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Out of the Heart..."Terror"
Why? How could this happen? What has gone wrong? I don't understand?
A bomb,
An angry word,
A murder,
Greed, slander and arrogance,
Horrible evil in so many forms as the world is being shaken with terror.
Abused children afraid of their parents. Wives and husbands afraid of each other!
Terror at the movies, terror at the marathon, terror in the office building!
Terror from afar and terror from next door and at the shopping mall!
Were is a safe place? Is my money safe? Is my family safe?
The enemy is everywhere! The devil and his demons are going wild.
"Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour."
1 Peter 5:8
To cure the problem one must know where the problem is! The worst place in the world is the human heart. Therein lies the problem.
Jesus said, "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person." Matthew 15:16-20
Jesus said, "For it is from within, out of a person's heart, that evil thoughts come, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, slander, arrogance and folly." Mark 7:21-22
Jesus said, "For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears and they have closed their eyes." Matthew 13:15
Jesus said, "For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." Matthew 12:34
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9
"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Proverbs 4:23
We see the savage terror of an out of control heart when the children of Adam and Eve the first couple committed murder...Cain killed Able.
And so the story goes on even until today! Terror is nothing new. Even in the Bible it often speaks of terror. "Terror on every side" Jeremiah 20:10; Psalm 31:13
The early church began with the crucifixion of Jesus and the early followers of Jesus experienced great terror and even death.
The simple answer for terrorism in every form is Jesus! Jesus gives a new heart and life.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation. Old things have passed away; behold all things have become new". 2 Corinthians 5:17
Jesus changes us from the inside out. When a person is 'in' Christ our desires and passions change.
The reason for sharing Jesus is because Jesus commanded us to be His witnesses, also because you care for the eternal destiny of lost people.
Often people are critical of evangelism and focusing on leading the lost to Jesus. But let me say this clearly. The answer to the sinful heart problem of a lost person Jesus spoke of in the scriptures above is a "New Birth", "Born Again", "Saved", and "A New Heart"! The person leading people to Jesus is truly helping make this a better world.
Most of the people committing horrible killings etc are not the starving poor. The true answer is leading people to repent and know Jesus as Savior and Lord.
None of us can stand point to others and give praise to ourselves. Note what Jesus said
in the fifth chapter of John. Jesus said that if we hate you are guilty of murder! If you lust you have already committed adultery.
The place of all sinners is at the foot of the cross in humble repentance and trust in the shed Blood of Jesus to save us. Lets stop pointing a finger of contamination at others and first let Jesus purify our own hearts and minds. Then we can have Jesus fill us with the fruits of the Spirit!
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self control;" Galatians 5:23
Jesus said the harvest is ripe and the labors are few (Matthew 9:37-38) This is not the time to build forts for safety but open the gates and get out...get filled with the Holy Spirit and the love of God and Go...into all the world and share Jesus with everyone.
Remember this promise, Jesus said 'I am with you always'! Matthew 28
Lets comfort the hurting and live out the love of Jesus by caring for others. We grieve with the suffering and care.
Jesus also said "Fear Not"!
So with the love of God and in the Power of the Holy Spirit and knowing that Jesus is with you...Go and Tell and Love and bring Good News!
Jesus said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your strength and with all your mind." This is the firs and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
Matthew 22:37-39; Luke 10:27; Mark 12:30
"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved, He that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil, He shall preserve thy soul.
The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth and even for evermore." Psalm 121
"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all." 2 Corinthians 13:14
Pilgrim followers of Jesus, Peace be with you!
Pilgrim followers of Jesus,
Denise, Sophia and arthur Blessitt carrying the cross around the world.
Luke 18:1
arthur@blessitt.com
P. O. Box 632246
Littleton, Colorado 80163-2246
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