I am very close to those who have a broken heart.

 

 

Psalm 34:18

Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart,
and saves those who have a crushed spirit.

 

 

King David knew a thing or two about heartache. Whether it was being overlooked by his father when he was a shepherd boy, being chased down by a murderous father-in-law or publicly exposed for his deadly secret sins. In the midst of his own personal pain and suffering, David discovered that God was very close and was always ready to save those with a contrite spirit. If God is indeed close to those with a broken heart as David said He was, what does that mean for us today?

With all of the horror that goes on in the world, I can only imagine that our God and Father is walking alongside every broken-hearted person on the planet whether they are aware of His presence or not. I don't think this idea is too much of a stretch because in Acts 2:17 we read that at Pentecost God poured out His own Spirit on all people. So if that is indeed the reality, God is closer than we could possibly imagine.

In some Christian circles though, we are afraid to expose our own personal brokeness for fear of being judged. Yet it is David, called 'a man after God's own heart', who wrote Psalm 34. If you read David's life story, you will know that he was not speaking in a hypothetical context, but right out of his own life experiences. No matter what depth of despair you might be contending with in your own life today, may this promise encourage you that your heavenly Father is very near.

 

 

Who is This Man, Jesus?

Who is this man Jesus who we learned about in Sunday school when we were just kids? The Son of God – the greatest man who ever lived. His impact on the world was greater than any other man in history, yet most of us never really make the effort to know Him. When asked if they know Jesus, most people reply, “Jesus loves me.” Yes, He does but “do you really know Him?”Jesus is even more than the loving, safe Jesus. Look at the complexity of the world and the efficient functionality of the human body. God’s intelligence and creativity are infinite. The way He teaches us by allowing us to experience adversities, yet showing us compassion and alway allowing us a way out when it gets too complicated or painful for us to handle. But how do we get to know this Jesus? He is so far way and inaccessible. On the contrary. Jesus is always close by for us. To reach Him and develop a relationship with Him, all we need to do is open our hearts and start talking to Him and listening as well! As we share ourselves with Him, He will share with us. And little by little as in all relationships, the closeness and sharing will grow and Jesus will begin to clarify things to you that you never dreamed possible. You can start right now by getting on your knees and opening your mouth! And don’t forget to listen.!

Father: Because I cannot see you, I sometimes think you are not here. Please give me a nudge each day to remind me you are always with me, and that you just want to talk with me. Help me to know you better, Lord, and always to listen to what you are saying. Amen.

God is writing my Love story

Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone,

to have a deep soul relationship with another,

to be loved thoroughly and exclusively.

But God says to a Christian:

"No, not until you are satisfied, fulfilled,

and content with being loved by Me alone.

With giving yourself totally and unreservedly to Me,

with having an intense personal and loving relationship with Me alone.

Discovering that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found.

Then you will be capable of the perfect human relationship

that I have planned for you.

You will never be completely united with another

until you are united with Me;

~ exclusive of anyone or anything else,

~ exclusive of any other desires or longings.

I want you to have the best.

PLEASE allow Me to give it to you.

I want you to stop planning and stop wishing and allow Me

to give you the most thrilling plan existing,

one that you cannot imagine.

I want you to have the best so just keep watching Me,

expecting the greatest things and

listen and learn the things I tell you.

You just wait...

That's all.

Don't be anxious.

Don't worry.

Don't look around at the things others have received

or that I've given them.

Don't look at the things you THINK you want.

Just keep looking to Me or you'll miss what I want to show you.

And then, when you're ready, I'll surprise you with a love

far more wonderful than any you could dream of.

You see, until you are ready,

and until the one I have for you is ready,

(and I am working even at this moment

to have both of you ready at the same time).

Until you are both satisfied exclusively

with Me and the life that I have prepared for you,

you won't be able to experience the love that exemplifies

your relationship with me, and this is the PERFECT love.

I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your

relationship with Me and enjoy materially and concretely the

everlasting union of beauty, perfection, and love.

Know that I love you.

I am God, Know it, and be satisfied!"

Christmas and its intended recipients?

As the holidays approach, many of us are increasingly aware of our budget limitations. We nod at the hope Retailers offer through early bird incentives, knowing its just not enough for Christmas this year. There’s an acute national sense that we just won’t be able to give as many Christmas gifts (or as expensive ones) this year.

