The Heart of the Matter

I Samuel 16:7 “...for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”

In this passage, the prophet Samuel was sent to Jesse’s house to anoint one of Jesse's sons to be King of Israel. And Samuel expressed excitement when he saw Eliab and assumed he was God’s chosen because of his appearance. So God advised him not to look on the outer appearance because God considers our heart.

Truth is, the heart of person is the essence of who they are. It is not how someone looks, or the clothes they wear, the house they live in, or the car they drive that depict the true measure of a human being. The heart of a person is the essence of who they are. From what we speak to how we behave even down to our deeds are said to be a reflection of one's heart.

The heart is not simply the main vessel in the human body from which blood flows. It represents the mind of one's soul. And is the key ingredient of our conscience. The feelings and emotions of a person come from the heart. There are a lot of phrases we use on a daily basis that refer to our heart.

When someone consistently carries out acts of kindness and behaves nicely, we say that they are "good hearted." In the field of sports, when a player wants his/her teammates to demonstrate more determination, he/she  encourages them to "show some heart.” When someone is very sensitive about things, we say “Don’t wear your heart on your sleeve.” And when someone we love hurts us or leaves us, we refer to it as having a broken heart.

In the spiritual realm, matters of the heart are very important: The book of Jeremiah helps put things in perspective- Jeremiah 17:9-10 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

There are certain blessings granted to believers and certain favor withheld from others based on if our heart is right with God. Here are five things every believer should do when it comes to matters of the heart:

1. Believe in your heart (Romans 10:9-10) that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

2. Trust God with all your heart (Proverbs 3:5) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding

3. Hide the Word in your heart. (Psalms 119:11) “Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.”

4. Seek God for a clean heart. (Psalms 51:9-10) “Create in me a clean heart Oh God and renew a right spirit within me.”

5. Don’t worry in your heart. (John 14:1-2). “Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God believe also in me. In my father’s house are many mansions.”

Finally, as we respond to God in the proper way concerning our heart, God will reward us with a deeper relationship with him. Jesus said in Matthew 5:8 "that only the pure in heart shall see God." And if we delight ourselves in the Lord, he will give us the desires of our heart (Psalms 37:4). As it relates to serving God, this is the heart of the matter.

Daily Bread

One of the lessons that Jesus teaches in the Lord’s Prayer is a request that God will “give us this day our daily bread.”(Matthew 6:11) Thank God for daily bread weather its food, or any other basic need like shelter, or clothing.

We serve a God who is a great provider and he specializes in meeting the needs of today. So I have come to realize that in the midst of making plans and setting goals, and throughout the course of having dreams and desires for a brighter tomorrow, it is most important to trust God to meet your needs today.

I have also learned not to worry about tomorrow but to focus on what God can do for me right now. Feed me today; Meet my financial need today. Deliver me today; heal me today. Bless me today Lord. Give us this day our daily bread.

In these difficult economic times, there is a great deal of fear and stress among many over the future. Sometimes tomorrow’s prospects can appear bleak and depressing with financial despair, termination of employment, failed business, broken relationships, home foreclosures, and failing health looming in the forecast.

But we must resist the temptation to worry about tomorrow and instead focus on how we can get through today. So hang in there and survive today. Press on and be strong today. Give God the glory and have faith today.
Getting through the current day strengthens your chances to make it tomorrow.

When God delivered the children of Israel from Egypt, he fed them every day with manna from heaven. But they were only supposed to gather enough manna to get them through the day (Exodus 16). If they took more than a day’s portion it would spoil (with the exception of the Sabbath day). Just as with the Israelites, God wants his people to learn to trust him to meet the needs of today.

So “give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” (Matt 6:34 MSG Bible) And if he cares for the sparrow-I know he watches over me: Today.

All of You

God wants your all. He is not simply interesting in part of you, some of you, or a piece of you. God wants all of you. So time is out for half doing, half stepping, and half living for God. He wants your full 100% commitment.

