The Strength of the Helpless Heart

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exist and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him
HEBREW 11:6

"I HAVE BEEN DRIVEN to my knees many times," said the American President Abraham Lincoln, "by the realization that there was nowhere else to go." It is amazing how high you can reach by bowing your knees before God.
     Consider this story: A helicopter was flak from the enemy, and the tail gunner, fearful the chopper might be shotdown, used his radio to call for help. "What your position?" asked the radio operator. Immediately then pilot responded, "Kneeling"
      It is with this kind of submission and surrender that you can discover what so many have found. There is a place of quiet rest near the heart of God. Sometimes what you day isn't nearly as important as the attitude of your heart .for instance, a little child's tears do far more to more the heart of a father than his persuasive words of argument.
      When you walk in darkness, having sustained a blow of one kind or another, you might feel as if God doesn't notice or care. He does. You are simply numbed by your pain and can't take your eyes from your wound.
      Try kneeling before the king and telling Him why you are hurting. Your Father who sees your distress and cares for you will take note, and will honor the promised of His Word. Faith tells us there is One hears your cry in the dark, who sees your tears,who knows your distress. Search your heart before Him ask Him for a new heart, a conscience washed by His Blood, and light for the next step.

His Glory!

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor weary
Isaiah 40:28 NKJV

Peter the Great ruled from a palace filled with some of the most exquisite works of art produced in the world up to that time. Yet, when he pondered a sunrise, he wondered how men could be so foolish not to rise every morning to behold one the most glorious sights in the universe.
     "They delight," he said, "in gazing on a picture, the trifling work of a moral, and at the same time neglect one painted by the hand of the Deity Himself. For my part, I am for making my life as long as I can, and therefore sleep as little as possible."
      Peter the Great's observation tells us something about his general outlook on life. Not only did he knoiw true beauty when he beheld it, but he believed that rising early every day to drink in the beauty of God's marvelous work of art would actually add days to his life
      That concept is not so fetched if we consider what psychologists have told us about relieving stress. You can alleviate stress by getting up earlier and spending some quite time enjoyed a Sunrise!
      Chicago produce dealer, John Cooper Smith, felt watching the sun rise was such an important gift to his life, he actually made mention of it in his will. He left his widow an estate of fifty thousand dollars and then he made this bequest to his other relatives:
     "To my remaining relatives I give the sunshine, the birds and the bees, wherever the above mentioned sunshine, birds and bees may be found. The greatest art exhibit you will ever see opens daily at dawn. And equally wonderful, this exhibit is always free to those who view it."
      How long has it been since you have awakened early to see the rise? This grand display of God's creativity can ignite creative gifts He placed in you and inspire you to use them during the day!

Is Your Mind in Tune with God?

So not throw away your confidence, it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
HEBREW 10:35-36

When Paul Wrote to the Romans, he stressed the fact that your mind has to be renewed on a daily basis. You eat and bathe every day right? So what do you do on a daily basis to ensure that your mind is in tune with God's purpose and plan for your life?
      For centuries men and women have faced that issue. How do you survive in a world that seeks to force you into conformity with its thinking? Simply put, "How do you connect with God on a regular basis?" David when he was fleeing from Saul, cried out, "O God, You are my God, Early will I seek You. . . " (Psalm 63:1).
     What did David do to seek the Lord? First, he took time to mediate and wait upon the Lord. Then David regke TEF upon His promises. He ofte quoted Scripture back to God. He knew much of the Law given by Moses, and he knew how God spoke through the prophets and revealed His will regarding the decision of life and their consequences.
     In the same way take time on a daily basis to refresh your mind and spirit by opening your heart to what God wants. Keep a notebook right next to your Bible and record what you pray about, then as God responds, jot down a few thoughts about the way He answered.
     Paul told Christians at Rome that God's will is good. You can't separate the will of the Father from His nature and character. Paul also said, the more we understand God's will as our mind are renewed, the more we recognize that it is acceptable. Finally he says God's will is complete or whole something that we can only appreciate in retrospect.

WE, TOO OUGHT TO PRAY

Now I urge you brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in prayers to God for me.
ROMAN 15:30

