The cure for heart hardening

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever."
1 Chronicles 16:34
The Bible

I read a devotional today that used 1 Chronicles 16:7-36, which is titled "David's Psalm of Thanks," as a basis for talking about our hearts becoming hard. I know that for me, as a mom, well, as a wife, friend, daughter, and sister too, it's very easy for my heart to lose its softness. I can easily get caught up in my lists of all that I have to get done, and forget to feel, to care, to be thankful. Just as with our physical bodies being in great danger when our arteries are hardened, or when our hearts are not working properly, our spiritual and emotional pieces of us can be in danger if we let our hearts grow hard. Does this make sense? And really the only way to "cure" this drifting toward hard heartedness is to consistently spend time with the one who made this heart, to spend time in worship and in thankfulness, realizing that even when I am totally out of control, He has it all in control. He is good.

Not exactly daily...

Well, my intent when I started this blog was to give moms like me, or just anyone like me, small bite size pieces of truth to chew on, crumbs of inspiration if you will. :) Unfortunately life has gotten busier and busier and the lack of inspiration on here kind of parallels the lack of inspiring moments in my own life. It seems like lately the days whizz by without me taking a moment to close my eyes to lift them up, or to really be thankful for them. Soooo, I apologize. I am going to purpose to make this blog my morning accountability stop for my personal quiet time. Let's see how that goes tomorrow morning - hopefully I'll see you here!

More to this life

This song is just so powerful. How can you live life without believing this????

Funeral celebration

You live one final breath from your own funeral.

Which, from God’s perspective, is nothing to grieve. He responds to these grave facts with this great news: “The day you die is better than the day you are born” (Eccles. 7:1). Now there is a twist. Heaven enjoys a maternity-ward reaction to funerals. Angels watch body burials the same way grandparents monitor delivery-room doors. “He’ll be coming through any minute!” They can’t wait to see the new arrival. While we’re driving hearses and wearing black, they’re hanging pink and blue streamers and passing out cigars. We don’t grieve when babies enter the world. The hosts of heaven don’t weep when we leave it.

Oh, but many of us weep at the thought of death. Do you? Do you dread your death? And is your dread of death robbing your joy of life?

Jesus came to “deliver those who have lived all their lives as slaves to the fear of dying” (Heb. 2:15).

Your death may surprise you and sadden others, but heaven knows no untimely death: “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed” (Ps. 139:16).

Dread of death ends when you know heaven is your true home. In all my air travels I’ve never seen one passenger weep when the plane landed. Never. No one clings to the armrests and begs, “Don’t make me leave. Don’t make me leave. Let me stay and eat more peanuts.” We’re willing to exit because the plane has no permanent mailing address. Nor does this world. “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior” (Phil. 3:20).

Why don’t you do this: give God your death. Imagine your last breath, envision your final minutes, and offer them to him. Deliberately. Regularly. “Lord, I receive your work on the cross and in your resurrection. I entrust you with my departure from earth.” With Christ as your friend and heaven as your home, the day of death becomes sweeter than the day of birth.

From
Come Thirsty
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2004) Max Lucado

What a difference a change in perspective makes!! And who has the better, more accurate perspective? The God who is over all, or me, in the middle of it all?

Compassion

This is such a neat ministry. We've been sponsoring a child for years, and it's been a blessing to us, and to her, and real tangible way to teach our kids how to reach out with compassion.

From Dr. Jack Graham - good reminder, encouragement and challenge...

Does your life feel like it's falling apart at times? Maybe even today it seems as if the world is crumbling around you.

If so, let's take a moment to think about the life and living hope that we have because of Jesus, the chief Cornerstone.

Because of what Christ did for us on the cross, we've been set free from our past, fully and freely forgiven. Now, we've been given a life of purpose and significance.

In this life, we are no longer alone or isolated or living independently of God. We have been loved unconditionally and accepted into God's family. Which means we should live without fear of the future because we have this hope in Christ! He is sufficient for every hurt, for every habit, for every challenge and test in life.

