Speak to the Heart

Psalm 36:1 "Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart, there is no fear of God before his eyes."

Romans 3:9-18 (paraphrased)
"What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we...are all under sin;
> none righteous
>none who understands
> all have turned aside, become useless
> none who does good
> we deceive with our tongues
> there is cursing and bitterness in our mouths
> our feet are swift to shed blood
> where we walk we create destruction and misery
> we do not know the path of peace
> we have no fear of God

Father, the magnitude of your redemption is beyond comprehension.  Look at us.  Look at who we are without You.

We don't even see how bad off we are until Your Spirit opens our eyes.

Oh, Lord, give me Your heart for those who need You. Forgive me for my anger and offense at people who are lost in their sin. Help me not forget I am still at war against my flesh.

Praise to You! You have won my final victory!

Help me as I work with my disciples.  Help me remember that Transgression is speaking to them in their very hearts! They do not have the fear of God before their eyes. 

Oh, Lord! Let them see it in me!

When they think of Mother, let it be with a full attachment to Your word and dependence and love for You.  Cause me to rightly speak Your Word into their hearts that it would rightly triumph over the Transgression speaking to their hearts.

Colossians 3:16  "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." 

How is this done?

Give me practical ways to speak Your Word into their hearts and put the Fear of the Lord before their eyes.

1. Read the Scriptures:  It is our daily bread, let me return to reading it before each meal.

2. Teach with the Scriptures: In choice of curriculae, books read, visuals, discussion.

3. Admonish with Scriptures: Let it be Your word that directs, not my own. Let Your words be heard, seen, and experienced in every room of our home. Use psalms, scripture hymns and songs to lead, build up, and direct my little, and not so little, followers.

5. Respond to Your word:  SING, pray, speak, act with gratitude to the truths found in Your Word.

Lord, let Your Word do it's powerful and holy work in the our lives each day.

If I have any friends out there reading along, please share ways you keep the Word of God alive and active in your homes each day.  Thanks!

Roll with it...

April 4, 2013
Journal Entry

"Commit your way to the Lord,

Trust also in Him, and He will do it." Psalm 37:5

Literal: Roll you way upon the Lord

Batach: have confidenc, be bold, be secure, feel safe,
Derek: road, journey, path, manner, direction, habit, course of life, distance
Asa: accomplish, do make, produce attend to, put in order, bring about

What will He do? What is it? What is my way?

Cross references:

"Cast your burdens upon the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken." Psalm 55:22

Rolling...Casting...this action of pushing the issues - the way- the burdens away from oneself. Not just handing them over, but doing so with great effort. Effort fitting to the weight of the burden.

Literal: Cast what He has given you

See the PROVIDENCE!! This burden, this way that I take, it is what He has given. The one who assigned the task designed the challenge. He is there and can be trusted to bring the solution about for us and through us. He has the answer.

 

 

"Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established." Proverbs 16:3

Again: Roll
Ma'seh: deed, labor, business, pursuit, enterprise, undertaking, achievement, product
Machashabah: thoughts, devices, plans, purposes, inventions

This verse has the feel of industry. A sense of work, production, efficiency, ingenuity. A sense of moving forward and leading rather than simply following a path. It has a sense of pro-activeness to it in contrast to the weight of the burdens and struggle of the previous verses.

 

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7

Again: Casting; throw upon; place upon
Merimna: care; anxiety
Melo: to care about

You do this, Lord, because you care.

You plan this journey, you give us these burdens, you design these cares so that we would exert ourselves in such a way that we must push them back upon you with an amount of effort that causes us to recognize your great providence, power, and love for us; along with our desperate need for it.

Whether I am pressing forward on a steep, uphill path; winding along on an unmarked road; struggling to breathe under the weight of my duties; formulating a creative plan with hope and wonder; or fretting over the fear of the unknowns, I can roll these onto you.

You choose this for me because you care. You promise I will not be shaken. I can cast these unto you with boldness. Walk in confidence, feeling safe and secure, because this is your doing and you will establish and complete your plan.

My way is Your Way.  Lovingly designed and chosen by you to draw me closer than I was.

Thank You.

Desires of Your Heart

April 3, 2013
Journal Entry:

Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

So many times I've read this and felt a tinge of embarrassment. It somehow feels selfish, like I am to pursue you, Lord, to get what I want. I don't want to think of you as a big Santa in the Sky.

Cross references:

 

"You have given him his heart's desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah" Psalm 21:2

 

What did the king receive?

v. 1 strength, salvation

v. 3 the blessings of good things, a crown of gold (kingship/position)

v. 4 length of days

v. 5 splendor and majesty

 

What did the king request of the Lord?

v. 4  Life

 

Of all the things you gave the king, the one thing requested was Life. The desire of his heart was Life.

 

Lord, this is my heart's desire. I praise you for the overwhelming gift of salvation - a new life of walking with you and being welomed into your presence through the work of Jesus Christ.  Lord, would you work in my heart that this gift of life would be full and alive within me? Lord, the power of spring - the glory of the ground and trees bursting forth - that is the life I long for in my life - Energy. Joy. Power.

 

"He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. " Psalm 145:19

 

 - a sense of salvation in the context; being rescued and helped in a time of trouble; Safety was the heart's desire

 

"  '(keep asking), and it will be given to you; (keep seeking), and you will find; (keep knocking), and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! ' " Matthew 7:7-8; 11

 

PROMISE!! 

 

There is a command and there is a promise. There is love in the these gifts, based up on the requests of a child. A child asks for what they simply desire - maybe not even knowing if it is best for them.  You will give what is good. Yet, you instruct and command: Keep Asking...Keep Seeking...Keep Knocking. You want us to Keep Pursuing You.

 

I am not that kind of parent.

 

My brain is adverse to those who continuously persist with their requests. Change my brain! Teach me to pursue you hard and not give up. Teach me to delight in repeatedly coming to you...asking...seeking...knocking...

 

Let me never give up laying my heart's desires before you, that they would be continually shaped and fulfilled by your good measures.

"God's word must be the guide of your desires, and the ground of your expectations in prayer;" - Matthew Henry, The Secret of Communion with God