Shattering the stony heart

In Church two weeks ago and today I felt that God said He was shattering the stony heart. I felt that some people’s hearts are so hard – because of previous hurts, disappointments etc. that there was a layer of concrete around their heart. But God has started chipping away and He is going to shatter it and replace it with a heart of flesh

Ezekiel 36:26 says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

Maybe you only have some residual hardness or to the other extreme maybe your heart feels like concrete right now – Jesus wants to transform your heart so it is soft and pliable and responsive to Him.

He will never let you down like people may do. Let Him do that work in your life – you will not regret it.

gray and beige heart shaped corral collection

Photo by Tina Nord on Pexels.com

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Forget Me Not

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These beautiful flowers called Forget Me Nots are growing in my garden. Forget Me Not flowers symbolize remembrance.To me, they remind me of how God has promised never to forget us.

We are always on God’s mind.

Psalm 139:17-18 says “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I am awake, I am still with you.” God’s thoughts towards us are too many to be counted.

Isaiah 49:15 says,  Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you”

I nursed all four of my children. For a large proportion of their early life I nursed them, sustained them and met their every need. It was impossible for me to forget about a tiny, hungry, needy baby. Such is a mother’s instinct and love. Yet God is saying surely some mothers may forget their children (unlikely but possible) but God will never forget about us. Yes, sometimes we’re loud and needy but God will never turn us away. He is compassionate. God’s divine remembrance to us is even more tender than a mother’s love and He is ever mindful of us.

Sometimes when we are going through things, we are tempted to think that God has forgotten about us. That is not the case at all.

Isaiah 49:16 says “See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands”

Your hands are always in your view. We wear rings on our fingers, often as a symbol of affection, promise etc and the right hand  in the Bible, is a symbol of strength.

God is saying how often He thinks about us.

Furthermore, in John 20:20 the risen Jesus showed the disciples His hands  which had been pierced by the nails of the cross-showing the sacrifice He made for us.

2 Timothy 2:13 says “if we are faithless, He remains faithful ;He cannot deny Himself.”

It is not in God’s nature to be faithless. He is a faithful God. And He will not forget you.

Resurrection!

 

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Did you know that at that moment when Jesus died on the cross and the veil of the temple was torn in two that graves opened and other saints who had already passed away came alive and went into the town?

It tells us about this in Matthew 27

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This is amazing! Can you imagine your relative – Aunt or Grandfather, brother or sister who you have mourned and buried suddenly turning up on your doorstep? This is what happened!

You see, when Jesus made that ultimate sacrifice, something significant was put in motion. Resurrection power!

Even at the time of Jesus’ death on the cross a hardened criminal died and went to Heaven and people were resurrected from their graves. Grace, mercy and the miraculous was released over the Earth.

The fact that other people experienced resurrection shows us that this victory over death is also for us. If you are a Christian and have accepted Jesus into your life the power that raised Jesus from the dead abides in you. We have victory over death because of what Jesus did. We can say to death, “Where is your victory? Where is your sting?”

Furthermore, Jesus Himself rose from the dead on the third day and appeared to Mary, the disciples and around 500 people.

Praise be to God and thank you Jesus for this indescribable gift!

Good Friday

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Jesus died on the cross for the sins of all mankind. Traditionally the punishment of dying on a cross was reserved for the worst of criminals.

Yet Jesus willingly gave Himself up for this cruel death because of His love of mankind and His desire for their reconciliation with God.

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

In Isaiah 53 it says that, “He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. ”

Because of Jesus’ wounds and His death on the cross we can be forgiven, healed, reconciled to God and have peace in our lives. Thanks be to God!

Accepted by God – an antidote for rejection

No matter who has rejected you – the Lord has accepted you. Isaiah 54: 5 says, “your Maker is your husband” and verse 6 says,” “For the Lord has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a youthful wife when you were refused, ” says your God, “For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you””

You are precious to God and He loves you dearly. You are totally accepted by Him. In Ephesians 1:6 it says, ” … to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” Because of the grace of God, given freely to us through Jesus Christ dying on the cross for us, you can be totally and completely accepted by God.

Jesus has promised never to leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). If you have given your life to Him He will never let you go and will never abandon you.

Psalm 27:10 says, ” When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care of me”. Friends and family may forsake you,  but the Lord will never forsake you. he will take care of you. Jesus is closer and more faithful than a spouse, a mother, father, brother, sister or friend. He loves you more than anyone in the world ever could. Even in their best days of loving , the people around you cannot match Jesus in His love for you.

If you were the only person left in the world, God would still have sent Jesus to die on the cross so that you could have a relationship with Him.

Your life is important and worth something.

No matter which earthly person has rejected you, give your heart to God. The Bible says He binds up the broken-hearted (Psalm 147:3). Let God heal your broken heart. Experience the power of His unconditional love and acceptance of you.

Love

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a says,  “Love suffers long and is kind;love does not envy; love does not parade itself,  is not puffed up;does not behave rudely,  does not seek its own,  is not provoked,  thinks no evil;does not rejoice in iniquity,  but rejoices in the truth;bears all things,  believes all things,  hopes all things,  endures all things Love never fails ”

Could you put your own name there instead of the word” love”? This is the sort of love we should be aiming to have.

You are loved

John 3:16 says,  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”

God loves you

If you were the only person in the world God would still have sent Jesus to die for your sins,  so you could be made right with God.

You are important and precious in God’s sight.  You are loved.  Jesus promised to never leave you and never forsake you,  so you are never alone either.

God says, “Your Maker is your husband”  in Isaiah 54, and He says with everlasting kindness He will have mercy on you.

The Lord is your refuge and your fortress. When the troubles of the world get too much,  run to God for help.

Cast all your cares on God,  for He cares for you.  He is never too busy to listen to you.

“As the heavens are high above the earth,  so great is His mercy to those who fear Him” (Psalm 103:11) God is rich in mercy towards us,  His creation.

You can rest in God’s loving arms right now because you are treasured, valued and secure.