Welcome back to Heartstrings!

Like many of you this week has been a trial of some sort. All the way we can be assured that the Lord is with us. Mine was due to a spider bite. Infection set in and I wondered why God allowed this. Haven't you had those thoughts at times? But, everywhere I turned it seemed my Bible was speaking the same message. God is so much more involved in shaping our soul into the image of His Son, that a simple spider bite can be used to get a message across to a simple minded person like me.

I read this yesterday from Streams in the Desert. Authored by Margaret Bottome. "Triumphing over them in it" Colossians 2:15. That is the real triumph--triumphing over sickness, in it; triumphing over death, dying; triumphing over adverse circumstances, in them. Oh, believe me, there is a power that can make us victors in the strife. There are heights to be reached where we can look down and over the way we have come, and sing our song of triumph on this side of heaven. We can make others regard us as rich, while we are poor, and make many rich in our poverty. Our triumph is to be in it. Christ's triumph was in His humiliation. Possibly our triumph, also, is to be made manifest in what seems to others humiliation."

It might be your trial is one of fear. You come to a point where you wonder what's the use? If you have that thought, take care my friend, return to Christ and forget the lies you are paying attention to! The enemy wants to rob you blind to the message and evidence of hope. Turn your whole heart to Jesus. Don't worry how messed up you are. He already paid for that healing on the cross and when He rose from the dead He conquered the liar.

Take this from Matthew 10:26 where Jesus says, "So have no fear of them; for nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, or kept secret that will not become known." And it goes on to tell us that the Father takes notice when even a little sparrow falls. Are you not of more value to Him than these? Do you have an answer?

There is so much about the Love of God for people in the Bible. But, you have to open it and read for yourself. Take it off the shelf or that nice coffee table where it is supposed to impress others. God sees your heart and mine.

I had a thought this morning that if in all the crazy happenings of our world this would be my last message to you what would I say? I have to say what Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the LORD with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths." Amen.

This is what I keep coming back to on my own journey with God. Each time I read God's Love Letter to me it is as fresh and new as the first time. Only now am I understanding. All those years I thought were wasted in religion and trying to keep the laws, always finding failure waiting on my pillow each night...now I find peace just like Proverbs 3:24 says, "When yo lie down, you shall not be afraid; yes, you shall lie down, and your sleep shall be sweet." Read on and find your peace!

Let me end with this little poem. "When each earthly prop gives under, and life seems a restless sea, are you then a God-kept wonder, satisfied and calm and free?" 

The Lord bless you as you glorify Him in the fires in the matchless name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Abundance is...you will not be burned

Do you know the One Who made you? Are you sure He has a plan for your life? Consider this with me from Romans 11:32-36.

"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgments (His decisions)! And how untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)!

~ For who has known the mind of the Lord and who has understood His thoughts, or who has [ever] been His counselor? [Isaiah 40: 13-14].

~ Or who has first given God anything that he might be paid back or that he could claim a recompense?

~For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. [For all things originate with Him and come from Him; all things live through Him, and all things center in and tend to consummate and to end in Him.] To Him be glory forever! Amen (so be it)."

Praise the matchless name of the Lord! I really think I will spend the rest of my life learning to know God. Every word, every picture, I find Him waiting for me to draw near to Him for an intimate relationship. Only because of Jesus sacrifice for my sins is this powerful image of God able to change my mind from being distant and rather lazy to where I am today. And, there is so much further to go! The Holy Spirit abides in me forever as Jesus promised and so forward I will continue to be transformed into His image.

Prepare us Lord for eternity with You. You have called us. Do a new work in our hearts to follow hard after You. Beginning today. I pray this in the matchless name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Abundance is...I give my life to You (Romans 12:1-2)

Good afternoon Heartstrings family

There is nothing more powerful and eternal than the Word of God. Will you let Him speak to you today?

Psalm 1:1-3 says, "Blessed (Happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and  rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather. ~

But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. ~

And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity]."

Jeremiah 17:7-8 says, "[Most] blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in, and relies on the Lord, and whose hope and confidence the Lord is. ~

For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear when heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease yielding fruit."

So, Father since You have spoken, I will believe. I will trust in, cling to and rely on Your precious Word knowing it will always be for all eternity. Thank you for this day in the matchless name of Jesus and in the power of Your Spirit, amen.

One more scripture for us to learn before we make decisions and plans. Proverbs 16:3 and 9 says, "Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed...A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure." 

Have a blessed day walking with the Lord in the abundance of His provision and everlasting love. Amen.

Abundance is...found in His Word

Dear friends and family,

Are your eyes on the Word of God? That is where I want to keep my focus. No matter what my circumstances appear like, I want my response to be one of praise and so magnify the name of the Lord. Amen?

These are some of David's thoughts. Psalm 16. Pause for time to reflect on this in light of your own situation. You will be comforted.

Psalm 16:1-11 says, "Keep and protect me, O God, for in You I have found refuge, and in You do I put my trust and hide myself. ~ I say to the Lord, You are my Lord; I have no good beside or beyond You. ~ As for the godly (the saints) who are in the land, they are the excellent, the noble, and the glorious, in whom is all my delight. ~ Their sorrows shall be multiplied who choose another god; their drink offerings of blood will I not offer or take their names upon my lips."

Haven't you found that there are idols everywhere you look? Do they talk to your heart words of comfort founded on truth? Do they hear your unspoken prayers? Can they feel your pain and loneliness? They are just dumb idols made by the hands of man.

If you ask the Lord to open your eyes you will find His precious ones. You are not alone. 

