Peace vs. Fear

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." ~ John 14:27

There's a difference between feeling the emotion of fear and letting it live in our hearts. Feelings can be fleeting. They change based on circumstances. But our hearts are the very core of our being.

God promises to give us peace, even in the midst of having feelings of fear. We can rest in the fact that we know the one who knows the end. But only if we don't allow fear to grip our hearts. 

Is your heart gripped with peace or fear today?

God bless,

J.W.

Far Off

 

"...for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." ~ Philippians 2:13

Often times, we think God as this distant, far off being who we only call on to intervene when we are in drastic situations. 

But Philippians 2:13 tells us that God works within us, not outside of us. The great work that God does is inside our hearts. And when we invite Him in, we actually get God living on the inside.

He is the greatest Helper I know. A God that would give up his own Son, sacrifice Him on the cross, only to come and live inside of each one of us.

God is not far off family. He's close.

God bless,

J.W.

Lean Not On Your Own Understanding

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

Why does God tell us not to lean on our own understanding? Could it be that our understanding of things is limited and finite?

In Romans 12:2, God tells us to be transformed by the renewing our own minds. He is calling us to have a heart and brain transplant. To trade our heart for His. To trade our spirit for His. To trade our mind for His. 

It's why Isaiah 55:8 says that His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways are higher than ours.

Lean not on your own understanding today.

God bless,

J.W.

Heart Check

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." ~ Matthew 6:2-4

There's a part of us that will always seek recognition for the good things we do or the accomplishments we achieve. It's just a part of our sin nature. The key is to deal with that part of ourselves and keep it in check.

Here, Jesus is saying, we need to check ourselves to make sure our motives are right and that our actions follow pure motives. Even mixed motives can be dangerous because they can drive our actions.

In all you do, make sure you make time for a heart/motive check. 

God bless,

J.W.

What Rules Your Heart?

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." ~ Colossians 3:15

What rules your heart? 

Is it peace? Joy? Thankfulness? Gratitude?

Or is it something else? Like greed? Lust? Insecurity? Pride?

Jesus Christ is the only path to true, long lasting peace.

May God bless you today fam!

- J.W.

Closer Than They Appear

 

If Jesus is the Word (John 1:1-4), then Psalms 119:11 tells us to hide Him in our hearts - that is, the very core of our being. 

You might feel that God is some distant, far off being, but no. He's actually VERY close. 

Most times, he's closer than we think. 

God bless everyone!

- J.W. 

Be Careful

“So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.” ~ Deuteronomy 5:32-33

Living a righteous life is not easy. In Romans 7:21, Paul says “although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” It doesn’t take much for us to fall into the devil’s schemes or our own sinful nature.

That’s why Proverbs 4:23 calls us to “guard our hearts.” And Deuteronomy 5:32 tells us to “be careful” to keep God’s commands. Jesus, in fact, said that “whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Jesus warned us that it would not be easy.

Because of the original sin, doing what’s right doesn’t come naturally. So, we must be cautious and careful to keep God’s commandments. We must be on guard at all times. We are in a battle and if we are not careful, we can do exactly what Deuteronomy 5:32 warns us not to do – that is, turn aside to the right or to the left.

Jesus tells us to walk the narrow path that leads to life – the John 10:10 life. Walking the narrow path requires self-discipline and a carefulness found in Deuteronomy 5:32.

Be careful today!

God bless,
J.W.

Train Up A Child (Part 6)

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." - Proverbs 4:23

In Part 5 of the Train Up A Child series, we continued talking about why meditating on God's Word is important. Today, let's talk about why it works.

Proverbs 4:23 tells us that everything flows from what's in our hearts.

See, whatever is planted in your heart flows out in your life.

Our hearts are merely conduits to push out whatever is planted in it. So, if evil is planted in it, our hearts can't help but to push out evil. If lust is planted in it, it can't help but to push out lust. If sin is planted in it, it can't help but to bring sin in our life.

But Philippians 4:8 instructs us to think on good things - whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely. Then "the God of Peace will be with you" (Philippians 4:9).

Peace comes through what we think about. It's why Proverbs 23:7 says "whatever a man thinks, so is he." The results we get in life are simply a reflection of the conditions of our hearts.

What's the condition of your heart today?

God bless,
J.W.

Train Up A Child (Part 4)

In Part 3 of the "Train Up A Child" series, we talked about why God instructs us to train through meditating on His Word. This week, let's address the slightly different question of why meditating on the Word is important.

In Luke 8, Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower, in which He likens the Kingdom of God to a farmer sowing seed. Some seed falls on good soil and yields a one hundred-fold harvest (Luke 8:8). Some seed falls by the wayside, is trampled, and eaten by birds (Luke 8:5). Other seed falls on rocky soil and withers (Luke 8:6). Still other seed falls among the thorns and gets choked (Luke 8:7).

Jesus later explains to His disciples that the seed that falls on good soil represents people that hear the Word, apply it and bear fruit (Luke 8:15). The seed that falls by the wayside represents people who hear the Word but the devil comes and snatches the seed out of their hearts (Luke 8:12). The seed that falls on rocky soil represent people that receive the Word with joy but fall back into disobedience because of temptation (Luke 8:13). The seed that falls among the thorns and gets choked represents people who hear the Word but get caught up in the cares of the world and bear no fruit (Luke 8:14).

In every case, the people hear the Word. But only in one of them does the Word actually take root and bear fruit.

So there has to be a difference between simply hearing the Word and bearing its fruit.

Meditating on the Word is the difference!

