Tag : heart-2
Tag : heart-2
Lane Jordan Burday is the newest member of our Pearls of Promise (POP) Team. and is serving as a POP Talk Radio Co-Host, is coordinating a Pearls of Promise 52-Week Devotional, and is our POP Prayer Co-Leader. Lane Jordan Burday is also an award-winning best-selling author of the 12 Steps to Becoming a More Organized Woman series of books. She is an international speaker, life coach, seminar leader, Bible teacher for 25 years, and an artist. She has served as the Associate Producer for the television program In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley. Her latest book, Evangeline, is a historical fiction based on the book of Esther. You can reach Lane at: www.LaneJordanMinistries.com or her blog at: www.PathwaysToOrganization.com , Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/164949369X Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58909052-evangeline
Forgiveness
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do…For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out (Romans 7:14-18 NIV).
Our little English Jack Russell, Toby, is one smart dog. But just like us, he has his faults. His worst fault is growling at us for no apparent reason at all! If we pet him when he does not want to be petted, he growls. If we pet him while he is on our bed, even after he has gotten his nighttime treat, he growls. If we look at him the wrong way, he growls.
Needless to say, we must discipline him. So, whenever he growls, we say, “Toby, no growl. Go to your bed!” He immediately jumps down and goes to one of his little beds placed around the house. But in about two seconds, he comes right back to us, but on his back legs with his little front legs dangling and a face that says, “Please forgive me!” Or he comes back and rolls on his back in the most submissive posture. You see, he knows he has been bad, but he can’t do the next thing until we say, “Ok, Toby, it’s all right.” Then he jumps up, licks our faces, and is now at peace.
And that’s just how we should be before our Lord. We try so hard to do the right thing, act and react the right way. And yet, we “growl” (complain, act in anger, covet, etc.) when we shouldn’t. But the beauty of walking with God is that He knows we will fail! And He wants us to know that He is always ready to forgive us. We just need to come to him in submission and ask for forgiveness. When we do, we get in right standing with our Heavenly Father, and peace and joy come into our hearts.
Aren’t we blessed to have a Father who loves us this much?
Categories: Blog
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
(Psalm 139:14, NIV)
In the above-mentioned verse, the psalmist is speaking words of affirmation. He is declaring to the world that he is a creation of God, therefore fearfully and wonderfully made.
Lately, I have become mindful of the words that come out of my mouth. In Luke 6:45, the Bible says the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Subsequently, I am also paying closer attention to what people are speaking to me or to others to better understand them and what is in their heart. It is important to encourage one another by affirming someone’s strengths instead of pointing out their flaws. Be the one who builds others up, instead of the one who tears them down. It is equally important to speak kindly about yourself when referring to your own weaknesses. You are a new creation in Christ.
“Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
(Mathew 9:17, NIV)
This past weekend, when I asked someone to pray for me, she said she is not a “good” prayer person and then proceeded to pray one of the most powerful prayers I’ve heard. It’s true that in our own power we may be weak, however, in Luke 10:19, Jesus said, “Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing by any means shall hurt you.” We are anointed with the Holy Spirit and with His mighty power. The seven spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit first found in the book of Isaiah and are freely given to those who believe. They are: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. Repeat to yourself daily, “I am who He says I am, not who people say I am.” To encourage is to empower, affirm yourself and others as God grants you the ability. If you’ve enjoyed this blog, please like it and share with others. If you would like to receive blogs from Pearls of Promise Ministries, you can follow us or enter your email on the home page and leave us a comment at the bottom of this page. Blessings from all of us to you.
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
(Hebrews 3:13, NIV)
Categories: Blog
My church just put on a production of the fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast, and it was fabulous. The performers were so good I checked to see if any of them were performing nationally. No, they were church members who, for the most part, did some acting on the side. I was impressed.
Even though I’d seen the movie and read the story, I still cried when Belle fell in love with the Beast. Why was I emotional? I knew the ending. As I reflected on this, it’s because I believe there is a deeper spiritual truth within Beauty and the Beast. The undercurrent is that beauty is not on the surface, but it flows from the heart. After a rough start, Belle eventually moved past the unattractive exterior to see the heart of the Beast—and that melted her heart.
It is human nature to judge beauty by physical appearance. I have been in a number of group settings where a friend or acquaintance will say to the person standing next to me, “Hello beautiful” or “You are so pretty,” then look at me with a blank stare. Years ago at lunch, a friend told a mutual friend sitting at the table: “You are beautiful,” and then said, “and Lisa has beautiful feet.” I felt like a beast.
We all want to be viewed as beautiful, don’t we? Here’s the good news. God doesn’t look at what we see in the mirror. He cares more about our hearts, and when they are devoted to Him—pure, and loving—there’s nothing more beautiful in His eyes. I still remember my 8th grade teacher, however, I don’t remember her face. All I recall is that she was kind, patient and encouraging to us, and because of that I thought she was beautiful.
1 Peter 3:3-4 says, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” When Samuel was preparing to anoint a king of Israel to replace the outgoing Saul, God told Samuel to not judge a book by its cover. The Lord said to Samuel: “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
Isn’t this great news? Even though our outward appearance is aging, our hearts are ageless and can reflect inner beauty to everyone we encounter.
Here’s a challenge. In the week to come try not to judge people by their appearance. Ask God to help you see their hearts, and then when he shows you the beauty within, say to them, “You are so beautiful!” because you truly believe they are.
Categories: Blog
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them (1John 4:16, NIV).
Do You Believe in Love?
Love is more than a feeling or an emotion. To love God is the greatest commandment, and to love one another is how we demonstrate our love for God. It is the trademark of all Christians. It is a decision or a choice about how we treat each other. An act of will that lays aside self and extends itself to building each other up instead of tearing each other down. In this fallen world, people fail to love one another for different reasons, especially when hurt and misunderstandings occur. God does not put limitations on who He loves or how He loves.
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40, NIV).
God is Love, so when we love one another, we are unified with God, the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Divine love, the love of God, becomes so rooted deeply inside of us that we reflect His love outwardly. To be reborn in the Spirit means that all contrasting values in our hearts that compete with Love must be surrendered to Him. Things such as anger, jealousy, pride, lust, fear, and unforgiveness have no place in our lives when we love each other the way Jesus loves us. When love is allowed to reign in our hearts, we are given a new nature in Christ. As the love of God through Christ grows within us, we find ourselves drawn to other believers, in fellowship, with Jesus as the Head and the Heart of the church.
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
(John 14:15-21, NIV)
God is love and He invented love. Will you choose to embrace His love today?
Categories: Blog