FOLLOW THE LEADER

.........follow your heart........

...........Follow your heart.........

................Follow Your Heart........

....................FOLLOW YOUR HEART...........

REALLY?

I don’t think so. Everyone says to do so but after a lot of thought, I politely refuse to follow my heart. My heart has exposed to me the wretch that I am. Jeremiah was not kidding when he declared the heart “deceitful above all things” (Jer. 17:9).

I was compelled to be honest with myself: I can think of several times when, had I followed my heart, I would not be here to say this. My heart represents the core of me...my emotions, my strengths, my weaknesses, the good and the bad that may reside within.....my SELF. Introspection has exposed  and conformed my worst fears: There is a lot of “bad” in me.

Yes, I’m saved. Delivered. Set free from the bonds that once held me. But my heart has tried to hold dear the very things I wish to elude. I thought I was alone in this until I saw Paul’s confession in Romans 7:15-25....what a relief!!!

So yes, while I admit my heart carries a cargo I wish to ignore, the Master is at work, chiseling away at the misshapen heart. He constantly empties it of its shameful contents and fills it with Himself. Yet my heart remains imperfect, somehow managing to retain bits and pieces of the past....past hurts, past blemishes. 

I therefore look to a day when He who began the good work in me completes it. Until then, I remain conscious of the evil that still lingers in my heart. Why? Because it remains an influential part of my decision making. Paul shows me an “out” though: Like him, I choose to hold dear the word of God, to meditate on it and allow it to transform me. My mind will be filled with God’s commands and not my heart’s demands. My heart may tell me what I want, but God’s word tells me what I need!!

Follow my heart? No, thank you. Intuition? Are u kidding me? I believe my heart will very much need to be led. I will subject my heart to the unconventional practice of following me...wanting what God says to, reacting as God says to. Moreover, I will subject myself to learning God's word...that way I will have a complete manual for my heart to adhere to.

I CHOOSE TO LEAD MY HEART!

Everything But The Needle

        A servant was once sent to a carpeted house by his master to find a needle that had fallen onto the carpet. He set out to accomplish this task with one guiding thought: He would only keep his mind alert for a shiny object. Upon arrival at the house, he saw a sign at the door requiring all visitors to take off their shoes prior to entry. He complied and proceeded to open the door to the living room.

To his dismay, the floor was covered with roofing nails and quarters from wall to wall. This made the task all the more daunting but the servant was determined to complete his assignment. Before he took another step into the room, he acknowledged a looming thought: “If I try walking into this room, my feet will be turned into mush by all the nails! Furthermore, I have little chance of noticing the needle with all these shiny quarters. I will therefore pick up all the roofing nails and all the quarters first, and thus give myself a sporting chance to spot the needle.”

He began to collect the nails and coins, and though the thought of finding that needle continued to nag him, he kept reminding himself of the risk involved with not following his earlier thoughts. Several hours later, he reached the opposite end of the room with bags full of coins and nails. He sat down, letting out a contented sigh, only to see his master at the door. The master, having awaited his servant’s return for far too long, requested that he hand over the needle. The servant could only look to the ground as he realized he had collected everything but the needle.

We are not very different from this servant. We are willing to admit that we have been placed on earth for a purpose. We know that God has required us to seek Him FIRST and then have him add ALL THESE THINGS unto us. However, many a time we have enough time in our day for everything and everyone except God. He becomes as diminished to our spirit as a needle is to our eyes. We want to praise Him but we also want to avoid troubles,such as debt , so rather than seek Him who supplies our needs, we focus on working to earn the money that seemingly covers our needs. Instead of praying to the Author of favor, we try to please people so they’ll do us a favor. Rather than read His Word for understanding and discernment, we call our friends and see if they can help us understand our issues and suggest solutions.

If we look to our circumstances, our hard work and time spent on the hustle appears to be with good reason. Nevertheless, we know how badly that formula works out, so let us remember that while we can spend our time being busy and accomplishing much, we still have assignments that mean much more. Let us look to God FIRST in order to receive guidance on that which we should focus on.

Still Cannot Think Of A Title

Just a thought.....

This note is a plea for gentleness. A request to trust that God holds a purpose for every person you see living, including you. As Christians we forget that we weren't born saved and we have little to no patience with anyone that seems to fall short of our "standards". We also make a big deal when we see a saved person make a mistake.

For a while I sought perfection in people and took it to heart if they faltered or fell. Bad move. But God,our all-knowing God, was kind enuf to show me that I'm a thought, word or action away from becoming anyone that I think negatively of. I then read Lamentations 3:22-23......and a bulb lit up!!!

Think of where the Lord has brought you from. Saved or not, we can admit to one thing: None of us has suffered ALL the consequences of their mistakes. Some of the consequences of our actions would be too severe, FATAL even!! Why do we escape.......why do we live to tell the story? It's called GRACE.....that God does not keep the air for those that acknowledge Him, but He allows all who wake up to breathe the same air, whether or not their actions demand punishment.

So to my people that are waiting for an encounter with God, He loves YOU. Seek Him and you will find Him. Call to God and He will hear you.

To my Christian people, focus on your relationship with God. If you do, you may hardly have a chance to notice others' relationship with Him. Paul calls us to correct gently in Galatians 6:1 saying,"Brothers, suppose someone is caught doing something wrong. You who have the Spirit should set him right, but in a spirit of humility, keeping an eye on yourselves so that you won't be tempted too." I understand disappointment in a friend when they slip, but my pastor says FAILURE IS AN UNWILLINGNESS TO RISE AGAIN.....TO TRY AGAIN. When we focus on a person's moment of weakness, we encourage failure.

So I rest with this in mind: He who began a good work in all of us will be faithful to complete it...so let's not try to rush Him. God bless

Am I Only As Good As My Word? If So, How Good Am I?

             Today I had a less than lively conversation with my father. The topic: Me keeping my word. Now here’s something I have always professed to do, yet looking back through my history, it appears I may be the one person I know that is least successful at it.

             The trigger: I said I’d call at a certain hour, but ended up calling about two hours later. I later came to find out that he had made contact with a relative who I have not spoken with in 3 years. Sadly, they happened to both be in one place when I promised to call, but regardless how patient one is, two hours is quite a stretch.

             The disappointment registered in his voice told me he was not too pleased. I thought of the last time we had broached this topic.......and I realize it was hardly a week ago. And folks, I know I speak for everyone when I say that people that cannot keep their word irritate beyond compare.
            
             There may be one of you thinking,”But it was unavoidable!! See what happened was......” and I tell you, excuses by any other name are definitely tempting. But I am favored to have audience with some very wise people. One of them once told me,”We tend to judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions.”

             Now once I projected said model on myself and several situations where the above conversation would have been deemed necessary, I realize one thing: TO ANYONE BUT OURSELVES, WE EITHER DO WHAT WE SAID WE WOULD, OR WE DO NOT, AND IN EITHER CASE WE REAP THE REWARDS THEREOF. We promise to be there for a friend’s party, but whether or not the weather did not allow it, we can be at the party or be the absentee friend. If I have a job interview, I either show up or I lose my chance at the position applied for.
        
              I do not deny that extenuating circumstances do exist. All I’m saying is that if they seem to be the norm - if it seems I am always a victim of some circumstance or other - then I need to reevaluate my actions. I need to bring to question my preparedness for the inevitable - did I leave early enough to make the appointment whether or not traffic is horrible? In my order of priority in thinking, am I living an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ life....where the current activity erases the urgency of the next?

              Food for thought, but when all is said and done(or not done!), let not your words but your actions answer these questions.