HEART

“The less you open your heart to others, the more your heart suffers.” Contemporary Indian-born doctor and writer Deepac Chopra said that.

In the Bible the Apostle Paul is challenging the Corinthians:

He does not only say, “We … opened wide our hearts to you,” but also “we have spoken freely to you,” and “we are not withholding our affection from you.”

He challenges them to open wide their hearts also. First of all he states that they are withholding their affection from him, and then he encourages them as his children to open wide their hearts also “as a fair exchange.”

You find that in Second Corinthians 6:11-13.

“The worst prison is a closed heart,” was sent to me some time ago by email. I don’t know if it has been used as yet as a church sign.

Notes taken from The Life Application Study Bible (NIV edition).

“THOSE WHOM I LOVE I REBUKE AND DISCIPLINE. SO BE EARNEST, AND REPENT.” – Revelation 3:19 (NIV)

Let us focus on the word “discipline”.

The Lord is disciplining and rebuking us when we are far from him. How can we avoid the discipline of the Lord? We can avoid the discipline of the Lord by drawing near to him again through confession, service and studying his word.

CONFESSION

First John 1:9

In admitting our sins we are: a. agreeing with God that our sin is truly sin and that we are willing to turn from it. b. ensuring that we don’t conceal our sins from him and from ourselves. c. recognizing our tendency to sin and relying on his power to overcome it.

SERVICE

Deuteronomy 11:13: serving the LORD with our heart and with our soul.

Second Chronicles 19:9: serving faithfully and wholeheartedly.

Psalm 2:11: serve the LORD with fear.

Psalm 100:2: “Serve the LORD with gladness.”

Matthew 4:10: serve the Lord only.

Ephesians 6:7: “Serve wholeheartedly, …”

WORSHIP

John 4:24:

The Holy Spirit helps us worship. a. The Holy Spirit prays for us. Romans 8:26 b. The Holy Spirit teaches us the words of Christ. John 14:26 c. The Holy Spirit tells us that we are loved. Romans 5:5

STUDYING HIS WORD

Ezra 7:10

“FOR EZRA

Intr.:

had devoted himself

a. to the study and

b. observance

of the law of the LORD, and

c. teaching its decrees and laws

End:

in ISRAEL.”

Let us do what the Bible says: Let us be earnest. Let us repent.

THE SUN

MY best friend.

“Best Friend

The best friend is the sun in our day,

the wind in our sky,

the wave in our ocean and

the beat in our heart.”

I read that yesterday on a sign that is for sale at one of our pharmacies here in Kaitaia, and today I went there again to copy it down.

My best friend is the ONE who created the sun, who makes the wind, who makes the waves and who makes my heart beat, the Lord JESUS CHRIST.

The Lord Jesus Christ says in John  15:14, “You are my friends if you do what I command.”

One more flower

“At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.” – Revelation 11:13