To give your all to God does not mean that you must talk about the Bible 24/7, act super spiritual, and preach to everyone you see. However it does require that you make God the top priority in your life and first in all your decisions.

In his response to a religious leader in regards to the greatest commandment, Jesus provides a direct answer by quoting from Deuteronomy 6:4-5 “that you love God with all of your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” It is interesting that Jesus actually ranks the scripture. Many would suggest that all of the Biblical commands are equally important without any scripture being higher than the others. Yet Jesus ranks this passage as number 1, above the Ten Commandments, above other principles shared in the Gospel or the Epistles.

This is the greatest commandment because it acts as an umbrella passage of scripture in that if you do this commandment- all of the other scriptural commands fall under it. The fact that this is listed as the greatest commandment also suggests that it is God’s greatest expectation and greatest area of judgment for our souls.

So we must give God our all in every aspect of our lives. God deserves all the glory and all the praise. He expects us to obey His Word and to live Godly. And yet even in our routine activities, God wants us to do our very best in our homes, on our jobs and in how we treat others.

Finally, as we give God our very best, remember that God has already done so for us knowing “that he that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32) God wants our worship and our praise because at the end of the day His requirement is simple; His expectation is a basic one. God’s ultimate desire can be summed up in these three words: All of You.

Fabulous Fathers

Let me began by giving a Shout-Out to all dads who are making a difference in the lives of their children. In these days where dead beat dads are common, good fathers should be celebrated and encouraged. And despite all the negative reports we hear in our community and demeaning fatherly figures on TV, there are a great deal of positive father figures to be recognized and appreciated. I call these: Fabulous Fathers. In fact, allow me to high light two fabulous fathers in the Bible.

Consider Abraham: Abraham (father of Isaac) is known as the father of many nations. As a man, he staggered not at the promises of God but believed God and was counted to be righteous. Yet even before the birth of his sons Isaac and Ishmael, Abraham served in a fatherly role to his nephew Lot.

When the land that they dwelt on was too small to hold both of their livestock, Abraham gave Lot first choice. He essentially said, you pick and I will take what is left. (Genesis 13:9) When Lot moved to Sodom and was taken captive by foreign Kings, it was Abraham who rescued him. Later when Sodom and Gomorrah was set to be destroyed for their wickedness, Abraham pleaded with God to show mercy.

Fabulous fathers help their children financially and are willing at times to place the need of their family/children before their own. Fabulous fathers are protectors and are quick to come to the rescue of their children when they are in trouble.

Consider the case of the Merciful Father of the Prodigal Son as shared by Jesus (Luke 15:11). After the younger son requested his inheritance and wasted it on riotous living, he came to himself while feeding the pigs and returned to his father’s house ashamed and humiliated.

But the Merciful father saw him afar off, ran to him, had compassion on him, kissed him, put the best robe on him, placed a ring on his finger, killed the fatted ram and threw a party for his youngest son. But when the oldest son came out of the field and saw that there was a party, he was upset. So the father came out to him and entreated him and told him all that he had was his (the oldest son).

Fabulous fathers celebrate the restoration of their children and do not hold grudges from past hurts or play mind games. In addition, these dads are able address and reconcile hurts between siblings and give fair treatment to all.

Finally, being able to make a baby does not make a man a father. But being involved in the lives of your children, providing for them financially, training them to treat people right and love God, and giving them good sound advice are keys to make any man not simply a good dad, but a fabulous father.

Salt Shakers

Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot."

One of the primary traits of a Christian is to be a salt shaker. The main role of a salt shaker is to spread salt throughout the earth. In this passage, Christ could have referred to Born Again believers as gold, silver or any other precious stone. But he chose salt. Perhaps this is because of the impact that salt has on its surroundings. With more than 14,000 known uses, salt has direct and indirect affect on its environment.

From a Historical Perspective, the early Greeks placed great value on salt. In fact the saying “Not Worth his Salt” was taken from the Greeks as they once traded slaves for salt. The Romans also paid their soldiers with salt. They referred to the process as salarium, a word that proved to be the forerunner of the English word for salary. Not to be outdone, the Egyptians used salt in the preparation of Mummies.

