”As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.“ Proverbs 27:19 NIV
What is inside of you is showing.
I used to think I could hide what was going on inside of me. The truth is what is inside of us, or in our heart, will eventually come out of us. It will come out in our actions. It will come out in what we say. It will come out in the way we present ourselves. The truth is we cannot hide what is inside of us. If our hearts are full of turmoil, anger, fear, anxiety, etc., we will display it.
However, God has offered us a new heart that is His. When we come to Him and ask Him for a new heart, He will give us that new heart, and He will remove the old heart from us. The closer we get to Him the more the old heart will be cut away. More and more we will reflect Him.
So once again, what is in our heart will show. If God is in our heart, His love, His goodness, His joy and peace will be reflected in our lives.
What’s inside of us is showing. What is your heart reflecting?
”A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart.“ Proverbs 21:2 NIV
What is in your heart? Your spiritual heart is the most important thing about you and me. It is very important for us to understand this. We are free to choose our ways. We often think our ways we choose are the best for us. Simply put we think we are right.
The problem is our desires often are self focused. This comes from a heart that is not entirely, totally and completely given up to God.
God weighs our heart. He examines it. If we ask Him to, He will reveal it to us. This is why David prayed:
”Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.“ Psalms 139:23-24 NIV
If we want to live the blessed life, the life that is happy in God, our hearts need to be cleansed of any offensive or wicked way it may have. Sin needs to be cut away from it!
”Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.“ Proverbs 21:21 NIV
Pursuing righteousness, purity of heart, by obedience to God and what He says in His Word is how we give our hearts to God. Pursuing love or denying all our selfish wants and desires to give ourselves to God in total obedience is how we “find life.”
The question becomes “What is in my heart? What does it desire and pursue more than anything?”
What God finds when He examines or “weighs” our hearts is very important. It is a matter of spiritual life or spiritual death.
We were created out of divine love, by divine love, and for divine love. God loves us and the way we show love for God is to obey.
Adam and Eve are an example for all to see of this truth. As long as they were totally obedient and totally satisfied in that obedience to God, they dwelt in perfect life in the beautiful garden God made for them. But the moment they disobeyed and chose their own way, death entered the world along with it’s darkness and destruction.
Obeying what God commands is the way to life. In fact, Jesus said He came to give abundant life. (John 10:10) He desires for us to choose His life. (Deuteronomy 30:19-20) The way we choose His life is to obey!
When we choose our own way. We are careless. We show contempt for the things God has told us to do. This only leads to spiritual death.
We are told in this chapter of Proverbs that if we get wisdom, we “love life.” (Verse 8) If we “fear the Lord”, or have reverence for God that gives us a desire to obey Him fully, we will be led “to life … (and) rest content.” We will be “untouched by trouble.” (Verse 23)
Obedience to God is love for God and the way to dwell in love. God’s love is where life is found!
”Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life, but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.“ Proverbs 19:16 NIV
(I am the writer for a weekly devotion that goes to the email list of a local ministry. This is this weeks devotion about God’s Divine Love”)
“…Divine love surpasses the love of my parents who sacrificed much for me. It surpasses the love of my husband who knows me and accepts me just the way I am! It surpasses my own love for my four kids who I willingly laid down my wants, my desires, and my plans in order to see them excel and succeed…”
“Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD…” Exodus 5:2
“Who is the Lord that I should obey Him?” This is the disposition of heart that many have. It springs from the truth Pharaoh spoke about himself, “I do not know the Lord.” Simply put… Pharaoh did not fear the Lord. Many in our time do not fear the Lord as well.
There is much said in Proverbs about the fear of the Lord. Today’s Proverb talks about why it is so important.
”Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.“ Proverbs 14:26-27 NIV
The fear of the Lord is a “secure fortress… a refuge…a fountain of life.”
When we fear the Lord, we have a reverential awe of Him. This comes from a just view of Him. We see Him rightly. If we truly see Him for who He is, we will love Him. Then we will hate sin and aim for perfect obedience. We will not want anything to separate us from such a great and awesome God. (Websters 1828 Dictionary)
When we see God rightly, we know that we are secure in Him. He is our fortress. We know that our God is the place we can hide away and can experience His protection and provision because He is the greatest love. He is always working for our good!
