From the Heart by B.Demaere

  Plug into Love At first, when I thought of plugging in John 15:4 that speaks about “abiding in Jesus”.   The Holy Spirit turned my thoughts to Love in 1 John 4:16-18. We have known and have believed the love God has for us.   God is love, and those who remain in love remain in God and God remain in them.   This is how love has been perfected in us, so that we can have confidence on the Judgment Day, because we are exactly the same as God is in this world.   There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear expects punishment.   The person who is afraid has not been made perfect in love. Usually, unfortunately we interpret this verse on Love vs Fear as meaning to “not to be afraid of anything”, but as I thought more about these verses, I realized it might mean something entirely different such as our distancing from projects of services around the house or around our community or even church.   Is it not interesting that fea...

  Revive me Some of us without admitting it need more help than others.   Honestly, I will admit it I need help more than others.   I am weak on my own, but only with God I am strong. The Scripture I want to share with you ( Psalm 119:154) is one that God spoke to me through my French Bible, one that I had previously underline and well marked.   In French it goes as follow: Prends ma cause en main et charge toi de moi, comme tu l’as promis, rends-moi la vie (Psaume 119:154)   In English, the same verse goes like this: Plead my cause, and redeem me, Give me life according to your promise. (Psalms 119:154)   Literally, in the French there is a pleasant difference than the English.   The French translation simply says: “Take my cause in your hands and load me on yourself like you have promised, give me back my life.”     I don’t find to often how personal the French translation, but this encouraged me greatly.   Some...

  Christ also suffered when he died for our sins once for all time.  He never sinned, but he died for sinners that he might bring us safely home to God.  He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.  So he went and preached to the spirits in prison---those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat.  Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood.  And this is a picture of baptism which now saves you by the power of Jesus Christ's resurrection.  Baptism is not the removal of dirt from your body; it is an appeal to God from a clean conscience. Now Christ has gone to heaven.  He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers are bowing before him. If you guessed that the solution to the quiz was Psalm 112, you are absolutely right.  I made it more difficult by not including the 3 first words: "Praise the Lord" which ...

Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across the entrance.  "Roll the stone aside," Jesus told them.  But Martha, the dead man's sister, protested, "Lord, he has been dead for four days.  The smell will be terrible." Jesus responded, "Didn't I tell you that you would see God's glory if you believe?" So they rolled the stone aside.  Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, thank you for hearing me.  You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.  Then Jesus shouted, "Lazarus come out!" And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth, Jesus told them, "Unwrap and let him go!" Why was Jesus angry?  How could he be angry?  Can it be right to be angry?  Yes, it is called 'righteous' anger, anger that is about what is holy and being viola...