“Happy Friday, Happy Heart!”
Tag: Bible Verse
God satisfies the truly seeking soul and fills them with goodness.
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Approach this day with boldness that tells the world God is on your side!
“Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.” Psalm 108:13
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“Please, Pray Me Through to My Deliverance!”
“For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer…” Philippians 1:19
There is so much hurt going on in the body of Christ. Saints are going through trials and tribulations like never before. As the days draw to a close, a time when our Lord Jesus Christ will come back to whisk us away to glory, the enemy has been on a vehement rampage against God’s people everywhere.
Paul, when he wrote his letter to the Philippian church, knew something of hardships. He was imprisoned and he was put in a place of affliction and hurt. So, when he writes of the faith he has, that the saints will help pray for his deliverance, he knew what he was talking about.
There is a wonderful bond in the body of Christ that is like no other. Unity, love, and compassion mean so much to our survival that our very witness to the world depends on it. There has been, over the past few years, an awareness of how we have hurt not only one another but our witness before the world through gossiping and the tearing down of one another.
Jesus Himself said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another,” (John 13:35). Having sincere love toward another means that we would want what’s best for them. Even if it means exalting somebody higher than yourself; putting the petitions of prayer that someone else so desperately needs above your own.
We often hear the encouragement that, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much,” (James 5:16). To avail means that we have a God-given right to have the upper hand, through prayer, against any foe that would dare to rise up against one of God’s anointed ones. How are we using that advantage? Are we selfishly gleaning all the grapes off the vine of blessings for ourselves, or do we have enough Christian courage to let another feast off of your effectual, fervent prayers before you get a taste?
Paul openly admitted that on several occasions how much he was dependent upon the prayers of those who had his back in ministry. Despite his supposed super saint/apostleship position, he realized that the sweet aromas of selfless petitions were being put up to God on his behalf. Because of that, he was assured that he would see deliverance.
How much care and emphasis do you really put on the body of Christ when you bow the knee to the Father? How much is that hunger in you to see the salvation of the unsaved of your family and friends being fed? Do you really believe that not only will your prayers move mountains in your life but also in the life of another? You may be their only hope, whether they are born or again or not, to draw near to God and receive deliverance.
Paul puts it best in 1 Corinthians 13:1 where he says, “Though I speak with tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” Are you just making a lot of noise when you pray or are you busting the gates of hell loose because your heart is hurting for another? It was Abraham Lincoln that was quoted as saying, “I am sorry for the man who can’t feel the whip when it is laid on the other man’s back.”
There are some “whips” being laid on others; some burdens that you can help someone else carry if only we would do as the Philippian church did and pray. Not just any prayer, but prayers that will let our brothers and sisters know assurance of seeing deliverance, too.
If you want to see true restoration in your own life, learn to put the needs of others before your own. Job 42:10 states, “The Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends.” We are to be a people who step in that place of praying for others and petitioning heaven on their behalf. It was not until Job prayed for his friends were his losses restored.
Let’s work today in hedging people in under the arc of safety, the covering of prayer, so they will finally see deliverance, too. There may be a hurting soul quietly pleading for someone to, “Please, Pray Me Through to My Deliverance.”
Keep praying for one another!
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“Be a Person of Action!”
“The hand of the diligent shall bear rule . . .” Proverbs 12:24
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“Pray. Trust. Believe. Give it to God! Rejoice!”
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“Walk In Peace!”
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee,” Isaiah 26:3
Peace is something that may seem far out of reach for most. It is greatly desired and sought after; yet, many will never lay hold of it. Why is that? The answer is because of where it is found. It is found in a made-up mind centered on who He is and a devoted heart that believes in the promises He has made. “Perfect peace” speaks of the character of God at work. Wherever He operates and whatever He delves into is marked by perfection. That means when He established something that He wants to offer to all mankind He does so without there being anything wrong with it. No fault in it whatsoever. And He does here also. As a matter of fact, the only thing that can mar this “perfect peace” that He is so willing to give is how man (the human race) accepts it.
When one’s mind is focused wholeheartedly on an idea, then that becomes the single vision of that person. Once the picture of the mind’s eye is narrowed in one direction, that’s where one will be led to follow. Now imagine a time of being in the midst of arduous and severe trials and tribulations. Where there are sorrows and disappointments that seem to do nothing to encourage one’s focus on God, only working to tear away at one’s faith. Yet, through it all, that person takes a stand within them and says, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31).