As we shun evil or love God/Hate sin, we will know Him as the “fountain of life.” Because sin destroys and causes nothing but death, darkness, and destruction in our lives.
Pharaoh missed so much because he refused to know God for who He is and worship Him. We will miss so much as well if we refuse Him.
To Know God Is to Love God Is to Trust God Is to Obey God
May we come to a greater understanding of what it is to fear the Lord and to walk in His ways!
A few months ago, I was praying. I heard the Holy Spirit tell me, “Janet, do you know that Satan uses noise warfare?” Since the term “noise warfare” was not exactly on my mind, I decided to do a google search. When I did, I found an article about Manuel Noriega. The implications of his story have been eye opening to me as one who has been subject to “noise warfare” for most of my life.
US Soldiers blaring rock and roll music in 1989
On Christmas Day 1989, The United States decided it was time to arrest and bring to justice General Manuel Noriega, the dictator of Panama. Indicted for drug trafficking charges, Mr. Noriega had holed himself up in the embassy of the Vatican in Panama. The US forces did not want to destroy buildings in order to accomplish a surrender of the surrounded General. So, they engaged in “noise warfare”. They surrounded the Embassy and with a flight of Humvees that were mounted with loudspeakers from which they blasted rock in roll music, nonstop for three days. Noriega, who loved classical music surrendered shortly after. As I read the news report of the events surrounding Noriega’s surrender, the truth set in. This is the exact type of spiritual warfare I have been engaged in most of my life.
Make no doubt about it. Our enemy, Satan, is a liar. Not only is he a liar, he takes great pleasure in repeating lies in our ears over and over and over again. His voice does not tire from spewing lies 24/7 that lead us to choose anxiety, anger, depression, hatred, bitterness, envy, selfishness, jealousy, etc. However, we do not have to be subject to the noise warfare going on within our heads.
About three years ago, I contacted my friend from college. In our conversation, I revealed to her that I was suffering from horrible anxiety. She told me something that to this day rings true, “Janet, you have the Holy Spirit living within you. You know His voice. All you have to do is listen.” It occurred to me that moment that I had listened to the lies of the enemy so long that I had forgotten what it was like to listen for the “still small voice” of the Holy Spirit. I had allowed Satan to shout in my ears and I had been internalizing his lies. It was time to draw a line in the sand and FIGHT!
Do you know that God has a victory plan for the “noise warfare” of our enemy? It is the praise of our glorious God! It silences Satan!
“Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. “ Psalm 8:1-2 NIV
We must make a determined effort to use this weapon we have graciously been given. Satan knows this is true. So he once again will shout his lies, “That won’t work! You look like an idiot praising when you are who you are!” May I encourage you, tell him to “shut it!” and then get your praise on!
Even if the praise you struggle to get out starts with a feeble, “I praise you God, because you are good.” Build on those words with more and more praise. He cannot continue to blare his noise when the praises start! The truth of who God is as you praise Him with His Word will prevail! So, praise and then listen. You will hear His voice. It has been gently speaking all along. In Him is the Victory!
I have rediscovered the past few years how beautiful the sound of God’s voice is! I love it! What I did not know as I listened to the noise of the enemy is that God’s voice was speaking the whole time. Praise helped me to turn the channel of what was being broadcasted in my head. God’s voice is loving. His voice is peace. It is gentle, kind, patient, and good. And best of all, it can be heard! In fact, God longs for us to hear it! He wants us to know His voice and follow no other! Because He loves us and wants what is best for us!
We do not have to live under the constant barrage of the enemy’s lies and his “noise warfare”! We must immerse ourselves in the truth- God’s Word, the Bible, and lift up our voices in praise! Our God still breaks the chains of torment off of the minds of His children! Believe it is so!
Early morning before the sun is officially up is a beautiful time. As I sit on my east facing deck this morning, I am struck by how God thought of EVERYTHING to point to the greatness of His love.
The crickets are still in chorus right before the dawn. The neighbor’s roosters have joined in. An owl is singing his nightly song in the distance as well. God made all these sounds as a comfort and a joy. I can miss them if I don’t take the time to simply sit and enjoy.
