|
Scripture tells us that if anyone can control their tongue, they are a perfect person. It is so easy to talk about things that don't concern us. Most people have an opinion about everything. We talk about what excites our hearts and consumes our time. We also talk about others, often detrimentally. Rather than speaking life, we condemn.
Scripture tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves. The problem is we don't love ourselves. We don't love the person looking back at us in the mirror, created in God's image. We constantly degrade what God has made within ourselves and others. What is in your heart will come out of your mouth. Have you ever been around someone who hardly spoke, yet when they opened their mouth, you were surprised at the bitterness within their heart? What if the next time you look in the mirror and start to criticize what you see, you instead praise the God who made you? What if each time you are tempted to say things that are not uplifting about others, you say a prayer and begin praising God for them and asking God to draw them near to Him? What if, through speaking life over yourself and others, you experienced the love of Christ in a whole new way? If we change the way we think about those (including ourselves) made in God's image, perhaps our hearts' passion will also change. Thus, from the abundance of your heart, words of love and life will flow. James 3:2, Mark 12:30-31, Matthew 12:34, Philippians 4:6-7, Psalm 150:6-7, John 6:44-51, Romans 12:2 You are cordially invited
to be the honored guest of Jesus son of God COME: “Come and follow me, and I will transform you into men who catch people for God. Matthew 4:19 (NLT) He invites you to come and He will give you the ability and qualify you. He doesn’t call the qualified He qualify s the called. COME: to me, all you who are weary, carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your soles. Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT) He invites you to come into a place of rest and peace and learn His ways which are gentle and humble. COME: Pray and watch with me. “Sit here while I go over there to pray. He took Peter, James, and John and he became anguished and distressed. HE told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Matthew 26:36-46 (NLT) He invites us to come with Him to watch and pray. “COME: Join me on the water be brave and don’t be afraid. I am here!” So Peter stepped out onto the water and began to walk toward Jesus. But when he realized how high the waves were, he became frightened and started to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he cried out. Jesus immmediately stretched out his hand and lifted him up and said, “What little faith you have! Why would you let doubt win?” Mattthew 14:29-31 (TPT) He invites us to Focus on Him and have faith in Him. “COME: up here and I will show you what must happen after this. And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it.” Revelation 4:1b-2 (NLT) Revelation 11:12 (TPT) He invites you to come closer to Him. While your enemies watch. “COME: now let’s settle this, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat.” Isaiah 1:18-19 He invites you to talk with and allow Him to counsel you. He invites you to obey Him. “COME: And dine, Come and eat my food and drink of my wine. Lay aside your simple thoughts and leave your paths behind. Agree with my ways, live in my truth, and you will find righteousness.” Proverbs 9:5-6 He invites you to eat His food and drink His wine. Lay aside your own thoughts and live in His truth. Stop believing the lies!! COME: and drink if you are thirsty. Even if you have no money! COME: take your choice of wine or milk it’s all free! Why spend money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. COME: to me with your ears wide open. Listen and you will find life. Isaiah 54: 1-3 (NLT) He invites you to come to Him, drink of His goodness, let Him feed you and listen with your ears open so that you will find life in Him. “For here is the way God loved the world he gave his only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life.” John 3:16 He invites you to believe in him so that you can have everlasting life. The Son extends His invitation to you freely. He is waiting for you to COME no RSVP required. Come as you are when your ready to accept His invitation He will be there with open arms waiting just for you. Have you ever felt as if you were in a mud slide, with the cares of life falling down upon you?
