"For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see the plumbline in the hand of Zerubbabel; they are the eyes of the LORD which run to and fro through the whole earth." Zechariah 4:10
Do you value what God values? Sometimes we can look down on small things. When we're just starting out in ministry or when we seem to be doing something menial, we can look down on it or not place the same value on it that God does. The Lord says that He rejoices to see the plumbline in the hand of Zerubbabel. He rejoices to see His work under way, yet there were some who saw Zerubbabel's work as small and insignificant. If God values it, its a great thing no matter how small you might think it is. Do you have God-values? Do you despise the day of small things that He rejoices over?
Monday, April 28, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
Comments
Hey Everyone! Its your turn now. If you have a word of encouragement or a just a simple Bible verse on your heart, please share it with us. Click on "comments" below and post it.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Where is your heart?
“And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” Hebrew 3:19.
Unbelief and Disobedience go hand in hand, and this was the root problem with those who came out of Egypt. The Holy Spirit tried to warn them by saying, “Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness”(3:7-8) when they were in the wilderness for those forty years. And those of an unbelieving heart are described as, “they always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways” (3:10) The result of unbelief will always be evident in disobedience. A perfect example was an unbelieving generation who did not enter because of unbelief. That’s why the author warns the reader and writes in verse 12, “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God”. Then he exhorts them by saying, “but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” Keep believing in the living God even when it is difficult to believe because of circumstances. Keep obeying the Words of the Lord, and He shall bring it to pass. Why? So that you may enter into the promises God has for us. Do not go astray in your heart, but Hear His voice and believe and obey. Trust in the living God.
Unbelief and Disobedience go hand in hand, and this was the root problem with those who came out of Egypt. The Holy Spirit tried to warn them by saying, “Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness”(3:7-8) when they were in the wilderness for those forty years. And those of an unbelieving heart are described as, “they always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways” (3:10) The result of unbelief will always be evident in disobedience. A perfect example was an unbelieving generation who did not enter because of unbelief. That’s why the author warns the reader and writes in verse 12, “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God”. Then he exhorts them by saying, “but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” Keep believing in the living God even when it is difficult to believe because of circumstances. Keep obeying the Words of the Lord, and He shall bring it to pass. Why? So that you may enter into the promises God has for us. Do not go astray in your heart, but Hear His voice and believe and obey. Trust in the living God.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Secular Music & Entertainment
Proverbs 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
We need to keep our hearts pure. Charles Spurgeon said “Now, the heart is just the reservoir of man, and our life is allowed to flow in its proper season. That life may flow through different pipes—the mouth, the hand, the eye; but still all the issues of hand, of eye, of lip, derive their source from the great fountain and central reservoir, the heart; and hence there is no difficulty in showing the great necessity that exists for keeping this reservoir, the heart, in a proper state and condition, since otherwise that which flows through the pipes must be touted and corrupt. May the Holy Spirit now direct our meditations.”
What you say, what you think, what you do, are all reflections of what you are. Listening to secular music and watching movies or television aren't sins. However, if the music you are listening to promotes sin and the movies or television shows you are watching glorify or encourage sexual immorality, profane language, drunkenness, greed, pride, lust and violence then that is something different. You will be polluting the source of your innermost being. We seriously need to recognize and consider the importance of guarding our hearts for the purpose of maintaining our spiritual lives and impacting the kingdom. Jesus warns us about what our hearts are capable of in Matthew 15:19, "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”
Our hearts are the seat of our total personalities. What we hear is important, what we study is important, what we see is important. We should recognize that out of the heart will come all of the great issues of our lives. Jesus said that it isn’t what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out of a man. That’s why it is important to “Keep our hearts with all diligence." If you are constantly being filled with corruption, corruption will flow out. “For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”
In John 7:37 Jesus said, “If any man thirst, let him come after me and drink.” It is more important for the spirit to fill the reservoirs of our hearts so that His love may flow forth. Read the Word, hear the Word, and censor your TV & movie watching and the music that you listen to. Jesus said in Matthew 12:34 “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Watch what you allow into your ears and your eyes, because what you see and hear will filter through those pipes into the reservoir of your heart. In the end it effects your meditations and how concerned you are with the more important things like salvation for the lost and the edification of the saints. Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2, "Preach the word, be ready in season and out of season."
Some of us could look at our CD collection, ITunes, TV programs, movie collection, or even carnal friends that in someway encourage or glorify sexual immorality, profane speech, intoxication, or rebellion to authority. The wisest thing we could ever do is to get rid of them to keep our hearts with all diligence and continue to run this race. Or we can be like a man who smokes a cigar and leaves a terrible smell everywhere he goes. Give your heart to Jesus Christ!! “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Out of a heart well kept will flow living issues, good fruit , the glory of God and the edification of others.
We need to keep our hearts pure. Charles Spurgeon said “Now, the heart is just the reservoir of man, and our life is allowed to flow in its proper season. That life may flow through different pipes—the mouth, the hand, the eye; but still all the issues of hand, of eye, of lip, derive their source from the great fountain and central reservoir, the heart; and hence there is no difficulty in showing the great necessity that exists for keeping this reservoir, the heart, in a proper state and condition, since otherwise that which flows through the pipes must be touted and corrupt. May the Holy Spirit now direct our meditations.”
What you say, what you think, what you do, are all reflections of what you are. Listening to secular music and watching movies or television aren't sins. However, if the music you are listening to promotes sin and the movies or television shows you are watching glorify or encourage sexual immorality, profane language, drunkenness, greed, pride, lust and violence then that is something different. You will be polluting the source of your innermost being. We seriously need to recognize and consider the importance of guarding our hearts for the purpose of maintaining our spiritual lives and impacting the kingdom. Jesus warns us about what our hearts are capable of in Matthew 15:19, "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”
Our hearts are the seat of our total personalities. What we hear is important, what we study is important, what we see is important. We should recognize that out of the heart will come all of the great issues of our lives. Jesus said that it isn’t what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out of a man. That’s why it is important to “Keep our hearts with all diligence." If you are constantly being filled with corruption, corruption will flow out. “For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”
In John 7:37 Jesus said, “If any man thirst, let him come after me and drink.” It is more important for the spirit to fill the reservoirs of our hearts so that His love may flow forth. Read the Word, hear the Word, and censor your TV & movie watching and the music that you listen to. Jesus said in Matthew 12:34 “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Watch what you allow into your ears and your eyes, because what you see and hear will filter through those pipes into the reservoir of your heart. In the end it effects your meditations and how concerned you are with the more important things like salvation for the lost and the edification of the saints. Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2, "Preach the word, be ready in season and out of season."
Some of us could look at our CD collection, ITunes, TV programs, movie collection, or even carnal friends that in someway encourage or glorify sexual immorality, profane speech, intoxication, or rebellion to authority. The wisest thing we could ever do is to get rid of them to keep our hearts with all diligence and continue to run this race. Or we can be like a man who smokes a cigar and leaves a terrible smell everywhere he goes. Give your heart to Jesus Christ!! “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Out of a heart well kept will flow living issues, good fruit , the glory of God and the edification of others.
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