The person who is able to stir up his faith in this manner as a defense and a shield to his mind, using the focus of God at work in his life and verifying it through His Word, will be kept in “perfect peace.” He has made an on-purpose decision that no matter how bleak and dismal it may seem right now, God is greater than all, and “His tender mercies are over all His works,” (Ps. 145:9). “How is one able to do that?” you may be crying out in frustration. I answer you with Abraham’s example as referred to by Paul in Romans 4:20-21, where it says, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” Simply put, as our verse in Isaiah 26:3 says, “Because he trusteth thee.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” That is including, “perfect peace.” All His promises are in His Word and the one who bases the foundation of all that he believes on that one rock-solid truth will be upheld and kept through the worst of storms.
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
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The High Horse
“For everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted,” Luke 18:14b
We’ve all heard someone express at one time or another, “You need to come down off that high horse!” Whether it was said to us or another, the challenge is still implied for one to not think highly of him or herself, Romans 12:3. People that are boastful and proud have a way of thinning out the crowds. Their attitude is not attractive; therefore others will find an excuse to disassociate themselves from that person.
Us, who are saved by grace, also have to fight the urge to take on this superiority complex. Too often we are just as prone to mount that high horse and ride off into the sunset, singing in a school girl tone, “We’re saved and you’re not . . . . . la la la la la la!” Okay, so maybe we don’t sing in childish tones but that doesn’t mean we don’t act in childish ways; looking down our nose at a lost world as if we obtained this great salvation on our own.
The Bible is full of references that explain God’s feelings toward this particular subject: He hates it! 1 Peter 5:5 states, “God resisteth the proud!” Those that display this ugly characteristic are not amusing God, rather they are pushing Him away. He does not tolerate it at all.
In light of all that He has done for humanity His view is this, no one has the right to think he is something special when he is not – “All that, and a bag of chips,” if you will. (Don’t ask. It’s a funny phrase I often hear and I really haven’t figured out why adding a bag of chips on the end makes the perception of superiority that much more so 🙂 ).
Jesus hits the nail on the head in this story found in Luke 18:9-14. Here He denounces the prideful Pharisees’ attitude of self-righteousness and He proclaims the greatness of the one who had a humble heart. Did it seem that He was being too hard on the Pharisees; the ones who were the religious leaders of the day?
Not in the least. Verse 9 tells us how their position changed their view of their relationship with God and with man. First, He stated, they “trusted in themselves that they were righteous.” Their rituals, rules, and regulations were how they measured and viewed their righteousness. Their so-called ability to dot every “I” and cross every “T” ranked them above all others, securing their own righteousness. No humbleness of heart was present. No attributing their standing to the grace and mercy of God. They “trusted in themselves.”
Secondly, their view caused them to “despise others.” Since nobody was as presumably holy as they were, they thought themselves to be on a higher level than everyone else. They rode that high horse and they rode it a lot.
These two very wrong suppositions of themselves caused them to break the two greatest commandments that were ever written:
“Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40
We all have to take careful heed to view our position in Christ in the proper way:
“To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:2-7
Not one of us has the right to ride the high horse!
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“Where Are You Going?”
“And they all forsook him, and fled,” Mark 14:50, KJV
“I would not have run!” that’s what most of us exclaim when we hear the story of Jesus facing these men in the Garden of Gethsemane.
How often have we stood for Christ in the midst of adversity? When contentions arise to defend our faith, do we stand closed lip or do we draw the spiritual sword? When our time comes to speak what is right, do we act with avoidance, put up our church finger to excuse ourselves away from the controversy?
There’s more than one way to flee from the garden.
Our country is changing and it’s headed in a wrong direction really fast. As Christians, where are we going? Do we stand with Jesus only in times of miracles and blessings, only to flee and disappear in the shadows when things get hard? Or, do we stand with Him when the enemy tries to attack and arrest our faith?
I, unapologetically, stand with Christ. Laws are being passed that’s trying to change not only the landscape of our nation, but the scope of all that’s right and just before God. I love all people and I pray for them. But, and I say this without condemnation, “What’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong.” And, if we think as Christians these law and changes that other powers are pronouncing to be right have no effect on us, than we have already left the garden leaving Jesus to stand there alone.
The rights of some are being raised while our rights in what we believe are being diminished. Where are you going? It’s time for the church to wake up, take the sleep masks off and pay attention to what’s going on around us. Did we flee to leave Jesus standing alone?
One day, after teaching words that was hard for the crowd to digest, Jesus turned to His disciples and asked, “Do you also want to go away?” (John 6:67, NKJV). But Peter spoke up and said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” (John 6:68; NKJV).
Stand with Jesus and you will never fall.
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Words To Live By – “GOD HEARS YOUR PRAYERS!”
Every spoken word and every silent cry of the heart – the Lord hears! When we come before God with our hearts pouring out to Him, He does not turn a deaf ear. You and I are important to our heavenly Father. He pays attention to the bowing knee and the bowing heart. No matter how you feel He is unhindered in His ability to sit and listen to you lay all the burdens and cares of this life down at the cross.
