Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Matt. 18:21,22

I know that no matter how many times others may hurt me, I must forgive them. I do it because the Lord would have it, and it is the fulfillment of the law of loving my neighbor as myself. I also do it because I have learned that unforgiveness makes a bitterness in my heart. Do not let the sun set on your anger is another verse, not letting the enemy have a toehold, because its destructive. Bitterness leads to anger, and it leads to hate. Pure and simple. Unforgiveness festers in your heart and the only one you are hurting is yourself. So many wars would not be fought if forgiveness were the rule instead of the exception. NO matter who does what to you in your Christian walk, you are to forgive, because God will deal with the others person’s heart and He will heal yours. It just frees you up to love, and to love well. The hardest one to forgive is yourself, remember no one is perfect least of all you. There is only ONE who is perfect, and who, as He was dying on the cross, asked His Father to forgive them. Maybe we should too.

I usually get personal and talk as I am reading this, but today, I was reminded of what evil men can do to others, what hard things, and words they can say. A lot is done in the name of love, and most hurts caused in my Christian walk has been by fellow believers. I just have to remember that God sees their heart too, and forgives them more than I. I hope I didn’t offend anyone today, or cause any hurts, because if I did, I truly want to be forgiven by them. I don’t want them to become bitter and alienate themselves from God. The only thing I can say is this, I am sorry, please forgive me.

I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Psalms 145:1

The word extol, means praise. I am not ashamed to say I love to praise God. I love to sing His praises and worship Him. I have never had a problem with worshipping my Father at all. Although some do, I can’t figure that out, but for some it is a personal thing, they worship Him in their hearts they praise Him with their actions. He is truly worthy of all our praise, and all our devotion. When I praise God something happens, I am encouraged, it seems that I am in His presence and am strengthened. If I have a bad day or week, I know that I have to praise Him. Somehow the flesh has to get out of the way as I pour my heart out in thanksgiving to Him to realize Who He is and what He has done for me. I never thought of blessing Him though, I pray for others to be blessed, and I know He blesses me. So I think I will bless His name today, to try to make it a daily thing, to bless His name. The word bless means:1.consecrate 2.request divine favor 3.make happy 4.extol as Holy . The word consecrate means make sacred, well that to me means revere something, to set it apart special, I believe I can do that this day as I think on Him. I have requested from God before, knowing that only He can work in my life and others. He has made me happy, in so many ways, in a sunrise, a hug, providing for me, the list is endless. I know He is Holy, and I will praise His Holiness all the days of my life. His name is the name above all names, and I get great pleasure from praising Him. He inhabits our praises you know.

A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. Proverbs 29:23

As I meditate upon this verse, I am asking the Lord what is pride? What is man’s pride and especially what is it to be humble in spirit. Does humble in spirit mean being thankful for any and everything? Does it mean that I know Who is the Source for all good things? Is humble in spirit mean fearing God? When someone says they are proud to be a Christian, is that pride? When I hear “I am proud to be an American” is that pride? When another is proud of his or her children’s accomplishments is that pride? I started years ago to train myself not to say the word Pride, not to be proud of anything, least of all being a Christian.

Rom:11:21: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

I am saved by grace it is a gift, nothing that I did, and I am thankful that God loved me enough to save me from death. I have to double check to make sure but not once have I recalled the Lord God Almighty ever saying He was proud, even of His own Son, He said He was pleased, but not proud. The thing is, that God sees our hearts and knows the amount of pride hidden in there. I believe there are amounts of pride hidden in my heart that the Lord has yet to deal with and get rid of. He will allow me to be brought low, until I see the pride hidden there and repent, and humble myself. Then His Honor will uphold me, and I won’t have my pride in self holding me up. Well at the time that is what I think pride is doing, instead it is bringing me low in order to see Who I am to be thankful to and What power is operating in me, by the way of the Holy Spirit. I want this verse to be a reminder and allow the Holy Spirit to search for hidden pride in my heart, in the meantime, I will say “I am pleased” meaning satisfied and thankful having full knowledge who really deserves the credit. My goal and the Lord’s goal is for me to be humble in spirit, and His honor will lift me up.

The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. Exodus 14:14

I wonder how many times the Lord speaks that into my life, during situations where I cannot do anything by my own strength. Especially when there are no A or B or C options, isn’t it great to know that our Father will fight for you and me? As I am trying to get through this world, when it seems that everything and everyone is against me, or that I have to fight against insurmountable odds to take a stand which at the time seems hopeless or unpopular I am sure in my heart that the Lord will fight for me. I just have to hold my peace, to me this part means be quiet and watch Him move, quit worrying, quit complaining and quit being fearful that the world will get the best of me, that it will defeat me. I am to hold to His peace, which is in my heart. This verse is a promise. Many verses say the same thing, and the promise is the same as it is here. Who can wage war against the Beast? Only God can through His Word, His Sword of Truth, I certainly cannot fight, I am too weak, but God can and most importantly He will.

