oneminuteministry

First Love

Revelation 2:4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

This summer, without a doubt, has been the most trying in every area of my life. From incredible heat that works on my aging body, to seemingly endless work problems, complaints, and difficulties to the point of questioning my profession. The work load has pulled me away from my family, and drained me to the point of little, sporadic time, with my Lord. My hearts pursuit of daily time with him early every morning, has been replaced by needed physical rest, and mental escape from the worldly stresses that invade. The physical and mental strains have morphed into a roller-coaster of emotions, a draining ride of anxiety and depression that kills the motivation of life. I am tired in every sense, but this morning, He showed me why in prayer, reminding me of the passage above; my heart had lost my first love.

When we read Christ’s warnings to the churches in Revelation, it should not only be seen as a warning to some that have fallen in their faith, but likely we should see ourselves in these descriptions. Scholars argue about the meanings behind them as scholars do, but there is a simplicity in every one. Jesus commends all that Sardis does well here, but has even the church lost the why, even lost in religion, even lost their love for the one they seem religious for? 2 I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. They are commended for so much, even for their hearts agony over the evil that surrounds them, but somewhere in there is lost the why of all their actions and motivations. All throughout the Bible questions our heart for God. Christianity at it’s simplest form all about the condition of the heart, and sadly the religiosity, the same battles Jesus condemned, are prevalent in today’s churches and society. We believe we are earning our way into heaven with our list of what we have done, and what we haven’t done, or dare I say even just repented for and claimed the hyper-grace that will condemn many to Hell? Christianity is all about the condition of one’s heart, and only God knows your condition, and why you do and think every thing you do. What is the greatest commandment in the Bible? Matthew 22:35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

God knows your heart, why you think and do, every thing you think and do, or even abstain from either. God knows your heart, it’s level of religion, and it’s level of love. God knows the faces you put on, the sins you hide, and the desires of all you have in life. There are many Christians that aren’t really Christians in God’s eyes; we may view them as such, but what will his reply be on Judgement Day? If he is tugging at you, respond by pursuing him in prayer and his Word. If he is showing you something painful, all throughout Revelation is the call to repent for the churches torepent and draw near to him, for that is the first step of showing one’s love, a humble repentant hearts plea, and the desire for forgiveness, and the desire to draw nearer to the One you love the most.

Repentance is the first step up

Mark 7:20-23 And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

There can be good that comes out of the battle of depression; at the bottom of our pits we can only look up, and we realize our need for God to get out of there. In these days of tormenting battles of the mind, Satan does some of his best work pointing out failures in life. He dwells there in the agony of the pain, in the strains of the mind, many times accompanied by physical pain. My testimony was one of pride, one of physical strength, now Satan dwells in daily pain at an elevated level only I know; my body is physically hurting, and Satan uses that door to create diversion tactics in the spiritual world. It really is simple how he uses the distraction to elevate many areas we unknowingly, or even such, to tug us to, and to point out sins to a heart that is already hurting. These tactics seemingly begin to swirl into the drain of despair.

I have had talks with people who didn’t understand repentance, or even acknowledge their need for it, and I shook the dust from my feet over it. Repentance is humbling cleansing part of a Christians life, and the beginning of salvation is one’s realization of it. Jesus was speaking to the battle of legalism with the religious of the day here; there were those that rather to follow the traditions of men, rather than God who stood before them. They believed how you eat, what you eat, all played into salvation, and in Jesus’s own words, he clarified it by saying the body poops it all out :-). Jesus said what defiles the man is the sin that is within him, and he gives an extensive list that likely all of us can attest personally to every one. Even if you have not outwardly committed, the sin in your mind has lusted over sins in this list. Matthew 5:28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So many times in our heart we think evil thoughts toward people almost daily; we lust after things others have, we wish evil things, we refuse to ask for help, we…..the list could go on and on and more personal with each of us. Our minds are steep in sin, before Jesus, and after Jesus. The difference the Gospel of Jesus brings, is the forgiveness of all our sins, past, present, and future. He accomplished what no amount of religions perfection can do; the Law pointed us to our need for a Savior, and all these traditions grew from it, but not one can save by it.

