From the Heart by B.Demaere

  Focus on One I was prompted to look at something shiny and precious and low and behold, the word “Focus” came to mind. We all need to focus, not on our wealth but on the One who made it.   Shiny things and wealth and wealthy people will all disappear into eternity and be gone like grass in the wind. I was watching a short video about someone wealthy retaliating against what people were doing to him.   He was speaking to his audience with a few chosen words I would not want to repeat here.   Because of his foul language, I valued him less than I did before.   The language a person chooses de-values someone’s character very fast.   I am not saying that everyone should change their language to be a good person.   It must be a matter of heart about who you focus on while you speak. I am certainly not saying that you must focus on pleasing everyone around you.   No, you must focus on pleasing only One and that is God through Jesus Christ.   It takes a lot of the pressure off, and

  Our Heart’s Cry (Isaiah 63:7 to 64:12) First, let’s start at the end of this long text.   We will understand better the heart of God toward his people.   In this case, it is Israel.   But for New Testament people, it is the born-again Christians who are God’s chosen people.   God’s people have throughout history been known to rebel at times. Isaiah 64:11-12 “Our holy and beautiful house where our fathers praised you, has been burned by fire, and all our pleasant places have become ruins. Will you restrain yourself at these things, O Lord?   Will you keep silent, and afflict us so terribly?” We can see clearly that the prophet Isaiah is concerned with the house of worship, in our world today it would be our church or the Church of Born-again Christians. Now at the very beginning of this passage in Isaiah 63:7, he wants to remind God’s people of the goodness of the Lord and our motivation for praising him.   Have we forgotten how good he is and have we forgotten the importance

  Rich or Poor? (James 2:1-13) Discrimination in the Church does not exist, right? Wrong! It might have to do with choosing between the rich and the poor.   There are other categories we might want to put people in like: business owners and farmers or employers and employees.   Even disabled physically or mentally vs. able people.   Just to name a few.   Whatever your conscience accuses you of.   If your conscience bothers you about anything, is it now time to repent? Life is full of small choices that bring us either closer to or further from God.   In the book of ‘Song of Solomon’ in your Bible. (Chapter 2:15) encourages us to take care of the ‘little foxes. It is more intended for a married couple, but it could apply to anyone.   “Little foxes” could be anywhere in the body of Christ (the Church).   Little foxes can be in families between a husband and a wife or between siblings. In various relationships at work of otherwise.   Do you have a ‘chip’ on your shoulder?   Foxes