Open Hearts and Minds

How open is your heart and mind? Are you open to seeing and hearing the truth? Are you seeking to discern the truth among the rhetoric, half-truths, and lies? Or is your heart hardened and your mind refusing to discern the truth? Are you willing to have a change of heart?

We see and hear a lot of rhetoric, half-truths, and outright lies. Artificial intelligence is used to create video and sound bites that appear to be real. People speak half-truths to pull us in so that we might believe the lie that underlies the small tidbit of truth they used.

We see many instances in the Bible in which the people’s hearts were hardened. Many of us will immediately think of Pharoah, but Jesus referenced the hard hearts of the people in the first century. Because of their hard hearts, they could not discern the truth He was speaking and teaching. They could not see the underlying truth He spoke through the parables.

How well do we see or hear the truth Jesus was (and is) speaking? We all approach the Bible with biases. Some of those biases were taught to us when we were children, and we continue to carry them decades later. Unfortunately, those biases are so ingrained that we refuse to open our hearts and minds to see and hear the truth. In some cases, we are just as blind as the Pharisees who were leading the people of Israel (Matthew 15:14).

How do we open our hearts and minds? We discard our biases to the degree possible. We remind ourselves to read God’s Word for the purpose of discovering the truth, setting aside what we think we know. If we do that each and every time we read, we can slowly divest ourselves of our biases and see God’s truth.

I pray we all seek to set aside our biases when reading God’s Word. I pray we take our blinders off. I pray each one of us will read God’s Word with open hearts and open minds, seeking the truth. Take the blinders off. Set aside your biases. Seek the truth of God’s Word.

Mark 4:33-34 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

Sowing Seeds

Are you amazed when you look at nature? Have you ever wondered how seeds become beautiful flowers? Do you ever wonder how a little acorn becomes a large oak tree? Are you in awe of how much corn or beans are produced within an acre of land?

As adults, we may not be quite amazed as we should be. Children are amazed to watch plants grow in their classrooms. They jump for joy when the first bit of green pokes up through soil. It brings us joy to see the joy on their faces. We may wish we had the same joy.

Jesus says that we scatter seed, sleep, and the seed grows. We don’t know how. This short parable, though referencing seeds sown in the ground, is referring to seeds of the gospel sown. We can sow seeds of the gospel all day long, and never know how they will grow. The Apostle Paul says one plants and another waters (1 Corinthians 3:7-8). Each of them receives their reward.

Sowing seeds of the gospel is not difficult to do. It simply requires us to give credit to God, thank God for his blessings, tell others we are blessed by God, dropping small kernels of the gospel along our way. We cannot make the seeds grow. God will make them grow (1 Corinthians 3:6).

The seed will sprout according to God’s plan and by his hand. It will continue to grow as God works within the person. The full grain will ripen for the harvest over time. At the right time God will reap the harvest. We are the harvest God will reap, taking us to be with him for eternity.

I pray we all sow the seeds of the gospel. I pray we give credit to God for his blessings. I pray each one of us look forward to the harvest and spending eternity with God. Sow the gospel seeds. Know that God will cause the growth. Look forward to God’s harvest. Look forward to eternity with God.

Mark 4:26-27 He also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how.”

Restart Button

What would you like to put behind you? Are there parts of your past you would like to forget? Do you get tired of people bringing up your past? Would you like to be able to hit the restart button? Do you know the restart button is available to you?

Some parts of our past are not pleasant. There may be portions of it we would just as soon forget. We may grow tired of being reminded of the mistakes we have made in the past. We may desire to have a clean start, the ability to move on.

The Apostle Paul tells the Corinthian church they have been made new. By accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they have become a new creation. He reminds them that the past is the past. His words encourage them to move on, leaving the past in the past, and walk in their faith in Jesus.

His words should also be an encouragement for us. We should read and internalize his words. Even if others bring up our past, we can allow it to roll off like water off a duck’s back. Though the past cannot be completely erased, we can stop it from defining who we are. We can move forward in a new way. In fact, we should move forward with newness and pep in our step.

The old saying that we cannot change the past, but we can change the future is true. But we can only do that if we live in Christ as a new creation. Some of us accepted Him as our Lord and Savior, taking it seriously and fully welcoming Him in our lives. Others have only partially done so, holding on to their past and reverting to their past.

Jesus has provided us with an opportunity to let the past go. He has given us an opportunity to hit the restart button. We are a new creation in Him. We need to believe it. When we finally accept it, we can and will step out in our faith and refuse to let our past define us.

I pray we all realize we are a new creation in Christ. I pray we leave our past behind. I pray each one of us will step out in our faith, hitting the restart button, and never turning back. You are a new creation. Put your past behind you. Hit the restart button. Step out in faith.

2 Corinthians 5:17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

Confident Faith

How confident are you? Are you confident in your life? Are you confident in your job? Are you confident in your relationships? Do you walk in your confidence? Or is it all a façade? Do you merely put on a good face to convince people you are confident and have it all together?

Being confident can be challenging. Sometimes, there is a fine line between confidence and cockiness. Walking that razors edge can also be a challenge. Many people have struggled to walk that line, often going beyond confidence to cockiness only to fall hard.