The world is growing more evil around us every day. The need for us to spend more time in God’s Word and prayer is evident in the level of evil around us, and within us. The battles of depression show us our weaknesses, and our need for daily repentance and forgiveness. The more we focus on the world, the more we are dragged into the pit of it. Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. Let God do a work in you, even when you feel you are at your lowest point. Let God show you the need for repentance, and the promise of cleansing that comes from him. Let God show you the paradise that awaits you even when this world seems to be all that matters. Let God show you that he is even using the lows, to make the highs even greater. The farther you go down, the greater your ascent with him will be.

Into the Unknown

John 5:20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

Do you really want to know? Do you really want to see things as God sees them? Do you really want to see levels of good and evil that play out in the secret society of a spiritual realm? Do you really want to know what is hidden behind the closed door? It is much easier for us to pass through this life without knowing the truth. It is much easier to believe, to judge on appearances presented to us, than to be given glimpses of truth. It is much easier to not have the gift of discernment, and to have the gift of faith, believing what is before us. With gifts come burdens, and the burdens grow as the gift grows. The paths that God takes you down as he wroughts out sanctification for the remainder of your life, where he works to conform you into the image of his Son, will lead you into the uncomfortable, to where genuine faith lies. He will take you to where you can’t rely upon yourself, can’t rely on past levels of faith, where you are called to step out into the unknown, to step out onto the water as Peter did. Matthew 14:28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.  There are things we must see in that passage about Peter. Peter asked if it was God’s will for him to move, Peter in faith moved, and when Peter’s faith weakened, he sank.

Our country founded upon faith in God, is beginning to reap a judgement of God, just as he did throughout the Old Testament, and proclaimed throughout the Bible he will do. Our nation is in trouble, and God wants to use many of us proclaiming Christianity to speak the truth, to call for a nation to repent, to call for repentance that begins with our own sins, and lead others into a humble hearts plea for Jesus to save us. Jesus saves nations one soul at a time. Are you feeling the tug of your faith? Is God stirring your heart for a much deeper walk with him? Is Satan casting his net of doubt and fear causing you to sink as Peter did? When you begin to look at your surroundings, this world that Satan rules, you will sink in fear, and not claim the divine authority given you as a child of God. You have victory in Jesus over the defeated foe that only seeks to destroy all he can before he is cast into hell. You can only fight the demonic with heavenly power; you can only defeat Satan with Jesus, and the only offensive weapon you are given is the Bible, which is the only weapon you need, because it is the word of God!!!!

Is God stirring your heart like he is mine? Is he tugging at your soul as a soldier of Jesus Christ to fight the good fight? You at your core, truly know the gifts you have been given by God. You can through prayer and reflection realize how God has been shaping them all your life. He is making you into a soldier of a heavenly army, and he is calling you to step out in a greater faith than the comfortable Christianity of Sunday’s alone. Jesus said your love for him must be greater than anything and anyone. You must forsake all to be his disciple, and as his disciple you must seek to do his will for your life at whatever level he calls you for the day. Fast and pray and seek to know what his plans for you are. Your confirmation will come in God’s Word, and your next step of faith will be etched in eternity pages. Step out in faith as Peter did.

#StupidSatan

Pslam 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

I have never shied away from being willing to share about my struggles with anxiety and depression; both are seemingly hidden troubles, that play out in the open for all to see. These are inner battles with many faces; mine I have come to label my “thorn in the flesh” for they are mostly spiritual warfare, direct attacks from mine enemy below. Those with like struggles share some strange bond, for they understand the roller-coaster of life that these highs and lows bring. This season in life, particularly this summer, has brought elevated struggles in both arenas. The pressures in life we all face, the busyness of life we all face, the muddled priorities of life that skew our focus away from eternity, as life becomes a twisted mess of emotions and fears. Satan prowls around like a lion, preying on the weak, seeking whom he may devour in these seasons of doubt and fear we face. With swift blows he attacks our thoughts, pointing out failures, sins, and struggles that we have faced in life. The blows many times are extremely personal, painful, and in some strange way true, but, we must remember God has allowed every step and breath of life we have been GIVEN, and all our struggles can be used to draw glory to the God who has allowed it all, to reach someone with our testimony of his sovereignty, mercy, and grace through Jesus Christ; Good News with the simple understanding of sin in the midst of the bad news.

God would not let me sleep, and I knew this scripture was on my mind from him as I sat on the front porch and prayed before 5am. As I came in and read this Psalm, I could not help but reflect on the present state of our nation. We are in the midst of a likely coming judgment of God upon us, a pending state of affairs that will reveal the level of sin we are as a nation. I know God has called me to a repentance ministry, and the time is for us to repent, to turn from sin and know that God will guard us against our enemies just as his did Israel in this Psalm. In the study of this Psalm, it points out the promises kept by God to Abraham, when God just told him to go, to leave everything, and that God would eternally bless generations through his obedience (Genesis 12:1-3). God is allowing all this political upheaval, because in the midst of chaos, we must understand God is still in control. He will use the coming poor leadership of this country in ways we cannot imagine, for his thoughts are not our thoughts, nor his ways our ways, but for those called according to his purposes, he works it all for good.

I know not what the future holds, but God holds the future. I know not what tomorrow brings, but I know what God says about today. Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Worry, even elevated fear that goes into anxiety, is always a future event; likely one you cannot control past the present time and decisions. Stay on point, stay focused on the day, the hour, the present decision you face, looking at it with the reality of the small weight of eternity in view. Is what is troubling you having eternal consequence? I have come to realize that many times my greatest battles are directly relation to my limited time in God’s Word. Skewed priorities make for a warped sense of eternity, and only God through his Word can straighten the path.

Don’t Be Trampled

Luke 14:33-35 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. 34 “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

When God puts a passage in front of you three times in a week, you had better pay attention. When we ask God for a sign, we had better be prepared for it. Sometimes it is like a whack on the head, always in scripture, and prayer and time there bring revelation. God is NEVER going to give you any revelation that is not confirmed in his Word; how will you know it is from God if you are not seeking him there? How will you feel this powerful word from the Lord, this great thing that has stirred you, if you don’t look to the Bible for confirmation of this epiphany? Your revelation is not heavenly if it is not found in the Holy Book.

Sometimes the things that have stirred us bring convictions; these can be heavenly reminders of sin, and the solutions found to them in Jesus. These revelations many times are pointing out where our relationship is faltering with our Savior; the One who gave his life for us, wants the same from us. That is where many of us fail. We add Jesus to our checklist; praying some prayer and going to church, but even if he is at the top of our checklist, we have moved on to something else, considering it completed. Pray and read and study the Gospels where Jesus talks about the cost of discipleship; forsaking all for him, just as he did for you. So many times we forget that Jesus stepped down from heaven to die an unthinkable death, for those that hated him. Stepped down from heaven………let that sink in. Forsaking all to be his disciple is a matter of the heart; not necessarily selling all and living a life of the missionary (but to some he does call; “rich young ruler parable, and lovers of money). Forsaking all means in your heart you love and will follow him with a daily life of seeking him and his will for your daily life. (Repetition of daily was intentional.) An abiding soul is a soul that seeks God every single day in prayer and his Word. If you are not, you are not abiding, and if you are not abiding, you are not in the will of God. John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Yep…..if you are not seeking him daily, you are doing life on your power, and failing without his power.