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. Matt. 15:8

I never want to be one of “this people” God knows my heart, and I don’t want to speak about God or go about trying to be Holy, or only look good on Sundays. My heart would be far from Jesus and He knows it. I want to honor God with my heart, to draw near God and speak of Him with my mouth with my heart close to Him. Once again comes the discussion of the heart. I believe God places great importance on the heart. That is why He speaks on it so much. Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees, I hope that when I act like a Pharisee, that the Holy Spirit will stop me and remind me that my heart is far from God. Also during this chapter Jesus speaks of what defile a man, of what comes from the heart out of the mouth is what defiles, thoughts in action or in words, that are contrary to the Word of God. I want so very much to be near God, so I can say that what I say and do is what I hear the Father saying and what He would do. Let this be my daily prayer, I can’t help but change when my heart is focused on God and I am near to Him. Seeking First His Kingdom and knowing my heart will be there too.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23

God is able to keep my heart if I let Him. He gives me wisdom to know who to let close to me, as in friends, He knows those who are trustworthy and those who are not. I don’t believe I am to trust everyone, because there are those that will hurt me and cause my heart much pain. The Lord wants me to forgive so my heart is not full of bitterness and I will be able to love others as I love myself. Everything I say and do flow from my heart. That is why the Lord God has given me a heart of flesh and taken away the heart of stone I once had. As I stated previously, God is able to keep my heart, but I have a responsibility also. I have to be careful in what I let in it. I have to be careful in what I watch on television, and what I see in the papers, and I have to listen to the Holy Spirit when He warns me about anyone I meet. Its important to guard my heart, because it is the wellspring of life.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Eph. 4:29

When I see this, I wonder what kind of corrupt communication? I don’t know if those saints in Ephesus used foul language or not, but this verse is certainly timely. To me corrupt communication is more than foul language, (which is certainly acceptable in this day and age), but also means, gossiping, speaking bad of others, false witness, bad jokes and the list is endless. So what I speak has to edify, meaning not to tear down, but to build up, well that certainly means not to gossip, or bear false tales. I know that I would watch what I say, and see if it brings edification, peace instead of strife, life instead of death, Joy instead of sorrow. There are so many verses in the bible concerning what I speak, and to be with a bunch of unbelievers speaking the same way they do, or gossiping like them or so forth, doesn’t minister grace to them. It doesn’t set me apart, for even with my words will I be witnessing about Him, and I will be judged on what “communication” streams forth from my mouth. The Word says: From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. May my heart be full of love, and the word of God so that my communication will Minister Grace unto all who have ears to hear.

His Peace to You!

A Prayer for you,

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Eph. 1: 17-21

Open rebuke is better than secret love. Proverbs 27:5

I will be the first to admit I don’t like to be rebuked. I supposed none of us really do. The first thing I do is take offense and then I get upset and deny the truth of the words spoken. Many times I get that “conviction” when I read the word of God and know that the Lord is chastising me, He is rebuking me for something that I have done or failed to do which is apparent only to Him and me. It sure hurts at the time though, but looking back at the words spoken by a friend or out of God’s Word, I know they are for my benefit. A loving Friend would speak the hard words to me, and a Loving Father would lead that friend to speak them, or would speak them Himself in the Word. I would rather have my Father train me up, then just love me from afar. I think the next time a friend or spouse rebukes me, I will consider it spoken out of love, and that love is not a secret.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Isaiah 26:3

This verse is a comfort to me, and I know it to be true. Though the world may rage around me, and I may have lots of things on my mind, I will remain in peace. God says that He WILL keep me in perfect peace, His peace, which is perfect. I don’t have to do anything but trust in Him. Sometimes when I don’t trust in Him my mind is not in perfect peace, because I allow doubt to creep in or I think I can fix whatever is wrong on my own. I start worrying and so forth, but when I remember that I am to trust in Him and not be afraid, then my heart is full of peace, and I can walk through whatever is thrown my way. His perfect peace is wonderful, because its not only for me, but for others too, its something I can give away, share with others, and its a sign that I trust in something other than me, I put my trust in God. So when someone asks me how I can be at peace while the war is going on, or circumstances in my life are rough, I can share with them this verse. Its a promise you know. A promise from my Father and yours too.