For more on this concept, check out Pastor Ron Carpenter’s message below starting at 32:04.

https://youtu.be/JjYTjDdnoEk?t=32m4s

Ultimately, God wants us to be more than just hearers of the Word (James 1:22). He wants us to bear fruit and be world changers. But we can't do that simply by hearing the Word. If that's the extent of our experience with the Word, we are no different than the seed that falls by the wayside. Or among the thorns. Or on the rocks.

God wants His Word to yield a harvest. But it's going to require more than just hearing the Word.

More to come next week!

God bless,
J.W.

Train Up A Child (Part 3)

A few weeks ago, we established that God wants us to meditate on His word (see Part 2 here).

But the question is why. Why does God want to train us through meditation?

The answer is found in Luke 8 in the Parable of the Sower.

There, Jesus tells the story of a farmer who sows seed in a field (Luke 8:4-8). Some seed falls on good soil and yields a hundred-fold harvest (Luke 8:8). Other seed falls on rocky soil and withers (Luke 8:6). Still others fall among the thorns and get choked (Luke 8:7).

Later, Jesus explains that the seed is the Word of God and the field is our heart (Luke 8:12-15).

In order for the seed to take root, we not only have to hear the word (i.e. plant the seed), we also have to till the ground and ensure that our soil is ripe for planting. Meditation helps the word take root in our hearts. It helps our heart retain the Word and persevere (Luke 8:15). It is part of what separates good soil from bad, ripe hearts from rocky ones, harvest from destruction and death.

God instructs us to meditate on His Word because He knows that it's the process through which we prepare our hearts to receive the Word. It's the method He uses to take us from being hearers of the Word to doers of the Word (James 1:22). Luke 8 tells us that harvest comes through meditating on the Word. And who wouldn't want a one hundred-fold harvest?

So, how are you cultivating your soil today?

God bless,
J.W.

Heart Surgeon

“My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; For length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.” ~ Proverbs 3:1-2

As Christians, we often focus on making sure that our actions comport with God’s Word. But God looks at our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7). As such, He not only seeks obedience in what we do, but also in what we think and feel. Not that we must be perfect, but we should strive to have purity of heart in addition to purity in deed.

God bless,

J.W.

Follow Your Heart

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” ~ Psalm 37:4

A friend of mine has a saying – “Do what you love and love what you do.”

God never said we were meant to live mediocre lives, in a profession that we hate, living a life that we can’t stand. Many people just settle for that kind of life.

Rather, God wants us to live life to the fullest. So, ignore those voices in your head (or in your family) telling you to live the safe, boring life. Take a risk and go for the gold. It’s what God thinks you deserve.

God bless,
J.W.

Where's Your Treasure?

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." ~ Matthew 6:19-21

Despite what Wall Street might tell you, the best investment you can make is in people. Why do you think Facebook is so successful? It allows us to invest in the people closest to us.

Money, cars, clothes, and things fade away, but the impression we make on the lives of others last a lifetime.

Where are you investing your treasure today?

God bless,
J.W.

Waiting

"Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass." ~ Psalm 37:4-5

June of this year will mark the second anniversary of the beginning of Journal Your Journey.

Throughout my time writing these messages, many have written to me to express how much JYJ has been a blessing to them.

While I’m definitely appreciative and grateful that my messages have served to touch so many, if I am being honest, for the past two years, I have written my messages with only one person in mind – myself.

Not in any sort of selfish way.

No, rather, I’ve used this journal to preach to myself, to help me get through some tough times, to help me stay sane, and to give me strength and inspire me as I went through the travails of life.

You see, sometimes you just have to preach to yourself. When no one else is around, when no one else understands, you’ve got to feed your own soul. And that’s what this blog has been to me. Every message is a message that God has told me, for my situation specifically.

But here’s the amazing part.

The fact that it has touched so many other people’s lives is a testament to how awesome God is. He can take just a few words and have them apply to so many situations. He’s truly amazing!

For the past few months, I have been fasting and praying about something in particular in my life.

You see, God showed me what the end result would be, but many times, the circumstances I found myself in didn’t match up to what He told me.

As a result, all those messages about talking to God as a friend and trusting Him no matter what was for me as I was going through my situation.

Well, yesterday, after months of praying and waiting, it finally came to pass.

What God showed me finally happened.

And while it didn’t happen when I wanted it to and in the timeframe that I set, it happened!

More importantly, it happened when it was supposed to happen.

I tell you this, not to brag or boast, but to encourage you.

If there’s something in your life that you’ve been waiting for, be encouraged.

If God said it would happen, it will happen.

But it will only happen in His time, when He deems it right.

You see, while you wait, there are some things He’s working out in you.

More importantly, there are some things He wants to see in you.

Yes, God is watching you to see how you react.

Everything is connected, so make sure your response to your circumstance is in line with how God would want you to respond. Otherwise, you will delay your promise.

God only gives to people who are ready to receive.

So prepare yourself to receive today.

God bless,
J.W.

Free Gift (Part II): Heart of the Matter

“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.’” ~ 1 Samuel 16:7

The other day, my mom asked me a question.

If a saved person commits suicide, is that person still saved?

We can give all types of reasons why that person may not be saved, but in the end, none of it matters.

All that matters is what’s in his or her heart.

According to the Bible, if that person believed in his or her heart and confessed with his or her mouth that Jesus is Lord, that person is saved.

We may try to impose other criteria for his salvation, but none of it counts.

For we are not his judge.

And we did not die to save his sins.

God bless,
J.W.