by Carol Roberts | Mar 11, 2018 | Encouragement
Our heart’s desires are important to us and it’s hard sometimes to wait while God works things out. We become glued to a situation, material thing or even a person and our thought pattern soon evolves into ways to manipulate things the way we want them. Unfortunately our manipulation techniques bind our heart’s desire into a specific outcome therefore binding the support of heaven toward us.
Suppose as a teenager or young adult we are attracted to a specific person who doesn’t notice us. We manipulate our behavior and change our schedule to force ourselves into the pathway of this certain individual. Even if our techniques work and we achieve our goal of dating or marrying this certain person we succeed only in making this person into a material thing. God did not put us together but instead our togetherness is a result of mind games. It is a bondage we created between us and that person and heaven was bound from supporting us. We may spend a lifetime in marriage to such a bondage. While we may feel in control, this control is actually controlling us.
Suppose we experience the same situation with the support of heaven. We are interested in a particular person who doesn’t notice us. We pray and ask God to allow us to meet and know each other then get busy with our own talents and callings in life. We have loosed this person into God’s hands and heaven is loosed onto our petition in our favor. Many times our answer may surprise us. God could allow us to lose interest in that person or see to it we learn about a habit or other things that move us toward one we desire more.
There are no limitations when we place our trust in God to work out relationships, situations or even material things. The Bible is specific when It tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and all else will be added. When we place our trust in God for all things we can expect that He will loosen heaven toward us.
Matthew 18:18 New American Standard Bible
Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth ]shall have been loosed in heaven.
by Carol Roberts | Mar 7, 2018 | Hope
The Bible is clear that Jesus is no respecter of persons meaning He shows no favoritism. However He shows favor to ones who ask in faith that He notice them. A heart can be heavily burdened or a body can be limited physically. While such a person stands in a large crowd of others waiting to be noticed, God sees each and every person as though he/she is the only one. The omnipresence of God allows Him to treat each person with the utmost attention.
When Jesus walked this earth multitudes of people gathered around to hear Him speak or even to get just a glimpse of Him. Imagine a group that large and Jesus calls one person by name and grants healing. This person didn’t chase Him down but stood patiently in the crowd to hear encouraging words from Him. He knows the hearts of every person. Can God notice a lone person in a crown? Absolutely.
Luke 13:10-13 New Living Translation
One Sabbath day as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, He saw a woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit. She had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said, “Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!” Then He touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God!
by Carol Roberts | Mar 6, 2018 | Salvation
The boss is away for a week on a business trip. How do we behave differently during that week? Do we take a slightly longer break or show up late? If we remain true to our obligations are our words and thoughts toward our boss worthy of God’s blessing? People may see a loyal employee but God sees the heart.
Church is available every single week but we are too busy to attend. We have an attitude that the church will always be there so we will attend next time. That thought pattern is not one we should follow because these thoughts usually come back to bite later. Loving people who attend the church move away or pass away and many weeks go by. When we finally attend we realize we missed numerous opportunities to spend time with these loving people.
There are lots of things God notices about us that people will not see. People see us going on a mission trip but God sees that trip as a last minute choice on our part in order to avoid ministering to someone else. He is well aware of the empty seats in the choir and the beautiful voice He gave us yet we choose to be too busy doing other things. While people may see us as always being busy about our Lord’s work, God sees the heart and our obedience to Him.
God is more pleased with our obedient heart in all things He calls us to do than pleasing people. He judges us on how well we follow what He tells us to do and not how pleasing we are to others.
God may call us to remain prayerful for a ministry while he calls others to actually serve. He may call us to go overseas to minister while He calls others to remain home to pray or donate. There is no unimportant ministry and yes, God sees our attitudes in all things.
Hebrews 4:12-13 New Living Translation
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the one to whom we are accountable.
by Carol Roberts | Mar 5, 2018 | Love
Most of us want things. We continually look for perks we can receive from stores or benefits offered through the government. Many people play the lottery hoping to win a big jackpot. If we were to get everything we want, what would we do with it? While we may feel good for a short time we soon want more and more.
Prayer life can be the same way. When we pray to God sometimes our prayers consist of a wish list of things we want to work out in our favor or some material things. While God grants our requests according to His purpose and will it’s not long before we are asking for the next thing.
Our spiritual life is another thing that can be similar to what we want. We accept Christ as our Savior and enjoy the peace of having Him in our life. It’s as though we want Him only as a security blanket while we do our own thing.
The Disciple Peter is an example of one who was always wanting to correct Jesus. He was a person who had his own ideas on how to get things done his way and quickly but Peter is also one God corrected often. One of the biggest lessons we can learn for our own lives is through the corrections God gave Peter.
When it comes to love Jesus puts it in a beautiful way to say to Peter love works two ways. We can have our way, material things or Christ in our hearts but unless we return love we miss out on the most important thing. Does Christ have us or do we just have Christ? He loves us. Do we not have love for Him in return in order to show His kindness to others? What about some of the answered prayers or perks in life? Do we ever use these things to benefit others in the name of our Lord? If we are always receiving eventually there will be no room left to grow what we have. As we return love a new space is always being created for new and fresh love that grows and grows. Does Jesus have us or do we only have Him?
John 21:15-17 New Living Translation
After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “You know I love You.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love Me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “You know I love You.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. A third time He asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, You know everything. You know that I love You.”
Jesus said, “Then feed My sheep.
by Carol Roberts | Mar 1, 2018 | Salvation
Jesus became like us in order to take our punishment. This loving act created His way for us to become more like Him making us acceptable to our Father.
While we are not perfect we are accepted as though we were. At the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Hebrews 2:17-18 New Living Translation
Therefore, it was necessary for Him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then He could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since He himself has gone through suffering and testing, He is able to help us when we are being tested.