But wait a minute. This isn’t what Christmas is about at all. Spending lots of money one another in order to have lots of things we don’t need. The original Christmas was quite the opposite. In Christmas, God poured out his deepest wealth to those of neediest poverty. He brought the gospel to the poor. Jesus’ birth was prophesied, delivered, and honored by the poor (Luke 1-3). When he was grown, baptized and ready to begin his ministry, he announced that his greatest gift, the gospel, would be for the poor. How did we get so far away from the actual gift of Christmas and its intended recipients?

Jesus was sent and anointed by the Holy Spirit to “preach the good news to the poor” (Lk 4:18-19). Following this tremendous sermon, Jesus immediately began to care for the poor (a word that head several lists of marginalized people in Luke). He came to preach and to prove the gospel to the socially marginalized: a mentally ill/demon possessed man and Peter’s mother-in-law who had a high fever. The Gospels chronicle Jesus’ joint ministry of preaching and proving the gospel, of announcing the age of salvation and accomplishing physical/spiritual salvation among the marginalized. But was this call unique to Jesus? Must all Christians care for the poor? Is it the responsibility of the Church or individuals?

What to Give for Christmas
The Gospel shows us that God gave the most expensive gift to the least likely recipients. It reminds us that God poured out his deepest wealth to those who had very little. When we miss this, we become the poor, those who mistake many gifts for the meaning of Christmas. God calls both the individual and church to Christlike love and generosity. How can you recover the meaning of Christmas this season? Instead of hunting for early bird specials, look out for the poor, the marginalized. And don’t just give them materialism. Give the gospel hope that lasts well beyond the latest fashion and fading Disney toys.

A relationship with God

A relationship with God is a relationship, with, GOD!. It is a growing developing unity with the creator of all things. It is a relationship on all levels. It is intimate, loving, respectful, honoring and unifying. It is personal, it is enduring, and it is honest. It is giving over self to gain Jesus. It is a relationship of creator and created, Father and child, Husband and wife. It is passionate, compassionate, rich, uplifting, healing, strengthening and satisfying. A relationship with God builds unity with God. Oneness with the creator, where an exchange takes one into the divine life. We exchange our weakness for His strength, our sorrow for His joy, our loneliness for His unity and belonging, our ignorance for his knowing, our foolishness for His wisdom, our anxiety for His peace, our frustration for His completion, our hopelessness for His hope, our Brokenness for His togetherness, our problems for His solutions, our slavery for His freedom, our pain for His love.

There are many people who have come to God for salvation but only know of God and do not enjoy a personal, intimate, living, relationship with Him. They understand that Jesus died on the cross but fail to understand why. Understanding what he did does not necessarily imply an understanding of why He did it and therefore, does not necessarily translate into life experience. When Jesus took the punishment for our sins He did not do it so we could escape hell and go to heaven. Jesus came and died so that we could have a relationship with the Father. Of course having a relationship with God means that we live with him, where He is, which is heaven. Eternal life in heaven is a byproduct of being involved in a relationship with God. As with all of the Kingdom of God the relationship comes first, as a result of this relationship many wonderful things flow into our lives. These things come as we grow and develop into the image of our Father. Everything that comes from God is because of a relationship with God. A relationship that is based on trust, honor, respect and communication.

Intimacy with the Father requires honesty with Him, trust that He loves you and only wants to build you and support you and make you whole. He wants to free you from the lies and bondage's that hinder you from growth into His image. Making a decision to accept Jesus as your savior means nothing if you are not willing to walk a path of intimacy with your new Father. Not that it is a burdensome requirement that needs to be fulfilled so that you gain eternal life. No, it is a joy and the highest call on humanity to live a life in union with their creator, Father. That is why Jesus came, that is why He submitted to the cross, so that we could come to the Father and begin to grow in intimacy with Him. That is the only valid reason to accept Jesus offer of forgiveness.

A relationship with God is for here and now, we do not need to wait for heaven. When we live in a relationship with God we live in Heaven here. As we grow close to Him we take on the character of Him, we start to live like him as well. This is the true path of prosperity in every way. As we grow into the image of God we attract the things of the light and repel the things of the darkness. We start living as children of God instead of children of satan. Not by trying to impose rule upon rule and law upon law but by an internal change that accompanies a deepening relationship with God. We need not struggle as a leopard trying to change his spots, which is impossible and only brings frustration and self condemnation.