I can’t help but think that: Elijah was feeling that way when he was trying to run away from it all, by hiding in a cave. There was a powerful wind, an earthquake and a fire but God was not speaking to Elijah from the things that surrounded him. God’s voice came in a whisper. When Danial was in the Lion’s den he wasn’t listening to the lions roar or the chatter of negative people who said he would surly be eaten by the lions. He was listening for the whisper of God’s voice which gave him peace. When Joseph was in prison, although he was well aware of his surroundings, he wasn’t listening to the other prisoners complain, he was listening for the voice of the God he served. When Ruth was gleaning in the fields of a foreign land, and others were talking about how she didn’t belong and looking down upon her as less than, she was listening for the whisper of the one true God. Through out his life, David was continually taken back to the silence of a shepherd’s field or a cave, where he was alone in a secluded place. It was there he could hear the whisper of God. When life’s challenges seem more than we can bear, we must go back to the place where we first heard the whisper of God and feel the peace of his presence. For me it is impossible to hear what God is saying among the chatter in a mass of people, if I am not first spending time in seclusion with Him in the quiet place, listening for the whisper of His voice. For it is only in that place that I find peace in the midst of the storms of life. Months ago I had a dream. In the dream a woman was passing out scrolls as she ran. She turned for a brief moment and looked at me and said, I live at 1532. Upon awakening, I began to ponder and ask the Father the meaning of the dream. I discovered that the number 15 means rest and the number 32 means covenant. Rest in the covenant. I must remember where I live, in the place of rest with Him. For it is then and only then I can distribute the scrolls (word of God) which He has put within me. When Jesus was in the boat, he was sleeping with his head on a pillow in the midst of a storm. He was not focused on the storm raging around him, or the busy chatter of those in fear. Did he care? Yes, he cared but he was resting in the covenant of his fathers peace and love. And when he was awakened to the screams and yelling of those around him, He stood and said. “Peace. Be still.” When we live in Christ, peace is all around us. We only need to command it to be still in Jesus mighty name. It may not change the situation, but it will change the storm within us which we have been focusing on, so we can hear the whisper of His voice and rest in the covenant of his love for us. Be Still and Know that He is God. Psalm 46:10 He will keep in perfect peace whose mind is fixed on Him. Isaiah 26:3 Rest in the covenant of His love for you. Whenever I hear the laughter of a child, see sunshine through the clouds, or hear the voice of wisdom coming from the mouth of a child of God who has spent a lifetime serving Him, I can see the fingerprint of God, the signature of His touch. Because an artist always signs their work. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:3-5 (NIV) Each year thousands of sand hill cranes migrate through the state of Nebraska. Hundreds of people from other states come to see this magnificent sight. My husband and I look forward to driving a few hours away to spend the day viewing these beautiful creatures. We recently drove to a nearby lake to see the geese migration. There must have been over one hundred thousand geese of several different breeds landing on the water, circling the area, arriving and departing. They would sometimes fly high in the air so the sun would hit them just right and it looked as if they were diamonds dancing in the sky. It seemed as if each move were choreographed just for us to enjoy. It was breath taking, words could never adequately explain the beauty of it all. But wherever we are, God’s magnificent creation is all around us. Through the rustling of the trees, flowers in bloom, snowflakes on a cold winter day, or in a baby’s smile, the fingerprint of God is evident in his workmanship. Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more valuable then they? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you? Matthew 6:26-30 (NIV) People can often be found or identified by their finger print. There is no person, fingerprint or snowflake just alike. Because everyone’s fingerprint is unique, even identical twins have their own fingerprint. God created each of us to be one of a kind, and he made all of creation for us to enjoy. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us His true word. And we, out of all creation, became His prized possession. James 1: 17-18 (NLT) Each of us were created for a purpose and a plan in the heart of God. We were each designed specifically according to His blueprint. From the color of your eyes, the shape of your face, the size of your feet, you are a gift to the world from Heaven. No one else can be who God intended you to be; there is only one of you. And you are loved with an everlasting love by the Heavenly Father. Ref. Jeremiah 31:3 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14 We sometimes compare ourselves to others. Our looks or abilities may not be the same, we may feel inadequate at times. But God, has a purpose and plan and if we will let Him, He will guide and direct us each step of the way. Sometimes we just need to glide in the freedom of His love for us and allow Him to guide and direct our steps. He loves you so much!! He adores you!! He will make a way where there seems to be no way. You may not know His love or how special you are to Him, or you maybe seeking a new direction in your life. I invite you to talk to Him today. Just say this prayer with me. God, I believe in you and I believe you have a purpose and a plan for my life. Teach me your ways and guide me in your path. Help me to know that you love me in a way I have never known before. Help me to know your voice and to spend time with you and love you with all my heart, soul and strength and with all my mind. Luke 10:27 (NIV) so that I can be who you intended for me to be from the beginning. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” “In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes.” Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NLT)  The Bible talks about one who gave because he loved. God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 God wanted to give you a gift. He gave his only son to die for you because he loved you enough to give you a choice of where to spend eternity. It's not only about eternity but about how you can live today. Have you accepted the gift God gave, because of his love for you? If you would like to accept the gift of Jesus then say this prayer with me. God, I accept the gift of your Son Jesus. I believe he was born of a virgin, died on a cross and rose again, so that I can have eternal life in heaven with you. I ask you to forgive me of my sin and come live in my heart today. If you have prayed this prayer we are so excited for you!! Welcome to the family of God!! Please find someone in your area (pastor, church, friend or family member) who can encourage you and help guide you on your new journey with Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Scripture reference: Virgin birth: Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:26-38 Died on a cross and rose again: 1 Corinthians 15:14, Romans 4:25, Romans 5:8 Eternal life: John 17:3, Romans 10:9-10 Tell someone: Matthew 10:32 & 33, Luke 9:26 May God richly bless and keep you in his love. |
RSS Feed
Kathleen M. VonSeggern Copyright © 2016 Treasures of the Heart Ministries
All Writings are Original All Rights Reserved
No part of this publication except Bible scripture, may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission
All Writings are Original All Rights Reserved
No part of this publication except Bible scripture, may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission