Heart of the Matter Monday: Humility & Repentance

Heart of the Matter Monday: Matthew Henry

"When we have no other answer to the suggestions of grief and fear, we may have recourse to this: I thank Thee, O Father."
- Matthew Henry

Heart of the Mattter Mondays: Who do you Hallow?

"Our Father, Who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name..."

Luke 11: 2

"How do we know whether, deep down, we live to hallow (honor)ourselves or to hallow God?  Imagine you over hear someone whose opinion you value, and whose words are influential.  They say:'I'd never realized, but they are really, really great.'  Would it thrill you more if it turned out they were talking about your or God?  The answer reveals the person who you truly most long to be hallowed"
~Explore. Oct- Dec 2013. Oct, 23. 

OUCH!

Heart of the Matter

"It is not our lack of strength that prevents us from enjoying God's blessings, or stops us worshiping God whole-heartedly; it is our lack of faith in His strength.  When we rely on ourselves, and base our walk with God on our own calculations instead of His promises, we find ourselves making decisions like men of Judah" (in Judges 1:19).

"Does this describe you  in any way at this moment?  What would promise-trusting obedience look like for you?"

~ Excerpt from Explore Biblestudy guide.  Oct- Dec 2013.  Day 2.

(Belated) Heart of the Matter Monday: Bravery & Faith

"It is hard to be truly brave without faith in God.  The kind of bravery that does not arise out of faith in God is adventurism or macho heroism, or plain cruelty.  It will be rooted in insecurity, or a desperation to prove oneself, or hopelessness. Only faith-based bravery will keep people from selfishness and thoughtfulness on the one hand, and cowardice and ineffectiveness on the other.

How we choose to live show whether we really trust God:
-What risks do you take because you trust God?
- Are there times you are brave out of a desires to prove yourself?
- Are there times you are ineffective or risk-averse out of a desire to protect yourself?
-What would you do differently in those moments if you had a faith-fueled bravery?"

~ Excerpt from Explore. Oct -Dec 2013 edition. Day 1.

Heart of the Matter Monday: "To be blessed...:

"To be blessed is not to live free of struggle, but to cling to Christ in the midst of the struggle."

~Nancy Guthrie. The Promised One bible study. Pg 223.

Heart of the Matter Monday: Thoughts from St. Augustine

"Nothing is nearer to You (God) than a confessing heart and a life grounded in faith."

~ St Augustine.  Confessions (Book Two)

Heart of the Matter Monday: Weakness #3

“Lord, grant  that  while I live I may do that service I am able in this frail body and be in continual expectation of my change, and let me never forget Thy great love to my soul so lately expressed when I could lie down and bequeath my soul to Thee and death seemed no terrible thing. “

~ Anne Bradstreet  ( n exerpt fro her journal)

Heart of the Matter Monday: Weakness Week #2

“After much weakness and sickness when by spirits were worn out, and many times my faith weak likewise, the Lord was pleased to uphold my drooping heart, and manifest His love to me, and this is that which stays my soul: that this condition that I am in is best for me.  For God does not afflict willingly, nor take delight in grieving the children of men.  He has no benefit in my adversity nor is He better for my prosperity, but He does it for my advantage, and that I may be the gainer by it.    

And He knows that weakness and frail body is the best to make me a vessel for His use, why should I not bear it not only willingly but joyfully?”

~ Anne Bradstreet ( an excerpt from her journal)

Heart of the Matter Monday: Weakness Week #1

  “People value being strong and independent.  But the dynamic of weakness and dependence makes Christ matter in your life.  When Christ matters in your life He shines through your life. People see the evidence of something wonderful—the hand of Another at work in you. “

~  David Powelison.  I’m  Exhausted.  Pg 13 - 14

I normally take a "hands off" approach to these Monday quotes, letting the words speak for themselves.  Today, however, I felt I needed to put in an additional word. 

 One of the topics near and dear to my heart is weakness.  It's not a natural subject of discussion for me.  I wasn't born liking the subject.  In fact, I was born with the subconscious notion that it was one of major things I should avoid.  It's great to pray other people through their own weakness but try not to be weak yourself.    It’s ok to be weak as long as you display your strength by overcoming weakness.  Just try not to stay weak.  Such thoughts are the evidence that I am a true descendant of fallen Adam and Eve and a young woman who has listened to some of the messages of the culture. 

(Note: When I use the term “weakness,” I am talking about those circumstances, people and physical conditions in our lives that drain and deplete us and make us feel as though we can’t do what we ought or would like.)

Over the last several years I have had lots of encounters with Weakness.  I know the bitterness of its unforgettable flavor and am no stranger to his reoccurring company.  I know I am not alone in this either.  You have felt it too, haven’t you?  The reality is, each of us must face and deal with our own weakness.  It begs the question....


What do YOU do with weakness?

Hopefully, over the next several Mondays, our hearts will be encouraged to deal with our weaknesses (and the weaknesses of others) in a manner like Christ.  The Christ who was the “Man of Sorrows” …the One “well acquainted with grief” and weakness…who in His Divine strength willingly took on weakness to redeem the “poor in heart.  ”

Matter of the Heart Monday

A friendly reminder for our busy world in which we feel the pull to “do” more….

“Social Influence is not always that same as spiritual impact”

~ Explorer Devotional. April—June Ediction for Monday June 3^rd. 

Matter of the Heart Monday

    “Joyful people are mobilized.  They delight in doing small obediences.  They are pleased to serve God in any ordinary way He sees fit.  They know that an army of people taking small steps of obedience is what moves the kingdom of God forward in power. ”

~Edward Welch.  Heart of the Matter.  Pg 46.

Heart of the Matter Monday

   “If I love God more than anything else, I will be pulled way beyond the borders of my own wants and needs to the spaciousness of God’s kingdom, where redemption and restoration of all things is in order of the day.  

~ Paul David Tripp, Heart of the Matter. Pg 151

Heart of the Matter Monday

“Grace is  God’s declaration to the Believer that she can never disappoint Him… on the flip side, grace means I can do absolutely nothing to please God more than just being who I am in Christ.  Yes, our works are good—they help others and honor God.  It is for the sake of such works that we remain in these bodies.  But our works are simply a means of living out the standing God has granted us, by grace through Christ’s sacrifice.  The works flow from grace, they don’t produce it.  ” Good works don’t earn you anything, they are “an act of worship from a heart overwhelmed by what Christ has done. “

~  Kimm Crandall.  Christ in the Chaos, pg 46a, 47a. 

Heart of the Matter Monday

Welcome to the first Heart of the Matter Monday weekly postings.  It should be stated that I snagged the title from the daily devotional book with the same name. While not all of the quotes provided each Monday are from the book Heart Of the Matter, many (if not most) of them are.  I have experienced such blessed conviction and encouragement through the daily readings that I thought I would share some of them with you.  It is my desire that each of Monday's quote will point you to Christ.  After all, what our hearts do with Him each day is the most significant part of our day.  That is the real “heart of the matter.”

     “ The heart is the real or essential you.  The heart is the steering wheel of every human being.   Everything we do is shaped and controlled by what our hearts desire.  That is why the Bible is very clear that God wants our hearts.”

    ~Timothy S. Lane & Paul David Tripp.   Heart of the Matter.  May 7.  Pg 128.