Burning Hearts

How often does your heart burn? How often do you feel an amazing sensation in your chest? When does that feeling come? Have you noticed it, considered it, and spent time understanding it? Is it just emotion or is it something far deeper than that?

There are many things in our lives that can bring momentary happiness. We may feel a very deep emotional sensation when we first fall in love. Unfortunately, none of those last. It doesn’t mean we fall out of love, it simply changes into something beyond emotion and becomes a commitment.

But these feelings are not what the two disciples felt on the road as Jesus revealed the Scriptures to them. They felt the effects of God’s hands softening their hearts. They gained an understanding they could not otherwise have gained. Their hearts/minds were being molded by what Jesus said. It was a life altering experience.

We, too, can have a similar life altering experience. It is not about it being available to us but whether we are open to it. The two disciples were distraught, depressed, and generally downtrodden. They were open to hear anything that would encourage them. It is often when we are in that state of mind that we open to hear God speak to us.

How does God speak to us? We don’t typically hear a booming voice. Instead, God whispers to our souls. He speaks to us through Bible study, preaching, and experience. We are to be ready to hear him at any time. It is called keeping the line of communication open.

I pray we all desire to have our hearts strangely warmed. I pray we seek to hear God speak to us. I pray each one of us will keep the line of communication open between God and us so that we may hear him speak. Desire your heart to be strangely warmed. Hear God speak. Keep communication open to God.

Luke 24:32: They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?”

Entire Bible

Have you heard people divide the Bible into two parts? Have you heard it said the Old Testament is about an angry God? Have you largely ignored the Old Testament? Have you only studied the New Testament? Have you considered the entire Bible is about Jesus?

I have heard many people state they don’t read the Old Testament, and the Old Testament is about an angry God. I have taught Bible studies on Old Testament books and heard people stated they had never read them. We are to read and understand the entire Bible.

Jesus tells the two disciples who were walking to Emmaus that Moses and the prophets wrote about Him. He explained to them what those writings meant as He walked with them for a few miles. It would have been a very enlightening discussion. I’m sure there were many questions and many “ah-ha” moments. Can you imagine? The One who inspired the writings is explaining them to you!

Reading the Old Testament, or Hebrew Bible, can be very enlightening to us as well. As we read and understand those Scriptures, it enriches our understanding of the New Testament and God himself. Not only does it include prophecies that point to Jesus, but it includes examples of God’s grace and blessings. It demonstrates how God not only worked through the people of Israel, but through people of other nations.

As we read and understand how God has worked throughout history, we can better see how God is working in our world today. Though we are to hold onto God’s promises, that is not all we should do. We should also recognize God’s blessings and be part of his work today. God is not done with this world yet and he is calling us to both understand him and work with him.

I pray we all read the entire Bible. I pray we take time to study the prophecies of the Old Testament. I pray each one of us will commit to better understanding God and working with him. Read the entire Bible. Study the prophecies. Understand God. Commit to working with God.

Luke 24:27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

Love Deeply

What does it mean to you to have a change of heart? How does that change take place? Do you believe it to be your own work, one that you discipline yourself to complete? Have you been able to purify your heart? What is you are going about in the wrong way?

We often hear the phrase “he/she has had a change of heart.” We assume that means they have made a one-hundred-eighty-degree turn. They once thought one way and now think a completely different way. The object of their thought can include anything.

We see in today’s passage that our souls have been made pure by our obedience to the gospel. Because we have believed in Jesus Christ, accepted Him as Lord and Savior, and chosen to follow Him, we have been purified by Him. In accordance with that purification, we are to love one another deeply. That means we are to allow the love of God to fill us and to share that love with one another.

We cannot do this on our own. That is why Peter tells us it is by our obedience to the gospel that we have been made pure, which through Jesus Christ. It is Him working in our lives. It is His blood that has made us pure. Rather than trying to do this on our own, which will only last momentarily, we must allow Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, to fill us with His love. It is by being open to God working through us that we can truly share his love. In other words, we must surrender to God through his Son, Jesus Christ, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us.

I pray we all desire to have a change of heart. I pray we accept that we have been purified by Jesus Christ. I pray each one of us will surrender to God and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us. Desire a change of heart. Know you are purified by Jesus’ blood. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you.

1 Peter 1:22 Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual affection, love one another deeply from the heart.

Pursue Heavenly Things

What is your heritage? What is your ancestry? What have you inherited from your parents and grandparents? Is it all good, or is there bad mixed in? Have you changed for the good? Have you had a better life than your ancestors? Do you desire for your children to have a better life?

It seems like everyone I talk with has some shady characters in their family history. For some, it may be aunts and uncles. For others, it is their parents or grandparents. Some of us have had to escape the reputations of parents. If we have, we often desire our children to be better than we are.

The truth of the matter is, we all have been rescued. Whether it was a family member in the past who had a bad reputation or we had done horrible or destructive things in our own past, we were pulled out of the gutter. Our natural desire for vengeance, selfishness, and other destructive behavior requires us to be rescued.