"The Lord is my chosen and assigned portion, my cup; You hold and maintain my lot. ~ The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good heritage. ~ I will bless the Lord, Who has given me counsel; yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons. ~ I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved."

Have you given your whole heart to the Lord Jesus? Do you find that no matter where you are, He is there with you making any place pleasant? Fellowship with the One Who made you is the best place. In His presence is unspeakable freedom and joy. Yes, even if you are pacing the floor at night with words of praise and praying in the Spirit for those who are on your heart. Let Him counsel you and hold you upright, steadfast in His Love.

"Therefore my heart is glad and my glory [my inner self] rejoices; my body too shall rest and confidently dwell in safety, for You will not abandon me to Sheol (the place of the dead), neither will You suffer Your holy one [Holy One] to see corruption."

Can you just hear the heart of Jesus here? Read Acts 13:35. The Father did not surrender His Son to death permanently. The power and will of Father and Son conquered death. So too, I believe I will rest secure in the plans of God. I have eternal life whether my body dies here on earth or I am raised when the trumpet sounds before my body sees death. My future is secure for all eternity! Is yours?

"You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore." 

Acts 2:25-28, 31 says, "For David says in regard to Him, I saw the Lord constantly before me, for He is at my right hand that I may not be shaken or overthrown or cast down [from my secure and happy state]. ~ Therefore my heart rejoiced and my tongue exulted exceedingly; moreover, my flesh also will dwell in hope [will encamp, pitch its tent, and dwell in hope in anticipation of the resurrection]. ~ For you will not abandon my soul, leaving it helpless in hades (the state of departed spirits), nor let Your Holy One know decay or see destruction [of the body after death]. ~ You have made known to me the ways of life; You will enrapture me [diffusing my soul with joy] with and in Your presence."

Well, there is so much to understand in God's Word. Read to the full for the best of all He has for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you apply with wisdom His precious promises. Seek the Lord. He is near.

I pray you have a deeper love for the things of God. He has the deepest desire to fellowship with you. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Look forward to eternity with all of its blessings. God bless and keep you in His matchless name, amen.

Abundance is...for eternity

Welcome back to Heartstrings

What an awesome God we serve! While each day brings a new set of stepping stones, they lead us in Christ for He is The Way, The Truth and The Life. Praise the name of the LORD!

Have you ever experienced dizziness and imbalance? Physically this has been trouble for me for a long while. Only today, after a treatment do I feel better. God made our ears in an amazing way didn't He? After the peroxide treatment and letting that do its work of clearing I seem refreshed over all. 

Keeping balance can take a tremendous effort when things aren't right. There is a greater chance for falling. Stress is added because of the frustrations of not hearing the voices you want to hear. The embarrassment comes into play too, so might as well appear to hear. Guessing becomes a chore. Not a happy one. And not to mention the pain involved physically and emotionally.

My path, my prayers for healing took a turn I'd not expected. Praying for the Father's will to be done and exalting Him has been a challenge and of course, another lesson to be learned. I am so grateful for the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

Now, did you think I would leave you without the understanding in how my spirit has been revived? Of course not. The Bible speaks of hearing and shows how one hears with out spiritual ears.

I know you probably don't want an anatomy lesson but, my life and yours really is a classroom. Because God made us uniquely His, after His own image, we have all the elements to understand as we experience and grow in our faith in Christ. 

Hebrews 5:11 says, "Concerning this we have much to say which is hard to explain, since you have become dull in your [spiritual] hearing and sluggish [even slothful in achieving spiritual insight]."

While it is wise to read the scriptures surrounding this, do you see how descriptive God's love letter to you is? Everything becomes more work if we become dull in hearing and even sluggish so we don't want to even try to tell others the Good News! Hey, even the disciples were told to stay alert and pray they don't fall into temptation. They had no idea what Jesus was referring to. They didn't know He would be taken and hung on a cross in a very short time. There are temptations of many types in our world aren't there? Take a moment and consider yours.

John relates what Jesus said in John 12:47..."If anyone hears My teachings and fails to observe them [does not keep them, but disregards them], it is not I who judges him. For I have not come to judge and to condemn and to pass sentence and to inflict penalty on the world, but to save the world."

Are you saved through Jesus Christ today? If you take that step toward Him and repent of your sins and declare Him to be the Son of God, then I believe your hearing will become sharper. You will come to understand that you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and begin to hear whispers in your heart that speak of the love of God for you. Your conscience will begin to respond differently to decisions you so easily gave into before. Those temptations will be seen for what they are. 

In John 18:37 Jesus is answering Pilate. He explains that everyone who is of the Truth, who is a friend of Truth and belong to the Truth hears and listens to His voice.

We choose you know. Will we hear or not? We can recognize a spirit of Truth and one of error because we are learning to perceive, recognize, and understand God by observation and experience, and get an ever clearer knowledge of Him. We learn to listen and pay attention and obey the Spirit of Truth dwelling in us.

Will we be able to hear when in the last of days? Revelation 22:17 says, "The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, the true Christians) say, Come! And let him who is listening say, Come! And let everyone come who is thirsty [who is painful conscious of his need of those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, and strengthened]; and whoever [earnestly] desires to do it, let him come, take, appropriate and drink the water of life without cost."

Oh I pray you will be a person with a desire to hear in a greater measure. I pray that for myself too! I want to hear the trumpet sound and the voice of Lord Jesus call my name. I want to hear His words that I have been faithful and to enter into His rest! I pray that each of us will desire to Know the Lord intimately. To really place Him on the throne of your heart today. Will you?

God be with you in the matchless name of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Amen.

Abundance is...hearing with clarity brings balance