Heart Belief

When I decided to start a blog, I committed to one thing — that it be real.  Real stuff from the heart.  Not platitudes or empty words.  That said, in true blog form (I hope), I’m posting a page straight from my personal journal today.

For with the heart one believes unto righteousness… Romans 10:10

 What do I believe?  What is this faith?

A daily relationship.  Not religious robotics.  A conversation, talking out feelings, listening, waiting, confessing, cleansing, being as open to God’s presence as possible.  Being filled with the Holy Spirit, allowing His leading of thoughts; absorbing teachings, insight, knowledge, understanding.  Accepting what God has already declared me to be.  Claiming His promises as Truth whether I feel anything or not.  Asking for His will, His working through the day.  Asking for the Holy Spirit’s promptings in how to respond in all circumstances.  Heart belief, fresh faith, deeper relationship.  Narrowing of focus, letting go of distractions, a pure meditation on His Word, all things Spiritual, His direction — leading, guiding — my obedience in following His ways.  Emptying of self, being clay to the Potter, an empty vessel to be filled with all God desires for me.  A confidence in Christ — no confusion — a boldness to take Him at His Word and come before His throne, humbly, with requests.  Releasing and letting go of what binds, ties, shackles, and imprisons.  Taking hold of, clinging to that which frees.  Standing firm on His absolutes, discerning when to be strong, take action, fight and when to simply trust, rest and leave it at His feet.  Dwelling on His goodness, mercy, kindness, love.  Finding no good thing in me (self) and no good thing in man (fallen world/fallen humans), finding ALL good that there is to be found in God.

One thing.  My responsibility: BELIEVE!

Is He able?  Or is He not?  Either He is or He is not.  It’s definitive.  Do I believe Him?  For everything?  In everything?  It’s yes or no — not multiple choice!

Yes, and Amen.  Let it be so.

•   Out with religion, in with relationship.

I am asking You, God, to fix the broken places in my brain.  Remove the poisoned parts, sweep away the charred bits that serve no good purpose, blow the dust away.  It’s gone.  Now, I’m asking Lord, that You build new neural pathways, brand new brain tissue and fill it only and always with Your Spirit.  Make it real.  Make it so.  Only You are able.  Amen.

•   Out with the fuzzy, in with the clear.
•   Out with the useless, in with the useful.
•   Out with the old, in with the new.
•   Out with the unclean, in with the clean.
•   Out with wishy-washy, in with absolutes.

Absolutely!

•   Out with doubt, in with confidence.
•   Out with chattering, in with listening.
•   Out with the sorrow of self-loathing, in with the joy of the Lord!
•   Out with deflecting good, in with absorbing good.
•   Out with discontent, in with peace.
•   Out with sleeplessness, in with sleep.
•   Out with false guilt, in with Holy Spirit conviction.

The negativeness in me is like a cancer.  It’s black and cruddy and ugly and grows!  Take it away.  I give You all the negative (aka: ungodly thoughts, beliefs).  They are NOT me!  They are evil — of Satan and his demons.  That is NOT who I am in Christ.  Greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world.

•   Out with Satan’s lies, in with God’s Truth.
•   Out with believing lies, in with believing Truth.

God is good, all the time.  All the time, God is good.  God is good in His love and in His wrath.  He is ALL GOOD!

He is for me.  Who can be against me?  I am not a victim.  I do not need pity from myself or anyone else.  I can STOP complaining and feeling sorry for myself.  It is a total waste of time, breath and brain cells!

It matters not what my past experiences were.  They do not define me TODAY!  I belong to God.  He defines me.  He created me in His image.  He alone knows who I am and who I am to Him.  He makes all things new.  He restores, revives, renews, regenerates, rejuvenates (and invigorates — oh, God, can I so boldly ask for that — to be invigorated!?!)  You are Almighty God.  There is nothing you cannot do.  Nothing — NO THING — is too hard for You.  You make all things new.  I am an ‘all thing’ — make me new, too.

Take my life and let it be

Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;

Take my moments and my days —

Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Let them flow in ceaseless praise. [1]

Take my life.  Take all of me.  All of my body, soul, and spirit.  Take it all.  I lay all of me — every last little particle of every cell — at Your feet.  Let me be, Lord, a living sacrifice.  I belong wholly to You.  I am not my own.  I ask that You take me.  I am yours.  All of me, I give to You.

In total, reckless abandon, I consider my life Yours.

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Let it be so.  Amen.

In the name of Jesus, I bind the enemy.  God, that You would keep him at bay.  I am in You, Jesus, and You are in me.  I cannot be touched by Satan.  He has no power over me.  He has no authority to touch any part of my life.  Apart from direct permission from You, Lord God, Satan cannot oppress me!  I belong to You and You have overcome!  You are Lord over all Heaven and earth.  All Creation belongs to You.  All is under Your feet.

Jesus is the vine and I am the branch.  I abide in Him and Him in me.  United with Christ!  What a glorious place to be.  Loved, protected, safe, cared for.  No one, no thing (nothing!) can separate me from Your love.  Nothing can separate me from You at all.  No thing.  Accepted in the Beloved.  I am accepted in Christ.  You chose me God, accepted me in Him, and the Spirit lives within me.  Praise God!

This is Eternity.  Right here.  Right now.  On the continuum of time — from where God created time when there was none — when I was chosen from the very beginning, and have been united in Christ since believing Him, today is the first day of all my Eternity.  Eternity in Christ.  This time is a gift.  This life in this given time in Eternity is a gift from God.  I have today.  I have Life in Christ this day, this hour, this moment.  He determines the number of my days within this time He created.  He made me to be a part of this particular point on His diving timeline.  For this generation he has purposed my life.  I am still here, living in these days where He placed me.  He is not finished with me yet.  My life is within Christ, eternally, in all Eternity.  God, keep this perspective clearly before me — that I was made for this time.  Made for YOU!  Made and chosen to be in Christ.  Let Your will be done.

Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love;

Take my feet and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee.

Swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice and let me sing

Always, only, for my King;

Take my lips and let them be

Filled with messages from Thee.

Filled with messages from Thee.

Take my silver and my gold —

Not a mite would I withhold;

Take my intellect and use

Every power as Thou shalt choose.

Every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will and make it Thine —

It shall be no longer mine;

Take my heart — it is Thine own,

It shall be Thy royal throne.

It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love — my Lord, I pour

At Thy feet its treasure store;

Take myself — and I will be

Ever, only, all for Thee.

Ever, only, all for Thee. [1]

[1] Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-1879)

Always, ever, only, all for You.  Amen.

          The End… and, the Beginning…