Our rescue came when Jesus went to the cross. Because He willingly took on our sin, we are forgiven. As we realize and appreciate Him paying our ransom, we are to pursue Him. We do so by following His teaching and example. We pursue the imperishable rather than the perishable. We pursue heavenly things rather than earthly things. We put our confidence in God.

I pray we all know that we have been rescued. I pray we thank Jesus for going to the cross for us. I pray each one of us will pursue the imperishable heavenly things rather than the perishable earthly things. You have been rescued. Thank Jesus. Pursue heavenly things.

1 Peter 1:18-19 You know that you were ransomed from the futile conduct inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.

Overcome Fear

How do you deal with your fears? Are you willing to admit the many fears you have? Or do you conceal them, tuck them away deep inside, and do your best to hide them? Have you wrestled with your fears? Have you acknowledged them? Do you know you can be delivered from them?

We all have fears. Some of us hide them better than others. Some of us allow our fears to overwhelm us more than others. Some of us have wrestled with them and have overcome them with sheer will. Others continue to be subsumed with them.

Here is a key point we all need to learn; we do not have to be overwhelmed by our fears. There is One who will deliver us from them. Whether we are good at hiding our fears or we put them on full display, we can be relieved of our fears by God. For fear is a mechanism used by Satan and God has overcome evil.

To be delivered from our fears, we must first be confident in God. We must trust that God is in full control. Not just control of cosmic things but control of the minutest detail, including the very number of hairs on our heads. When we come to wholeheartedly believe this truth, fear can no longer control us. For we turn that fear over to God and trust him to handle it.

Let’s not kid ourselves, it won’t happen overnight. We will need to continually remind ourselves that God is in control. We will need to work at putting our full trust in him. Each day will require us to take one more step in that trust. Each day we do will be a day of positive direction toward being delivered from our fears.

I pray we all know that God is in control. I pray we trust that God has overcome evil. I pray each one of us puts our trust and faith in God and turns our fears over to him so we can overcome fear. God is in control. God has overcome evil. Put your trust in God. Overcome your fear.

Psalm 34:4

I sought the Lord, and he answered me 

and delivered me from all my fears.

Strategy and Tactics

How observant are you? Do you notice changes that happen? Do you think tactically or strategically? Do you focus on the minute details or the big picture? Can you switch your focus between the two as needed? Can you use a strategic view to build a tactical plan?

We may be so focused on the immediate goal that we do not notice changes occurring around us. We may be focused only on the tactical situation and never step back to think about the strategy. We may be focused on the details and not take time to see the big picture.

Each of us have different gifts. Some of us are gifted with attention to detail and can be laser focused on accomplishing tasks with precision. We need people with that gift so that tasks are completed well. Others are gifted with the ability to see the big picture and develop a strategy which includes a long-term goal and steps to accomplish it. We need those strategists who can see the situation, visualize the future, and develop a strategy for a better future.

As we seek to accomplish God’s will, we need both types of people. The strategists will know that God will eventually bring this world to an end. They know there are many, many people who are lost and need to hear the Word of God. Their view of the world includes the changes in culture and society, comprehending the appropriate methods for ministry.

Those who focus on the tactical details will implement the methods using a variety of steps and tools. Their attention to detail ensures ministries and events are accomplished with precision. Each of us needs to determine which gift we have and use them to accomplish God’s will. Rare is the individual who has both. But both are needed, which means we must learn to work together and recognize one another’s gifts. For God has gifted our churches with the gifts we need to accomplish his will.

I pray we all see the changes happening around us. I pray we recognize our gifts, both individually and corporately. I pray each one of us commits to accomplishing God’s will. Be observant. Know your gifts. Know the gifts of your church. Commit to accomplishing God’s will.

Isaiah 51:6

Lift up your eyes to the heavens 

and look at the earth beneath, 

for the heavens will vanish like smoke, 

the earth will wear out like a garment, 

and those who live on it will die like gnats, 

but my salvation will be forever, 

and my deliverance will never be ended.

Look to the Rock

Have you given serious thought about where or who you are from? Have you dug into your ancestry? Have you determined your family origin? Have you given any thought to the origin of all life? Have you considered that you were planned for from the beginning of time?

Family history can be very interesting. Not only do each of us have some interesting characters in our family today but there are some interesting characters in our ancestry. Tracing our ancestry to another country can be interesting. It may cause us to visit our ancestry home.

When you dig into family history, you find some of the oddest things. Though this could not happen today, I know of 2 brothers who put their wives up as collateral to purchase a horse. Now, this was in the early 1900’s. So, keep in mind things were significantly different a hundred years ago. I will also add, they paid off the horse, and their wives never left their sides. However, it is just one example of interesting things we can find in our family history.

Isaiah tells us to dig into the rock from which we have come. He is encouraging us to dig into God. For, when we boil it all down, we all come from God. He is our Creator. He is the one who put us on this earth. Why should we dig into God? We should do so to pursue righteousness. We should do so to seek him out. We should do so to get to know him better. Ultimately, as we get to know him better, our lives improve. We begin to live the abundant life Jesus promised.

