H - helpful
E - enthusiastic
A - attentive
R - reactive
T - tenacious
When our heart is in something....
...we will be HELPFUL to the cause we're trying to accomplish. Acts 15:36-38 "And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul though not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to work. II Timothy 4:11 "Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry."
...we are ENTHUSIASTIC about what we are doing. Joshua 24:14-15,31 "Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel." Joshua was enthusiastic and his heart was in what he was doing.
...we will be ATTENTIVE to the cry. Moses asked God to spare the people even though He was angry with them. Numbers 21:7 "Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people." We will listen to the cries of others and be sincere and intent in listening when we are serving God with our heart and not our head. Matthew 12:34 "O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Our heart does care at times...but God's heart ALWAYS cares!!
...we will be REACTIVE to the call. Acts 9:10-18 "And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said. Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized." Ananias went to Paul but did not want to. When God wants us to do something we won't do it until we surrender to it. God used Ananias. God uses those who have a surrendered and a willing heart.
...we will be TENACIOUS to the crisis. Matthew 15:21-28 "Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. but he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is they faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour." Jesus healed the Canaanite woman's daughter. Her heart was into seeing her daughter healed.
It is important to have our whole heart in what we do. God doesn't want part of our heart...He wants it all. He will bless when we give Him our whole heart in everything we do.
At times we let the smallest little things keep us from putting our whole heart into things. Shame on us!!!
Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Are you serving God with your heart or your head? Are you praying with your heart or your head? God expects both our service and our prayers to be from the heart.
2 comments:
Another great post. Very thought provoking fo rthose of us who might find ourselves growing weary in well doing. We must keep HEART!
So sorry to hear about your Pastor's family. What a lot on his plate at once.
Sis. Pam....this post really helped me. It was taught in our SS class this past Sunday. Thank you for your thoughts toward our pastor and his family. There is a lot on his plate and with the Sword of the Lord conference coming up Monday and Tuesday there is much to prepare for. Please continue to pray for them! Thank you...Love you!!
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