As I continue to enjoy Joe Bloom's article on "Praying for Your Heart", I will continue on with the "7 D's to praying for your heart.....
4. DISCERNMENT Having your heart be able to "pick-up" on things, whether it be right or wrong, good or bad, or simply not sure what to do...is a valuable tool to have in our journey through life. This virtue also demands practice...practice...practice.
The big thing about discernment I have noticed is when I exercise discernment, it not only assists me in decisions that are good...or evil...discernment can help to avoid possible dangers life might "throw at you". Bloom suggests Hebrews 5:14 as a Sacred Scripture to use in learning about discernment, and I would like add one too.
Hebrews 5:14 "Solid food...from the Sacred Scriptures are meals designated for full grown men and women, trained by their journey through life by putting these very Scriptures into daily practice. Their mental toughness has been forged in life through trusting the words of these Scriptures, and seasoned through life by the continual practice of applying these Scriptures into their very lives.
This life-long skilled training is able to achieve the ability to rely and turn to the ready counsel these very Scriptures provide...daily...and equally provides a power to not only recognize the good from the evil, but also brings a knowing from our hearts that is there to assist us, giving us the ability to distinguish what may be good for a certain situation we encounter in life...or what may be wrong and should be avoided."
The Sacred Scripture I would like to add concerning DISCERNMENT is the fact "doing good" is what Jesus really does...not what others, the world, or Satan might suggest otherwise. Knowing that Jesus wants to do good in your life...is the "ultimate discernment."
Acts 10:37-38 " After John the Baptizer had preached the message of " A Total Lifestyle Change", He arrived....Jesus...from Nazareth, yet, He was not alone! The Holy Spirit accompanied Jesus and together...they were ready for action.
This one they called Jesus went throughout the region, finding comfort in announcing "Hope to the poor" in the local synagogues, doing good to those in their mundane and routine daily lives, and His total focus being...to assist others in their need.
Both Jesus and the Holy Spirit spent time healing those who were oppressed...by evil...Satan and his cohorts. You see, many had been captured by the evil influences of Satan, and their lives had become nothing more than "a number", while others had just given up on the dream of having a full life.
Yet, Jesus...with the strength of the Holy Spirit...changed all that! God the Father had spoken concerning this outreach, and said: "Make it so!"
5. DESPERATE Staying desperate to have Christ Jesus in your life...is another discipline that takes daily practice. For myself, I think there are times where I choose to ignore the counsel of Christ....and just "do my own thing". I have noticed when I get into that frame of thought...it is there life begins to become a little more meaningless....the focus changes from others to "what about me", and others around me...become less important.
The English definition of DESPERATE has some unique descriptions of what this word means. One favorite I have read in describing this word is " the look of hunger". Another description is " having a great need or desire to change and needing help...engaged in a battle with...hopelessness".
In Bloom's article on "Praying for your Heart", he uses Psalm 119:67 as a Scriptural reference in having your heart kept in a "desperate mode". I would like to expand it a little and suggest a Gleaning from Psalm 119: 65-72:
Psalm 119:65-72 "You have done many good things for me Lord, just as Your Sacred Word has said You would. You have been faithful and treated me with kindness. I can say from an honest heart that I do genuinely believe and trust in Your Mighty Commands, and openly accept "Your Agenda on Life". What I would ask now as I implement these very Commands into my heart...that You would bless me with good and proper judgment, careful and wise discernment, and Your true and unselfish knowledge in fulfilling Your Commands that have been given to me.
Before I ever even heard about Your way of Life, the disciplines I so desperately needed, and the fact I needed Your very Commands to discover what Life really meant....I often found myself afflicted about things, wandering off into crevices and the dark corners of life...never finding or understanding what Life really was.
Yet, You found me...for that is the kind of heart You really have....one that is full of unselfish kindness. You then devoted Your time to teaching me Your Mighty Commands, and showed me "the art of applying Your Commands"...in my daily life.
Arrogant and ruthless people, not interested in getting to know You, spend their time smearing lies and rumors about me...just because I want to "hang with You". Yet, that's ok...I am better off to adhere to Your Commands than to listen to all the "trash talk" they are saying.
Besides, these people who make-up all these lies and devise all these false stories...about both You and me...it is quite obvious after hearing a word or two from them...how dull their hearts really are...and how stupid they have become. In fact, it really makes no sense as to the words they "proclaim", it's like someone giving you a bucket of lard....nothing but grease and fat...and pretty slimy to even hold in your hand.
