I’ve shared many times that this past 1½ years has been such a season of having a real, intimate time with my heavenly Father. My life has been full of many hurts and rejections and I’ve had to start breaking down the walls I’ve built to protect my heart. From the time I was 4 years old and my Daddy left to when I was 10 years old and my new Daddy who had adopted me past away to my husband dying when I was a young wife and mom, I perceived I was being rejected or abandoned with each of these losses. That was not the truth but that is what my young heart felt and there was no one to tell my any different. Then came religion that taught I had no identity or worth without works and living perfect, more losses – a split church – condemnations from others and myself – more losses – best friend rejections and lies. All these situations brought another wall – another stuffed away hurt and a broken heart. Yet, through all this my greatest desire was to serve the Lord and love others with all my heart. I could serve Him and love others but not with all my heart as it had so many walls and garbage bags of stuff stashed away. The last 23 years I’ve learned so much about who I am in Him – I am who He says that I am!:) Little by little I’ve let go and filled those hurt holes with His love and word. But just because I was praying – seeking – growing – releasing and being healed doesn’t keep more hurts from coming. The close friends still abandon you without a word – condemnation is around every corner – another wall comes up in hopes of protecting yourself from more hurt. These walls keep us from having a deep, intimate relationship with anyone.
Fears of who will reject you next can plaque your mind and what we think on effects our heart. So I have begun this journey of tearing down walls and letting the Lord heal. I am trusting the Lord with all my heart. Fears still creep up but as I become closer to Him the fears fall off so much quicker. I say all this to say my heart is changing and that should bring changes from the inside out in my life. I don’t always realize how much I am changing until I face a situation and I amaze myself in how I handle it. My message today comes from a heart that is being healed and so desiring close relationships. I don’t want to hid behind my walls of hurt anymore.
I’m going to be real transparent and share my heart. One of my greatest desires and passions is to write encouraging words to others. Every day I must write 5-10 notes of love and encouragement IN MY HEAD. Something inside me causes me to put off really doing it. I reason to myself that I will do it later – that it takes more time than I have at the moment or that person doesn’t care if they hear from me anyway. I know better but must admit most days I let it happen. My prayer and desire of my heart is to not give in to the distraction and lies. I am sharing this since this is what He is working on in my heart. I am breaking down walls and desiring to be able to open my heart to deeper intimacy with the Lord, my family, my friends and even Ed. You can never get to a place you can’t go deeper with the Lord or spouse.
As a church family the Word tells us over and over how important our relationships are. We are family. Each of us were created with a specific character of the Lord. What you carry no one else can do in a way that you do it. When we don’t share the gifts God has given us we deny those around us a part of Him. We each need to believe in our hearts that we have something to give and even a simple word of encouragement can change someone’s life. The more time we spend with the Lord the greater desire we have for Him. Our deepest desires are satisfied in Him and there just aren’t words to express what that is like. When we are convinced in our hearts of His love and He is a good God wanting the best for us our whole life changes. Time with Him is captivating and our hearts will long to be in that close place with Him. His love is empowering and pure. My desire is to hear His words that will encourage someone in need. Every word we speak can bring great hope in someone’s life.
BUT for most my life I let the hurts stop me. I don’t think I am the only one that has done this. The Lord has been showing me that one of the first places we need to be able to share and care about one another is in our church family.
