A Heart For Jesus

  “You, too, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”  James‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬ What does it mean to “establish your heart”? The word “establish” means “to firmly set in place, make stable, confirm, or make permanent.” I like the definition “firmly set in place,” which reminds me of how my husband sets the anchor when we’re fishing, ensuring we don’t drift off our “honey hole.” Charles Stanley has a life principle that states, “God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm.”(Life Principle  #3) In times of trouble or difficulties, when the trials of life pile up and you feel overwhelmed, what do you cling to? What do you rely on to help you navigate through these challenges? This life principle promises that God’s Word is an immovable anchor. In Hebrews 6:19, we are reminded, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…” This anchor is Jesus! He is the one we can count on to guide us through any challenges we face. Li...

  “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.””  ‭‭2Chronicles‬ ‭16‬:‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬ For context, this verse was delivered to Asa by Hanani, a seer at the time. Asa ruled over the tribe of Judah. Initially, he was a virtuous king, faithful to the Lord. He dismantled the idols and Asherim, commanded Judah to seek the Lord, and even removed his mother’s idols. He sought the Lord, and the Lord granted him victories over his adversaries. The Scriptures even state that there were no wars until the 35th year of his reign. However, Asa’s heart hardened towards the Lord, he ceased seeking His guidance, and he was confronted by Hanani, leading to our verse for today. (See 2Chronicles chapters 14-16) “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth…” In Isaiah 43:4, God declares, “…you are precious in my eyes, ho...

“Your sandals shall be iron and bronze; As your days, so shall your strength be.”  Deuteronomy‬ ‭33‬:‭25‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ ‭‭  This verse from Deuteronomy was the blessing Moses bestowed upon Asher, the eighth of the twelve sons of Israel. But who was Asher?  In Genesis 30:12-13 we find: “Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. Then Leah said, 'How happy I am! The women will call me happy.' So she named him Asher". What a wonderful meaning to his name, I wonder if he was a happy child? When the land was divided among the twelve tribes, Asher inherited a coastal territory that was exceptionally fertile and prosperous. Furthermore, in Luke 2:36-38(ESV), we read about a prophetess named Anna who was from the tribe of Asher. Following the death of her husband she was daily in the temple, worshipping and praying to God. She was there the day that Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple.  “And as she approached that very hour, she began to give thanks to God and to ...

  Paul writes in Philippians 2:16 that we are to have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. He repeats this in 1 Corinthians 2:16, saying, “We have the mind of Christ.” So, what does it mean to have the mind of Christ? Or to have a mindset like His? I don’t claim to know exactly how Jesus thought, but I can describe who He was. In Matthew 11:29, Jesus describes Himself as “gentle and lowly in heart” (ESV). Jesus was humble and not self-important. He knew who He was and didn’t feel the need to prove Himself. Consider the story in John chapter seven. Jesus’ brothers wanted Him to prove Himself by going to the Feast of Booths, but He refused. I don’t think Jesus was trying to show off or impress others. Similarly, in Matthew 4, the devil tempted Jesus in the desert. The devil tried to make Jesus doubt or question God, but Jesus didn’t fall for it. Instead, He quoted Scripture every time to counter the devil’s lies. Jesus made Himself of no reputation. He became a servant of all and chose ...