Heart Matters: 2015

Monday, May 18, 2015

6 Ways God Shows His Love

How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 36:7)

How profoundly does God love you? Consider these things.

He created you – I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14

Your existence, your life, is not an accident. You were specifically planned for and created by God. He designed everything about you from you physical appearance to your personality type, to be just the way he wanted you to be. You are God’s masterpiece.

He created you in his image – So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27

Nothing else in all the creation can lay claim to being “like” God or in his image. Not trees or rocks or birds or any other animal. Only people, like you. He made you in his image, in his likeness, so that you can have a personal relationship with him.

He died for you – But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

Just like everyone else on the planet, from infancy you joined in what has been called, the Great Cosmic Rebellion. You have again and again turned your back on God, rejected his rightful rule over you and chose to follow your own sinful choices. Knowing that you would do so, God came to earth, took on humanity and died in your place. He did that so you could be delivered from sin, given life and set free to be in a relationship with him.

He gifted you – Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:7 Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 1 Corinthians 14:26

If you are a believer in Jesus, then you have been given gifts of the Holy Spirit. It may gifts of service or mercy or administration or preaching/teaching or knowledge or faith or evangelism or something else. That is, you have a God-given special enabling chosen expressly for you by God so that you can join him in his work of building the church. Think about that for a minute. Don’t take it for granted. The King of Kings of all the universe has especially given you a Holy Spirit powered gift so that you can use that gift alongside him in the work he is doing of building the church – i.e. making disciples. What a privilege and honor that is!

He empowers you – But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

This is a broken world filled with difficulties and problems, many of which are too much for us. We are broken people who cannot, through our own power, overcome the difficulties and problems that face us. But, we can be confident that, if we are a believer in Jesus, he will graciously give us all the power we need to face whatever comes our way.

He meets all your needs – And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Whatever needs you have, relationship needs, physical needs, financial needs, spiritual needs, whatever your needs may be, God promises to take care of them for you. It may not be when you want or the way you want. But your needs will be taken care of the way that is best, best for his glory and best for your well-being, in his time and in his way.

Take a few minutes to really ponder these truths. Think deeply about them. The most powerful and amazing Being in all the universe –

· Created you

· Made you like himself so that you could have a relationship with him

· Died for you when you were lost in sin, making a way for you to have eternal life

· Gifted you so you could join him in his work

· Empowered you so that you can face any and every difficulty that life throws at you, and

· Promised to take care of all your needs

Can you see, even a little, how great is God’s love for you? It’s a pretty amazing thing. Let it sink in, let it saturate your soul and your heart. Then let it move you to love him in return, to honor him and worship him and serve him. That’s what life is all about.

What do you think? I'd love to read your comments.

Please share Heart Matters with your family and friends, and, if you haven't already done so, please "like" our page on facebook.

We use third party advertisements on heartmattersbms.blogspot.com to support our site. Some of these advertisers may use technology such as cookies and web beacons when they advertise on our site, which will also send these advertisers (such as Google through the Google AdSense program) information including your IP address, your ISP , the browser you used to visit our site, and in some cases, whether you have Flash installed. This is generally used for geotargeting purposes (showing New York real estate ads to someone in New York, for example) or showing certain ads based on specific sites visited (such as showing cooking ads to someone who frequents cooking sites).

You can chose to disable or selectively turn off our cookies or third-party cookies in your browser settings, or by managing preferences in programs such as Norton Internet Security. However, this can affect how you are able to interact with our site as well as other websites. This could include the inability to login to services or programs, such as logging into forums or accounts.

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Top 10 Quotes for May 3 - 10

Every day, on my social media sites, I post quotes I hope will inspire, encourage or otherwise help those who read them.

Based on “likes” from my facebook page, these are the 10 Most Popular Quotes from last week.

Thanks for “voting” with your likes!

10. All great achievements require time. ---Maya Angelou

9. When someone does something wrong, don’t forget all the things they did right. Be gracious! ---Christine Caine

8. The man who doesn’t read had no advantage over the man who cannot read. ---Mark Twain

7. A room without books is like a body without a soul. ---Cicero

6. Sometimes the greatest thing to come out of all your hard work isn’t what you get for it, but what you become of it. ---Steve Maraboli

5. There are only two ways to love your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. ---Albert Einstein

4. He is your friend who pushes you nearer to God. ---Abraham Kuyper

3. A person who feels appreciated will always do more than what is expected ---Tiffany Evans

2. Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today. ---Clairporium.com

1. When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.― Henri J.M. Nouwen,

Please share Heart Matters with your family and friends, and, if you haven't already done so, please "like" our page on facebook.

