Let Not Your Heart Grow Cold - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Let Not Your Heart Grow Cold

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“Above everything else, guard your heart; for it is the source of life’s consequences.” Proverbs 4:23, Complete Jewish Bible)

I had woken up trying to fight off bitterness and resentment in my mind. I didn’t want it to overtake my heart.

In the dream I just had, my wife Laurie and I were ushers for a large gathering. I don’t recall if it was on a ship, at a conference, or a special church event. It seemed as if we had been part of the “invited guests” list, being a part of the group, but chose to be servants for the others by ushering. We had been doing this for a number of years.

As the dream continued, around 10 pm, when the meeting was over and all had left for the banquet, we too went to get our food, expecting to receive what the others would have gotten earlier. Along the way I passed several tables which had key lime pie available on small plates, as the desert. Thinking I might want a piece before they were gone, I picked up one plate and began eating the slice of pie. (I must have been hungry!)

When I got to the food line, where the food had been set up in cafeteria style for large crowds, all I could see left were turkey wings – basically bones with a little meat on them – and some mashed potatoes. I asked the servers if there was anything else left, and they said no. They were preparing for the next meal, but I couldn’t have that.

I then woke up (the red digital lights read 2:22 am on the clock) and I laid there for at least 20 minutes, trying to guard both my mind and my heart from the thoughts of bitterness, anger and resentment that threatened to overtake me. Here we had just served all these people, and yet nothing good was left for us to partake too.

It was a real struggle, as my mind thought back over the years when my service in ministry could at times have been taken for granted. Would I allow this attitude to get the best of me now at this point in my life?

There are three things I felt the Lord was trying to tell me. He may also do the same with you through this dream.

1.      We are in a spiritual battle. In these last days, our hearts can grow cold due to the atmosphere around us, with darkness trying to constantly overtake everything. We are in a real battle for our souls and those we are in contact with.

2.      As we grow older in the faith, and in our bodies, we can become cynical, seeing things happen over and over again, with no change happening. It can wear us down and cause us to pull back from engaging with others, and giving in service to them out of love.

3.      If we allow weeds to fall in our spiritual soil and grow roots, they will consume the good wheat that has also been planted. A root of bitterness can destroy your spiritual walk and testimony. “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;” (Hebrews 12:15, NASU)

Looking back in our faith walk, in order to keep moving forward, if we do not give thanks and continue to see with the Lord’s vision, we will give in to that which will steal our joy, our purpose, and our direction in this life. We must keep fighting the good fight, guard our hearts, and pray that they do not grow cold.

Remember, we serve a good God, and He is the Rewarder of those who seek Him. May He find faith when He returns.  “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV)

Lord, help us stay close to you.

(By the way, I did get another hour of sleep before I got up for Bible reading and prayer.)

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People, Inc.

P.S. I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. They might need it. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

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Now Think On This - In the New Year of our Lord 08.02.16 - #263 –“Let Not Your Heart Grow Cold” – Tuesday at 6:00 pm

All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on the website: Now Think On This

Again, I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

3 Mysterious Ways That God Might Be Speaking to You by Teresa Ward - Identity Network

3 Mysterious Ways That God Might Be Speaking to You by Teresa Ward

Identity Network

You may ask why God would use symbols and figures of speech to communicate with us. Why wouldn't He just speak plainly?

The answer is not entirely simple, but basically God uses things you understand to explain things you don't understand. He uses the physical realm to explain the supernatural spiritual realm.

To think that God does not continue to speak symbolically or metaphorically through dreams is to deny His nature throughout Scripture - from Genesis to Revelation. God uses symbols to reveal attributes and to cause you to apply your heart to understand. Did you know there are over 8,200 figures of speech used in Scripture? That is totally amazing to me! If we know that the Word of God is inspired by the Holy Spirit, then whenever symbolic speech is used in Scripture, it is on purpose and it means we should stop and take notice and learn something.

Metaphors

The entire Hebrew culture celebrates and communicates through symbolic expression in their feasts and their traditions, and even every letter of their alphabet is a symbolic picture of something! I personally believe metaphors and symbolic ways of communicating are God's preferred speech because we have to want to understand and we have to apply our hearts to understand. When we learn to think symbolically, we will discover all types of hidden treasures, not only in our dreams, but also in Scripture and in our everyday lives! You will begin to hear and see God communicating with you everywhere, every day when you begin to apply your heart to understand the meaning behind God's symbolic love language.

God says to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul and strength (see Deut. 6:5, 11:13, 13:3). How can we do that unless we apply our hearts fully to understand? When we have to gain an understanding of symbols or metaphors, it requires us to meditate and involve our minds, our wills, our experiences and our emotions - only then can we begin to understand what God is saying.

