healingoftheheart

Matthew 5:14-16 –

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bowl, but on a lamp stand and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

And God said, Let there be light; and there was light.  And God saw that the light was good, suitable, and pleasant and He approved it; and God separated the light from the darkness.

*Light is three-fold, it has three great rays – like God, divine perfection.

Red, the heat ray which is felt, not seen, testifies of the Father.
No man has seen the Father at any time.  Christ has declared, revealed, and interpreted him. Christ brought him out where He can be seen and has made him known.  God abides, lives, and remains in us.  Therefore, his love is brought to completion and is perfected in us.

Yellow, the light ray which is seen, not felt, testifies of Jesus.
For whoever sees Jesus sees the Father.  Christ is the exact likeness of the unseen God.  The visible representation of the invisible.  Christ is the sole expression of the glory of God, the radiance of the divine.

Blue, chemical ray which is neither seen nor felt, testifies of the Holy Spirit.
Whose presence is revealed by its effects in a chemical action, as in photography or photosynthesis.  The Holy Spirit produces change.  Just as the wind blows where it will, no one knows where it comes from or where it goes.  So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

So, if we are living and walking in the light, we have true unbroken fellowship with one another and the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin and guilt.  If we do not take the time to fill our lamps, we cannot shine for his word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. “Let it Shine!”

Carry Your Candle

For we were once darkness, but we were purchased by him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.  Now, we are children of light in the Lord.  Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness.  The effect of the light consists of goodness, righteousness, and truth proving what is acceptable to the Lord.  We are to live purposefully, worthily, and accurately not as the unwise.

We are to walk in the light so our joy may be full and complete.  This is the message of promise, God is light and there is no darkness in him at all.

Awake, O sleeper! Arise from the death of sin to union with the living Lord and Christ shall shine!

When others see us in our homes, our neighborhoods, or the workplace, do they experience the radiance of Christ?  Are they drawn to the light from within us?
If not, may we humbly pray giving thanks to God the Father in Christ Jesus for his mercy upon our lives, then continually ask him to teach us how to be the city on a hill whose lamp stand is not covered under a bowl, but shines.

May we learn to shine in the darkness and light our world.

I’d like to close with the following two items:

“There are persons so radiant, so genial, so kind, so pleasure-bearing,
that you instinctively feel in their presence that they do you good,
whose coming into a room is like the bringing of a lamp there.”  Henry Ward Beecher

and

Go Light Your World , by Kathy Troccoli (Please click link)

Bless you!

*Number in Scripture, E.W. Bullinger

Matthew 5:1-12

*”Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

The Beatitudes, heavenly joy in worldly affairs while finding God’s favor and blessings, but to rejoice and be glad to be persecuted for Your name’s sake?
Lord, it’s much easier to be blessed in my comfy, cozy lifestyle.  Share the Gospel with others?  Lord, your voice is a little faint to me.  I’m having a difficult time hearing you right now with so many other important things to attend to.

Noah, Abraham, and Joseph are only a few examples in the Bible of those who heard the call, followed with humble hearts, and were obedient.  Along the journey, sometimes it’s hard to see divine favor and blessings.

As the celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day approaches it reminds me of another who heard the call, followed with a humble heart, and was obedient to become a blessing to the nation of Ireland.

*As a teenager, he was captured during a raiding party in Britain and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep.  It was a land of Druids and pagans. During his captivity he learned the language and practices of the people who held him.  Day and night he turned to God in prayer and wrote:

“The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same.  I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn.  I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain.”

At the age of twenty, he escaped after having a dream from God.  He found his way back to Britain to be united with his family.  He began his studies for the priesthood and later ordained a bishop.  Another dream from God lead him back to share the Gospel with the people of Ireland.

Shamrock used to explain the Trinity.

Over a span of 40 years, he preached the Gospel throughout Ireland and used the shamrock to explain the Trinity. Thousands were converted, churches were built all over the country, and entire kingdoms were converted to Christianity.

Trusting in God completely, he feared nothing, not even death. He lived in poverty and endured much suffering.  He was a humble, pious, and gentle man.  He realized the importance of his mission and call upon his life.  His love, total devotion, and trust in God continues to be an inspiration and a shining example.

*From Saint Patrick’s Breastplate –
Christ be with me
Christ before me
Christ behind me
Christ in me
Christ beneath me
Christ above me
Christ on my right
Christ on my left
Christ where I lie
Christ where I sit
Christ where I arise
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me
Christ in every eye that sees me
Christ in every ear that hears me
Salvation is of the Lord.

