Sunday, July 9, 2017

Short-Cut To God's Heart

Hey Friend,

For the past two posts, I have been sharing what I've been learning in reading through 2 Corinthians.  I admit that this book of the Bible is filled with hard truth.  It is the stuff that convicts our hearts and makes us ponder.  It has been a good journey for me to be challenged rather than resting on my laurels.

I can see that while I've been recuperating, God has had a purpose in pulling me aside and making me use my "down" time to go deeper into His Word.  It's made me realize, that as I become more mobile, I still desperately need time for rest, rejuvenation, and just drawing close to Him and seeing what He would have me learn in order that I might bask in His love and continue to grow.

It's interesting, that after the hard hitting truth, Paul ends this book with a rather upbeat exhortation to the disciples and the church at Corinth.  Leave it to Paul to always end on a note of encouragement and the "Basics of Discipleship".

Here are two versions of the same passage of scripture: (2 Corinthians 13:11)

"Be joyful.  Grow to maturity.  Encourage each other.  Live in harmony and peace.  Then the God of love and peace will be with you."

"Finally, brothers, rejoice.  Become mature, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you."

I would say that these positive, upbeat, definite choices are like the "Cliff Notes of Discipleship".  We all like a short-cut, so let's take a look:

1. Joy/Rejoice:  Choose joy, and what better way to do that than to look around and rejoice in the Truth that God has shared with you.  "This is the day that the Lord has made.  I will rejoice and be glad in it."  Look around, right now, and find something or someone for which you can rejoice.

2. Growth/Become Mature:  God tells us that we are to "grow up" into the head which is Christ.  We can no longer rest behind the excuse of "this is how God made me so you're just going to have to live with it".  God wants us to be continually open to growing and maturing as believers.  That means putting off what's old and embracing the new creation that we are.

3. Encouragement/Be Encouraged:  Do you believe that you are "Beloved", "Holy", "Chosen"??  Well you are.  Even if you don't "feel" this way - feelings lie. The facts in the Truth of the Bible tell us, time and time again, about the lovingkindness that God wants to lavish upon us simply because we are His.

4. Harmony/Be of the Same Mind:  Don't be divisive or stir the pot.  If these aren't words for today, I don't know what are.  Be of the same mind as God, and seek to live in harmony with Him and with others (believers and unbelievers).  

5. Peace/Be at Peace:  Easier said than done at times, but I believe this is one of the greatest desires of God for our souls.  I think that's why he bids us to "Come" so many times in the Bible.  I know for me, the only way I can find peace is if I truly lay it ALL at the foot of the cross.  When I pick it up and carry it - it's Pride.  When I lay it down and give it over to God, I find Peace.

This is a list, however, that we need to choose.  

This is a list that moves us closer to God's heart....to a place where we can crawl into His lap, rest our weary head on His chest, hear His heartbeat of love for us, and simply breathe.  Let go....and breathe....

This is a short-cut to the very heart of God.  

and....it comes with a promise....

"The God of love and peace will be with you."  Amen!

If your life is feeling out of joint, disconnected from God, searching but unable to find the destination, will you give it a try??  Close to God's heart - that's certainly where I want and need to be.

Are you feeling like you are close to God's heart or far away?  Which of the 5 points above do you feel like God is calling you to choose today?  How would your life look different if, one by one, you chose these short-cuts to God's heart?

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise you and thank you that you always include encouragement in your Truth.  Thank you for these upbeat and positive exhortations that Paul's words offer to me as your disciple. Help me to embrace joy, growth, encouragement, harmony, and peace. You gladly offer them....let me choose them for myself.  Thank you that you never give up on me and that you always lead me back to your loving heart for me.  I praise you that I am beloved, holy, and chosen. Enable me to live in that reality and if I'm not there right now, pull me into you and your love and allow me to experience your peace and breathe....In Jesus' precious name I pray, Amen.

Be blessed...
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25 comments:

  1. Bev, Thank you for writing this blog piece today! I really needed your scripture breakdown of entering God's heart. You are really growing in wisdom, insight, understanding, and maturity. This progression of maturity is beautiful for me to watch unfold as you have been writing. Thank you and I appreciate you my friend! Blessings and hugs, Joanne

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    1. Joanne,
      Thanks, as always, for your encouragement. With each of these surgeries, I agree, God has taken me on a journey closer to His heart and delights in sharing wisdom from His Word from me. I guess he knows since I can't go anywhere, He has a captive audience :) Your sweet words today lift me up. I appreciate YOU my wise friend!!
      Blessings and ((hugs)) back to you,
      Bev xx

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  2. Yes, we do need to make that choice, and it's so amazing that God gives us the option. I'm continually blessed to see how God is strengthening you through this entire process of healing and waiting.

