From the Heart by B.Demaere

Love one another with brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor.  (Romans 12:10) (ESV) WOW! That’s a new concept…Competing, outdoing one another in love.   We all like to compete, we see it in churches all the time.   We see it in children as well.   Competing for attention, but how about competing in loving our pastor more or anybody else for that matter. Here are verse 9,10 in the Message translation (A translation in English is the same verse said in a different way) Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it.   Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good.   Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. This says it differently…play second fiddle means put the other before you.   Play to accompany, to uplift. In other words, God expects us to excel in love and get better and better at it.   We got to outdo, outperform one another in love.   Not comparing to the other but constantly outdo for the sake of God’s reputati

  “This is why it is crucial that we be all the more engaged and attentive to the truths that we have heard so that we do not drift off course” (Hebrews 2:1) (TPT) I know this post is going to look strange to some of you. Different translation.   Different layout. Have you noticed something different about your life lately? A certain drifting off course like an aimless ship.   That can be dangerous by one degree. The following verses were impressed on me like a ‘pay attention’ checkmark… Paul is writing to Timothy and millions of others through the New Testament wonder.   This is what he writes: “Most of all, I am writing to encourage you to pray with gratitude to God.   Pray for all men with all forms of prayers and requests as you intercede with intense passion.   And pray for every political leader and representative, so that we would be able to live tranquil, undisturbed lives, as we worship the awe-inspiring God with pure hearts.   It is pleasing to our Savior-God to pra

Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples.  Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat.  But Jesus was sleeping.  The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We are going to drown!” Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got us and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked.   “Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Matthew 8:23-27) Unpredictable Situations As soon as they got into the boat they didn’t know there would be a storm, but Jesus knows everything.   There was no way that they were going to die with Jesus there, even if he was sleeping.   He knew the storm would come just as he knows the storms that are coming in your life or even in this world.   We already have gone though a few storms together.   It made us stronger. Helpful Situation This storm is going to help the

As I picked this passage from my French Bible, I had to find an English translation that would be close to what it said in French.   Thus, I chose the New Living Translation for this purpose. So, we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness , along with all wisdom and understanding. God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ- which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan : At the right time he will bring together under the authority of Christ-everything in heaven and on earth.   Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God.

“Pilate said to him (Jesus) What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, I find in him no fault at all.” (John 18:38) That is the Question Pilate had asked that question about 2000 years ago without it seems really wanting an answer.   Since then, the world has had its own idea and philosophy of what the truth should be.   Many people today have their own personal view of what is truth.   No one really is teachable and ask question about it.   We just stubbornly make up our own truth to avoid it altogether.   If Pilate had been teachable, he would have known the truth because the truth was with him right there at the front of him.   Pilate represents what a lot of people are like today.   The Truth is right with them and in the front of them and yet they still ignore.   Nevertheless, there is a price for that, and it is costly.   There is not much time left for you to know the truth.   You are better finding it soon. The Truth is Personal “Jesus sa

  “Even though I walk through the [sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, got you are with me; Your rod [to protect] and your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me.” (Psalm 23:4 Amplified) Normal Christian Life What is the normal Christian life?   The answer is Psalm 23, It does not mean an easy life but sometimes of great testing.   These should not surprise at all if we are in the footsteps of our Saviour. I am going through that valley right now and this is not fun, but I must focus on Jesus and trust that he will take me on the other side.   Although, he might feel like he is at a distance when we go through the valley…We have three comforts to draw from.   Oh he never leave us alone, remember he is the Good Shepherd of the sheep.   If the shepherd would leave his sheep, they would become a meal to a wolf or wild dog.   No, no and no! That would be the furthest thing on his mind… to leave you alone.   He loves you so much. The three comforts of t

I have read twice through the letter to the Galatian church, I realized that the whole book is linked to the fruit of the Spirit.   The ‘should’ and the ‘should not’ of the Law are erased by the belief we have in Jesus Christ. The fruit of the Spirit is produced by the faith we live by and have in Christ.   The evidence of the fruit of the Spirit is the fact we don’t do the works of the Law, but we obey by faith Jesus who lives in us. Consequently, life is simplest, and we no longer boast in our own works but in the works of Christ who died on the Cross for us.   We are only free if we believe the finished work of Christ. We have no obligation to the Law and are free to believe in the God of Love who dared to serve us and wash our feet. Our inheritance is guaranteed because of the promise made to Abraham.   We end up with the same blessings given to Abraham.   Certainly, we are not deserving of any of it, but we have them because of the promise that cannot be broken.   We serve