Several years ago, my two youngest kids sang in choir.  Their programs ended with a blessing to the audience.  I would like to end this post the same way.
An Old Irish Blessing. (Please click the link)

*NIV, http://www.catholic.org, http://islandireland.com,

MATTHEW 6:19-21 –

“Do not gather and heap up and store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust and worm consume and destroy, and where thieves break through and steal.  But gather and heap up and store for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust nor worm consume and destroy, and where thieves do not break through and steal;
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Treasures come to us in many shapes, sizes, and ways.

Treasures on our shelves accumulate through the years, gathering dust.  Sometimes, we remember where they came from or places visited to acquire them.  We gather, heap, and store them.  They’re stored in closets, garages, and sheds.  When there’s no more room, off to the storage sheds they go.  We pay others to store the treasures we will soon forget.  Instead, these treasures could be passed on to meet a need or bless others.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Many homes have refrigerators or freezes crammed full of food.  We gather, heap, and store an abundance of food for ourselves.  Instead, we could share it with an elderly person down the street or a single mom struggling to feed her kids.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

“Thank God for dirty dishes,
They have a tale to tell;
While others may go hungry,
We’ve eaten very well.
With home, health and happiness,
I shouldn’t want to fuss;
By the stack of evidence,
God’s been very good to us.  (Author Unknown)

Other treasures are created and formed with little hands.  Always taking one back to cherished memories as they experienced a sense of accomplishment in the finished piece.  Gifts held in a parent’s heart to be passed on at another time.

Treasures of music, art, or words written with love and compassion waiting to be poured out to bless others.  These natural gifts and talents God has endowed to each of us, held inside waiting to be shared.  We hold back for fear of rejection.  We ask ourselves, “What if my gift isn’t good enough?”  The treasures God created within us are always good enough.  They are treasures to be prayed over to allow the Lord to use for his purposes.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

I have discovered another treasure that was given for my life journey as a very personal one.  Through the years, it has held me and carried me through personal life experiences.  A rare gem tucked away in my heart only to be brought out in solitude.  It draws me back into a time and place where healing tears flowed and a calm consumed me, drawing me in and not minding to go there.  It’s a treasure that still draws me into a hollowed, sacred, and intimate place.  A rare anointing treasure that soothes my spirit.

The Lord brought this special treasure to my late husband at the time when he was told there was no cure for his cancer.  It became his personal journey, written in a song by Terry Clark, I am Yours .  (Please click the link)

As his wife, I could extend love and support, but in the personal process, it was his own walk and journey to go home with the Lord.

I started sharing this treasure with others last year because the Lord told me his gifts given are to be shared, not held.  One person said, “It was a blessing to me as I played it over and over.  It’s like a long-lost friend, an anointing touch to my very soul and spirit.”  His comments brought tears to my eyes.  It helped me to understand why the Lord’s gifts can only be shared to allow him to work his plans and purpose in other’s lives.
May it draw you into the midst of his grace to consume every part of you.

Most important, may your hearts be consumed with the greatest treasure of all, Jesus Christ, as your personal Lord and Saviour and his great love for you.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Can you see me?

I’m in the middle, a little to the right. Can you see me?  Possibly, not.

Isn’t that the way we see ourselves in the world, sometimes, so small and insignificant?  Like an amoeba or plankton in a vast ocean waiting to be swallowed up.  Carried farther and farther by the billows and surges of life.  Deeper and deeper into the ocean of despair as anxiety, loneliness and fear grips our hearts.

Yet, longing and grasping for the current to carry us to peaceful waters to float and drift into the calm seas, to the still and restful waters.

How easily we forget how deep and vast God’s love is towards us.  King David experienced many situations of despair and humbly poured out his heart to the Lord.  It’s no wonder, he was a man after God’s own heart.

Psalm 139 –
O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely. You hem me in–behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too high for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend up into heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness hides nothing from you, but shines as the day; for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are your works, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was being intricately formed in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious are your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men! They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and loathe those who rise up against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Even on the days when we are dwelling in the uttermost parts of the deep, he sees us.  His hand holds, protects and guides.  Then, without being aware, he provides morsels of nourishment (his Word and Holy Spirit) to encourage, strengthen and uphold us as we continually grow in the depths of his deep love.

May this link help to understand with awe and wonder.

O the Deep, Deep love of Jesus by Selah

Bless you!

I Corinthians 13:13
“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But, the greatest of these is love.”

But, the greatest of these is love.

Faith, Hope, Love –
How great are these gifts?
They are gifts that do not stem from this world to be bought or attained through man’s ability, hard work, physical or mental attributes.
They are gifts presented to us by God to be held and cherished.

They are in unity. They cannot be grasped or held tightly, but must be released to flow freely from the heart.

