A Changed Heart

A Changed Heart

by | Feb 25, 2023 | Belief, Faith, Redeemed

Matthew 27 tells us a story of a changed heart.

The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. Matthew 27:52-53

Seeing is believing

The centurion and those with him guarding Jesus had a change of heart after they had seen all that had happened. Terrified, they exclaimed “surely he was the son of God.” (Matthew 27:54)

What a sight to see dead men walking – appearing to many people! I’d be terrified too.

As God breathed life into man when He formed him, Jesus’ death gave the breath of life back to many holy people.

You only live once

You’ve heard the saying “you only live once.” Well, there are people who got to live twice on earth. Scripture tells us about many who were raised from the dead. For example,

Lazarus;

Jairus’ daughter; and

The widow of Nain’s son.

But what about those who were given new life at the moment Jesus took His last breath? Matthew 27:52 says many holy people were raised to life at that moment.

I wonder what they did from the time they were raised until three days later when they went into the holy city.

I wonder how they honored God when they came back to life. Were they able to finish unfinished business this second time around?

What would you do if you had a second chance at life on earth? If I had a do-over, I’d try to correct past mistakes, and be more mindful of my words and actions.

The Bible also says we are dead in our sins before we come to Jesus. (Ephesians 2:1) The apostle Paul goes on to say that because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ.

Breathing new life

So, in a sense, we are like those dead men.

Once Jesus breathed his last, they breathed new life. Once we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we come out of a spiritual grave to walk into new life. We breathe new life and are told to walk in it.

Can you imagine the families of those people? How excited they were – and maybe a little afraid – to see them again.

What about us? Here on earth, our loved ones (in most cases) rejoice in our new life. But not only that, the angels rejoice too. They rejoice when a sinner repents. (Luke 15:9-11)

Walking beside them

So what can we do to help new believers walking around in new life?

Walk beside them.

  • Teach them what we’ve learned in our walk of faith.
  • Encourage them to stand strong in their faith.
  • Pray for them to grow and seek Jesus in the big decisions in life as well as the small.

If you don’t know Jesus personally, don’t let his suffering and last breath be for nothing. He rose again into new life, conquering death before He returned to the Father in heaven. He did so that we might live through Him and spend eternity in heaven.

The centurion got it right that day. You can too. Today, receive His gift of life, His mercy and grace, and show many people what your new life is like. What a great time to begin a new life, and astonish others with your boldness and faithfulness.

 To learn how, you can go here.

The Invisible Army

The Invisible Army

by | Feb 18, 2023 | God, Gratitude, Trust

I saw it coming but could do nothing about it. As the car veered toward us, my friend driving tried to steer us out of the way. It was a moment too late. The other vehicle made contact and ran us off the road.

The four of us in my car and the two in the other vehicle survived the ordeal without injury. I know this sounds crazy, but I pictured God’s angels there between us, softening the blow. We were all incredibly grateful as we sat in the grassy median, interstate traffic speeding past.

Reflecting on this reminds me of an instance in the Bible where God protected Elisha and his servant with an invisible army. Elisha was one of the most well-known prophets of Israel, serving in the northern kingdom. He had been anointed by Elijah, the prophet who skipped death when God suddenly picked him up in a chariot of fire and took him to heaven in a whirlwind.

Elisha had seen God do amazing things.

Maybe that’s why he appeared calm and confident when the Syrian army surrounded the city of Dothan.

Elisha’s servant, however, not so much.

When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6: 15-17 (ESV)

 

Outnumbered

There really were more with them than those who were in that army. Instead of seeing a threat, this time Elisha’s servant saw the strength and the glory of God’s army. He saw that the army of the Lord outnumbered the Syrian threat. And I bet he was never the same again.

When the Syrians came against them, Elisha captured the army with a bold prayer and trust in his Lord. (See the rest of the chapter for the interesting details.)

Hundreds of years later, the apostle John reminds us of this same concept.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 4:4 (NIV)

Of course, I don’t know all the behind-the-scenes activity going on as we drove home that night, but I can recognize God’s protection. I can trust the strength of God’s army and know that not only is God with me, but sometimes misfortune just might be the thing that God uses for a greater purpose. Maybe our accident even served as a wake-up call for the person who hit us.

 

Seen

I’m grateful that God protects and fights our battles even when we are completely unaware.

Remember these two things today.

  • As Christians, the One who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world.
  • Although we can’t always see it, God is by our side, and we can trust the strength of His army.

Today, I pray that God will open our eyes so we can see His glory, His protection and His good work in our lives.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (ESV)

 

A Hope-filled Life

A Hope-filled Life

by | Feb 10, 2023 | Faith, Hope, Trust

A hard winter freeze destroyed many plants and shrubs in my yard. They look pathetic, really.

I have four sweet olive trees, once evergreen, now leafless and sparse. I wondered if I would ever delight in their sweet scent again.

Upon further inspection, a green layer hides underneath that dry, gray bark. It speaks of beauty to come. Beauty from devastation. A speck of hope that, once touched by the sun of Spring, will find new life.

While a storm robbed it of its leaves and color, I look forward to the day I get to see its beauty once again, inhale its sweet fragrance and rest in its shade.