No, my thoughts are on listening to the " Dance of Your Proclamations", even when my life has it's share of troubles. All my troubles do...is drive me closer to You.
One word from Your lips....is worth more than any amount of words money could buy!"
2 more of the "D's".....
4. DISCERNMENT Having your heart be able to "pick-up" on things, whether it be right or wrong, good or bad, or simply not sure what to do...is a valuable tool to have in our journey through life. This virtue also demands practice...practice...practice.
The big thing about discernment I have noticed is when I exercise discernment, it not only assists me in decisions that are good...or evil...discernment can help to avoid possible dangers life might "throw at you". Bloom suggests Hebrews 5:14 as a Sacred Scripture to use in learning about discernment, and I would like add one too.
Hebrews 5:14 "Solid food...from the Sacred Scriptures are meals designated for full grown men and women, trained by their journey through life by putting these very Scriptures into daily practice. Their mental toughness has been forged in life through trusting the words of these Scriptures, and seasoned through life by the continual practice of applying these Scriptures into their very lives.
This life-long skilled training is able to achieve the ability to rely and turn to the ready counsel these very Scriptures provide...daily...and equally provides a power to not only recognize the good from the evil, but also brings a knowing from our hearts that is there to assist us, giving us the ability to distinguish what may be good for a certain situation we encounter in life...or what may be wrong and should be avoided."
The Sacred Scripture I would like to add concerning DISCERNMENT is the fact "doing good" is what Jesus really does...not what others, the world, or Satan might suggest otherwise. Knowing that Jesus wants to do good in your life...is the "ultimate discernment."
Acts 10:37-38 " After John the Baptizer had preached the message of " A Total Lifestyle Change", He arrived....Jesus...from Nazareth, yet, He was not alone! The Holy Spirit accompanied Jesus and together...they were ready for action.
This one they called Jesus went throughout the region, finding comfort in announcing "Hope to the poor" in the local synagogues, doing good to those in their mundane and routine daily lives, and His total focus being...to assist others in their need.
Both Jesus and the Holy Spirit spent time healing those who were oppressed...by evil...Satan and his cohorts. You see, many had been captured by the evil influences of Satan, and their lives had become nothing more than "a number", while others had just given up on the dream of having a full life.
Yet, Jesus...with the strength of the Holy Spirit...changed all that! God the Father had spoken concerning this outreach, and said: "Make it so!"
5. DESPERATE Staying desperate to have Christ Jesus in your life...is another discipline that takes daily practice. For myself, I think there are times where I choose to ignore the counsel of Christ....and just "do my own thing". I have noticed when I get into that frame of thought...it is there life begins to become a little more meaningless....the focus changes from others to "what about me", and others around me...become less important.
The English definition of DESPERATE has some unique descriptions of what this word means. One favorite I have read in describing this word is " the look of hunger". Another description is " having a great need or desire to change and needing help...engaged in a battle with...hopelessness".
In Bloom's article on "Praying for your Heart", he uses Psalm 119:67 as a Scriptural reference in having your heart kept in a "desperate mode". I would like to expand it a little and suggest a Gleaning from Psalm 119: 65-72:
Psalm 119:65-72 "You have done many good things for me Lord, just as Your Sacred Word has said You would. You have been faithful and treated me with kindness. I can say from an honest heart that I do genuinely believe and trust in Your Mighty Commands, and openly accept "Your Agenda on Life". What I would ask now as I implement these very Commands into my heart...that You would bless me with good and proper judgment, careful and wise discernment, and Your true and unselfish knowledge in fulfilling Your Commands that have been given to me.
Yet, You found me...for that is the kind of heart You really have....one that is full of unselfish kindness. You then devoted Your time to teaching me Your Mighty Commands, and showed me "the art of applying Your Commands"...in my daily life.
Besides, these people who make-up all these lies and devise all these false stories...about both You and me...it is quite obvious after hearing a word or two from them...how dull their hearts really are...and how stupid they have become. In fact, it really makes no sense as to the words they "proclaim", it's like someone giving you a bucket of lard....nothing but grease and fat...and pretty slimy to even hold in your hand.
No, my thoughts are on listening to the " Dance of Your Proclamations", even when my life has it's share of troubles. All my troubles do...is drive me closer to You.
One word from Your lips....is worth more than any amount of words money could buy!"
2 more of the "D's".....
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