Friday, May 8, 2015

Jesus, The Leper and The Touch of Love

What’s the one thing you want more than anything else? Fame? Fortune? A great tennis backhand? For most people, what they want more than anything else is to feel loved and wanted.

It is something that I longed for all of my life. But for most of my life the longing was never totally fulfilled. Then one day I read a story about Jesus that caused everything to change for me. It was a story that I had read many times before, but this time something about it penetrated deep into my heart and soul in a way it never had before. Which story? The story of Jesus cleansing the leper in Mark chapter 1.

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean (Mark 1:40-42).

That time that I read this story I was at one of the lowest points of my life. I was feeling acutely aware of my sin, aware of how I had let down people who loved me and depended on me, aware of how far short I’d fallen from the life of righteousness that God requires and deserves from me. I remember feeling like I’d been soaked in filth, like I was covered with open oozing sores.

Then I read that story.

Leprosy was a terrible, incurable disease. Having it made someone unclean and the law forbid him from contact with other people. Lepers were not allowed to live in towns. They had to live in camps outside the city. If for any reason a leper had to come into town he was required to shout “Unclean! Unclean!” to warn others to stay away. What do you think that did to someone’s self-image?

It was a terrible existence. No one was more unloved and unwanted than were lepers. Imagine going through your life like that. No one loves you, no one wants you. And if ever you happened to come close to someone they would recoil at even the thought of accidentally brushing up against you. Horrible.

That’s how I felt. Not physically. But emotionally and spiritually, I felt a leper. I felt unclean and untouchable.

Then I read this passage. Jesus wasn’t repelled by this man’s leprosy. He wasn’t disgusted. He didn’t turn away from him, as I felt people did with me.

Then I noticed, as if for the first time, what Jesus did. He moved toward the man and he touched him.

Jesus wasn't compelled to touch him in order to heal him. Though he did so many times, Jesus didn’t have to touch people to heal them. All he had to do was say a word and the man would have been cleansed.

Jesus could have said, “Okay, now you just keep your distance over there while I clean you up first.” Jesus could have backpedaled away from him while saying, “be clean” and the man would have been cleansed. But, that’s not what Jesus did. Jesus knew it had been a long time since anyone had come near this man or touched him. Jesus wasn't just interested in healing the man, he wanted to love him.

So the first thing Jesus did was he moved toward him and touched him. Even before he healed him, he touched him.

The moment I read those words something popped open in my heart. I saw that I was the leper. I was covered with oozing sores of sin that caused people to turn away from me. But that didn’t matter to Jesus. He was saying to me, “I am not repelled by you. I love you and I accept you just as you are. You don’t have to change anything for me. I come to you. I embrace you. I love you.”

Jesus loved me just as I was, sin and all. He wanted me. That’s grace. That’s the gospel.

Of course, he didn’t leave me the way I was. Just as Jesus didn’t leave the leper in his leprosy but made him well, Jesus has been making me well ever since. But I have never again, since that day, ever felt like there was no one who loved me and accepted me. I know that whatever else happens, Jesus does.

Please share Heart Matters with your family and friends, and, if you haven't already done so, please "like" our page on facebook.

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Prayer and Good Health

For the last decade or so medical researchers have increasingly considered whether prayer has an effect on people’s physical health. The clear conclusion from a number of studies, conducted by universities, medical schools, government agencies and professional journals across the country, is yes. The regular practice of prayer can have positive benefits for our physical health. Here’s a sampling of the findings.

Hypertension

According the Center for Disease Control hypertension is one of the United State's most serious public health issues. One third of US adults (approximately 70 million) have high blood pressure. And, another third are prehypertensive, that is they have elevated blood pressure. It is estimated that hypertension costs $46 billion a year for medication, health care and days missed from work.

A study funded by the National Institutes of Health showed that people who prayed daily were 40 percent less likely to have high blood pressure than those who did not.

Depression and Anxiety

“Major depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States,” says a report from the National Institute of Mental Health. “In 2012, an estimated 16 million adults aged 18 or older in the U.S. had at least one major depressive episode.” That works out the 6.9 percent of American adults.

