How many hollow roads will our eyes search before we seek the face of God?
The biggest idol in your life says, “You can have them both.”
Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew 6:24
Beware of seeing yourself through other people’s eyes. There are several dangers to this practice. First of all, it is nearly impossible to discern what others think of you. Moreover, their views of you are variable: subject to each viewer’s spiritual, emotional, and physical condition. The major problem with letting others define you is that it borders on idolatry.
"Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in." Psalms 24:7
Who is this King of glory? He is the LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory who rules over all creation with His heavenly armies.
Journey’s new art work, The King of Glory, hand-painted by co-founder, Sharon Peterson, is an impressionistic representation of what started as a uplifted crown of glory that transformed into a mirrored crown of thorns.
As the ultimate authority, Jesus Christ is superior and greater than any religion, angel, prophet or high priest. Jesus is the complete and full revelation of God.
A hand-clinching prelude into the gripping entrance of Journey’s current teaching, #idleonidols , exposes the truth of a calloused heart becoming a storehouse for the very things that Christ abhors. Chasing replacements for Christ in a world full of counterfeits is a dangerous trap from Satan to pull us in and away from God by keeping us spiritually idle.
Jesus Christ died once and for all for our sins to be forgiven. With Jesus Christ as the perfect and final sacrifice of our sins, we must willingly confess our sins to Jesus, through repentance. Ultimately, we must walk away from our sin and grow to love Jesus more than that sin by applying the Bible to our lives.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16 NIV).
As heirs of Christ, we must fulfill His last words and command, and continue making Jesus known to all of His children.
Will you join us in accepting this invitation to carry out Jesus' Will and Testament?
“Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”
Revelation 3:10-11 NKJV
What does it mean to hold fast? And what is Jesus asking us to hold fast to? Both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible heavily use this term to express the utmost gravity of its meaning.
Hold fast, in its literary meaning, implies to hold on, and tightly to; remain in. In relation to the Bible, the physical meaning is suppressed more so by the spiritual state, no longer having bodily representation, in which holding fast exalts the human spirit to endure beyond its physical condition.
During this time of seeking God for answers, while I was on this trial of testing my faith, I have allowed the world to dictate and demand more of my time, energy, and soul. I started to seek more work, more answers from the world, resources of running a business through world-view and turning my back from God. Maybe, because I didn’t receive the answers my flesh wanted to hear, or maybe, my flesh was impatient and I wanted answers immediately. I wanted to find comfort in my own knowledge which can lead to spiritual death. Seeking advice from humans can lead to much confusion and despair.
Broken promises, unkept commitments, disloyal relationships, faded friendships, unfaithful deeds, betrayed bonds, untrustworthy responses, distant hearts...
As the tides change, so does the very nature of our thoughts, decisions and life-spoken vows. People and circumstances change like the tides that rise and fall. Our words fail, and our best-kept promises shatter hearts.
Throughout the Bible, God made uncountable covenants with generations of the faint-hearted and the faithful. God can ultimately work His divine will through anyone, but when He calls, who dares to listen, and to believe, and to react to obey by walking in faith? Who stands up and says, “Here I am, LORD,” like Abraham? And Jacob? And Samuel? And Isaiah?
God desires His children to be decisive; unquestionably resolute; purposeful and determined.
God spoke to me tonight:
“I just want to know your heart.”
This revelation woke my spirit up and gave me a new light into uncovering my unseen heart before my Heavenly Father. The infinite fact that God already sees our hearts despite our own willing submission brings assurance about what we do not see and acknowledge. He desires us to reveal our hearts to Him.
In the morning, when you awake, and begin to jump into your day , while you are eating breakfast, brushing your teeth or maybe just in a still moment, say this aloud:
“I believe this is going to be a wonderful day.
I believe I can successfully handle all problems that will arise today.
I feel good physically, mentally, emotionally.
It is wonderful to be alive. I am grateful for all that I have had, for all that I now have, and for all that I shall have.
Things aren’t going to fall apart.
God is here and He is with me and He will see me through.
I thank God for every good thing.”
The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale