The Heart is the centerpiece in loving God and walking in zeal and power in the Spirit.
If the heart is wounded, cold, divided,
usually we are not
focused,
wholehearted in zeal,
or on fire with first love.
We are called into love with Jesus first and from the heart.
Jesus valued "first love"as necessary and first above all, alongside, and with
perseverance, hard work, clear discernment,
testing ministries, enduring hardships and not growing weary. (Rev 2:1-3)
A key and significant church was called to repentance over losing first love.
The alternative was "If you do not repent, I will come to you and
remove your lampstand from its place." (Rev 2:5)
Without first love, the whole thing would come crashing down.
His victory, in the witness of a lampstand, gone.
The insides of real relationship with Jesus, gone.
The presence of the Lord, his pleasure,
the glory of an environment overflowing with
hard work, service and love would
lose its most essential and beautiful reality.
First Love and what you and I did at first.
So get back to the beginning.
Back to what you did at first.
No matter how far you've wandered
you can, through the power of grace, faith and forgiveness,
connect with Jesus in a greater way
than you ever have before.
"The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" and let the one who hears say, "Come!"
Let those who are thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life." Revelation 22:17
Pull these 5 thorns from your heart. Come back into first love and the presence of the Lord.
1. Divided Heart - Something is acting like a wedge - splitting your heart in two.
Teach me your way, Lord,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
Ask the Spirit for understanding about what has divided your heart.
When he tells you. Confess, repent and invite him to pluck out any thorn that has wedged in and divided your Heart.
Down cast is head down, dull emotions, buried stuff that needs to talk with you. Sometimes that is the Spirit speaking something you are hesitant to walk out. Sometimes it is our own grieving of what we have lost or left behind. Whatever it is it wants to talk and can't. It's being stuffed down and silenced. Jesus is able to heal anything. He is not afraid of anything we've done. He is mighty and able to help us, listen and talk with us through the process of letting what is buried come to resurrection life in him. The promise in him is that though we were once dead we will rise with him. Let it out. Let it go.
3. The Heart with - Thorns of Sorrows - something about the way life, trails and circumstances over against promises and prayer have not matched up. It is festering in your heart.
Pull out the thorn that accuses God, just like our accuser the Devil, over the apparent chasim of promise and what we see in the world. Joseph had ten plus years of struggle against this heart sickness. But he overcame it with love, service and devotion to the Lord. The first thing in his life was the fragrance of the Good and loving God he devoted his life to. Our goal is to be and do like Jesus and obey all that he teaches. That puts us in direct confrontation with many people, spiritual forces of evil, culturally accepted ways and even brothers and sisters in the Lord.
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
For look, the wicked bend their bows;
they set their arrows against the strings to shoot
from the shadows at the upright in heart.
4. The Protected Heart that says "it is too much". Something is taking your heart to the boarders of your strength and ability. There is an open door here to His strength, love and grace that overcomes the world. I John 5:5
Sometimes we experience life that is so destructive and exasperating in struggle, injustice, physical injustice that our hearts become like water, like wax. Poured out. Jesus meets us there as one who knows what this is like. He also knows the love of the Father there and the triumph of love and grace in such a place.
Pull out the thorn that says you cannot rise up through this most difficult tragic circumstance and live in and through Christ Jesus.
Ask him to restore your heart in waiting, resting and reviving love.
Psa 22:14
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me.
5. The Despising Heart - Sometimes we despise the very words that would set us free or bring us life and grace.
Don't let the thorn of anger reside overnight in your heart. Don't let the sun go down on your anger. (Ephesians 4:26) The paths of life in Jesus are in connection with him, abiding in spirit and truth. (John 15:5) When we despise his word, his encouragement, prophetic grace, we cut off our heart from life giving grace, encouragement and the water of life.
Pluck the Thorns causing anger. Ps 139. Search me and know me Lord. Point out any offensive way in me. Go after peace and focus into the Lord. (Isaiah 26:3)
Psa 119:50
My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.
Fill up the voids with PROMISE and the comfort of the Spirit.
Psa 105:8
He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
Thank you for Reading. I would love to hear from you.
Comments? Re-shares / thank u
Other posts that may interest you:
1.http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2015/01/7-things-enemy-devil-doesnt-want-you-to.html
Thanks for reading.
With much love in Jesus
You can do this thing! He's got you.
Jeff Reynolds ---
Brother Jeff
www.jeffreynoldsministies.com
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