Does your life sometimes mirror that sweet olive tree? I know mine has at times.

Cold. Hard. Uninviting. Withdrawn and without hope.

But beneath our exterior, we hope for better things to come.

Beauty from devastation

Jesus Christ offers us that hope. He is the lifeblood within us. He brings beauty from our devastation. And he will give us new strength that allows us to grow and flourish.

Be encouraged, my friend. This season of sadness or emptiness will one day blossom into life again. Life that comes from the life-giver Himself.

If you know Him, you know He is faithful. Cling to Him in the good days as well as the not-so-good days.

If you do not have a relationship with God and don’t know the love of Christ, would you trust Him today? Jesus sees great value in you and tenderly calls your name. Receive His gift of salvation by putting your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Receiving His salvation means recognizing that you are a sinner, repenting of your sin, confessing with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believing in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.

All who receive His salvation are changed by the Holy Spirit and are born again, becoming children of God and receiving eternal life with God.

That sweet olive tree appears dead. But it will look alive again one day. Thank God He can do the same with us. He can take a life that’s broken and without hope and transform it into a vibrant and full life.

Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 (ESV)

But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)

Taking Down Walls

Taking Down Walls

by | Feb 3, 2023 | Faith, Fear, Praise

One of the hardest things I have ever done was tell my three boys their daddy had gone to be with Jesus in Heaven. The task seemed insurmountable. I was already numb from the news myself; how could I ever speak it to them?

It seemed a wall loomed ahead, threatening our way of life. Somehow, I had to make it to the other side and begin an unwanted and unfamiliar future.

Walls can be daunting. However, I believe there are two essentials to tackling the walls that stand in our way.

  • Our faith
  • God’s power

A promise fulfilled

As described in Joshua 6, a wall stood between the Israelites and the place God had promised them. That wall surrounded the city of Jericho and God had a plan for Joshua to defeat the city.

(Jericho was the first city conquered by Israel after crossing the Jordan River and occupying the Promised Land. Joshua 5:13-6:23)

I feel certain the plan to circle the walls of Jericho seemed bizarre to the people. But Joshua listened to God, then executed the plan exactly as God had laid it out for him. And the people followed Joshua’s instruction.

When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. Joshua 6:20 (NIV)

The power of praise

The walls of Jericho fell – not because of human strength or skill – but because of the faith and shouts of praise of the people. That, my friend, is the power of praise.

Because of their faith, they saw the power of God in action. And with their faith, they accomplished the task as God intended.

Oh, that we would approach our walls – or mountains – before us with that same faith accompanied by praise. When we say “I can’t do this” or “I won’t do that,” we limit God.

Joshua was a man of great faith. And he saw the limitless power of the Lord. Verse 27 closes out Chapter 6 with this about him.

So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land. Joshua 6:27 (NIV)

I have witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit in my life. It was only through faith in Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit that got my family to the other side of that wall during those dark days.

Do you have a wall standing in your way? Or a mountain before you? Sometimes fear can be that barrier that holds us captive. Or grief could keep us bound and not able to move forward.

Let’s cling to our faith to move those mountains, tear down those walls and see the power of the Holy Spirit in our everyday lives, working on our behalf.

Eyes Wide Open

by | Jan 28, 2023 | God, Grace, Mercy

 

In the middle of Job’s heartache and despair, he speaks something profound.

What is man, that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him. Job 7:17 (ESV)

Let that sink in. God loves us. So much that in His mercy, we don’t get what we deserve — an eternity separated from Him in a place of constant torment. Yet, in His grace, we get so much that we don’t deserve.

  • We can have a relationship with Almighty God through His Son Jesus Christ and spend eternity with Him in paradise.
  • We can have meaningful relationships with people here on earth.
  • We can enjoy the beauty around us.
  • We can enjoy food that not only sustains us but tastes good.
  • And we can listen to music that brings joy to our souls.

God sets His heart on us.

There are many places in the Bible that tell us to set our hearts on God. But in this verse in Job, we find that God also sets his heart on us. We can rest in that fact. We can find love, experience care and receive blessings.

I recently listened to a song by Jeremy Camp – Keep Me in the Moment. This song encourages us to live with our eyes open so we don’t miss what God has for us. It goes on to say that nothing is wasted when everything is placed in His hands.

I had to think on that. I waste time when I don’t place things in his hand — specifically the time worrying about something that may or may not happen.

The cool part is that when I was writing this post, the scripture at the bottom of that day’s page in my journal spoke directly to this same thing.

Give your burdens to the LORD, and He will take care of you. Psalm 55:22 (NCV) 

I have worried about a decision I needed to make — unable to get it off my mind. But when I placed the burden of that decision in God’s hands, I could focus and spend my time on what God DOES have for me. And I could be confident that He is not withholding blessings from me.

He blesses us when we hand our worries and fears to Him.

And not only that, but our sweet surrender of every moment to God brings peace and joy. While Jesus said He would go to prepare a place for us so that we could be with Him one day, He also said that we could have joy in THIS life.

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:11 (NIV)

God is sovereign. He is in control. Yet He sets his heart on you and me. Let’s live with our eyes wide open and look for joy in the moment.

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