Hebrews 4:14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. source
Category Archives: Romans
Hearts & Minds
Approximate reading time: 3 minutes
Follow your heart.
It’s often advised, especially in Hallmark movies. Now, don’t get me wrong I have watched and enjoyed more than my share of Hallmark movies. They are relatively clean entertainment, albeit predictable. I digress.
However, reading today I was counseled that following my heart is not the ticket to successful living. No. No. following my heart will devastate not only my life but others.
Jeremiah 17:9 (CSB)9 The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it? source
Now what? If I cannot, and obviously I should not, follow my own heart, what?
How about my intellect? That’s it. I can trust my mind and follow my thinking. Right?
Genesis 6:5 (CSB)5 When the Lord saw that human wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time, source
Well, scratch that idea!
Now what? What hope do I have to live a good life? What hope do you have?
Romans 3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. source
That’s us! Hell deserving sinners. Every. One. Of. Us.
Now what?
This is what!
1 John 4:10 (TLV) 10 This is love—not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atonement for our sins. source
Ephesians 2:8 (YLT) 8 for by grace ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you — of God the gift, source
1 John 1:9 (TLV) 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. source
And now.
Ezekiel 36:26 (YLT) 26 And I have given to you a new heart, And a new spirit I give in your midst, And I have turned aside the heart of stone out of your flesh, And I have given to you a heart of flesh. source
1 John 5:20 (YLT) 20 and we have known that the Son of God is come, and hath given us a mind, that we may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ; this one is the true God and the life age-during! source
This heart. This mind. We can. We must learn and follow.
John 10:10(NLT) 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. source
Selah ~ ~ ~
In A Word
Reading time: Approximately 3 minutes.
One word for the year.
One word to guide the year.
One word to direct my focus for 365 days.
Could one word do all that?
In a word.
Yes!
But how do you pick that one word? In two words. You Don’t. You receive that word from The GOD who loves you. Okay. That was more than a word. :)
I like my friend, Leah Adams‘ word for 2018. Here’s a link. Check it out!
I believe my guiding word for 2018 is forgiveness. It’s my word to receive, to give, to pray for, to live. Forgiveness heals. Forgiveness revives. Forgiveness restores. Forgiveness gives life to body, soul and spirit. Forgiveness sets a soul on the path to wholeness. And wholeness is my plea; for myself, for family, for friends, for strangers near and far.
A year of forgiveness, what will that be? I would say not easy but naturally speaking it is more than not easy. It. Is. Impossible! Unless!
Matthew 19:26 (YLT) 26 And Jesus having earnestly beheld, said to them, `With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.‘ source
This year when I forgive will I be saying the offense is any less offensive? Will I be saying it’s okay? Will I be saying it didn’t hurt? Will I be denying the awfulness of it? Nope! Not at all. Will I be saying they deserve forgiveness? Do any of us?
I just know this, when I give forgiveness it sets me free. Free to love again. Free to trust GOD again. Free to live again. Forgiveness lets me take my rightful place. Forgiveness takes ME off the throne of my life and gives that place to He who deserves it. The One and Only JESUS.
Forgiveness takes my hands off the control button and with trust, faith and love yields justice to GOD’s Perfection alone.
Forgiveness says I love JESUS too much to hate you (the offender).
Forgiveness says, GOD, I trust You to do what’s right by me with this one who has offended me. It’s, I give way to You, My Heavenly Papa, to treat me right in the way You treat my offender.
In a word, forgiveness is me (and you) trusting GOD. Trusting that He has done right and He will always do right. This is forgiveness whether we are receiving it or giving it.
Again I say, it’s impossible for natural people! But we who have said yes to JESUS in salvation are no longer just natural people. We have the SPIRIT of the LIVING GOD residing within and we can forgive – all year-long! (Romans 8:9)
How many times this year must I exercise this gift of forgiveness?
Matthew 18: 21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Master, how often shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Yeshua said to him, “No, not up to seven times, I tell you, but seventy times seven! source.
If we find ourselves doing the math, I think we’ve missed His point.
Ephesians 4:32(KJV) 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. source
Forgiveness.
In a word, it will make me whole and a whole lot more Christ-like.