Here is the question we all should be wrestling with. Are we confident in our faith? Faith requires us to believe in God though we cannot see him. Faith requires us to trust that God is in control when everything appears to be out of control. Faith requires us to stand firm in the promises of God, even when our culture tells us they are fake news.

Confidence in God can be scary. When we step out on the limb of faith, Satan will send a hurricane force wind to knock us off. He will shake that limb as hard as he can. He wants us to give up our faith. Yet, when we hold on to that faith, we will see God do amazing things. We will be part of him doing them. He will use us in accomplishing them.

Walking by faith can be like walking around our house in the dark without a light. We know where things are. We know how many steps from the door of our bedroom to the bathroom door. We know how many steps down the hall before we get to the staircase. Yet, when we cannot see, it can be intimidating. But faith carries us through those situations. Faith carries us through the storms of life. Continue to be confident in your faith.

I pray we all are confident in our faith. I pray we trust in God’s promises. I pray each one of us will walk by our faith rather than by sight being confident that God is in control at all times. Be confident in God. Be confident in your faith. Trust God’s promises. Know God is in control.

2 Corinthians 5:6-7 So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord—for we walk by faith, not by sight.

Anointing

What do you know about anointing? Have you heard of anointing? Have you seen someone be anointed? Anointing is not something we see much anymore. We especially do not see it done in the same way it was done in Biblical times with oil. Yet, it does happen.

To anoint someone is to consecrate them, to set them apart for God’s purpose. We may see this today during an ordination ceremony of a pastor. The ceremony may or may not use oil. They will almost certainly include laying on of hands and prayer.

When Samuel anointed David to be the next king of Israel, he poured oil over David’s head. He also likely laid his hands on him and prayed over him. Samuel would have asked God to guide David in all he did; to give him strength, courage, wisdom, and discernment to carry out God’s will and lead the people of Israel.

As we see in Scripture, God poured his Spirit upon David. This is a rare instance in the Old Testament in which we see God’s Spirit come upon someone and stay. The prophets of old typically only had the Spirit come over them for a short period of time to give them the message God wanted spoken to the king or people of Israel. David had the Spirit with him for the remainder of his life.

Though we are not anointed in the same way, we are baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Much like David, God’s Spirit comes to live within us. We may feel the Spirit come upon us during our baptism, especially if we are baptized when we are an adult. It can be a transcendental experience. And, like David, we can listen to God’s Spirit for his guidance.

I pray we all know that God has poured out his Spirit. I pray we know that God’s Spirit lives within us. I pray each one of us seeks to listen to the Holy Spirit and follow his guidance. God has poured out his Spirit. God’s Holy Spirit lives in you. Listen for the Holy Spirit. Follow his guidance.

1 Samuel 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

Grief is Difficult

Have you grieved over someone? Have you grieved over someone who God had rejected? Did you know that God had rejected them? Did you know they had rejected God? Were you able to move on? Did you hear God encourage you to continue to do the work he had set aside for you?

Grieving is difficult. It is different for each person. It can be more difficult if we are grieving a family member who did not accept Jesus as their Savior. We can blame ourselves. We can feel guilty for not doing more to convince them to accept Jesus as their Savior.

Samuel was probably grieving partially for Saul and partially for himself. He likely felt guilty that he had not done more to convince Saul to change his ways. Yet, there are people, no matter how hard we try, who will never accept Jesus as their Savior. It is disheartening. It is frustrating. I’m sure Samuel felt those feelings as he was grieving for Saul. In fact, he may have been grieving over Saul long before Saul died.

Yet, God urges us to move forward. He has more for us to do. We cannot change the past; we can only seek to change the future. God had a plan for Samuel to anoint the next king for Israel—David, son of Jesse. Samuel had a task set before him. Perhaps God gave Samuel the task to get him to move on. God may do the same thing for us.

Though we may grieve, we also must move on. Moving on does not mean we forget the person we are grieving, but it means we recognize we have additional works to complete. We understand God has more for us in his plan. We continue to look toward the day when we will meet God face-to-face and seek to hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

I pray we all grieve when we need to. I pray we move on from the grief when God urges us to. I pray each one of us know that God has a plan for us, and we continue to work for him. Grieve when needed. Know when to move on. Know God has a plan for you. Continue to work for God.

1 Samuel 16:1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”

Steadfast Love of the Lord

We all have a need to be loved. We often search for love in the wrong places and from the wrong people. There is no single person on this earth who can fully satisfy our need for love. Some may come close, but they cannot fulfill our need fully.

So, what are we to do? Where are we to look? Should we simply give up our search? No, we should look elsewhere. Instead of looking horizontally, we should look vertically. That is not easy to do when you are lonely in this world.

Yet, we are told over and over that God loves us. We are told that he is always with us. We likely understand that intellectually. But do we understand it within our hearts? That is where the rubber meets the road—in our hearts. It is in our hearts that God works the best. It is where we hear him the best.

