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.

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. Psalms 139:7,8

There have been a few times in my walk with the Lord I felt like giving up and turning away from Him. Those times were the hardest times in my life where nothing made sense, or I was very angry with the Lord. I would say to myself I am just going to walk away, but in my heart I would repeat these verses and would turn right around and stay with Him. I cannot go anywhere that the Lord is not there, He is my life, my very reason for living, and I cannot imagine life without Him. I think I got to a point where He is so much a part of my life I cannot imagine a life without Him. I cannot see where the world holds an attraction for me, since I have been living in His love and security so long. No one can take His place, not a man, not my children, no one. So how can I turn away? I figure no matter what happens there is nothing that can separate us, and there is nothing that could stop Him from loving me. After all, where could I go to hide or flee from Him?

It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling. Proverbs 20:3

I believe it is hard to cease from strife, I think its real easy to get caught up in all the goings on, with others, I seem to see other people’s faults and so forth more easily than my own. I think that is a way of avoiding what the Lord is showing me in my own heart. Another thing which creates strife is gossip, where I war with words, and not words that have any life in them either. If I allow my mouth and my thoughts to be in strife with others, then I will meddle in other people’s business. Only God knows the whole picture, He doesn’t work with opinions, doctrines or what He considers as flaws which need to be corrected. He sees the heart, and knows what goes on in each man’s heart and household. I believe the ability to walk away, and not allow myself to get caught up in other’s lives, and being able to place each thing I say and each word I hear before the Father in prayer is what stops strife. To take every thought captive, to stop vain imaginations, and to focus on God and what His word says concerning my brother or sister will lead to honour, will lead to peace. Not as the world knows it, but peace to walk with all men, not just those who pass my inspection as what holiness should be. After all, I am flesh too, as are they.

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; Psalms 63:1

Spiritually there is no water in the world. The world has nothing to offer me at all. I know that I have to seek God first, rise early and seek Him, for my soul cannot live without the life giving water my Father provides. My soul cannot live without Him it longs to be in fellowship with Him. 2Cor:5:6: Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: God made me to be in relationship with Him, I need Him to provide me with the living water, and bread for my existence It cannot be found weekly in a church, it has to be sought everyday. There are times in my life when I was so thirsty and dry, I would cry out to my Father for a touch from Him. God has allowed these times in my life to show me where my help comes from. Who provides the bread of life and the life giving water to drink. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Isaiah 55: 1,2

The world is a big place, its noisy, dry and barren, I am not of the world, but the demands it places on me as I sojourn cause dryness in my soul. I cannot always hear His voice calling to me, I have to remember that He is the source of all that I need. I need to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all things will be added to me. Early will I seek Him so I may be an oasis in the midst of a dry and barren world.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2Tim. 1:7

With all this talk of war in the world, many are afraid, of what will happen. I myself cannot help but have a small amount of fear rise up within me, but quickly put aside. The media has been building on fear, they bring it in the households via the nightly news and shout it through the newspapers. I have not been given to fear, what do I have to fear about? I know where my present destination is, and that I am sealed by God. I have the Holy Spirit within me, and it is of power, gained by reading the Word of God, and I have God’s love within me and the mind of Christ. So pardon a play on words, what would Jesus have me doing? I believe that Christ has been strengthening me for this time. I know that without fear I can walk in peace and have peace be so present within me, that others will ask why. I can then share my hope, and share my faith in the Lord with them. I am not afraid, although I fear for those who have to be afraid, because they don’t know where they are going, or what the future will be. I can stand firm in the midst of the storm and help others, find the source of my peace. I know what my present hope is, and I don’t need to know what the future holds. The God of the Universe is in charge, and He knows my name. Does He know yours?