In light of the boldness with which Paul describe his travei plans, we might think that he eagerly anticipated every aspect of his trip. But this was not the case.
Although Paul felt genuinely excited about his eventual visit to Rome (ROM.15:23), the Jerusalem trip weighed heavily on his heart. He had many enemies in that city. The Jewish leaders despised him for leading the Jews away from the Law of Moses. They considered him a turncoat and a heretic worthy of stoning. Despite the dangers, though, Paul prepared to set out for Jerusalem. During his last visit with friends at Philip the evangelist's house (Acts 21:8), an ominous visitor arrived. Biblical biographer Charles Ball recount the events of that night.
  Coming to the house where Paul was a guest, Agabus [a prophet] recognized the apostle; and, with a knowledge of the feeling that existed against Paul in Jerusalem, he warned him not to go. Like one of the prophets of the Old Testament, he made his warning vivid. He loosened the long, linen girdle from Paul's waist, and stooping down, he bound his own feet and hands. While the believers gazed at him in silence, he said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles"' (Acts 21:11).
    Immediately the whole group, including Timonthly and Luke, beseeched him to give up his plan to go to Jerusalem. With tears in their eyes they pleaded, but their words were like waves beating upon a rock. Paul was determined.
     So knowing the danger ahead, Paul gathered his belonging and set his heart face like flint to go up to Jerusalem.
      What a poignant scene. It's hard to imagine the determination in Paul's heart. It's hard to fathom the love he held for Jerusalem. Despite the dangers, Paul set out for the City filled with enemies.
      But he didn't go without help. Prior to this, Paul had finished his letter to the Romans. He had asked them to pray for him as he tried to minister in Jerusalem. At a time like this, what could be more important than prayer? From his prayer request in Roman 15:30-33, we can draw principle for this we, too, ought to pray.

WONDERFUL

I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
Job42:3

The plane began its decent, the flight attendant read the long list of arrival information as if she were reading it for the thousandth time that day no emotion or interest as she droned on about our impending arrival. Then, with the same tired, disinterested voice, she finished by saying. "Have a wonderful day." The dryness of her tone contrasted with her words. She said "wonderful" but in a manner completely absent of any sense of wonder.
     Sometimes I fear that we approach our relationship with God in the same way: Routine, Bored  Apathetic Disinterested. Through Christ, we have the privilege of being adopted into the family of the living God, yet often there seems to be little of the sense of wonder that should accompany that remarkable reality. Job questioned God about his suffering, but when challenged by Him
      Job was humbled the wonder of his Creator and His creation. Job replied, "You asked, 'who is this who hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what i did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which i did not know," (Job 42:3).
     I long for the wonder of God to take hold of my heart. Adopted by God what a wonderful reality!

How marvelous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
How marvellous! How wonderful
Is my Savior's love for me!

YOU'RE NECESSARY

But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it.
1 Corinthians 12:24

The story has been told about a conductor who was rehearsing. The organ was giving a beautiful melody, the drums were thundering, the trumpets were blaring and the violins were singing beautifully. But the conductor noticed something missing the piccolo. The piccolo player had gotten distracted and hoped his instrument wouldn't be missed. The conductor reminded him: Each one of us is necessary."
      This was essentially the same message Paul communicated to the Corinthians believers in his first letter to them (12:4-7). Every Christian plays an important role in the body of Christ. Paul gave a list of gifts of the functioning if the various parts of the human body for the good of the whole (vv.8-10).
      The Corinthians believers may have had different cultural backgrounds, gifts and personalities, but they were filled with the same spirit and belonged to the same body of Christ. Paul made special mention if the parts if the body that were weak and obscure, and taught that all believers play a necessary and significant role. No one part was more necessary than other.
     Remember, Jesus has given you a significant t part to play and will use you to build up his people.

The church a living body, containing all the parts it lives, it moves, it function, and touches the Many hearts. When each part committed to do the Savior's will,
His members are united, His purpose they fulfill.

Magnificent Vision

One of my favorite songs begins with these words: Magnify the Lord with me, Let us exakt his name together. . .

It's the third verse of the Thirty-fourth Psalm. When I read the story of the Epiphany, it is as if David wrote the words as an invitation to the three Wise men. The three king came to Christ and did exactly what David commanded. They fell at the Lord's feet. They worship Him and gave Him gifts
     How could they do that to an infant in poor surrounding? Because Christ the King was magnificent and, as king, demanded devotion. Too often we approach God differently. We approach Him as ifby our actions or words we could make Him more magnificent or note kingly, as if God needed a boost in self-esteem.
      Such thinking never entered David's mind or the minds of the wise men. When you magnify an object under a microscope, you don't make the object any bigger. What you magnify in your vision.
      Likewise, when you exalt a king, you do not not pronounce him as king. He already is. Magnifying and exalting God are function of our vision and humility, not of His revelation or His promotion. He already is who is.
      The wise men did not bring gifts to enhance Christ's power on earth. Nor did they come as heralds of heaven's court to place a crown on Jesus' head. His coronation had been held before time began. The wise men came with one thought in mind: To see the King. To accept his rule. And that my friend, is worship worthy of our God.

Magnify the Lord with me. . .

Lord enlarge my vision of You. Clarify my hazy notions of Your power. Sharpen my focus on your holiness,Empower me with a picture of your Majesty. And when I see You, may II accept You as King of my life.