I pray we all seek to know God better. I pray we dig into knowing God, who is our Creator. I pray each one of us will pursue righteousness and the abundant life God desires to give us. Seek to know God. Dig into knowing God. Pursue righteousness. Experience the abundant life.

Isaiah 51:1

Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, 

you who seek the Lord. 

Look to the rock from which you were hewn 

and to the quarry from which you were dug.

Blessed Believers

Do you believe you are blessed? Do you only believe what you can see with your own eyes? Do you believe what others tell you? Does it depend on who they are and your judgment on their trustworthiness? Will you believe in something you have neither seen nor experienced?

Belief can be a tricky thing. We have all fallen prey to believing something others have told us, only to find out later it was untrue. There are some people we know who we do not believe any further than we could throw them. We have deemed them untrustworthy based on experience.

I don’t believe Thomas thought his fellow disciples were untrustworthy. He simply could not step out in faith based on what they told him, which was opposed to what he had experienced. He saw Jesus arrested. He knew Jesus had been condemned to die on a cross, whether he was there when Pilate condemned Him or not. He also knew that no one survived a Roman crucifixion. So, Thomas was not blindly disregarding what the disciples told him.

Eventually, Thomas sees the risen Christ and falls on his knees to worship Him. He believes because he saw Him. But Jesus says those who have not seen Him and believe are blessed. That means we are blessed. Why? We are blessed to have a faith that is based on the testimony of others. Namely the writers of the New Testament. It is a blessing to be given our faith without having witnessed what we are putting our faith in.

I pray we all believe that Jesus is the Son of God. I pray we believe that He was crucified, buried, and rose again on the third day. I pray each one of us realize we are blessed to have a faith in something and someone we have not seen nor witnessed for ourselves. Believe Jesus is the Son of God. Believe Jesus was crucified. Believe Jesus rose on the third day. Be blessed in your faith.

John 20:29: Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Don’t Miss Out

Have you missed out? Do you recall a time when something important happened and you were not there? Were you supposed to be there? How did you feel not being there? Were you given a second chance to experience it? Did it cause you to commit to not missing something again?

Missing out on an important event can haunt us. Especially if it is an event we were supposed to be at for our children. We can carry an internal hurt and depression for a very long time. Some of those events will never happen again. Other times, we get a second chance.

When Jesus appeared to the disciples on His day of resurrection, Thomas was not there. He missed out on seeing the resurrected Son of God. He missed out on the shared experience with the other disciples. Not only had he missed out, but he would not believer their account of what happened when Jesus appeared to them. Fortunately for Thomas, he would get a second chance.

Have we missed out on seeing Jesus at work in our lives? Unfortunately, too many times we do. Jesus is continually at work in our lives, and we are often too busy to notice. Our lives have become filled with more to do than we can get done. We run ourselves ragged trying to accomplish them all. We may feel overwhelmed. We may go and go until we drop. Our sleep is interrupted with worry over what didn’t get done. Our joy is stolen. We fail to notice the birds singing, the flowers blooming, and Jesus working in our lives.

I pray we seek to see Jesus at work in our lives. I pray we strive to quit missing out on seeing Jesus. I pray each one of us will take time to stop, breathe, and notice the wonders of God. Seek to see Jesus. See Jesus working in your life. Pause every once in a while. Notice the wonders of God.

John 20:24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

Peace Be With You

Can you imagine someone appearing out of thin air in a room in which you had locked the door? Or can you imagine someone walking through the door without opening it? What if that person was someone you knew who had died and yet they started talking with you?

That is exactly what Jesus did to His disciples. They were locked away. They were in hiding from the authorities. They feared they would be the next ones to be hauled away and crucified for no other reason than they had followed Jesus. They were also enemies of the Jewish leaders.

Jesus simply comes in, whether appearing out of thin air or walking through the locked door and stands in their midst. He knew they were looking for Him. He also knew they wouldn’t find Him unless He wanted them to. So, He went to them. He had many things left to do before He ascended. He needed to see many people in a short period of time.

Jesus gave them His peace. A peace that goes beyond understanding. Imagine that peace falling on them. They suddenly know that everything will work out according to God’s plan and that Jesus dying on the cross was part of it along with His resurrection. They would fear no more. They would become bold in proclaiming His message.

We can be bold proclaiming the message of Jesus, too. Because of His resurrection, we have the promise of eternal life. I know, many of us want a comfortable life now. That is not what Jesus promised. He promised He would always be with us. He promised us the gift of the Holy Spirit. He promised us He would provide for our every need as we carried out His mission, which is to make disciples.

I pray we all trust Jesus is always with us. I pray we seek to accomplish God’s plan for our lives. I pray each one of us boldly proclaim the message of Jesus to make disciples for Him. Trust Jesus is with you. Do God’s work. Accomplish Jesus’ mission. Proclaim the gospel boldly. Make disciples.

John 20:19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”