Heart in Bloom

“Here is a daily assignment all of us need to complete, but we often fail:

Just for a day, your assignment is to put God first in your life. It requires sacrifices more than people are willing to make, even for a day. It is an assignment Jesus gave all His followers. Since Jesus died for our sins even when we fail to put God first all the time, our heavenly Father forgives us. He just wants us to keep trying to put Him first, with the help of the Holy Spirit, so He can bless us.

God promises that if we put Him first in our lives, everything else will take care of itself, He will make sure of that. God never breaks a promise. Jesus says, ‘Seek God’s kingdom first and all these (other) things will be given to you as well.’ (Luke 12:31) Instead of seeking God’s kingdom, many people are seeking to satisfy their own pleasures and lusts. They have become greedy, selfish, and self-serving. This is why all of us who want to follow Jesus Christ, we find ourselves tempted day and night by this materialistic society in which we live. So this assignment, to put God first in our lives, isn’t easy. We’re going to fail our assignment more often than we pass it, but the times we do succeed are going to be rewarding.

Whenever we put the Lord first, God promises to richly reward us with great spiritual blessings. And all the other things we really need will be added as well. In Psalm 40:1 it says, ‘I waited patiently for the Lord: He turned to me and heard my cry.’

We may have a good place to live, but our hearts may be out in the cold. If most of us were this concerned with how our souls are being housed, we would be in better shape spiritually. With hearts that are hardened and don’t show much love for God or other people, is it any wonder that the world is full of cold hearts?

The Psalmist David was inspired by God to write, ‘Those who go to God most high for safety will be protected by the Almighty.’ (Psalms 91:1). But our hearts don’t have to be in a shelter that isn’t well protected from storms of life. We don’t have to live outside of God’s divine protection. It is not the Lord’s plan for our hearts to roam as a wanderer with no permanent home. God wants you to come in out of the cold and find shelter for your heart and soul in his presence.

Why would God our Father and Jesus our Savior want to share their home with you? Simply because He is our heavenly Father and Jesus is our loving spiritual brother.

One of the things Jesus came to do besides die for our sins, was to reveal to us the heart of the Father in heaven. In Luke chapter 15, our Savior tells us three stories about God. The story is about the lost son who returns home. (Luke 15:20-21) God our Father wants those, who like sheep stray from the fold, to return, where He will welcome them with open arms. In all three stories told by Jesus, He made it clear that it doesn’t make much difference how something becomes lost.

Most of us have wondered off and become separated from God. Sometimes through ignorance or just because of circumstances. But God never gives up on those who are lost, He’s always searching for them, calling out their name and longing for their return. The story of God’s search for all people begins in the book of Genesis, and the search ends with the coming of Jesus.

Jesus our Savior came to find and restore the lost. In Luke 19:10, says, ‘for the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.’ Peter describes a ‘brand new life with everything to live for as believer.’ He was without a doubt the most powerful figure in the Christian community because of his moving sermons, bold healing, and wise counsel. It is how he handled that power that’s even more impressive, Peter never put himself in the limelight, and always remained submissive to Christ our Lord and His gospel message. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven.

We should all read those inspiring words of Peter, especially in these uncertain times. Peter continues: ‘I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation, in the meantime. Pure gold put in fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through suffering comes out genuine proved.‘ ‘When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of His victory.’ ‘You never saw Him, yet you love Him. You still don’t see Him, yet you trust Him, with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing you’ll get what you’re looking forward to; Total salvation.’ (1 Peter 1:6-12 MSG)

What a wonderful passage of scripture this is, most of us don’t truly realize how fortunate we are to be Christians, followers of Christ. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, ‘I am holy; you be holy.’ Now that you’ve cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it. Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal cells; your new life comes from God’s living word. A life conceived by God himself.

That is why the prophet said; ‘The old life is a grass life, its beauty as short lived as wildflowers; grass dries up, flowers droop, God’s word goes on and on forever.’ (1 Peter 1:24-25)

‘Bear in mind that the Lord’s patience means Salvation.’ (2 Peter 3:15)”