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

  Grace is Free… …To anyone who comes to Jesus and accepts him by faith. “For by Grace you have been saved through faith…it is a gift from God.” (Ephesians 2:8) But to live by faith will cost you everything if you walk by it.   But then, you will have joy because at last, you will have freedom. To Abraham, faith costs him his son although in Genesis 22:10-11 he got him back through the intervention of the angel. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said: “Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, “Here I am.”   Read also: (Hebrews 11:17)   It costs God his Son Jesus but through the Resurrection, his Son was made alive again. Mark 16:5 “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.   He has risen!” There is a principle here… Abraham got his son Isaac back with a new life… God got his Son back through his Resurrection… And as you become a born-again Christian you h

  Simple as Faith Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality-faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experiences by the physical senses] Hebrews 11:1 (Amplified Bible) Many people wish that they had more, but God only wants us to operate first in the faith we have, then as we do it he will give us more. Hebrews 11:1 tells us what faith is.   Apparently, if you are a born-again Christian this is how you started.   Faith was already there in your heart, and you acted on it. What is faith? It is the certainty of what you hope for.   You were certain of what you hoped for and that was Jesus.   You acted as if you had always known him and went forward with it. Well, faith is that simple, so simple a child understands the concept.   With that assurance put your best foot forward and trust God.   He will carry you through. Faith is the reality of what you

  Words of Comfort As the past days have come and gone, now I receive words of comfort from the Bible of course.     “This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing office, but he holds his priesthood permanently because he continues forever . Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:22-25) These verses particularly brought comfort to me because as I was reading from the French Bible I was greatly encouraged by the word ‘Toujours’ which means ‘always’.   I underlined in the text the words in English which mean ‘always.   Aren’t you glad that Jesus’s priesthood is one that lasts forever and endures through everything?   To make it easier to understand, I not only like certain products for their brands but especially for any long-lasting guarantee.   Th

                                                      This must be a Phase. Grieving must be a succession of phases?    Going from one extreme to the other emotionally. My day today was spent seeing my dear wife go through several years worth of clothes that had belonged to my dear mother. She had not only kept every purse but every pair of pantyhose she had owned.   My mind cannot comprehend it, and I want to cry because not only had she kept it but also had moved from the old country with it to Canada.   Can I give a word of advice to parents today?   Get rid of your stuff before your children must.   I am dealing with mental health issues in my own life and that is the last thing I want to face right now. Some of the things my parents had were old expresso makers.   It shows that they liked their coffee, but they did not involve me with their passion for coffee. One other advice I would like to give to parents today.   Share your hobbies with your children and involve them