Salt has also had a major role in the history of the Bible. In Leviticus 2:13 God commanded that the meat offering "shall be season with salt and with all the offerings unto God that salt shall be offered." In Genesis 19: 26 Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt when she turned back to look at Sodom.

And in 2 Kings 2:20 Elisha healed the waters of Jericho to conquer the bareness of the land by using salt. And of course there is Jesus who said "Salt is good." Luke 14:34 Therefore as Christians, we must be salt shakers and make a difference in our communities.

The following list 7 Ways that Christians are like Salt:

1. Salt has a healing component. Epson Salt is used to cure tired and sore feet. In warm water, salt can relieve sore and bruised gums. Just as we are healed through the stripes of Jesus Christ, as Christians, God gives us power to heal through the spoken word and through the laying on of hands (John 14:12).

2. Salt is a Preservative. It preserves its environment and keeps things from going rotten. As Christians, we must allow God to use us to prevent rottenness in our communities by lifting up the name of Jesus Christ (John 12:32).

3. Salt is a De-Icer. We use Rock Salt to melt snow and Ice off our roads. For each Believer, God has called us through his grace and mercy to bring love, peace and joy to a cold and Icy world. Christ said “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if you have love one for another.” (John 13:35)

4. Salt is used to season or transform food. It adds flavor. We often delay the start of our dinner for the addition of Salt. Therefore, Born Again believers must bring flavor and seek to transform their environment through actions, and words (Romans 12:1-2).

5. Salt is an odor eater. It removes the smell of odor from onion hands, and helps prevent odors in our shoes. We need to be a sweet smelling savor for our Lord. (Ephesians 5:2) In fact, God wants his people to be an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice that is well pleasing to God. (Philippians 4:18)

6. Salt is a Cleansing Agent. It cleans grease spots on rugs; whitens whites and brightens colors. As the blood of Jesus cleanses our souls, we must seek to have a cleansing affect on the world. And “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

7. Salt is a Distinguisher of Flames. As Christians we have the power through the shield of faith to quench all the fiery darts of the devil (Ephesians 6:16).

In conclusion, I am compelled to ask the question, How Salty are You? We must remember that salt must be spread and distributed. This is why Jesus told the disciples in Acts 1:8 that you will be witnesses not only in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria but in the uttermost parts of the earth after the Holy Ghost is come to give power. So as followers of Jesus, we must be more than simply hearers the word. We must go beyond knowing the Word. Christians must obey the Word of God and seek to spread the Gospel in not only what we say but in the manner in which we live. We are called to be salt shakers.

The Benefit Package

Psalms 116:12 “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His Benefits."  A few months ago during what is referred to as open enrollment on my job, I had the opportunity to change my benefits. And as I carefully looked at the coverage, it occurred to me that being a Born Again believer in Christ gives us the opportunity to receive the greatest benefits package known to man.

This benefit package comes with a policy book known as the Bible which shows us how to access the benefits and abide by the coverage criteria. And the primary requirement is a willingness to accept Jesus Christ as one's personal Lord and savior. Hence, when we depart from this life, we are afforded the opportunity to receive the greatest benefit of all, eternal life through Jesus Christ

Besides everlasting life, the benefits of God are unsearchable, innumerable, and unmeasurable. From the hair on your head, to the blood in your veins, even down to the breath you take, the benefits of God are a wonderful gift to the world.

In fact, Psalms 68:19 puts it like this “Bless be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits.” Indeed God “makes the sun rise on the evil and the good and gives rain to the just and the unjust.” (Matt 5:45) Every day, every hour, every minute, every second is filled with benefits.
On a daily basis, blessings are distributed to us all.

So even in times of great difficulty and despair, we must not fail to remember the great benefit package in God. This is why Psalms 103:2 declares, “Bless the Lord oh my soul and forget not all his benefits.” Don’t categorize God into one area of your life. Let Him take full control so that you can reap all His benefits. Don’t forget how He saved you; healed you; delivered you. Don’t forget how he made away for you and opened doors for you. Remember from where He brought you. Forget not all His benefits.

