Planning Peace
Prov 12:20 NLT) Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace!
This morning we continue our series After driving home the fact that we should be women (and men) of truth, who speak the truth, operate in integrity, and seek to do everything in a way that pleases the Father, Solomon here makes the connection to our heart. He explains to us that if we spend our days plotting, scheming and planning for ways to do evil, our hearts will be filled with deceit. However, if we spend our days planning and daydreaming about ways to be a blessing to others, then our hearts will be filled with joy. The point being that our heart condition will have a direct affect on our disposition.
Jesus compared our heart to a tree and our actions (and words) to the tree's fruit. If the tree itself is bad (if our heart is corrupt and full of deceit), then the fruit will be bad (our words and actions will show it). This life-lesson is Matthew 12. Jesus said, "A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad... For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart" (verses 33-35). Another translation says, "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."Since it is clear that what's in your heart can/will affect every area of your life, then what you fill your heart with is obviously important. Your heart receives input from your eye gate and your ear gate. What comes through your eyes (what you watch) and what comes through your ears (what you listen to) will eventually get down into your heart. If you watch something over and over again or if you listen to something over and over again, the repetitious information (good or bad) will begin to fill your heart. There are only 24 hours in a day and we should want to use our time, energy, and effort in ways that will please God. It does no good to waste time devising schemes to do wrong. We ought to seek to be a blessing, even to those that don't treat us well. Yes I said it.
Jesus said, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you" (Luke 6:28,28). Paul said, "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves... Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse... Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody." And then Paul, summing it all up, says, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (see Rom 12:12-18). That's the bottom-line. God expects us to do all that we can to live at peace with everyone. So what does this mean to you? It means that you have a choice. You can either fill your heart with good things, which will help you to seek for ways to be a blessing to others, or you can fill your heart with evil things, and you will find yourself always looking for ways to attack others. But just know that either way you will reap whatever you sow. If you sow discord you will reap discord and your heart will be filled with deceit. If you sow peace you will reap peace and your heart will be filled with joy. Take it from me: joy is better!
Prov 12:20 NLT) Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace!
This morning we continue our series After driving home the fact that we should be women (and men) of truth, who speak the truth, operate in integrity, and seek to do everything in a way that pleases the Father, Solomon here makes the connection to our heart. He explains to us that if we spend our days plotting, scheming and planning for ways to do evil, our hearts will be filled with deceit. However, if we spend our days planning and daydreaming about ways to be a blessing to others, then our hearts will be filled with joy. The point being that our heart condition will have a direct affect on our disposition.
Jesus compared our heart to a tree and our actions (and words) to the tree's fruit. If the tree itself is bad (if our heart is corrupt and full of deceit), then the fruit will be bad (our words and actions will show it). This life-lesson is Matthew 12. Jesus said, "A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad... For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart" (verses 33-35). Another translation says, "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."Since it is clear that what's in your heart can/will affect every area of your life, then what you fill your heart with is obviously important. Your heart receives input from your eye gate and your ear gate. What comes through your eyes (what you watch) and what comes through your ears (what you listen to) will eventually get down into your heart. If you watch something over and over again or if you listen to something over and over again, the repetitious information (good or bad) will begin to fill your heart. There are only 24 hours in a day and we should want to use our time, energy, and effort in ways that will please God. It does no good to waste time devising schemes to do wrong. We ought to seek to be a blessing, even to those that don't treat us well. Yes I said it.
Jesus said, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you" (Luke 6:28,28). Paul said, "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves... Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse... Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody." And then Paul, summing it all up, says, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (see Rom 12:12-18). That's the bottom-line. God expects us to do all that we can to live at peace with everyone. So what does this mean to you? It means that you have a choice. You can either fill your heart with good things, which will help you to seek for ways to be a blessing to others, or you can fill your heart with evil things, and you will find yourself always looking for ways to attack others. But just know that either way you will reap whatever you sow. If you sow discord you will reap discord and your heart will be filled with deceit. If you sow peace you will reap peace and your heart will be filled with joy. Take it from me: joy is better!
Father, I know that I am here to bless and not to curse, to help and not to hurt, to build up and not to tear down. Therefore, to ensure that I maximize my time in the earth, I declare, by faith, that I filter everything that comes through my eye and ear gates. I ensure that my fill my heart with good things. The good in my heart keeps me from wasting my time devising evil schemes. My heart shall not be filled with deceit. My heart shall be filled with joy, as I seek to please you and live at peace with everyone. Father, use me today to speak a kind word to someone who is down, to lend a listening ear to someone who needs to vent, to give a hug to someone who is frustrated, to be a blessing to all those I come in contact with. What am I doing? I am planning out my day of peace! In Jesus' name. Amen!
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