Follow Your Heart
Have you noticed how often the encouraging words "follow your heart" is given in life changing situations? When relationships are on edge, Just follow your heart. When a ethics at work are on the line, Just follow your heart. When naming your new born child, just follow your heart. In many more ways that I can say that advice is often given. In one sense it's given to not take any responsibility for someones actions. In another sense it makes someone depend on their own life experiences to make a drastic call. Follow your heart.
God tells us that the heart of man seeks out wicked ways.
Jeremiah 17:5-10 (New International Version)
5 This is what the LORD says:
"Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who depends on flesh for his strength
and whose heart turns away from the LORD.6 He will be like a bush in the wastelands;
he will not see prosperity when it comes.
He will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
in a salt land where no one lives.7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.8 He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit."9 The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?10 "I the LORD search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward a man according to his conduct,
according to what his deeds deserve."
So now why would anyone dare suggestion that someone follow their heart?
Listen to Paul as he spoke in the book of Philippians.
Philippians 4:4-7 (New International Version)
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Listen for guidance and have faith in Christ alone for only He can guide you on the narrow path. Read your Bible the wisdom of timeless ages speak living words for today. You can then follow the right heart.
Unseen Fires
Matthew 7:21-23 (New International Version)
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
The late Pastor Paris Reidhead said it best and we must have this same drive.
“Lord Jesus, I’m going to obey you and love you and serve you and do what you want me to do, as long as I live even if I go to Hell at the end of the road,... simply because you are worthy to be loved and obeyed and served, and I’m not trying to make a deal with you.”
The Challenger
Usain Bolt is the worlds fastest man in the 100m dash at 9.69 seconds setting a new World Record. Beating out Richard Thompson (9.89), Walter Dix(9.91), Churandy Martina(9.93), Asafa Powell(9.95), Michael Frater(9.97), Marc Burns(10.01), and Darvis Patton(10.03).
Churandy set a national record for Netherlands Antille. While Thompson, Dix, and Frater set personal best records. Commentators say that if Bolt would of pushed himself through the line he would of smashed the record. Instead Bolt did a show boat finish coasting out the final few feet holding out his arms and beating his chest as he broke the tape. Some say he could of easily beat a 9.6 second run time.
Either way this guy is fast, very fast. If he was to maintain peak performance he would be hard pressed to find anyone that could beat him. The worlds second fastest came in at 9.89 and that .2 is like a mile at the speeds they are running. For a person in competitive sports they need someone to challenge them. They need a rival to square off against. But what if there is no challenger and they have only themselves to face?
For anyone the toughest challenger we face isn't our best friend, our coworker, our family. It's ourselves. Usain Bolt probably now realizes that after he read the morning paper. Now he's older and more worn down from the stress of his running. Chances are pretty good he'll never be able to beat or even match his old record. Had he continued to push, his record would remain untouchable for decades. But like Usain we go every day limiting ourselves to substandard task or mess it all up by showboating to draw a little attention to ourselves.
If we push hard, let no obstacles stand in our way, seek nothing but the satisfaction for a job well done, God will bless us.
This applies to many aspects of a Christians life. We feel the need to talk to someone yet we put a dampener on our self and don't do it. Kindness given to someone in need isn't given because we don't want to get embarrassed. Greed tells us not to help the homeless man who is starving out on the street because I want to super size my meal. Prejudice makes us look away from people of different color with out knowing the strength they hold in Christ. Envy makes us shy away from someone with a nicer house or car because we think we're not good enough to talk to them. And the shame of our sins keeps us stuck in dispare when there is a hand right there reaching out to us.
These are all limitation WE place on OURSELVES. Overcome these limitations by letting Christ be your coach and letting him break the bonds that tie us down. Confess it to God. "God I'm weak and I can't stand against these challenges by myself. I turn it over to you Jesus and I turn over my sins to you. I've been a liar, blasphemer, I've cheated and stole. I know you paid my fine for my sins and I accept that. With your help I will stay away from these sins. I only do so my life will bring honor and glory to you."
There is something you must understand though. A true Christian does not come to God seeking happiness and joy, money or fame. A true Christan seeks nothing but gives everything to God. You will be blessed, good things will happen. It's when you give it to Christ that you will be able to overcome your problems and with that the joy will be sweeter than when you didn't deserve it. The happiness will be everlasting when it wasn't warranted. Yes there will be challenges and it's something you should be seeking out to better yourself and to give glory to God and Jesus Christ. But now you have the Father to lead you on to victory.
If you need assistance please don't hesitate to contact me through the forums on miraclereports.org
God Bless
Rebuilding for God
From the book of Nehemiah (minor edits)
I (Nehemiah) questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.
They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire."
When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said:
"O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
"Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.'"They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man."
I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before; so the king asked me, "Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart."
I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"
The king said to me, "What is it you want?"Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."
Jerusalem laid in ruin and it's unfaithful people had been scattered into exile by God. Nehemiah went before his king with faith in God and asked for permission to rebuild the ruined city. Like Christians leaving the church, they are being scattered and here a few of us go before the King asking to rebuild this city.
"Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you. In all that has happened to us, you have been just; you have acted faithfully, while we did wrong...Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the warnings you gave them. Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways...."We will not neglect the house of our God."
The Microwave Church
Matthew 23
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
"Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.'
"But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
"Woe to you, blind guides! You say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?
You also say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.' You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and by the one who sits on it.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!
"You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.' "
