Devotional: 10/1/2019 - JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE HEART

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

Yerrr…. well it has been just under 6 months since the last time I posted. Life has been different. This season is… rough. Incredibly rough. I have been knocked around and gotten back up just to get slammed back into the ground. This season was season full of sin. I would sin, stop and replace that sin with something else, or I would stop for like a couple weeks and then bury myself back into that hole. I have been helped up by Jesus and his grace, but most of the time I have said “no thanks”.

-       Like I said in my podcast, I have had the opportunity to get up and walk through the door to over this season, but have said “No thanks, I got this.” Well news flash! Your boy does not got this, I need God and need his help.

-       We all need his help. We cannot walk in this world alone. The devil is always prowling like a lion waiting for the right moment to pounce (1 Peter 5:8). We have to be the salt and light to this world (Matthew 5:13-16).

You know what happens when a meat is saltless and is left out? It goes bad. We have to be constantly salting our meat. We have been salting our meat since the ice age. Back in the day when there was no electricity it was the only way to preserve meat and keep it fresh.

-       The way that we salt our meat is by studying the Bible, by praying and repenting when we have sinned.

-       We have to change; we have to constantly be connected with our Father. His way is the only to be completely salted.

Point 1: Embrace in Your Suffering (Romans 5:3-5)

Paul here talks about the embracing of your suffering. When we embrace in our suffering, we gain perseverance. Perseverance is persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay of achieving success. One example of this is working out. When you first start to go to the gym you usually suffer, the weights are too heavy and/or the next day you are sore beyond belief. After a while if you constantly work out you build muscle, gain endurance, and build strength and you no longer suffer.

Another example is diamonds. Think about it, diamonds are made out coal. Coal is not anyone’s ultimate favorite rock; you can even deem it an “ugly” rock. But yet, if you give it enough pressure (725,000 pounds per square inch) and at the right temperature (2000-2200 degrees Fahrenheit) it turns into one of the most beautiful rocks in the world, a diamond.

-       Sometimes we need go through a lot of pressure and suffering in order to be tuned into a diamond.

If something knocks you down and beats you up, do not give up. Embrace it. You will gain perseverance; it will make you stronger. It will be easier to handle; it will build your character and will lead to a stronger hope. A hope that is in Jesus.

-       James 1:2-16 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business. Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”

-       2 Peter 1:5-8 says, “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Point 2: God’s Grace is Sufficient (Luke 15:11-32)

-       Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

I really do not have to say much about this story. Like seriously, read it again. GOD’S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT. In this story Jesus gives us a parable about how a son took his part of the inheritance and ran off. Homeboy took the money and blew it on girls and partying. He was living a lavish life. Well obviously, not a lavish lavish life, because he ran out of the money real quick. He was hit in the heart and knew he had to change. He missed his dad and knew he did wrong. He was even ready to be a slave for his dad and work the lowest of jobs for him.

But that is not how it played out. His dad saw him in the distance and was filled with COMPASSION and was overjoyed. He was full of love, mercy, and grace. He threw him the biggest welcome home party.

-       God does the same thing for us. Luke 15:4 says, “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?”

-       All we have to do is turn around and go back to the Father. He is waiting to ring the bell and throw the biggest welcome home party for you.

God is full of grace and mercy, and it is sufficient. God wants us to come back to us. Throughout life we will be tested, and we will be knocked down; all we have to do is get back up. God will not let anything unbearable happen to us. Every test and knock out makes us stronger and smarter for the next. Be filled with God’s grace, love and mercy. Stay close to him and salt your meat.

#LetsBeAMovement