Our nation is crumbling currently; poor leadership and division at all levels; Satan is getting victories because of the judgement of God on our sin as a nation. Many a pastor has kept silent in their pulpits and not preached on sin and the hell that awaits the sinner. We have become a spineless society bending continually for the fear of offending someone. God called prophets throughout the Bible to preach repentance to sinful nations. If you are spending daily time seeking God in prayer and his Word you will recognize the state of society. He is calling you to be the salt of society as his disciple; point our sin and point them to Jesus who will forgive their sin. As Jesus sent his Apostles out, he sternly warned them of the opposition they would face, and the reward of their obedience. Matthew 10:26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. You have nothing to fear in life, life or death, or persecution, or earthly condemnation when you abide in Jesus, as Jesus’ disciple. He wants you to seek him daily in prayer and his Word; to build in you a testimony to him, to be the salt and light to a dark world. He want to use you for this short time here to draw others to join you in heaven with him. How will you ever experience true heaven, heavenly paradise, if you are not able to live this life for the One who died to give you eternal life? There is peace amongst the chaos when you truly live in no fear of what others think, say, or do towards you, because you know God called you to preach from the rooftops a gospel of repentance, to a nation that needs to hear it.

Just don’t eat the bugs

Matthew 3:1-3 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’ “

I never really cared what people thought; in the days before Christ it lead to a life of freedom in sin, deep in sin, and speaking my mind came easy. In these days after Christ, I have come to realize that same character trait, He is using for good. I have the freedom to understand that I only answer to Jesus eternally, and I will answer for all I say, do, and think; even those same things in omission, where I was too scared of what I might say or do, for fear of what others might think. Sadly, many of us, including many pastors, mold our life around what others think of us. It weakens our faith and it causes many to stumble. Many a pastor will answer to God about why their sermons were so watered down with a soft gospel. You must ask yourself if your preacher ever talks about Hell, the place God made for the evil to reside for eternity. You must ask yourself is it really Good News, if you don’t have a true understanding of the bad news.

John the Baptist, in Jesus’ words, was the greatest man who ever lived. He came to prepare us to hear of the coming Lord Jesus. His message was very simple to a sinful society; repent, turn from your sin, and live your lives free from sin in faith in God. It was not only to the sinner, but a message to the religious. It was a message for all those people that thought they earned their salvation through their works; Sunday church attendance will not get you into heaven. Heaven is found in the heart, a heart softened by God first, many times through trials, and how you respond will determine your eternal destiny. All those questions that arise about God and eternity, that is God with his plow tilling the soil of your soul. You can be the most prideful Pharisee of your family, Bible knowledge full, and in church every Sunday, then one day you get whacked on the head with the reality of the Gospel; you can’t earn it without that humble heart that understands Jesus did it all. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

I don’t mind, and consider it a humble honor, to be called by God to preach repentance to those in my circle of influence. I have no problem pointing out sin, because my list of sins is extensive, and I can show you the freedom from them now. God has likely built a similar testimony in you; you have a life before and after Christ if you truly know him as your savior. Be bold in your faith; care not what others think, but only what Jesus thinks. He died for you, to save you from sin, just as he did those people that are before you every day. How much would you have to hate them to not share that Good News with them. Be like John today, a prophet in the wilderness, crying our for repentance; just don’t eat the bugs.

Overcoming Daily Struggles

John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

I am no different from you. If you had any idea the level of my personal struggles and sins, you wouldn’t listen to me. If you thought I had all of life together, a perfect family, a stress free life, a life of blessing that God poured out on me, or dare I say prosperity that is preached today, you would be totally wrong. The level of my sin before Christ, means my daily battles with sin are still great. The perfect family relationships do not exist, for Satan seeks to divide the family, and he is very good at it. The stresses of life are compounded daily because I try not to seek the stress relief by means that the world condones, and proclaims falsely will help. Satan has such power in sin, there are days he seeks diligently to persuade me life was better before Jesus. Sometimes I think of how he did the same with Jesus at the top of the world; “look at all this you can have…..now.” Temporal pleasures with eternal consequences; you must understand that. All of us put on our Christian smiles and greet each other with smiles and hugs hiding the truth that lies within. Satan has victories in the church hiding behind those smiles.

