Prepare my Heart Water it with the Word

Day 5

Fertilizing a garden is important so that the soil can be nutrient rich.  Whatever is inside the soil will be absorbed by the plants. 

Fruits and vegetables are effected by the amount of water and nutrients in the soil. Weak soil results in weak plants. 

When we think of preparing our hearts we must turn our attention to what we are allowing to take residence in them.

 Is the condition of your heart strong in the Word or weak in the Word?

As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart. Proverbs 27:19

Ezra was a man who focused on God's word.

For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel. (Ezra 7:10).

Ezra was committed to seek out God's direction for his life and follow it. This commitment resulted in Ezra seeking out the scriptures and living a life of obedience to them.  

We too must make this kind of decision to follow God by obeying His word and committing ourselves to fully know the scriptures. 

Will you make this commitment to know God's word, live it and teach others about it?

Prayer
Jesus your word is important to me. Prepare my heart by flooding it with your truth. Thank you for the promise that your Word is truth (John 17:17). Every time that I spend time in your Word show me more of 
yourself!

Prepare Cultivate my Heart

Day 3

The parable of the soils shares some interesting thoughts about rocky soil. 

A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up.  Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” Luke 8:5-8

"And those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and be saved.  "And those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. Luke 8:12-13 

Rocky soil must be cultivated if anything can grow there. The Rocks must be taken out so that the plant has a chance to take root. 

Just because we hear a good message or read a great verse doesn't mean that it will stick with us. In order for it to have a lasting effect it must become part of us. The only way for the seed of God to grow and help us mature is for the rocks to be removed and for the roots to go deep!

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:3

Sometimes these rocks are the underlying doubts, old habits and choices that prevent us from fully following Jesus. Maybe it is time to move those rocks out and allow the word of God to fully grow inside your heart!

Prayer
Cultivate my heart Lord. Take out anything that is blocking your word from taking root. I want to grow deep deep roots that can withstand any temptation that comes. 

Prepare my heart pull those weeds

We all know about weeds.  Those pesky plants that seem almost impossible to kill and if not taken care of they will invade and choke out the plants that we want to grow.  Jesus seems to refer to these when He spoke about the soils.

Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Matthew 13:7

Day 2

Some of those things that God wants us to clear out of the way are thorns. Thorns that if not pulled out will choke us spiritually. They will continue to grow in strength and number if drastic actions are not immediately taken. 

One summer, I neglected to check our flowers before leaving on a 2 week trip. When we returned I was amazed at how quickly these little buggers had grown. They were as tall as I was. It took a lot of digging and sweat to remove them.  Did I mention that they have a thick thorny flesh that irritates the skin and causes a rash? What a painful experience. I learned that it is better to deal with them when they first show up than wait until it becomes so painful.

Clearing the path for God to work in our lives makes sense in light of John 15:5.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
The vine is the life giving part of the plant. The branches and leaves will die if they are not connected, unblocked from the the vine.  When we allow anything to get in the way of the Holy Spirit filling our lives and creating a steady flow of God's power into us we are suffocating and eventually we will wither and die as Christians. 

We must tend to our hearts and identify the weeds that are trying to choke out our relationship with God. Even the good things can become a weed. 

Prayerfully ask God to reveal to you what your weeds are.

Prayer
Jesus, point out to me the weeds that so easily entangles me. Remove them in their entirety, roots and all.

Prepare 2015

As I was praying about 2015 the word Prepare kept ringing in my mind. Starting January 1, 2015 for 30 days I will study the word Prepare in the bible. I wonder what lessons, promises and examples I will discover?

Will you join me for the next 30 days in preparing your heart for whatever God has for us?

Day 1 Prepare my heart

Day 2 Pull Those Weeds

Day 3 Cultivate my heart

Day 4 What is missing? 

Day 5 Water my Heart with the Word

Day 6 Prepare My Mind 

Day 7 Replace the Lies

Day 8 Restore My Mind

Day 9 Prepare my Mind for Battle

Day 10 Prepare my Mind to Wrestle

Day 11 Prepare my mouth

Day 12 Prepare my mouth with words of encouragement

Day 13 Prepare my mouth to be silent

Day 14 Tell your Grace Story

Day 15 Prepare my mouth to sing your praises

Day 16 Prepare my mouth to speak your Truth

Day 17 Prepare my mouth to comfort

Day 18 Prepare my mouth to be cleaned up

Day 19 Prepare my Mouth to teach

Day 20 Prepare my mouth to declare your Praises

Day 21 Prepare my eyes to see your hand at work

Day 22Prepare my eyes to see people the way he does

Day 23 Prepare my eyes to see my sin

Day 24 Prepare my eyes to see suffering

Day 25 Prepare my eyes to be fixed on Jesus

Day 26 Prepare my hands to serve

Day 27 Prepare my hands to loosen their grip

Day 28 Prepare my hands to receive your blessing

Day 29 Prepare my Hands to be lifted High

Day 30

Day 31

New Year New Perspective

This time of year people start making lists of what they want to do, make or be in the new year. Often this includes, diet, exercise, saving money, paying off debts, vacations, taking a class, finishing long overdue projects and more. My mind has immediately jumped into the planning mode of how I can exercise more, complete a whole 30 eating plan, clean my house, organize my classroom, plan lessons, launch a new women’s program and more! Plan, plan, plan! I am tired and it hasn’t even started.