear your parents saying those words to you as you grew up? Paul considers himself the parent to the Corinthians, and as such, he reminds them of those who went before them and they did not obey the Lord thus incurring consequences. That is the same for us today. God has given us the “do’s” so that He might bless us and the “don’ts,” thus incurring the consequences if we do not. 

So where are you obeying the Lord today OR are you disobeying? Read this chapter closely to learn what is acceptable and what is not. 

Paul reminds the Corinthians of their ancestors: they were all drinking from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.” But, then they were distracted by the idolatry of the nations around them and fell into their ways. Beloved, this should not be! “God was not pleased with most of them, for they were cut down in the wilderness.” You may not be in the literal wilderness, but you may be in a wilderness of your choices. At one time you chose to follow the Rock, Jesus but along the way you were distracted by the glitz and glamor of the world. John reminds us to not love the world or the things of the world for they will pass away. 

Today where is your focus? Are you devoting yourself to the earthly things or to the eternal things? Check your heart and your actions. 

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Respecting Others

Romans 14 Wisdom Speaks

This year we are in the book of Revelation in our small groups. One thing the teacher/pastor has emphasized is what Paul has said in this chapter. “Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over differing opinions,” [Rom 14:1] The last phrase in this verse speaks wisely. It is often because of our spiritual superiority that we do just that! Paul is counseling us to not just be wise but to see others as they are. Some are learned in the study of the scriptures while others are weak and not as learned. Treat each other with respect and honor their opinions. Be patient and loving with those who think differently than you do. 

To help us understand this in a practical way, Paul uses the example of different foods. Some will not partake of wine but others see nothing wrong with that. Some will not eat meat but only vegetables while others eat meat with gusto! One of the fruits of the Spirit is gentleness. We are to be gentle and not pushy with those who think or act differently than we do. If we don’t we are not just not obeying the Spirit but we are like the Pharisees who lived by the motto of listen to what I say not as I do. 

Today, be ye kind to one another. 

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Are you listening?

Are we listening

Matt 11 Mercy not Sacrifice

Over and over, Jesus is gracious, but when the Pharisees continue to berate him, He speaks out and acts out for He is gracious. Why did Matthew paint such a contrast picture for his Jewish audience but to show them their heart. God sent His Son to save them but instead they reject Him. As it was then, it is today, nothing has changed when the heart is not changed. Matthew shows us the true heart of the Pharisees as a point to show us where our true heart is. Jeremiah wrote: “the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked,” [Jer 17:9] 

Jesus graciously reveals His power to save when he heals and instead of rejoicing, these Pharisees condemn and plot to kill him. They are like King Arab who was given the promise of saving himself and his kingdom, but chose to ignore Elijah and in the end he was killed on the battlefield. God desires mercy, not sacrifice, but like the Pharisees we want to “earn” our salvation and reject the beautiful words of peace by our Savior. 

Today, listen and heed the word of the Lord and be saved. Today is the day of salvation. What are you and I listening to; the voice of the enemy or the voice of the Lord? 

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A Heart of Compassion

Have compassion on a fallen brother

Matthew 9 I Desire Compassion

One of the marks of the ministry of Jesus was His compassionate spirit for His people who were suffering. Twice in this chapter He reminds the religious leaders that this is the true ministry of His kingdom. What was it that He saw and the religious leaders did not and often we do not as well? He saw the heart of mankind, but unlike like the religious leaders who saw with their physical eyes but not their spiritual eyes, Jesus saw the heart and had compassion. 

Matthew recorded these stories to remind his Jewish audience that Messiah sees and understands all. Also, he shared these stories one after another to remind them that one must see with the heart not just the physical presence, which is what Messiah did. 

So where should we have a heart of compassion? Recently a friend shared out of her heart the hard news of her son’s suicide. How do we respond to news such as this? It is not to wear the cloak of the Pharisee’s judgment but the cloak of the words of Jesus: “But go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”[Matt 9:13] 

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Character

Eph 5 The character of the believer

How often have you encountered someone who takes the name of the Lord in vain? Do we also fall victim to this behavior? Do we dishonor the Lord by what we say?  Paul reminds the Ephesians, who lived amongst unbelievers such as us, to live a holy life in all conversations and actions. He reminds us that those who are unbelievers are living in darkness but we are to be light bearers. The Apostle John wrote that those who  are unbelievers walk in darkness for they loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil, but it must not be so for the believer. 

Instead, Paul lists the traits of those who are Christ followers: for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth— trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Again in Galatians 5 Paul lists the Fruit of the Spirit which all believers are to demonstrate to the unbelieving world. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control”[Gal 5:22-23] 

Today be a light bearer. Live holy lives before a dark world. 

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