Our Hearts Purified Through Suffering

 The pure in heart

will see God. We often think that if we fast enough, pray enough or read our Bibles enough, our hearts will automatically become pure. But, unfortunately, some who fast, pray & read the Bible the most, can have some of the most vile hearts. What is missing? God purifies our heart “through” suffering. What does that mean? Challenging occurrences, seasons & people (1) reveal what is in our heart (2) provide the opportunity for our heart to be cleansed (disciplined), by putting to practice the things that we have learned by: praying, reading the Bible & fasting. Remember, Israel was delivered from bondage “by the blood of the lamb.” But, “after” deliverance, they went into the wilderness & their heart was revealed. Unfortunately that generation failed the test. My prayer is that each of us will pass the test.

Matthew 5:8. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Hebrews 12:10-11 ERV 10 Our fathers on earth disciplined us for a short time in the way they thought was best. But God disciplines us to help us so that we can be holy like him. 11 We don’t enjoy discipline when we get it. It is painful. But later, after we have learned our lesson from it, we will enjoy the peace that comes from doing what is right.

Deuteronomy 8:2 ERV And you must remember the entire trip that the Lord your God has led you through these 40 years in the desert. He was testing you. He wanted to make you humble. He wanted to know what is in your heart. He wanted to know if you would obey his commands.

Hebrews 3:7-12 TLB 7-8 …be careful to hear his voice today and not let our hearts become set against him, as the people of Israel did. They steeled themselves against his love and complained against him in the desert while he was testing them. 9 But God was patient with them forty years, though they tried his patience sorely; he kept right on doing his mighty miracles for them to see. 10 “But,” God says, “I was very angry with them, for their hearts were always looking somewhere else instead of up to me, and they never found the paths I wanted them to follow.” 11 Then God, full of this anger against them, bound himself with an oath that he would never let them come to his place of rest. 12 Beware then of your own hearts, dear brothers, lest you find that they, too, are evil and unbelieving and are leading you away from the living God.

#IveGotWorkToDo

We Are Under Observation

Periodically God deals w/me in dreams. Obviously, you don’t share everything God shows you; you share what He permits or directs. This part I can share. Let me put it simply this way; we are under more direct “observation” than what we think. Yes, most of us know that God is “watching” us. However, we are being “observed.” Two definitions for “observe,” are, “To watch carefully the way something happens or the way someone does something, especially in order to learn more about it” (Cambridge). And, “If you observe a person or thing, you watch them carefully, especially in order to learn something about them” (Collins). God is definitely observing EVERYTHING we DO, SAY & THINK. Yes, we know that we are saved by grace & not works. But, trust me, we WILL be giving an account for our actions.

 

Jeremiah 17:10 ERV. But I am the Lord, and I can look into a person’s heart. I can test a person’s mind and decide what each one should have. I can give each person the right payment for what they do.

 

Luke 12:2-3 ERV. ² Everything that is hidden will be shown, and everything that is secret will be made known. ³ What you say in the dark will be told in the light. And what you whisper in a private room will be shouted from the top of the house.”

 

Romans 14:12 ERV. So each of us will have to explain to God about the things we do.

 

2 Corinthians 5:10 ERV. We must all stand before Christ to be judged. Everyone will get what they should. They will be paid for whatever they did—good or bad—when they lived in this earthly body.

 

Revelation 2:23 ERV. ….Then all the churches will see that I am the one who knows what people feel and think. And I will repay each of you for what you have done.

 

#IveGotWorkToDo

“Ain’t No Shame In My Game!” Rom 1:16

 

“Leg of Lamb!” Jn 19:31-37; Num 9:9-12

 

Strength For Difficult Situations!

 

If Benaiah (one of David’s mighty men) could slay a lion, in a pit on a snowy day; then God can give YOU strength to face AND conquer ALL of life’s challenges! #IveGotWorkToDo

 

2 Samuel 23:20 New International Version. Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.