Develope a Palate

Develope a Palate
Daily intake of the Word nourishes the Spirit. Jeremiah's Menu is an exercise in recognizing God's Word made flesh in and around me. Eating the Word in a way that supplies the spiritual nutrients needed to grow. The Menu is offered with the hope of inspiring you to taste and see that the Lord is good. Bon Appetite!

Quote Du Jour

Quote du Jour
Christians may differ on a variety of points, but they have all one spiritual appetite; and if we cannot all feel alike, we can all feed alike on the bread of life sent down from heaven. At the table of fellowship with Jesus we are one bread and one cup. As the loving cup goes round we pledge one another heartily therein. Get nearer to Jesus, and you will find yourself linked more and more in spirit to all who are like yourself, supported by the same heavenly manna. ---Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

strengthening a heart

The word of James... to be patient... to strengthen your heart... continues in my thoughts...

Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord's coming is near.
James 5:8
HCSB

What does it mean to strengthen your heart...?

Strengthen... also rendered... establish... translated from the Greek meaning... to make stable... place firmly... set fast... fix...

Heart... used metaphorically... representing the inner life... mind... will... emotion...

Make stable... your mind, will, and emotion...

How do we strengthen a heart... the one thing that is deceitful above all others...?

Counsel from the Lord through Isaiah says...


 Quietness being a stable heart... a calm inner self... not stirred up... that... along with trust in Him... is our source of strength...

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
2Chronicles 16:9

The Lord strengthens our hearts... in response to... trust... commitment... counting on Him and His Way... no matter how things look... or how we feel... it is a gift of grace... when we choose Him...

It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace...
Hebrews 13:9

Strengthening of a heart comes through the exercise of faith... a hard walk... the one of seeing joy in trials... of being certain of the unseen... 

There is another way that some choose... that I have chosen before... it seems so much easier... 

Do not confuse the strengthening of a heart... with the hardening of a heart... 

It is tempting to harden a heart to emotion... to the possibility of more pain and disappointment... to judge and cut off... rather than hope and trust...

Exercising a muscle initially causes fatigue... pain... the same is true of our faith... but as we choose the hard work... we find strength... to be calm... with whatever comes... readied for the harvest... able to reap the reward...

The hardening of a heart... keeps the pain away... for a time... but a hard heart doesn't give... it eventually breaks... when the harvest comes there is only bitterness... anger... no joy...

We need a strong heart for His coming... or else we might miss the harvest... I've seen it happen in others... the change finally comes... the precious fruit ready... but the one whose been waiting... turns away... refuses... the heart too hard to bend and reap... 

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.
Psalm 126:5

The one who refuses to sow in tears... hardening their heart... will not reap in joy...

Strengthen your hearts... because the Lord's coming is near...

Choose the work of waiting... patiently... just like the farmer... trusting in the One who causes growth...

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,
who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
2Thessalonians 2:16-17
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