Jesus called this the First and Greatest Commandment- to love the Lord with all our mind, body, and emotions. He wants us to surrender it all to Him…every corner, every part, every area of our lives. Many of us though, put stipulations on giving everything to Him…”You can have all of me ,except for this area of my life that I want to still control.” To be wholly surrendered to God is to heed, listen and obey what He’s asking you to do.
Tag: spirituality
I Samuel 16:7 “…the Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Everyday we see people and make snap judgements about them, whether it’s correct or not, simply by how they look. Our first impression holds much weight in how we perceive others. It’s so wonderful then, that God doesn’t look at our crusty exteriors, but at our hearts. He searches and knows the secrets of our hearts and who we really are deep down inside. The God of all knowledge understands and knows us intimately…and yet loves us still.
Proverbs 11:2 ” When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
We were right in the middle of a huge remodeling project that Landy and I were doing in our house, when I fell and fractured my right wrist. I was casted from the tips of my fingers, to above my elbow with strict orders from the Orthopedic Specialist not to use the arm at all. For the next 8 weeks the Lord had me learn the true meaning of pride and humility. When you are forced to ask for help for the simplest of tasks, you learn humility. I was in alien territory…after all I was the person who took care of sick people…but now it was me who needed help. I learned that pride can rear its ugly head in all different forms… that not accepting help from someone is prideful, in that you are robbing them of a Blessing. I learned that accepting help from others will not somehow diminish your worth in their eyes. Finally, I learned that Landy can cook much better than I ever thought!
I John 3:18 ” Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
Some of the most endearing memories I have related to this scripture were during the many years I managed Alzheimer Units. Everyday I would see frail, elderly spouses come in to visit their loved ones…even if that person no longer recognized them. You could see by their sincere actions and unconditional love that they were putting God’s Word into practice in simple, heartfelt ways. Faithfully, day after day, they would be there showing their love in small ways, even if it wasn’t reciprocated. Truly, this was God’s love in action.
Genesis 26:18 ” Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham.”
The enemy had stopped up the wells and rendered them useless, so Isaac had re-dug them, that the wells might provide water for their animals and people. The enemy can also stop up our well of salvation…taking away our joy, and drying us up Spiritually. Is it time to re-dig the wells in your life so that the Living water can once more flow?
Jeremiah 33:3 ” Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
Call upon the name of the Lord and you can be assured that He will answer. God will bring light and explanation to things hidden. Are you searching for an answer in your life today? Ask God and He will reveal to you that thing which you would otherwise not know. The Lord will give you understanding and discernment into areas where you are at an utter loss for what to do. But for Him to do His part- you must do yours first…Call on Him.
I Samuel 10:6 ” The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.”
God touched Saul as he turned away from Samuel after hearing these words spoken…and he was changed in an instant. He looked the same, walked the same, and probably even talked the same, so what did God do to make him a different person? The Lord changed his heart, and we too become a different person after God touches our hearts. Our lives are transformed into another person…the likeness of Him.
Psalm 141:1 ” O Lord, I call to you; come quickly to me. Hear my voice when I call to You.”
Awhile back one of our elderly neighbors was dying at the nearby Hospice. The Lord prompted me to drive over to visit him. As I did, I argued with God finding lots of reasons why I shouldn’t go…this man was unchurched, in a coma, and there would probably be a lot of family in the room, so how was I going to talk to him about God? I slipped into his room to find it empty of family, and as I approached the bed he suddenly opened his eyes and looked at me. I knew I had precious time to speak, so without much fanfare I point-blank asked him if he died today did he know he’d be going to Heaven? He replied that he wanted to go to Heaven, but didn’t know how to go about it. I lead him in a very simple prayer of forgiveness, and as we said Amen, he suddenly looked up as if recognizing someone standing behind my chair, his face aglow with peace and joy. I turned around quickly, expecting to see family or a staff member…but there wasn’t anyone there. He died later that day, safe in the arms of his Saviour.
Hebrews 10:24 ” And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”
We all can use encouragement from others as we contend in this battle called life. God has put a unique group of people within your sphere of influence in order that you may inspire them towards unconditional love and doing the right thing. No one else can touch these people’s lives in a positive way like you. You can be that Barnabas -Son of Encouragement- to many around you today by simply speaking reassurance and hope.
John 5: 8-9 ” Then Jesus said to him, ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.’ At once the man was cured, he picked up his mat and walked.”
If you read through the Gospels, Jesus did a lot of healing on the Sabbath which in turn upset the Pharisees, the Jewish Leaders of the Law. On one hand, they could not deny the healed person standing in front of them, but they also believed Jesus was guilty of not “keeping the Sabbath” by healing the person in the first place. I rather think that Jesus enjoyed healing people on the Sabbath to show the Pharisees that He alone was “Lord of the Sabbath” and thus totally unencumbered by their strict rules and regulations.
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