What Comes Out Of Our Heart….

It’s really simple: what we do comes out the condition of our heart. Evil comes from a selfish, unrestrained heart. Good comes from a selfless, guarded, and redeemed heart. Why do you think the proverb (4:23) says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the well-spring of life”? Jesus also said these words, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt6:23). He also spoke about no one being good but God (Mark 10:18). Christianity is all about the condition of our heart. It’s not about being perfect, rather it’s about knowing our place, and being substituted by Someone Who is perfect. Get your heart right with God, and he will fill it with desires that are good, and goodness will flow from it. If Jesus is Lord, and He makes us right with God, then what comes out of our heart stems from the treasures only He can place there.

43 “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.44 A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes.45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. Luke 6:43-45

When You Walk In Integrity….

Can you imagine an invisible creature ahead of you guarding the road you’re on? All the times you were kept safe? All the times you were stopped in order to prevent harm from coming to you? Just think of all the times you drive and each car that passes you on the opposite side is prevented from crossing the line and causing an accident. Think of all the times something happened that was a “close call”, but didn’t harm you. How about when you refrain from saying something in retaliation? Or when you didn’t go with friends who planned on doing something stupid? I could go on with more examples, but I think you understand my point. When you walk in integrity, God protects us. It’s like guard rails on a winding and treacherous road. They bring you a sense of security, unlike roads without them. When you act and live according to His principles, they protect you from being deceived or misled. And even though people may make fun of you, or even abandon you at times, deep down inside they respect you because of your consistency in the way you live your life. And those very same people, if they are your friend, will come to you for help when adversity strikes them. Walking in godliness protects your path. It may not make your life free from adversity, but it certainly will protect you from being conquered by evil. Does it take more effort? Yes. Is it more spiritually and emotionally satisfying? Most definitely. The unseen world of the godly is more involved than you could ever think.

6 Godliness guards the path of the blameless, but the evil are misled by sin. Proverbs 13:6

The Key To Embracing Truth….

The turning point comes in everyone’s life when they realize their mortality. You either turn around and head in the opposite direction, or you hit the gas, pressing forward, continuing down the same path. How you respond to the realization that we are all sinners, determines our eternal destiny. With that destiny determined, it transforms us into the man God intends us to be, or turns us into the wayward son He longs to restore. Believing we are sinners is the key to embracing truth. It’s the first step in the repentance process. You can’t embrace the Savior without having a reason to be saved.

27 Later, as Jesus left the town, He saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow Me and be My disciple,” Jesus said to him. 28 So Levi got up, left everything, and followed Him.29 Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. 30 But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?”31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor–sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.” Luke 5:27-32

The Fastest Way To Earn Trust…

Growing up I’ve always believed in being a man of his word. I won’t make promises I know I can’t keep. I was never taught this by anyone, I just believed it to be core to human character. Living in today’s world, honoring your word seems like a lost art. Reading through today’s passage I realized the reason why our words/promises matter. God takes vows very seriously. He even states breaking a vow is a sin. The reason why many people today don’t take their words/promises seriously is because God is not part of their life. The absence of God means no responsibility in making promises. People do and say whatever gets them through the conversation, without even batting an eye. I can’t vouch for anyone else, but I value people’s words. When someone makes a promise to me I hold them to their word. The fastest way to earn trust with me is to be a man of your word. If you don’t, I probably won’t take you very seriously. It’s better to not make promises that you can’t keep, than to brown-nose someone, manipulating them by making promises in order to get what you want. Breaking a vow is a sin, and it’s a selfish act. Once you realize there’s more to life than pleasing yourself, your words will take on much more meaning than ever before. It’s not a pride thing when you are a man of your word, it’s a God thing. You’re only as good as your word. Your reputation will stand or fall based on your ability to keep it.