But we must first choose to build our lives on the Rock. Our Scripture for today reminds us, "For it stands in Scripture: 'Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame'" (1 Peter 2:6).

Though rejected by others, if Jesus is the Cornerstone set in your life, there is consistence, strength, and significance.

Maybe you are wondering today why your life doesn't seem to fit together... why things aren't working out the way you had planned. If you're trying to build your life without Jesus, the Cornerstone, everything will ultimately fall apart.

As the old hymn says, "On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand, all other ground is sinking sand." Jesus is the solid Rock. So learn to consistently build your life upon Him... not on the things of this world!

PRAY AND ASK GOD'S GUIDANCE TODAY FOR THE CHALLENGES IN YOUR LIFE.

Held

Wow. It's been a while since I've heard this song, and this video clip has some pictures that just tear at your heart. Listen to the words though... In the middle of this crazy screwed up world, God is holding out His arms to hold you, to hold you tight and cry with you... This is what it means to be held....

Who's in charge?

"Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it can not explain who set the planets in motion. God governs all things and knows all that is or can be done."

Sir Isaac Newton

This is spoken by the man who first discovered gravity, a very very wise man. Why is it now that you can't be smart and believe this stuff? Why is there only one acceptable way of thinking in our schools in this regard?

God is in charge, and will be whether we agree that to be the case or not. Someday we will all realize that...

Sir Isaac Newton

Sir Isaac Newton... What do you think of? The apple on the head and gravity, right?

I just read a really good article all about him, tons of info about all of the other things that he discovered, and worked on, in his life. He really was a brilliant man.

Here's a quote from Newton that surprised me:

"This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being... This Being governs all things, not as the soul of the world, but as Lord over all; and on account of his dominion he is wont to be called Lord God..., or Universal Ruler.."

Why wasn't that take included in my science textbooks?

What happened?

"How have we grown so deaf? How have we grown so immune to awesomeness? Why are we so reluctant to be staggered or thunderstruck?

Perhaps the frequency of miracles blinds us to their beauty. After all, what spice is there in a springtime or a tree blossom? Don't the seasons come every year? Aren't there countless seashells just like this one?

Bored, we say Ho-hum and replace the remarkable with the regular, the unbelievable with the anticipated. Science and statistics wave their unmagic wand across the face of life, squelching the oohs and aahs and replacing them with formulas and figures.

Would you like to see Jesus? Do you dare be an eyewitness of His Majesty? Then rediscover amazement.

The next time you hear a baby laugh or see an ocean wave, take note. Pause and listen as His majesty whispers ever so gently, "I'm here."

Max Lucado, God Came Near

Often hear of our need for childlike faith. Again, it fits here. How often do my kids pull me aside to look at something that amazes them, and I barely glance as I do "important stuff"? How much I have I missed? Subtly, I've allowed the "grown up world" to rob me of amazement. I've allowed my life to become a series of to do lists. Yikes! Today I put on my list to play with my kids, blow bubbles, be amazed!

The ropes

"..The ropes used to tie his hands and the soldiers used to lead him to the cross were unnecessary. They were incidental. Had they not been there, had there been no trial, no Pilate and no crowd, the very same crucifixion would have occurred. Had Jesus been forced to nail himself to the cross, he would have done it. For it was not the soldiers that killed him, nor the screams of the mob: it was his devotion to us."

Max Lucado, God Came Near

Wow. I am so undeserving of that kind of devotion, that kind of love. And when I know of a love like this, that desires to be freely given, how selfish I am to not share it with everyone I meet! There is a special Someone who loved you enough to give everything for you!!!

Pits

An excerpt from Christianity.com's daily email devotional:

When people dig a pit for somebody else, they end up falling into it themselves. In fact, Proverbs 26:27 says it most directly,
"Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him."

Pretty plain, isn't it? If you are asking God to get you out of a pit, you need to take time to consider if it is a pit of your own construction. If you have done something to get someone else in trouble--even if you think you are justified in doing it because that person has hurt you--you need to repent. Until there is repentance, God will not intervene.