When we open our hearts to God, he fills them with his love. When we listen for him to speak to our heart, we hear him. Perhaps we should remind ourselves of God’s love and ask him to not forsake us. That is what the psalmist does. He asks that God not forsake his handiwork, meaning us.

Asking God to remember us and to take care of us pleases God. He delights in our willingness to trust he is in control. As we trust him, he fulfills that trust, thereby increasing our confidence in him.

I pray we all know God loves us. I pray we feel his love for us in our hearts. I pray each one of us will ask God to take care of us, putting our trust and confidence in him for all our needs. Know that God loves you. Trust him with all things. Feel his love in your heart. God will love you forever.

Psalm 138:8

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; 

your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. 

Do not forsake the work of your hands.

God’s Family

Who is part of your family? Are there people you consider members who are not physically related to you? Do you have members who have been adopted? Are you part of a mixed family who considers all to be part of the family? Do you consider church members to be part of your family?

Families can be messy. Relationships can be messy. We see a lot of mixed families. We also see families who have adopted members, whether legally adopted or simply considered to be adopted. Families may also include people who are on the fringes—sometimes in and sometimes out.

But who does Jesus consider to be family? The simple answer? Those who do the will of God. That can be good news and bad news. It depends on whether we are doing the will of God or not. Lest we get too carried away, that does not mean always being busy. The will of God does not require us to always being doing something.

The will of God, as Jesus explains in John 6:29, is to believe in Jesus. That doesn’t mean God doesn’t have work for us to do, he does. But to believe in Jesus is to do the work God has for us to do at the time God wants us to do it. That means there will be times for rest and times for work. It means we must listen for the Holy Spirit to lead us.

With that being said, we should also consider those who believe in Jesus to be our family. They are our brothers and sisters. Some of them are our spiritual mothers and fathers. Regardless of how you think of them, think of them as family. Seek to forgive, reconcile, love, and abide with one another. The unity of the family is precious to Jesus.

I pray we all seek to do the will of God. I pray we know we are part of the family of God. I pray each one of us will forgive, reconcile, love and abide with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Do God’s will. Believe in Jesus Christ. You are part of God’s family. Love your brothers and sisters.

Mark 3:33-35 And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

Stand Together in Love

Are you divided? Are you torn between two or more entities? Have you pledge loyalty to more than one person or belief? Do you feel the struggle being wrought within you? Are there times when it feels as though you will be torn apart? Will you pledge yourself to only one?

We sometimes feel conflict within ourselves. We are torn between two options. One option may feel fully right, while the other is the easier path to take. One may cause some friction with another person, while the other only causes inner turmoil for us.

Being torn between two option is not fun. We struggle with decisions that may cause someone to no longer like us. Yet, if we don’t take the right path, we continue to be chewed up from the inside out. Eventually, we will explode. It may not happen for years. In fact, this very thing has torn many families apart and been the cause of many divorces.

Jesus warned us about this. When we are divided against ourselves, we cannot stand. When we have a war going on within us, we will destroy ourselves. The same is true of families. When there are underlying unresolved issues, they will slowly eat away at the togetherness. We can extend that to our communities, churches, and even our nation.

Jesus warned us that any house or kingdom divided will fall. But how do we stop it? In a word—love. Love will guide us in addressing the issue with loving care. It will give us the wisdom to confront the issue wisely. Walking, talking, and breathing the love of God will provide us with all we need to resolve and rectify the situation. It may not be easy, but it is the only way to make a course correction. Choose to work it out in love.

I pray we all know that we cannot stand divided. I pray we seek to resolve issues with the love of God. I pray each one of us care for one another with love—walking, talking, and breathing the love of God. Know a divided house cannot stand. Know a divided kingdom cannot stand. Seek resolution in God’s love. Show love to one another. Stand together in love.

Mark 3:23-25 And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.”

Shift Your Focus

Where is your home? Have you moved around a lot during your life? Was it due to work transfers or just because you couldn’t find a place you felt at home? Are you happy with your body? Do you have good physical health? Or are you experiencing health problems?

Being satisfied with our bodies, our health, and our homes can be a challenge. We may have several things we would like to change about them. Our dissatisfaction can cause us to miss what is truly important. On the other hand, it can cause us to realize what is truly important.

So, what is truly important? Many of us will say family or having close friends. Even those who chase after the almighty dollar will state family or friends is more important, though their behavior may say something different. We have been conditioned to give that answer, whether we believe it or not.

Unfortunately, it is not the correct answer. What is truly important is that we have an eternal home with God. Though we may not have the best home here on earth nor the greatest of health, we can look forward to spending eternity perfectly God’s creation in God’s perfect creation. The lack of perfection on this earth should cause us to continually focus on the perfection coming. It is the most important thing we can ever be given. It is the greatest gift God can give. Shifting our focus from the downside of this life to the upside of eternal life will bring us joy beyond comprehension.

I pray we all reduce our worry and anxiety about this life. I pray we choose to focus on God’s promise of eternity with him. I pray each one of us will shift our focus and experience the joy God is waiting to give us. Know this life will end. Know there will be trouble in this life. Know that God has a perfect place waiting for you. Shift your focus. Focus on eternity with God.

2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.