Proverbs 4:23 -my paraphrase

Guard your heart with all dilligence for from out of your heart flow the issues of life.

What are the issues of life? Today if someone has issues that means he is dealing with mental problems or conflicts. The lady who touched the hem of Jesus' robe was healed from an issue of blood. I looked in a dictionary and one of the definitions explains that an issue is something proceeding out as a result of an effect or consequence. So your life and my life are the effect or consequence of what we put in our hearts? This realization hit me square one day - you know the light bulb came on.

Remember the little Sunday school song that has the words, "be careful little eyes what you see...be careful little ears what you hear... be careful little mouth what you say...?" The person who penned these words was very wise but unfortunately I did not even learn this song until I was a teenager and I am embarrassed to admit that I ignored the Spirit's warnings in my youth to not allow corrupt things in my heart. Now, I am in the gardening business with the Father and we are in the process of pulling the ugly weeds out of the soil of my heart.

A couple of days ago I was amazed at how many negative thoughts and images ran through my mind in the course of a day. Then I wondered what would my life be like if I began to imagine myself doing what I believe God has called me to do and if I saw myself succeeding instead of failing? This is not some kind of New Age mumbo jumbo or "name it - claim it" theology. When you and I tell ourselves that we are unworthy or unloved etc... it is a diservice to the word of God and to the cross of Jesus Christ. Evertime you and I think and speak something contrary to what God says about us we are telling Him and all the heavens that the cross did not work for us. (Funny, I just heard Kenneth Copeland's voice as I wrote that last line.)

Jesus said that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy but He has come to give us abundant life. He has empowered us to live life abundantly. It is so easy to blame things that happen to us on a sovereign God - I've done it, I truly have - than to take responsibilty for our lives and take hold of the Truth of the word and be transformed by it. Paul pleads with us in Romans to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

So my question of love today is this...What are we thinking? Where do we expend our energies? Do God's thoughts of love and acceptance prevail and do we envision successs in our lives or do we need to refocus? I do.

I praise God the Father for His continuing love for us and His continuing discipline in our lives. He has made us new creatures in Christ and the old has passed away. He now asks us, "Will you not see it?" (Isaiah)

Don't we just love our Father and Lover of our souls?

Love to you, Rebecca