Anxiety affects even more people. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America states that “anxiety disorders are the most common mental health illness in the US affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older (18% of the US population).”

Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard Medical School said that studies showed that during prayer “the body’s metabolism decreases, the heart rate slows, blood pressure goes down and our breath becomes calmer and more regular.” This, Benson said, “correlates with slower brain waves, and feelings of control, tranquil alertness and peace of mind.” That is, people who pray regularly tend to suffer less from depression and anxiety.

And, the reverse is also true. People who pray are not just less depressed, they are happier. A study at the University of Pennsylvania showed that “prayer increased levels of dopamine, which is associated with states of well-being and joy.”

Quicker Recoveries

Researchers at Dartmouth medical school found that people with “religious belief were three times more likely to recover from heart surgery.” Separate studies at Duke and Yale concluded that heart patients who did not pray regularly were 14 times more likely to die following surgery.

General Good Health and Longer Lives

In 2011 a University of Cincinnati study of inner city youths with asthma showed that those with a regular practice of prayer “experienced fewer and less severe symptoms than those who did not.” And, a survey conducted by The Journal of Gerontology of 4,000 seniors in Durham, NC concluded that people who prayed regularly "coped better with illness in general and lived longer lives than those who did not."

The results of these studies are not surprising. God created people as beings that are both physical and spiritual. Our wisest and best course is to care for our bodies and our spirits. Solomon had it right when he wrote:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5-8)

Please share Heart Matters with your family and friends, and, if you haven't already done so, please "like" our page on facebook.

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Top Ten Quotes from April 19 - 25

Every day, on my social media sites, I post quotes I hope will inspire, encourage or otherwise help those who read them.

Based on “likes” from my facebook page, these are the 10 Most Popular Quotes from last week.

Thanks for “voting” with your likes!

10. It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels. ---Augustine

9. We could never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only joy in the world. ---Helen Keller

8. If you have time to watch TV, you have time to work your dreams and change your life. ---Bruce Van Horn

7. Your life doesn’t get better by chance. It gets better by change. ---Jim Rohn

6. Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time. ---Oswald Chambers

5. Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.---A A Milne

4. Don’t try to won over the haters; you’re not the Jack-Ass Whisper. ---Scott Stratten

3. Setting an appointment with my wife for daily prayer has been one of the most positive things I've ever done. It has changed my life in many ways. Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees. ---Corrie Ten Boom

2. No one has become poor by giving. ---Anne Frank

1. The day you lose everything…is the day you’ll know who your true friends are. ---Irwin C.

Please share Heart Matters with your family and friends, and, if you haven't already done so, please "like" our page on facebook.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Are Big Churches Bad?

I’ve recently read a number of articles and blogs by Christian writers reacting against megachurches. Too many large churches, the argument goes, are more concerned about putting on a show and attracting large crowds than they are with authentic discipleship. Authentic discipleship only takes place, they say, in the context of small, intimate relationships. And those kinds of relationships are not possible in large churches. There is certainly something to be said about these writers’ concern.

“Go big or go home!” is something I’ve heard from staff of some large churches I’ve known. Many times it did seem that the main goal at these churches, maybe even the only goal, was attracting as many people as possible. It was not always as clear to me, however, what they wanted to attract people to. Were they attracting them to real relationship with the living God? Or were they satisfied with just seeing thousands come through the door? Sometimes it did seem as though the latter is what these churches were really after. Though it was never stated this way, the real goal seemed to be bigness for bigness sake.

It is this bigness for bigness sake that these writers are criticizing. Some of the reaction, though, goes too far the other way. Smallness for smallness sake is not what we should after either.

Is Big Bad?

I read a blog post this morning titled “8 Lies Christians Believe.” The first lie on the list was “Bigger is Better.” About this “lie” the author wrote, “No, in fact small is good. Small is the only way to get into the kingdom of heaven.” She went on to say that Jesus wants us to be like children, small children in fact (Matt. 18:3). And she used that as an argument against bigness in all things. She ended her post by saying that she had spent her whole life trying to be an adult. Now she was trying to learn to be a child.

That sounds really spiritual, sort of. But there are problems with that kind of thinking as well.