21 “When you make a vow to the Lord your God, be prompt in fulfilling whatever you promised Him. For the Lord your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows, or you will be guilty of sin. 22 However, it is not a sin to refrain from making a vow. 23 But once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to fulfill your promise to the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 23:21-23

Small Town People….

The difference in small town people from big city folks can be seen here in today’s passage. Small town people take the time to know the people around them. In doing so, they form relationships. These relationships breed mutual responsibility. When someone needs something, or is in need of help, his neighbor is there to come along side and assist. Big city folks don’t take the time to get to know their neighbors. They are too wrapped up in themselves, their busy schedules, and just want to be left alone. When something happens to a neighbor, it’s just that days news. Our responsibility is to treat everyone like a small town neighbor. It’s not something we choose to do, it’s something we must do. Treat others as you want to be treated, as the golden rule says. It’s what we are commanded to do. Once you have a mindset like this, you’ll find your life is less boring, more purposeful, and much more rewarding. We have a responsibility to God and man. Loving our neighbor shows both.

1 “If you see your neighbor’s ox or sheep or goat wandering away, don’t ignore your responsibility. Take it back to its owner. 2 If its owner does not live nearby or you don’t know who the owner is, take it to your place and keep it until the owner comes looking for it. Then you must return it. 3 Do the same if you find your neighbor’s donkey, clothing, or anything else your neighbor loses. Don’t ignore your responsibility.4 “If you see that your neighbor’s donkey or ox has collapsed on the road, do not look the other way. Go and help your neighbor get it back on its feet! Deuteronomy 22:1-4

If Jesus Can Rebuke A Fever….

With the current pandemic of the Covid-19 virus going on, we must never forget Who is in control. A fever is caused either by a bacterial infection or a virus. If Jesus can rebuke a fever (bacterial or viral), than He can certainly handle this virus that seems out of control. We don’t have to worry and stress over this current state of the union. It’s all under God’s control. We just need to remain faithful and obedient to our Lord. If a virus can be rebuked at His command, we can take refuge in His ability to protect us from danger. Even when things seem uncertain and out of control, we must remain faithful the the One Who is in control. Nothing is impossible with God.

38 After leaving the synagogue that day, Jesus went to Simon’s home, where He found Simon’s mother-in-law very sick with a high fever. “Please heal her,” everyone begged. 39 Standing at her bedside, He rebuked the fever, and it left her. And she got up at once and prepared a meal for them. Luke 4:38-39

It Takes Spiritual Training….

How many people ever take the time to see, I mean really see? Spiritually speaking, there are unseen spirits out there waging war for our souls. You don’t believe me? If a man (who doesn’t even know Jesus) walks into a synagogue, and starts speaking to Jesus about interfering with his business, there’s got to be more out there than we lackadaisically see. If you read scripture you see many instances of angel interaction, demon possession, and even a talking donkey. There is way more going on out there than we can see just with our eyes. It takes spiritual training of the heart, that open up our ability to see spiritually. Look at Elisha and his servant (2 Kings 6). Elisha saw the angel army surrounding the army of the king of Aram, but his servant didn’t. It wasn’t until Elisha prayed for God to open his servant’s eyes spiritually that he witnessed the angels outnumbering the enemy. And so it is with us. Ask God today to give you spiritual sight. There’s a whole other world out there waiting to be seen. And it will build your faith, giving you one more reason to praise our Maker.

31 Then Jesus went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught there in the synagogue every Sabbath day. 32 There, too, the people were amazed at His teaching, for He spoke with authority.33 Once when He was in the synagogue, a man possessed by a demon–an evil spirit–began shouting at Jesus, 34 “Go away! Why are You interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are–the Holy One sent from God!”35 Jesus cut him short. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” He ordered. At that, the demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched; then it came out of him without hurting him further.36 Amazed, the people exclaimed, “What authority and power this man’s words possess! Even evil spirits obey Him, and they flee at His command!” 37 The news about Jesus spread through every village in the entire region. Luke 4:31-37