What a lesson! I’ve got what seems to be a million plus one things to do today, but God wants me to sit and listen to His chorus of love He has written for me.
That’s how it is with our God. So often we run around disconnected and thinking about “our” lives. When He deeply desires for us to share His life that satisfies our deepest longings.
He made me for this, to sit with Him, to listen, to tell Him about all the things on my heart. He made me to experience Him.
Not only does His creation call out for me to think upon Him, He has given me His Word. May I cherish every word and sentence of His love letter to me!
He loves! God loves us deeply and we can miss it all together if we refuse to stop being all about ourselves and turn our eyes to Him. He has so much to give that He offers to us! The question is will we come to Him, offer our hearts to Him, and receive?
John 3:16 “For God so loved the World (you and me) that He gave…”
Early morning before the sun is officially up is a beautiful time. As I sit on my east facing deck this morning, I am struck by how God thought of EVERYTHING to point to the greatness of His love.
The crickets are still in chorus right before the dawn. The neighbor’s roosters have joined in. An owl is singing his nightly song in the distance as well. God made all these sounds as a comfort and a joy. I can miss them if I don’t take the time to simply sit and enjoy.
What a lesson! I’ve got what seems to be a million plus one things to do today, but God wants me to sit and listen to His chorus of love He has written for me.
That’s how it is with our God. So often we run around disconnected and thinking about “our” lives. When He deeply desires for us to share His life that satisfies our deepest longings.
He made me for this, to sit with Him, to listen, to tell Him about all the things on my heart. He made me to experience Him.
Not only does His creation call out for me to think upon Him, He has given me His Word. May I cherish every word and sentence of His love letter to me!
He loves! God loves us deeply and we can miss it all together if we refuse to stop being all about ourselves and turn our eyes to Him. He has so much to give that He offers to us! The question is will we come to Him, offer our hearts to Him, and receive?
John 3:16 “For God so loved the World (you and me) that He gave…”
“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NIV
This morning I am made keenly aware of the truth within these words. I have contemplated how often I have seen situations where the fruit of these choices are being displayed in my life and the lives of others. There is a blessing of life when we choose God’s Life. God offers us His spiritual prosperity, blessings, and enjoyment of Himself when we choose Him as our life. These blessings are poured out not only upon ourselves but on our children and their children and so on. BUT we must choose to pursue Life in a relationship with Him!
We have another choice which is death and curses. It is living our lives separated from the author and creator of life, God. This life is lived as we focus on ourselves- our wants, our desires, our ways- instead of God’s. It is a life with no relationship with God, apart from Him. When we choose that life, apart from Him, we live far from peace, joy, and love. We are in turmoil. Our emotions reflect that— anxiety, anger, bitterness, worry, etc. Our relationships with our family, coworkers, children, and spouses reflect that turmoil. When we choose our way instead of life we choose turmoil, and that turmoil will consume us and pour out on everyone we are around.
The question we need to ask ourselves is: What have I chosen for my life? God’s Life in relationship with Him or the death of choosing to not follow Him 💯, separated from Him?
“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NIV
This morning I am made keenly aware of the truth within these words. I have contemplated how often I have seen situations where the fruit of these choices are being displayed in my life and the lives of others. There is a blessing of life when we choose God’s Life. God offers us His spiritual prosperity, blessings, and enjoyment of Himself when we choose Him as our life. These blessings are poured out not only upon ourselves but on our children and their children and so on. BUT we must choose to pursue Life in a relationship with Him!
We have another choice which is death and curses. It is living our lives separated from the author and creator of life, God. This life is lived as we focus on ourselves- our wants, our desires, our ways- instead of God’s. It is a life with no relationship with God, apart from Him. When we choose that life, apart from Him, we live far from peace, joy, and love. We are in turmoil. Our emotions reflect that— anxiety, anger, bitterness, worry, etc. Our relationships with our family, coworkers, children, and spouses reflect that turmoil. When we choose our way instead of life we choose turmoil, and that turmoil will consume us and pour out on everyone we are around.
The question we need to ask ourselves is: What have I chosen for my life? God’s Life in relationship with Him or the death of choosing to not follow Him 💯, separated from Him?
Your Love 