The Bible nowhere says that there is spiritual value in remaining like children. It fact, it says just the opposite. A goal of the Christian life ought to be to grow up. Paul wrote, “Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature” (1 Cor. 14:20). The writer of Hebrews said that believers need to “go on to maturity” (Hebrews 6:1. See also 1 Cor. 2:6, Eph. 4:13, Phil 3:15, Col. 4:12, and Heb. 5:14). But that wasn't really the point of the post.

The point was that the author ascribed a moral value to size and she believes that big is not only not better, it is wrong. Only small, at least in church matters, is good.

Does the Bible ever say, or even hint, that big is bad? Think about it for a minute. Jesus ministered to people one-on-one and in small groups, that is true. But he also ministered to gatherings of several thousands (See Matthew 14:13-31, 15:32-39). I’m not sure how many people Peter preached to at Pentecost, but three thousand people received Christ that day. In the parable of the talents Jesus said that the person who proves faithful over a few things would be rewarded with responsibility over many things (Matt 25:21). And, at the end of all the ministry over all time there will be a “great multitude” with some from every tribe and nation in the world (Rev.7:9).

God’s goal is to build something big, really big, a great multitude.

It’s Not About Size

My point is simply this. I don’t think we can make a case that big is either good or bad or for that matter that small is either good or bad. I don’t think that there is a moral value assigned by the Bible to size. What matters is what we’re doing with the people we have, whether that’s a large gathering of many thousands or a small group of even two or three.

Are we seeking to have real relationship with God? Are we seeking to grow deep in his knowledge and wisdom? Are we seeking to honor, worship and serve him? That’s what matters most.

Please share Heart Matters with your family and friends, and, if you haven't already done so, please "like" our page on facebook.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Top 10 Quotes from April 12 - 18

Every day, on my social media sites, I post quotes I hope will inspire, encourage or otherwise help those who read them.

Based on “likes” from my facebook page, these are the 10 Most Popular Quotes from last week.

Thanks for “voting” with your likes!

10. Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway. ---John Wayne

9. Bad things happen; how I respond defines my character. I can sit in sadness or rise and treasure the precious gift of life. ---Walter Anderson

8. The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary. ---Vince Lombardi

7. I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition. ---Martha Washington

6. We will never change the world by going to church. We will only change the world by being the church. ---ChurchLeaders.com

5. I may not be where I want to be … But I can look back and thank God that I am not where I used to be. ---GodFruits.com

4. The peace of God is byproduct of prayer. If you’re overwhelmed get alone with God. ---Frank Powell

3. Do not regret growing older. It is privilege denied to many. ---ChurchLeaders.com

2. I have not failed. I have found 10,000 ways that will not work. ---Thomas Edison

1. Sometimes God calms the storm. Sometimes God calms the sailor. Sometimes he makes us swim. ---ChurchLeaders.com

Please share Heart Matters with your family and friends, and, if you haven't already done so, please "like" our page on facebook.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Loving Others - How It Works

It’s pretty clear that God wants me to love him and others (Matthew 22:36-40). It’s also pretty clear that I’m not very good at it. I’ve written recently about what a challenge it is for me to love others. (I haven’t even touched on the subject of loving God yet, that’s just too overwhelming at the moment).

I can’t love others. Oh, I do often have affectionate feelings for people. And, I can do nice, even loving, things for others. But, really love? Love like the Bible says to love? Love the 1 Corinthians 13 way of loving? I can’t. Even thinking about it leaves me overwhelmed, frustrated and feeling hopeless.

(See http://heartmattersbms.blogspot.com/2015/03/let-love-be-genuine-romans-129.html)

But the situation is not, in fact, hopeless. There is a solution. Embrace my inability to love, reach out to God, who can love others through me, and let him do so.

(See http://heartmattersbms.blogspot.com/2015/04/i-read-quote-recently-from.html)

It Sounds Simple. But…

I can’t! He can! So, let him! It sounds so simple, so easy. But, what does that really mean, to let Him? Does it mean to just “Let go and let God?” And, what does that mean, really? Let go and Let God.

Does that mean I somehow turn into a mindless robot who is manipulated and directed by God, like a kid pushing the buttons on a video game? Or, does it mean that we simply kick back and observe God do something, like sitting in a theater watching a play? How does that work?

I don’t think letting God do through me the things I am unable to do myself means either of those things.

