From the Heart by B.Demaere

  Are you being sifted? How is your life going so far?  I find mine quite challenging at times, mostly emotionally.  Am I being sifted like wheat like Israel was in the book of Zephaniah?  Are you being sifted? It seems through the book they were purified, sifted like wheat or flour. Zephaniah was a minor prophet meaning short message, who came before the reformation of Judah in the days of king Josiah around 640 BC. Was this global message to be taken seriously?   Yes, of course! God was going to strip bare the whole earth, maybe the known world at the time. (Chapter 1).   In Chapter 2, it starts with a call to repent then a threat to the people of every corner of the earth.   In Chapter 3 God intervenes again on behalf of his very own people Jerusalem and Israel, but finally in that same chapter he gives them rest (verse 11-14) and then jubilation.   The Lord has taken care of their enemy (v.15.   There will finally be great comfort for his people. I want to let you know th

  Where is your Joy? You may have heard this before, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be there also” (Matthew 6:21). Simple is it not?  Jesus spoke that, your heart will go wherever you put your treasure.  It is so true and yet so many of us are convinced that money should be our treasure.  I, even sometimes struggle with that one.  Yet I know deep down in my heart that Jesus should be my treasure.  Even people can become my treasure and other things can take his spot.  But they will not satisfy.  Only the things that are eternal in value. Why is that?   Because the things of the earth perish, like food, money, sex are going to disappear.   Not that those things are bad in themselves, but they will not make you satisfied and happy as the joy of being with your everlasting Savior and Lord.   If you want lasting joy, find it there and not in your pocket. When the crowd around Jesus was abandoning him because they could not take in his teaching anymore.   He asked

  Not just nice words (John 15:22 – 16:1) Chapter 15:4 Abide in Jesus like a branch abide in the Vine.    He is the Vine Chapter 15:9 Abide in my Love, in my commandments. You are my friends. Abide and you will bear fruit. Chapter 15:18-21 As a result of the fruit in your life persecution will come. As it is for Jesus it will be for you.  The Love that perspires out of your life is too much for them to take. To make a long story shorter, I feel that our call is to abide in Christ who is the Vine and that out of this abiding Love will blossom in our lives and affect others.  When it Love comes to you don’t stop it and when it goes out of you, that Love don’t stop it.  This wind of love will affect in turn the world who will see Jesus and like they did to him, they will persecute you.  But here is the part I am excited about (Chapter 15:26). During these changes, the Holy Spirit who is a person not a thing will be with you and as you keep doing his commandments.  He, the Holy Spirit who