And because of the awesomeness of this benefit package, we owe a debt to God. So the psalmist decrees “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits.” We must also ask ourselves this question. What can we say, do, give, or present to the Lord for His many blessings. Ultimately, every gift, talent, or treasure, in some manner needs to be presented back to God.

If we could survey just a few of the Bible leaders of old, each would have his own unique response to this question -What shall I render? If you ask Moses, he would say “whose on the Lord’s side.” If you inquired of Joshua, he would say, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  If you posed this question to David, he would say, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

If you questioned Malachi, he would say, “Bring all the tithe into the storehouse that there may be meat in My house.” What shall I render? If you ask the Apostle Paul, he would say: “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." The writer of Psalms 150 would respond with three words: "Praise the Lord."

Finally, our benefit package in God through Christ is unparalleled to what man offers. Our benefits are better than Prudential because Jesus is a rock in a weary land. He’s my rock, my sword and shield.

Our benefit package is better than All State knowing that you are in good hands with Jesus and nobody shall be able to pluck you out of his hand. These benefits are better than State Farm – Like a good neighbor Jesus is there. He is a very present help in the time of trouble.

Our benefits are better than Nationwide because Jesus is on your side. He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Our benefits are better than Geico because In 15 seconds or less you can save your soul by switching to Jesus for salvation insurance. And serving the Lord is so easy a cave man can do it. Wow, what a great benefit package. 

Weapons of Christian Warfare

II Corinthians 10:3-5 The apostle Paul wrote, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

Since the beginning of time, man has been at war for a variety of reasons. And while pursuing one’s enemies in war, mankind has relied on different types of weapons to fight. From the stone and stick to the sword and spear and from the bow and arrow to modern day times, weapons have always played a primary role in war.

Even in the spiritual realm, weapons are paramount in one’s walk with Christ. As Christians, we need weapons because we are in spiritual warfare. And Jesus outlines the strategy of the enemy in John 10:10 which says “ The enemy comes for no reason except to kill, steal and destroy but I come that you may have life and life more abundantly.” Moreover Paul writes in Ephesians 6: 12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of generation, against spiritual host of wickedness in high places."

Therefore, although we walk in the flesh, we must utilize a different strategy for spiritual warfare. As Christians, we get in trouble when we battle in the flesh. We say the wrong things, make bad decisions, and exclude God from the process when we war after the flesh. The flesh is carnal which pertains to or is characterized by the body and it’s passions and appetites. And carnality is not of God. So our weapons in Christ are not carnal. This means they are not based on deceit, lust, physicality, human knowledge or influence.

One should not underestimate the spiritual weapons of Christ because they are extremely potent or as the scripture says “mighty through God. . .” Hence, our spiritual weapons are not mighty through revenge, spite, or envy; and not through gifts, talents or worldly knowledge, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. The Greek explanation for pulling down (pros/kathairesis) describes moving towards demolition and the Greek word for stronghold is taken from the word ochuroma a military word meaning to fortify. This suggest that our spiritual weapons through Christ are able to totally demolish the strongholds or fortresses of Satan.

In conclusion, it is important to remember that our weapons are not carnal. So while I’m thankful for my academic training, and the influence of knowing people in a position of power, I recognize that the weapons of Christian warfare are not based on education or personal connections.

And while I am grateful for eloquence of speech, and the ability to articulate, I know that the weapons of our warfare are not based on fancy words. And even as it relates to brute physical strength or the science and technology of modern inventions, the weapons of our warfare are not based on gifts of man or modern science. While these things do offer advantages, ultimate victory comes from God.

So as you face your own struggles, let us remember the advice of the songwriters who said “hold your peace and let the Lord fight your battles.” And ask “Jesus to be a Fence all around you every day.” God is the maker and dispenser of the weapons of Christian warfare.