Moses’ Formula When Faced With Overcoming Obstacles

In Deuteronomy Moses addressed the first post-Exodus generation of Israel. These are the children of the adults who left Egypt. Their parents are all dead. These are the adults who will go into, capture and settle the Promised Land.

In preparing them for the task ahead Moses warns them that living in the land are “seven nations more numerous and mightier” that they are. These nations were not going to just hand over their land to Israel. This was a problem. God told them to go take the land. They couldn't do it. They weren't able. What could the Israelites do? How could they defeat these enemies that are bigger and stronger?

Moses says of these seven nations, these obstacles to Israel doing what God told them to them to do, “when the LORD your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them…” (Deut. 7:1-2).

Whoa! That’s huge. Did you see what Moses said there?

When it comes to defeating these nations it’s not either/or. It’s not either God or the Israelites. It’s both/and. God is going to give the nations over – God is going to do for the Israelites what they cannot do for themselves – give over to defeat seven nations each one bigger and stronger than they. It is God who will do it.

But, the Israelites also have to fight, “when you defeat them.” The Israelites are going to have to go into combat and fight these nations to the death. But, because God is giving over the nations, Israel will win.

Israel can’t. God can. So, they let him.

They will do what seems impossible. They will succeed when they go into the fight by trusting in God for the outcome. And, that’s exactly the same way, and the only way, that I can love people.

On my own it’s overwhelming, frustrating and hopeless. it's impossible. I can’t. Just trying harder doesn’t work. That will always fail. I can only love people by trusting God to do in me and through me what I cannot do myself. But God doesn’t do it while I just let go and watch. He does it while I am actively loving them.

The New Birth Empowers Love

In his first epistle John wrote that loving others is a sign that we have passed from death to life (1 John 3:14). In other words, it is when we are born again that God joins with our hearts and wills to enable and equip us to love others.

John Piper wrote, “The birth of the new living, loving heart is the act of the Holy Spirit connecting our dead, selfish hearts with God’s so that his life becomes our life and his love becomes our love.”

That’s when I love others, when I connect to the realty of my new life in Christ and the Spirit dwelling within me begins to change my heart and my will to do what I could never do on my own.

Please share Heart Matters with your family and friends, and, if you haven't already done so, please "like" our page on facebook.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

The Top Ten Quotes from April 5 - April 11

Every day, on my social media sites, I post quotes I hope will inspire, encourage or otherwise help those who read them.

Based on “likes” from my facebook page, these are the 10 Most Popular Quotes from last week.

10. You can’t change how people treat you or what they say about you. All you can do is how you react to it.

9. Humility will open more doors than arrogance ever will. ---Zig Ziglar

8. To make a difference in someone’s life you don’t have to be brilliant, rich, beautiful or perfect. You just have to care enough and be there.

7. Getting knocked down is a given. Getting up and moving forward is a choice. ---Zig Ziglar

6. Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.

---Charles Spurgeon

5. Love means loving the unlovable. Forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless. ---G. K. Chesterton

4. The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. The first to forget is the happiest.

3. The cross and resurrection are at the core of the Gospel and are the only hope for humanity.

---Ravi Zacharias

2. A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. ---Walter Winchell

1. He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Please share Heart Matters with your family and friends, and, if you haven't already done so, please "like" our page on facebook.

Sunday, April 5, 2015

Last Week's Top Ten Quotes

Every day, on my social media sites, I post quotes I hope will inspire, encourage or otherwise help those who read them.

Based on “likes” from my facebook page, these are the 10 Most Popular Quotes from last week.

10. It takes a lot of unspectacular preparation to have spectacular results. ---Roger Staubach

9. Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.

---Dr. Seuss

8. If you fell down yesterday, stand up today. ---H G Wells

7. Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily; even you had no title or position.

---Brian Tracy

6. Reading to children, even before that can understand the words, teaches them to associate books with love and affection. ---Grammarly

5. When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it. ---Henry Ford

4. Inhale grace, exhale gratitude. ---Tammy Calhoun

3. Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice.

---Wayne Dyer

2. Some people with the worst pasts end up creating the best futures. ---Zig Ziglar

1. That moment when you finish a book, look around, and realize that everyone is just carrying on with their lives… as though you didn’t just experience emotional trauma at the hands of a paperback. ---Figment

Please share Heart Matters with your family and friends, and, if you haven't already done so, please "like" our page on facebook.