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    1. Michele,
      Yes, it truly is a choice. I have felt God strengthening me both physically as well as spiritually. It makes me realize that God does, indeed, have great purpose in our ordained times of waiting!!
      Blessings and lifting you in prayer as well,
      Bev xx

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  3. Really good points to ponder Bev. I'd have to say the one that I most need to work on is peace. I tend to get myself way in over my head, constantly busy, always behind. We do live in a fast paced world but it is so important to take time to just be so God can fill us with His peace.
    Thank you for this :)

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    1. Patricia,
      Peace is a toughy!! In being sidelined with my surgery and forced to rest and take a time out, I realized why God calls us to rest. He wants to instill us with His peace and we will never find it if we don't slow down long enough to draw near to God's peaceful presence. Glad you found some encouragement here.
      Blessings,
      Bev xx

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  4. Dear Bev, Isn't it reassuring that God can use every situation to reach out to us? That said, I really like your encouragement that we need to do our part, too, and do it intentionally. Prayers and blessings as you continue to physically recover and spiritually grow in grace.

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    1. Alice,
      So good to see your smiling face :) God does give us the directions, but like you said, we need to do our part and take those intentional steps toward Him. Thank you for your continued prayers and blessings - they are felt!!
      Blessings,
      Bev xx

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  5. Bev...it's so good that you are seeing the positive side of being non mobile!! I only hope I can have such a positive outlook every day!
    Good reading makes our mind so much better and clearer, which truly helps our bodies also!!
    XOXO
    Jodie
    www.jtouchofstyle.com

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    1. Jodie,
      Oh I've had my emotional breakdown days too, but I do have to say that God has been faithful to see me through....I really have to give Him all the credit and the glory!
      Blessings,
      Bev xo

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  6. Choosing to be closer to God's heart. So exactly needed. Love your wisdom and insights.

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    1. Debbie,
      Closer to His heart - isn't that where we ALL want and need to be?? Thanks for commenting!
      Blessings,
      Bev xx

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  7. Hi Bev ... this captured me right up top -->'convicts our hearts and makes us ponder'

    His Word, His Spirit, His voice speaking into our confusion, our pain, our expectancy. How He loves us!

    Thanks for the wealth you continue to share as your body mends. God is good to fill in our painful spaces with His tender mercies.

    Blessings ...

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    1. Linda,
      I'm just pouring out what God has been pouring into me. God has SO filled this painful space with His tender mercy. I pray that I will be mindful to choose time in His presence as I continue to mend....
      Blessings,
      Bev xx

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  8. Thank for sharing these insights, Bev. It is good advice to be reminded of because it is a choice, and one we constantly have to make, to focus on these things. I think peace is the one I need to work on most right now- it's easy to keep carrying things and trying to deal with them ourselves instead of laying them down before God.

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  9. I definately have to make this choice every day. I am currently working on #1 and #3. I find it hard to rejoice in my trials some times. And while I find myself good at encouraging others, I'm not very good at allowing God to bring encouragement to my own heart. Hugs!

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    1. Barbie,
      You are such a great encourager to others, I pray that you would allow God and others to bring that encouragement back to you. Rejoicing in trials is tough....it's counter intuitive to our human nature. I stumble with this as well. ((Hugs)) to you friend!
      Blessings,
      Bev xx

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  10. Bev, I love that the time is being used to delve deeply into God's Word. Each of the five points are surely a choice, one we need to make every single day. Can I pick all five in the hopes of getting to the heart of God even quicker each day :) Hugs to you sweet friend!

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    1. Joanne,
      It's a sure fire recipe, but I don't always choose what I need to do...not exactly sure why that is??? Yes, God has been taking me on an excavation dig during this time of recuperation - that's for sure.
      ((Hugs)) back at you sweet friend,
      Bev xx

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  11. Good observations, Bev. I think peace is the one I'm trying to grasp the fullness of right now. Taking some time away over the summer has been an exercise in obedience, and I'm not always good at knowing what rest is supposed to look like. God's been good to meet me here with extra doses of peace when I forget. He's so good. -- P.S.) Next week!! :)

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    1. Brenda,
      Rest has always been a foreign concept to me as well until God forced me onto the sidelines, if you will. Glad you found a good dose of peace by coming here today...our God is good!! Just a few days....
      Blessings,
      Bev xx

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  12. Hi again Bev! Glad to hear your recovery is allowing you more time with God! Enjoy!

    I'm visiting from #livefreeThursday today. Enjoyed your reminder to us that we must CHOOSE to follow God's leading each and everyday!

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    1. Allison,
      Yes, the upside to this down time has definitely having more time to be in God's Word and spend time in His presence! Joining with you in choosing to follow God's leading each and every day!
      Blessings,
      Bev xx

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  13. I'd have to pick Joy! I do love my life and try to encourage others, but there are times I need to remember to be more joyful and not so serious.
    XOOX
    Jodie
    www.jtouchofstyle.com

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    1. Jodie,
      Don't we all take life and ourselves a little too seriously at times. I can just hear God at times saying, "Lighten up folks. I came that you might have life and joy abundantly!"
      Blessings,
      Bev xoxo

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