John understands the life of Jesus’ disciple; he understood these words that Jesus spoke to them and to you now. Your life is going to be difficult as a disciple of Jesus. This entire chapter of John is about an abiding relationship with Jesus; someone who truly seeks to live their daily life with Him. Jesus tells us of how we can truly do nothing without him, without that type of relationship with him. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. So many times we don’t grasp that statement; even in our pride of religion, we loose the humility of a humble hearts understanding. Jesus goes on with the incredible realization of election; of the understanding that God chooses us, we do not choose God; he knows the plans of our lives outside of the limits of time, which our limited minds cannot comprehend. Jesus tells them and us of how the world is against us, because we are living against the world. He came to save us from the punishment of sin that the world proclaims is such a false pleasure. So, Satan, and all those with him, hate us, for as Jesus’ disciples, we proclaim the rescue from Hell that awaits those who do not know or deny the Gospel. That eternal war in the spiritual realm, is what is played out every day in the life of a disciple of Jesus Christ. It is a war, and war has consequence.

Daily time in prayer and God’s Word is the only hope to maintain the abiding relationship Jesus speaks about. The less time I spend there (such as recently), the greater victories Satan has in all aspects of my life. Jesus spoke of the heart’s benefit in that relationship; 11 These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. Only the heart that is truly seeking him each day, sees through the pain to the eternal victory, the victory at the cross and the eternal reward to those who abide. Separate yourself from society; seek God today with all your heart, mind, body, and soul. Live out the greatest commandment and seek for him to grant you wisdom to face the daily struggles that will come, with the strength of the One who has overcome.

Nations change one soul at a time

Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

I truly feel this is where our nation is at; so far from God, so openly mocking God, turning our backs on him, that he is giving many of us over to our sins, from the top leaders of our nation down to us little people. We as a nation are beginning to feel, what fills the pages of history in the Bible, in the Old Testament when God judged sins of our fathers. The warnings are clear, the proofs are written in black ink on white pages, God will not put up with it but for so long; we must give an account to, and we will pay for turning our backs on God. The leaders of our nation are far from God fearing people, they are many times what fills this context of Romans 1 passage; the travesties of justice seem unfathomable, the lines and laws are changed to fit the corrupt; law becomes law no more when necessary to change the law to protect the crooked. Even God has allowed these people into power, to use them in judgement of our sin. The OT speaks clearly of kingdoms God raised up to judge other kingdoms sins. God also used the power of peoples prayers to heal kingdoms; those who listened to prophets warnings and repented were many times spared God’s wrath; sadly some times it was only postponed because of the lure of sin was so deep into society.

It is truly sad how so many of us think we control the political realm; it is sad how we get wrapped up in the contests of those we think when elected will become saviors of our nation. The two we likely will choose from will either lead us into war with his proud tyrants, or weaken us so deeply at the core that we will be overthrown within. If ever there was a time of two evil choices, that is where we are at; all we can do is pray for our nation to repent. 2 Chronicles 7:14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Paul writes in Romans one here, an unpopular passage because of the direct addressing of homosexualities sin, but also a list of many of our deep sins of idolatry, (anything we place above God). 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. We as a nation idolize self at the top of our list; we do whatever makes us feel good, and sadly the heresy of universalism is growing (all paths lead to God). Never, ever, ever believe that lie (COEXIST) – John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. When you began to pursue God with all your heart, he will open your heart to the truths of his Word. When you began to seek God in prayer and his Word each day, he will begin to show you things about himself, and yourself, you did not know before. A true relationship with him begins in your heart, and changing your heart, is how he changes a nation, how he changes history, by one humble soul that truly seeks him above all else. Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Front End Alignment

Philippians 4:6-8 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things.

