Hearts in Service Blog

Daniel 9:20-23 ~ While I was speaking, praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my petition before Yahweh my God concerning the holy mountain of my God— while I was praying, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the first vision, came to me in my extreme weariness, about the time of the evening offering. He gave me this explanation: “Daniel, I’ve come now to give you understanding. At the beginning of your petitions an answer went out, and I have come to give it, for you are treasured by God. The book of Daniel is full of eschatology and weighty prophecy and yet, there are many wonderful practical nuggets in there as well. As I was reading this morning, I came across these few verses which were an encouragement to me and I hope they are to you as well.  When we pray we often feel as if our prayers are going no higher than the ceiling. We ask ourselves, "Are they really heard by God? Will He answer? Am I just uttering nonsense to myself?" We are told...

  What is your response when facing an obstacle?  Is it to become fearful and anxious?  To spend hours worrying and replaying it over and over in your mind?  To spiral into depression? To feel like you are going to be crushed by the burden? Or something else? As I read in 2 Chronicles 20, I found a better solution for the problems we all face. 2 Chronicles 20:1-4 (HCSB) ~ After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites, came to fight against Jehoshaphat.   People came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast number from beyond the Dead Sea and from Edom has come to fight against you; they are already in Hazazon-tamar”   (that is, En-gedi).   Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved   to seek the   Lord . Then he proclaimed a fast   for all Judah,   who gathered to seek the   Lord . They even came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him. Jehoshapat is facing a huge obstacle.  Three other nations were on thei...

Isaiah 49:6 ~ He says, “It is not enough for you to be My Servant raising up the tribes of Jacob and restoring the protected ones of Israel. I will also make you a light for the nations, to be My salvation to the ends of the earth.” Revelation 7:9 ~ After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were robed in white with palm branches in their hands. My first intense exposure to missions was as a student in college in the early 1980’s. I remember sitting in rapt attention as different international workers would speak and share their stories. I would feel a deep desire stirring within my soul. God had instilled within me a heart to reach the nations. I wanted to go overseas as a missionary.  And yet, due to various circumstances, that was not to be. But that same stirring is still within me. I do my best to support missions in other ways. God, in His g...

Acts 20:24 ~   I count my life of no value to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace. I've been reading Acts lately and have been inspired by Paul's missionary journeys. As he approaches the end of the record of his travels he talks about knowing what he is going to face - beatings, jail, torture and even death, and makes this statement above. His only concern was finishing the ministry that he was given and staying the course of sharing the gospel. Most of us will never face the things that Paul faced, and yet, so easily to veer off course. We allow worries, finances, family and a whole host of other things to get in the way of the ministry we've been given or get in the way of following where God leads.  I know there have been times when I've allowed that to happen in my own life and when it does, I need to adjust my course and get back on the path that I know God has set me on...

I've been hearing a lot about surrender lately in my reading, my prayers as the Holy Spirit speaks to me, in different messages I've heard. Philippians 2:3-8 ~ Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross. Surrendering to God requires humility and a laying down of my will.  It is daily - moment by moment. It means setting aside my pride and my need for others to notice. It means staying in a hard place in my life until the Lord has taught me...

I was reading in Galatians this morning when I came across this little verse in chapter 5. Galatians 5:25 says, " Since we live by the Spirit,  let us keep in step with the Spirit." I was reminded of the game, follow the leader, that we used to play as a child. The point of the game is to follow behind the lead person and imitate whatever they do as you follow behind. If doing it correctly, you will move as one unit.  As we walk in the Spirit we will put away those behaviors that belonged to our former way of life and will begin to see the fruit of the Spirit developed in our life. Our lives will reflect joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But Paul gives this reminder to keep in step with the Spirit. In other words, our lives should be so reflective of the Lord that we move as one unit - much like the game of follow the leader. Paul makes it very clear in this passage that every attitude, action and word we speak is to be ...

I lay away in the wee hours of the morning on Sunday, unable to sleep and stressed about a situation. Psalm 23 began to run through my head and as I recited it to myself I walked through the verses and what they mean.  The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. He gives me everything I need. He watches over me. He is my protector and provider. He is my defender. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. I find this verse interesting since the pastures of the Old Testament wouldn't look like pastures here in the states. They weren't green and lucious. They were just intermittent tufts of grass near where moisture collected by the rocks.  So the sheep had to keep moving to find nourishment. That's true of our lives. As we follow the shepherd we will have moments of nourishment and rest, but we need to keep moving to grow.  Shepherds didn't drive the sheep, they led them. God isn't pushing us forward, but He leads us and it's ou...

Psalm 73:28 ~ But as for me, God’s presence is my good. I have made the Lord  God  my refuge, so I can tell about all You do. I fell exhausted into bed last night. I had an over-the-top busy, and yet, wonderful day. It started with breakfast followed by a children's moment in the service, a "hosanna" parade, children's church and then an Easter egg hunt following the service. I didn't really want to do it, but made myself go for a two mile walk yesterday afternoon so I could get some exercise in.  There have been so many wonderful things happening lately, but I was reminded once again as I lay in bed reflecting that the only thing that really matters is coming into God's presence. That is the reason I can enjoy any of the things I experience in my life and it is also the reason I can be okay when difficulties arise.  When all of our activity, wonderful moments and accomplishments are stripped away, can we still say God is enough? I believe that to be true. Tho...

We are entering into Holy Week and the events that lead up to the death of Christ. One of my favorite celebrations is the celebration of Palm Sunday.  I love the symbolism of this event and enjoy celebrating it. As I was reading this morning and looking at this passage of Scripture again, something new struck me. Mark 11:7-11 ~  The disciples brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and he sat on it. Many people spread their clothes on the road, and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted: Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven! He went into Jerusalem and into the temple. After looking around at everything, since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve. Jesus enters into Jerusalem on a young and borrowed donkey that no one had ever ridden. It was untamed and yet, willingly submitted...