Faith –
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith to walk in allegiance and loyalty to God in complete confidence, conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things.
Faith is not blind, but believes, trusts and rests in God’s infallible Word.
By faith we receive Jesus Christ as our Saviour. In him we stand firm and know with confidence we will not fall.
Faith allows us to humbly come before the Lord as children, with a childlike faith.  Yet, it is so sublime for even the wisest to fully comprehend or explain.
Mathew 17:20 says, If we have faith like a grain of mustard seed, we shall move mountains. Believing, by faith, nothing is impossible.

Hope –
It is joyful and confident expectation for God towards man, even when there are no clear paths before us.
To hope, desire and long for with expectation of fulfillment.
It gives us opportunity to stand and rest on his promises for a future and a hope as he reaches his hand to us for safety.
The Lord is our helper in times of trouble, as he walks us through them.  When we fail, reach a place of helplessness or fall flat on the ground, we only need to turn to him for help. Under the shadow of his wings he is our shield, refuge and he sustains us.

Love –
The greatest of all, for it is inspired by God.  He is the source and the Author.

For God’s abiding love in us endures long, is patient and kind.  It is not envious or jealous.  It is not inflated with pride, arrogant or rude.  It is not self-seeking, insistent upon its own rights or way.  It is not testy, fretful or resentful.   It takes no account of evil or suffered wrong.

But, love rejoices when right and truth prevails.  It bears up under anything and everything for it is loyal.  It hopes, seeks good and never comes to an end.

On the human level we cannot truly love for our pride, many times, rises to the surface when we are threatened, hurt or crushed.  Relationships fail when it wedges its way into our lives to create resentment, shattered dreams and broken walls.

It is only possible when God’s love flows freely through us, as a river of Living Water.

It was God’s love in Christ he was upheld to suffer and endure the cross –
Love, his love towards us, nailed to the Cross.

Profound love reaches out to touch the untouchables with compassion and grace.  It cultivates with care and affection.  It is passionate to pursue the hurting and the lost.

It’s full expression of beauty, as in a rose.
Love’s softness and aroma, are fully active and enthusiastic to penetrate with a soothing ointment as it binds the shattered and broken pieces of our hearts.  God’s merciful love brings comfort and healing as it sheds his light on the dark crevices and hidden secrets of our souls.

Hebrews 11:1 –
“Now faith is the assurance of the things we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

The ancients of old were commended for their faith. They were still living by faith when they died. They did not see the things promised (salvation in Christ), but only saw then from a distance.

They were strangers on earth longing and looking for a better country of their own, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God for he has prepared an eternal city for them.

By Faith –
Women received back their dead.  Many were tortured to death with clubs and refused to be released on terms of denying their faith. Others suffered flogging, were chained and imprisoned. They were stoned to death, sawed in two, put to death by the sword. They were utterly destitute, persecuted and mistreated. They wandered in the deserts, mountains, in caves and holes in the ground.
The world was not worthy of them.

By Faith –
Abel brought a better and more acceptable sacrifice than Cain and was deemed righteous.

Enoch did not have a glimpse of death, but was taken to heaven, for his life was acceptable and pleasing to God.

Without faith, it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to him. To come near to God, one must believe he exists. For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen the hearts who are fully committed to him.

Noah forwarned by God with no signs visible, took heed to diligently and reverently build the ark for deliverance of his family and was passed judgement and deemed righteous.

Abraham when he was called by God, to go out, not knowing where he was going, went as a stranger in a strange country to a place which he was destined to receive an inheritance.
When put to the test in faith, he was willing to offer Isaac, to sacrifice his only son, knowing God was able to raise him from the dead.

Moses lead God’s people out of Egypt, through the Red Sea and the wilderness for them to enter the promised land.

Sarah received the promise to have power to conceive a child even when she was beyond the age for it because she knew God to be reliable, trustworthy, and true to his word and their descendents.

They were controlled and sustained by faith for they were looking, yearning, aspiring for a better country and promise.

Because of faith, the walls of Jericho fell, Rahab (the prostitute) was not destroyed because she received the spies in peace. So many more (Job, Daniel, David, Gideon, Samuel).

By Faith –
God’s power helped them subdue kingdoms, impart justice, obtain promised blessings, closed the mouths of lions, extinguisted raging fire, escape the sword, won strength and became stelwart, mighty, and resistless in battle.

By Faith, In Christ –
Our common thread is we are strangers here on earth longing and looking for a better country, a heavenly one.  We are sojourners, this is not our home.

Are we fitting into this world, so very well?

Are we a little too comfortable here?

Does God commend us for our faith?