Parables

Dreams are often parables, allegories or even riddles that contain hidden treasure if we're willing to search for it. The condition of our hearts directly affects our spiritual insight and understanding. Are you distracted or captivated by the gift God may be giving you in your dreams? It may reflect the condition of your heart.

Jesus spoke in parables to the unbelieving because He wanted them to have to apply their hearts. He says:

"Therefore I speak to them in parables: 'Because they look, but do not see. And they listen, but they do not hear, neither do they understand.' In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: 'By hearing, you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing, you will see and shall not perceive; for this people's heart has grown dull. Their ears have become hard of hearing, and they have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I should heal them'" (Matthew 13:13-15).

Jesus goes on to bless those who listen and apply themselves to understand what He is saying. Notice, too, that He explained what the parables meant to the disciples who asked (those who want to know). To be a disciple means to study and follow Jesus. When He speaks symbolically, it means there is hidden treasure to be discovered, and those who search it out will find reward! (See Matthew 7:7; Luke 11:9; Hebrews 11:6.)

Figurative Speech

E.W. Bullinger, who was a biblical scholar and theologian from England in the late 1800s, gives us the following for serious reflection in his book, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible:

"Applied to words, a figure denotes some form which a word or sentence takes, different from its ordinary and natural form. This is always for the purpose of giving additional force, more life, intensified feeling and greater emphasis. Whereas today, "figurative language" is ignorantly spoken of as though it made less of the meaning, and deprived the words of their power and force. A passage of God's Word is quoted; and it is met with the cry, "Oh, that is figurative"-implying that its meaning is weakened, or that it has quite a different meaning, or that it has no meaning at all.

But the very opposite is the case. For an unusual form (figura) is never used except to add force to the truth conveyed, emphasis to the statement of it, and depth to the meaning of it. When we apply this science then to God's words and to divine truths, we see at once that no branch of Bible study can be more important, or offer greater promise of substantial reward.

Bullinger goes on to say, referring to figures of speech, "no branch of Bible study can be more important: And yet we may truly say that there is no branch of it which has been so utterly neglected."

God is speaking to you today and desiring for you to find hidden rewards. Will you seek Him with all your heart, or will you squander your riches? It is my prayer that you will consider the condition of the soil of your heart and value how God may be communicating with you in dreams and also in everything around you. Apply your heart to understand what He may be saying, and you will be rewarded above and beyond all you can ask or even possibly imagine (see Eph. 3:20; Heb. 11:6).

Teresa Ward

www.gatewaytodreams.com

"You Must Believe!" - Robbie Phillips (Present Word Ministries) - English & Spanish

Robbie & Betty Phillips, 
with Abbi & Betty Maley Phillips

 Present Word Ministries

‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches’

July 8 & 9, 2013

 "You Must Believe!"

But without faith it's impossible to please Him, for whoever comes to God must believe

that He exists and that He is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him!

– Hebrews 11:6

            It seems to me like I've been in a 'difficult place' in my walk with the Lord for quite some time now. By 'difficult place' I mean one of those seasons where nothing's working, nothing's happening, God's not answering, life's come to a standstill, so that the only song that seems to have any relevance is "Gloom, Despair and Agony on Me"!

            If you've been in the Lord for any length of time, you know exactly what I'm talking about. You dial heaven and ask to please speak with the Lord; the angel who answers says He's "not available right now" and "would you please call back at a later time". The second time you call you get a Busy Signal. On your third attempt you get a recording: "This number is no longer in service."

            Enter Hebrews 11:6. There's a little 'four-letter word' there that's discomfiting when you're in the difficult place. It's that little word 'must'. Anyone who comes to God . . . MUST believe (1) that God exists to begin with, and (2) that He's a Rewarder of those who diligently seek . . . HIM (ie, He's not a Rewarder of those who merely seek His 'rewards' while disregarding seeking Him).

            "MUST Believe." "MUST." Hmm. This is a word both to Christians (ie, supposedly believers) and to non-Christians (ie, supposedly non-believers) alike. The Holy Spirit does not say here:

            "It would be so neat if when you come to God you might consider believing Him!"

            "If you'd just believe God – He would be so relieved!"

            "How noble and magnanimous of you to choose to believe God!"

            "I'd be so honored and pleased if you'd believe Me!"

            "Please . . . please . . . I entreat you: Please believe Me. Please!"

            Nope. Nyet. Nicht. Nein. Nada. Negatory. No. The above-mentioned four-letter word is simply, MUST – whether you're a believer or non-believer the demand is ever the same – MUST. No discussion, no excuses, no exceptions, no exemptions, no substitutions. MUST Believe Him/in Him. MUST.