It was only a few days ago, while sorting through a backlog of 400 emails early one morning, that God spoke to me about how far I had strayed from him. He showed me how the world had taken away my focus, exhausted me physically and mentally, and even hidden in the financial blessing was the curse of a heart focused on the world and not eternity. It was a slow fade into where I have found myself; trying to solve worldly problems, setting worldly goals, and full of worldly disappointments. I was blessed to glimpse the level of spiritual warfare in these things, the timing of many things, but I tried to not let Satan take me down the paths of depression and defeat that he desired in the spiritual realm of this realization. Satan will gladly use that tug of God’s blessing of discernment, to tug your heart into the pit of depression. When you feel the convictions of sin, a humble heart of agreement that leads into repentance, is the wheel that changes the direction of focus of one’s mind. I cannot imagine the level of a heart of pride that does not understand the cleansing of repentance before our Lord; it is not the pride of life that believes we can fix it, but the humility that realizes we can’t without Jesus. The level of your relationship with Jesus is clearly evident in the gauge of your humble spirit in life.

I had seen parts of this passage above in a daily scripture this morning. In prayer the word “align” came to me, and I began to look it up, but to no avail. I remembered this passage, and it clearly spoke of one’s heart aligned to God. As I read at the beginning of chapter four, I saw of the struggles of anxiety and depression the world brings; I saw the peace of the heart that truly seeks God, and the blessing of God found in that heart that seeks him. I have many times quoted Philippians 4:7, the peace of God that the world desires, yet pursues by worldly means, never finding peace or happiness without Jesus as their focus in life. Paul is writing of this focus, writing of our hearts desires, writing of the blessings of God found in the hearts desire of one’s focus on the things of life found in prayer and his Word. The time spent in both directly relate to the peace found in life; the time in both allow you to see the good in things, to see the sovereign hand of God in situations that the world condemns; to know that everything in life has passed through his permission. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

This world is falling away from God, but at the same time in that tragedy, is that many are returning to God. God is raising up people like you to speak the truth, to prophesy to the world of their need for repentance just like in the Old Testament. This nation is about to suffer the hand of God’s judgement, and God is likely stirring many of you to come to him. The decisions you make when you feel the tug of God on your heart have eternal consequences. Do not let this crazy messed up world take your eyes off the next. Do not let your alignment with God, be off so much you can’t remain in the center of the road of life with him.

Blank Days

Luke 22:31-32 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

I sat down on the front porch to pray as the sun arose; so few words came…..I came into my secret place and prayed again for Him to guide me in his Word…..my mind just seemed blank this morning. In my heart I desired a powerful prayer, and the deep things of God, but my body is tired. This week has been a week that stretched my physically, and my mind and the pressures of business continue to work on me. My soul deep within wants the special times with God, but the pressures of the world win the battle, with thoughts of work flooding my head; I am simply tired, and thankful for the rest I found in the time searching scriptures, and stopping at the passage above; Jesus prayed for the zealous Peter, just as Jesus prays for my zealous self. Jesus, and the level of faith in him, are all a matter of your heart. Your heart is your gauge of your faith.

Jesus had just spent the incredible special time of the Last Supper with his disciples. He had told them of the days of persecution to come, of the betrayal to come, and even of Peter’s denial to come following this scripture above. Can you imagine the weight of the words of Christ that Peter heard? Peter was outspoken, quick to react, and a leader among leaders. Peter would fail in his flesh, but even in his failure, Jesus used the fall to strengthen Peter, and to further the kingdom. What a testimony built in the pillar of the church. God knows your heart; the motives before the actions, or even the acts of omission, the refusal to move because of the fear of the result; you can hide nothing from God. Psalm 44:21 Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.

If you claim to believe, you are a chosen child of God. The deep doctrinal arguments of election are throughout the Bible, but no one can come to God unless God chooses them, tugs at their hearts, and they respond in faith. John 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. Just as Jesus prayed for Peter, he and the Holy Spirit are interceding for you before God right now. Jesus is reminding God of the price he paid for your sins, and the Spirit is telling God what is on your heart when you can’t find the words to say. Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Your life doesn’t have to be that of a religious Pharisee, but of one of a humble heart that seeks God with all of it. He knows the days you struggle, but he also knows the level of your heart for him.