Skip to main content

The Heart of Jesus

John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

I have had a difficult time finding a single verse today.  I have been all over my Bible, reading and thinking.  I'm settling on this verse, mostly because it is closely related to one of my favorite verses.  I sometimes get caught up in thinking I need to do certain things to grow in my faith.  These things are not inherently bad, nor are they necessarily good.  Two big stumbling blocks for me are fasting and tithing.  I find myself getting hooked into the religious value of them rather than the relational value.  I find that spending time with God gives me a clearer picture of my own motives for wanting to do these things.  I find that I usually feel the need to fast when I'm feeling poorly about my body image.  I find that wanting to tithe usually comes after reading verses in the Old Testament about God blessing Israel for its offerings.  Both of these are motivated by my selfishness.  I am always amazed at how quickly I am sucked in to these two thoughts.  Thankfully I am fully aware of what is going on and I don't fall into the religion trap.  I am, however, asking God how He would like to use these two things to further His Kingdom and asking Him to "create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me".  I know there is journey value to both of these, but I need to do them with the right heart, the heart of Jesus.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Signs of His Work

Joshua 4:6 to serve as a sign among you.  In the future, when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' I realize this is a very fragmented verse, but go with it.  This got me to thinking.  What are the stones in my life that serve as signs of God's work in my life?  I am not a big fan of material items because I don't really care about stuff.  It's just that, stuff.  So, I've had to think a little harder about this.  The obvious sign of God's current work is the tennis bracelet I wear in memory of Mom.  Other obvious signs that might include my Bible, Dalton's grandmother's wedding ring, and my wedding ring.  However, if I think of the things in my life that are the most evident of God's work, it would be the stories of the different journeys God and I have been on together.  The story of how I got my current job and the multitude of "God things" that surrounded that moment.  The story of a college friend telling me, "...
Post a Comment
Read more

Channels Only

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. Our treasure is the Spirit of God and the jar of clay is our earthly body.  In this section of scripture Paul is explaining to the people of Corinth that they are a channel for God to shine through and that through Jesus we will never be separated from God again.  At the hospice house, Liz, my sister, sat down and played Channels Only on the piano.  This is a song that has deep and lasting meaning for my family, but today I instantly thought of my mother lying in the bed in the next room and felt the truth in the words of that song.  Tears began to stream as I recognized to the fullest extent what it means to be a channel for God.  It is my prayer. Channels Only by Mary E. Maxwell How I praise Thee, precious Savior, That Thy love laid hold of me; Thou hast saved and cleansed and filled me  That I might Thy channel be. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Are You Troubled?

Luke 24:38 He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?" (Jesus speaking to the disciples when he appeared to them after his resurrection.)  I feel as though Jesus was asking me this question today.  My struggle has been seeing the situations in and around my life and discerning His movements and purpose.  We are so quick to jump to judgement of what we think God must be, or not be, up to.  Why is that?  Doubts pop up so easily and run amuck within the mind.  We take the crummy parts of life and run with them, believing the silliest lies that Satan throws at us.  The disciples had the resurrected Jesus in the room with them to show who He really was.  They could see his scars and watch him eat.  Where is the resurrected Jesus in our situations when we become troubled and begin to doubt?  Wouldn't it be something if Jesus physically appeared at those times?  Fortunately, we don't need Jesus to phys...
Post a Comment
Read more