            When you're in the difficult place, the challenge is to . . . Believe. (1) That God IS there ("He exists"), so that you believe that He hasn't forgotten you. AND to Believe: (2) That He is a Rewarder if you 'hang tough' with your faith and keep pressing in to Him.

            Believing in Him isn't Optional. You MUST believe in Him. 

You MUST cast off Disbelief. It is DISPLEASING to Him for you to entertain Doubting about Him. No matter what your Emotions say, no matter how 'good' it feels and how inwardly 'warm and fuzzy' it may be to be cast down and depressed, you MUST reject and resist that tendency – and with jaw-tightened, teeth-clenched, fist-closed Fierce Resolve, you MUST Declare your Belief in Him and His ability to reward. 

And you MUST do it over-and-over, resolutely standing in your Faith. There's no other way to PLEASE GOD.

            You Must Believe in Him. You simply . . . MUST.

Robbie Phillips 

Columbia, SC

robbiewphillips@gmail.com

For our Hispanic Friends!!

Present Word Ministries (Ministerios de La Palabra Presente)

"El que tiene oído, oiga lo que el Espíritu dice a las iglesias"

8 de julio y 9 de julio 2013

"Tiene que creer"

Y sin fe es imposible agradar a Dios. Porque es necesario que el que se acerca a Dios a crea

que El existe, y que recompensa a los que Lo buscan

-- Hebreos 11:6

            Me parece que yo he estado en un "lugar difícil" en mi caminar con el Señor por un buen rato.  Con la frase "lugar difícil" quiero decir que es uno de estas temporadas cuando nada funciona y nada está sucediendo; Dios no está contestando; la vida ha llegado un tope para que la única canción que tenga correspondencia con mi situación sea "Pesadumbre, desesperación, y agonía para mí".

            Si usted ha estado con el Señor por un espacio del tiempo, usted sabe de lo que estoy hablando.  Usted marca el número telefónico del cielo y pide, por favor, hablar con el Señor; el ángel que contesta y dice, "Él no está disponible ahora" y " por favor llame más tarde".  La segunda vez usted llama, usted llega el tono de ocupado.  En el tercero intento, usted llega una grabación: "Este numero está afuera del servicio".

            Entra Hebreos 11:6.  Hay "una palabra de cuatro letras [en inglés, 'must' o tener que]" que está presente y está incomodándole cuando usted está en un lugar difícil.  Es la pequeña frase "tiene que".  Cada quien que se acerca a Dios. . . . TIENE que creer (1) que Dios existe en el primer lugar, y (2) que Él es un Recompensador [él que recompensa] de aquellos que le buscan. . . . . a Él (i.e., Él no es un Recompensador de aquellos que meramente buscan a sus 'galardones' mientras le pasan por alto a Él mismo).

            "TIENE que creer".  "TIENE que. . . "  Hmm.  Esta es una palabra para cristianos (supuestamente, los creyentes) y para los no-cristianos (i.e., supuestamente, no-creyentes) mutuamente.  El Espíritu Santo no dice aquí:

            "Seria bonito que cuando usted se acerca a Dios, tal vez, podría considerar creer en Él".

            "Si usted creería en Dios -- Él sería tanto tranquilizado".

            "¡Cuán noble y magnánimo de usted escoger a creer en Dios!"

            "Sería yo tanto honrado si usted creería en Mí".

           ¡Por favor, por favor, Te ruego: Por favor, créeme.  Por favor!

            De ninguna manera. Nyet. Nicht. Nein. Nada. Negativo. No.  La frase de arriba de 'tiene que' sencillamente es TIENE que -- si usted es creyente o no-creyente la exigencia es igual -- TIENE que.  No discusión, no excusas, no excepciones, no exenciones, no sustituciones.  TIENE que creer en Él.  TIENE que.

            Cuando usted llega a ese lugar difícil, el reto es. . . . creer.  (1) que Dios está presente ("Él existe"), para que crea que Él no se haya olvidado de usted.  Y creer: (2) que Él sea un 'Recompensador' si usted 'aguanta firme' con su fe y continúa acercándosele a Él.

            El creer en Él no es una opción.  TIENE que creer en Él.  TIENE que echar afuera la incredulidad.  No es agradable a Él para usted seguir dudando.  No importa lo que sus emociones digan.  No importa cuan bueno se sienta y cuan bueno sea de ser desconsolado y deprimido, TIENE que rechazar y resistir esta tendencia -- y con mandíbula apretada, con los dientes apretados, con el puño cerrado con determinación feroz, TIENE que declarar su creencia en Él y en Su habilidad de recompensar.  Y TIENE que hacerlo una vez y otra vez, resolutamente, siendo firme en su fe.  No hay otra manera para agradar a Dios.

            Tiene que creer en Él.  Usted sencillamente, TIENE que creer.