the heart and consequences

The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?

Yesterday I spent an extended period of time in a local courtroom so that I could assist a lady from our church. It was an eye-opening day. The verse above speaks to that fact.

It was a day of sentencing for cases that were closed in court some time ago. A couple were continued for one reason or another. Some of the cases seems insignificant and their punishment mild. A few of the cases were anything but small or insignificant.

The points of the cases were shared, and a couple made me sick. How can a person do that to another person? How can a relative hurt another relative in that way? How could someone hurt a child and think they will get away with it.

You get my point. The heart is wicked, and we need God to change our hearts, to direct our paths and to fill us with His love. It ought to be like what Jeremiah experienced.

Jeremiah 17:10 NLT

But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.

God searches our hearts. He knows our weakness and our strength. And with all of that He loves us dearly. He loves us so much so that Jesus went to the cross, took our sin and destined those who trust Him for life and eternity.

We will be rewarded for what we do. So, what do you do with forgiveness? I believe that God will forgive our sin and save us, and we will still have to deal with the consequences of our choices here on earth.

There will always be consequences. And there will always be promise of, place for and need of God’s incredible, unending and peace filled love. Even in the courtroom there is a place for God and His love.

Jeremiah 17:14 NLT

O Lord, if you heal me, I will be truly healed; if you save me, I will be truly saved. My praises are for you alone!

Jeremiah interacted with the love of God. He was changed by it in big ways. Jeremiah knew that without God there would be more and more problems.

This Sunday I will continue preaching through a series of hazards to faith and thankfulness. Our heart is a big answer. The heart reminds us that we need God and need to see the hazards in life that keep us from being thankful.

Each day reminds me… I need God!

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you ...

wash feet, sharing hope

John 13:4-5,14 NLT So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow. He served. He valued and gave value to others. That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet. It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives. Jesus said we should do this. See the verse above. Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....

Michael Harrison's e-devotion

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