A Heart For Jesus

  “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron, gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock in front of them, and it will yield its water. Thus, you shall bring water for them from the rock and give drink to the congregation and their animals.’ So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him. Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock. He said to them, ‘Listen now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you from this rock?’ Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. And water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank. Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ‘Because you did not believe Me and did not hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.’”Numbers 20:7-12NKJV I have always wondered why God was so upset with Moses that He kept Him from the promised land...

  Genesis 6:8 states, “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” Similarly, Genesis 6:9 describes Noah as a “just man who walked with God.” These passages suggest that Noah had a pleasant and wonderful relationship with God. One day, God approached Noah with a profound request. He was about to unleash a catastrophic flood upon the earth due to the rampant wickedness and violence of humanity. Despite the gravity of the situation, Noah diligently followed God’s instructions. Noah, along with his family and all the necessary animals, was carefully placed inside the ark. As the rains began to pour, Noah patiently awaited the unfolding events. Noah, the man who had walked with God daily, experienced an unprecedented silence for 150 days, equivalent to 4.9 months. During this period, he heard nothing from God. It was a time of profound introspection and uncertainty. Imagine yourself in Noah’s shoes. Picture living in an ark, devoid of any guidance or direction from God. The silence ...

  What makes you marvel at the wonders of God’s creation? Consider the breathtaking beauty of a sunrise or sunset, with its vibrant colors painting the sky. Nature’s incredible variety is awe-inspiring. Every living thing is unique and special. Did you know that no two snowflakes are alike? Even the slightest differences make them distinct. Some frogs, like the “Poison Dart,” take exceptional care of their tadpoles. They transport them to small bodies of water and even lay unfertilized eggs to feed them! There’s a wildflower called the “Snowdrop” that has an antifreeze protein inside to prevent it from freezing. It’s one of the first flowers to emerge from the snow, signaling the arrival of spring. And let’s not forget the Clown spider! You’ll have to search online to find them; they’re a bit creepy, but who says God doesn’t have a sense of humor? I could go on and on about the trees, flowers, animals, and birds, each with its own unique song to sing, except perhaps the Mockingbird...

  Learn to endure suffering gracefully. This phrase occasionally crosses my mind, but how can I learn to endure suffering well? What does that even mean? Jesus experienced rejection, mockery, laughter, and being called insane. Despite these hardships, He refrained from retaliation or self-defense when falsely accused. If I aspire to be like Jesus, shouldn’t I anticipate facing rejection, criticism, and belittling? Why do I believe I shouldn’t encounter trials and struggles in my own life if Jesus did? While I may never endure suffering to the extent of Jesus, can I learn to “count it all joy”? James 1:2 (ESV) states, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” This can indeed be challenging and not always easy. The verse assures us that trials and challenges will come, as it says, “when” or “whenever.” The key lies in our choice of response. We can try to avoid or take the easy way out, but Jesus’ way is always through. Isaiah 43:2-3 says, “when you pass...