Tag: Remedy

THE KEY TO A STRONG HEART

Covid-19 waited until the New Year to drop in on me—it wasn’t a nice visit. It’s actually been a while since I felt so weak and helpless. Around the same time a friend (who I hadn’t seen in a while) unexpectedly passed away at the age of 65 years old (flashback of the age that my Dad was when he died 19 years ago). These are reminders of how fragile life truly is and how frail and vulnerable we are (See Psalm 89:47-48, 103:14-16, 144:3-4, 146:4). As the Scottish poet, Robert Burns penned, “The best-laid plans of mice and men oft go astray.”  We can’t account for unexpected tragedies or stubborn illnesses as time and chance happen to us all (Eccl. 9:11). (See also Ps. 33:10, Prov. 16:9, 19:21). One may say, “So what’s the use? Why bother?” That defeatist attitude comes from the destroyer, not from God (1 Pet. 5:8, John 8:44).  Death is not the end for believers in Christ Jesus as the better life is to come (2 Tim. 1:10). In the meantime, wouldn’t you like to strengthen your heart?  Your heart will only weaken if you tune in to the present world for their ‘solutions’ (Ps. 60:11, 94:11, 108:12, 118:8, 146:3-4). 

The 27th psalm opens with, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”  This psalm ends with, “Wait on the Lord: Be of good courage, and He will strengthen your heart: Wait, I say, on the Lord.” 

The key to strengthening your heart is in an area we mortals have trouble with—waiting. 

We want the remedy to fix illness now. We want the job promotion and pay raise when we deserve it. We don’t want to wait for the prodigal to reach rock bottom before coming home, and the list goes on. God’s ways and thoughts are higher than man’s ideas and ways (Isa. 55:9). God chooses to work in ways contrary to the world’s ways. His preference is to seek the frail, broken and weak to display His glory. David was the youngest and the smallest of his brothers (1 Sam. 16:7, 10-12). Gideon’s family was poor and He was the ’least’ in his father’s house (Judges 6:15). “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty” (1 Cor. 1:27). “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” So although we can be hard-pressed on every side, we won’t be crushed. We may become perplexed, but not in despair. We may feel persecuted, but not forsaken. We may be struck down, but not destroyed (2 Cor. 4:7-9). Our mindset should be like that of the apostle Paul’s who understood the sufficiency of God’s grace. He experienced God’s strength being made perfect in his weakness, so he took pleasure in infirmities, reproaches, persecutions, and distresses for Christ’s sake. For when he was weak, he was strong (2 Cor. 12:9-10).  We should welcome tribulations because they provide the opportunity to build perseverance (which requires waiting on the Lord). Perseverance develops character (that gives us good courage) and character, hope.  And it’s hope that doesn’t disappoint, but causes our heart to strengthen and be filled with God’s love (Rom. 5:3-5). 

                As we allow our minds to be renewed in the knowledge of God and think in a new spiritual mode, we’ll be synced up with God’s will and deprogrammed from the basic principles of the world (Rom. 12:2, Colossians 2:8, 3:10). 

This brings me to 2 Corinthians 4:16-18—(verses that I never grow tired of), “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

                So don’t lose heart by what you see (or experience) in this fallen world, wait on the Lord and be of good courage.  He WILL strengthen your heart!  We’ll feel blessed when our only expectation comes from the Lord. A heart that’s set on pilgrimage (the highways leading to Him) is a heart that will always be strengthened (Ps. 62:5, 84:5).

Laura

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Showing Signs of the Virus?

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” (Luke 4:23).

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15).

                It’s in these times of uncertainty, where invisible viruses change our lives in tangible, physical ways, that one can become more susceptible to acknowledge one’s internal condition. 

One may look at him or herself in the mirror and appear fine, but outer appearances can be deceptive. The Pharisees of Jesus’ time appeared ‘clean’ and righteous outwardly, but their insides were defiled (Matt. 23:25, 28). The prophet Isaiah said in 64:6, “All of us have become like one who is unclean and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”

Each member of the human race has been infected with the SIN virus. It’s been passed from generation to generation ever since the first man contracted it in the Garden of Eden. No one is immune from the devastation and lethalness of it on their own (Gen. 3, Rom. 5:12, 18, 3:23, 6:23).

                God did not leave mankind helpless. He had a remedy. He sent His one and only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to become the Suffering Servant and the Wounded Healer (Ex. 15:26, Isaiah 52:14, 53:5, Phil. 2:7, 3:10, Heb. 2:9, 9:14, 12:2). The panacea for the SIN virus comes in a serum of love. Jesus Christ’s precious blood was poured out on the cross to cleanse and save from sin all who believe and receive it (John 3:16, 10:9, 14:6, Rom. 5:8-9, Eph. 1:7, 2:4-5, Col. 1:14, 20, 2:14, 1 Tim. 2:3-5, Titus 3:4-7, 1 Peter 1:18-19).

                Once the transaction is complete, the believer’s eternal salvation is secure. Their citizenship is now in heaven, where their Savior is and their life is “hid in Christ with God”.  When Christ, Who is their life, shall appear, then they will appear with Him in glory— in glorious bodies that are like His—sin-free” (Eph. 1: 13-14, Phil. 3:20-21, Col. 3:3).  But in the meantime (in this fallen life), the SIN virus still lies dormant in the believer. In order to keep it inoperative and perform the good works that God wills the redeemed to fulfill, the sinful nature needs to be put to death (Col. 3:5, Rom. 13:12-14, Eph. 2:10, 2 Tim. 1:9-10, Titus 2:11-14, 3:8). Protective gear is a necessity and has been provided for the believer to wear in order to stand against all unseen attacks (Eph. 6:11-17). Experiences of pain and suffering in this world (as Jesus endured) will not be for nothing. The tribulations will work out patience and produce character that will lead to hope (Rom. 5:3-5)  One can endure being hard-pressed on every side, without being crushed; perplexed, without falling into despair; persecuted, without being forsaken; struck down, without being destroyed– all for the glory of God (2 Cor. 4:7-10).

                The prognosis is promising as one seeks the things above, where Christ is at the right hand of God, not on things on the earth. No need to get discouraged even though the outward body is perishing, because the inward self is being renewed day by day. For light afflictions, are but for a moment, and are working a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. The things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal (Col. 3:1-3, 2 Cor. 4:16-18).  Endurance in this life is possible when one looks (as Moses did) to Him Who is invisible (Heb. 11:27).  Live life elevated in the risen hope He’s given us.                            Laura   

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