God is not going to get you out of your pit while you have a shovel in your hand.

How many of the times in my life when I feel the most alone, and well, in the pits, is that very pit of my own making? I do need to stop and think on this. I do need to repent more often, to really admit that I have done something wrong and ask forgiveness. It 's not a natural thing, or an easy thing, but then again, the right things seldom are.

In the flesh

“When God chose to reveal himself, he did so(surprise of surprises) through a human body. The tongue that called forth the dead was a human one. The hand that touched the leper had dirt under its nails. The feet upon which the woman wept were calloused and dusty. And his tears.. oh, don’t miss the tears… they came from a heart as broken as yours or mine has ever been.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses.”
So, people came to him. My, how they came to him! They came at night; they touched him as he walked down the street; they followed him around the sea; they invited him into their homes and placed their children at his feet. Why? Because he refused to be a statue in a cathedral or a priest in an elevated pulpit. He chose instead to be Jesus…

Remember that.

Remember that the next time you find yourself amazed at your own failures.
Or the next time acidic accusations burn holes in your soul…
Remember. It is a man who creates the distance. It is Jesus who builds the bridge.

“Just call me Jesus.””

God Came Near – Max Lucado

The baby Jesus with the glowing halo shown in all the Nativity scenes never existed. Jesus existed, but he was a person that wouldn’t have jumped out in the crowd for most of his life. He put himself in the position to have to live a “regular” life, full of joys and full of disappointments. Because He chose to live out this life, He does understand. He really does. That is such a comfort to me. He understands me and He still chooses to love me!!!!

Resource

A neat resource I have found just recently is www.Christianity.com . There are TONS of articles there, email devotionals to sign up for, blogs to browse, just lots of good stuff. Just wanted to share :)

A love worth giving

This sounds like an excellent book - I'll be looking for this one and reading this very very soon!

David Whiting Live

Before we moved, we attended North Baptist Church in Rochester, NY, and I have to say that I truly miss sitting under the teaching of the lead pastor there. He has a great combination of directness, accuracy, relevancy, and compassion in his messages that is hard to find. Recently he started up a blog that I've set up feed for on the sidebar. It's from www.davidwhitinglive.com . I just thought it might be fun to share. I've also embedded one of his messages on compassion as a podcast. Enjoy!

Powered by Podbean.com

Time to leave

“And you can be sure of one thing. Among the voices that found their way into that carpentry shop in Nazareth was your voice. Your silent prayers uttered on tearstained pillows were heard before they were said. Your deepest questions about death and eternity were answered before they were asked. And your direst need, your need for a Savior, was met before you ever sinned.

And not only did he hear you, he saw you. He saw your face in shame the hour you first fell. The same face that looked back at you from this morning’s mirror, looked at him. And it was enough to kill him.

He left because of you.

He laid his security down with his hammer. He hung tranquility on the peg with his nail apron. He closed the window shutters on the sunshine of his youth and locked the door on the comfort and ease of anonymity.

Since he could bear your sins more easily than he could bear the thought of your hopelessness, he chose to leave.

It wasn’t easy. Leaving the carpentry shop never has been.”

Max Lucado, God Came Near

You know, I really do believe this stuff. I do. I believe that the Jesus we talk about at Christmas really did do what He said He was going to. I believe that the Bible really is a true collection of things that really did happen, just they way it says they did. I believe that because of this all there really is hope in this seemingly hopeless world.

The troubling part of that is that since I really do believe that, why don’t I live like it? Why isn’t my life markedly different from the lives of those around me who don’t have the same beliefs? The same hopes?

I guess it’s time for me to leave the carpentry shop in my life, and to step out and really live like I should be. Not easy. Not comfortable. Right.

It's a Gift

“Bloodstained royalty. A God with tears. A creator with a heart. God became earth’s mockery to save His children.

How absurd to think that such nobility would go to such poverty to share such a treasure with such thankless souls.

But he did.

In fact, the only thing more absurd than the gift is our unwillingness to receive it.”

Max Lucado, God Came Near

How dense we people are!!