“If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. Matthew 18:19
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
“And they steadfastly persevered, devoting themselves constantly to the instruction and fellowship of the apostles, to the breaking of the bread together including the Lord’s Supper and prayers.” Acts 2:42
“Not forsaking or neglecting to assembly together as believers, as is the habit of some people, but admonishing, warning, urging, and encouraging one another and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25
“A soothing tongue speaking words that build up and encourage is a tree of life,” Proverbs 15:4
“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope and overflow with confidence in His promises. Now may the God who gives endurance and who supplies encouragement grant that you be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify and praise and honor the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, continue to accept and welcome one another, just as Christ has accepted and welcomed us to the glory of our great God.” Romans 15:4-7
“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like minded, having the same love, being in one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4
“Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:16
“Because of this, encourage the hearts of your fellow believers and support one another, just as you have already been doing. Dear brothers and sisters, make sure that you show your deep appreciation for those who cherish you and diligently work as ministers among you. For they are your leaders who care for you, teach you, and stand before the Lord on your behalf. They value you with great love. Because of their service to you, let peace reign among yourselves. We appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, to instruct those who are not in their place of battle. Be skilled at gently encouraging those who feel themselves inadequate. Be faithful to stand your ground. Help the weak to stand again. Be quick to demonstrate patience with everyone.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11-14 Passion
This is one of my life verses. I desire to hear a word from the Lord every morning on who I can encourage that day. “The Lord God has given Me the tongue of a disciple and of one who is taught, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He wakens Me morning by morning, He wakens My ear to hear as a disciple, as one who is taught.” Isiah 50:4
Encouraging one another is so important. I don’t think we do it enough in the body of Christ. I don’t know all the answers but I do know if you have a wall up to protect your heart from pain, you have a harder time speaking words of encouragement to others and receiving encouraging words. I know from my experience that there’s such a difference when the walls come down. The freedom to touch the life of another with His words of encouragement brings life to me and them. Greet one another with words of encouragement – “What a joy it is to see you today!” not just greeting – “Hi, how are you today?”. We get in habits of greeting people with the same words every time we see them. The Lord will give us words to say that will encourage and build up as we greet or fellowship. We all know what the Word says about our words. I know and believe that death and life is in the power of the tongue but will admit there are times I get going in the business of life and don’t take heed of what I am saying. I truly want those times to be much less than the times I am encouraging others with His words.
I have shared my heart and letting you know that I know I am not always easy to communicate with and my lack of encouraging words is about my heart not about you. But I KNOW He is in me and working through me and the walls of fear and unworthiness are about gone! I pray if you have walls that are keeping you from hearing from others or sharing with others words of life that you can go to your heart and let Him show you what is holding you back and you can release it. My greatest desire for this church family is that we can come together with encouraging words, prayer, communion and fellowship. That our worlds would not be so busy we that we don’t have time for each other.
I pray these verses are an encouragement to you. I am dwelling on them daily and putting them before my eyes so that when He speaks to me to share a word of encouragement that I won’t put it off or have excuses and distractions that keep me from listening to Him. He knows when someone needs prayer and encouragement and He wants to work through you and me to minister to one another. What you have to give is a facet of Him that no one else has. Each of us is a part of Him that He created us to be and together we are His whole body. Thank you for listening and pray for me as I pray for you as we share encouraging words to one another and this lost and weary world.
Fears of who will reject you next can plaque your mind and what we think on effects our heart. So I have begun this journey of tearing down walls and letting the Lord heal. I am trusting the Lord with all my heart. Fears still creep up but as I become closer to Him the fears fall off so much quicker. I say all this to say my heart is changing and that should bring changes from the inside out in my life. I don’t always realize how much I am changing until I face a situation and I amaze myself in how I handle it. My message today comes from a heart that is being healed and so desiring close relationships. I don’t want to hid behind my walls of hurt anymore.
I’m going to be real transparent and share my heart. One of my greatest desires and passions is to write encouraging words to others. Every day I must write 5-10 notes of love and encouragement IN MY HEAD. Something inside me causes me to put off really doing it. I reason to myself that I will do it later – that it takes more time than I have at the moment or that person doesn’t care if they hear from me anyway. I know better but must admit most days I let it happen. My prayer and desire of my heart is to not give in to the distraction and lies. I am sharing this since this is what He is working on in my heart. I am breaking down walls and desiring to be able to open my heart to deeper intimacy with the Lord, my family, my friends and even Ed. You can never get to a place you can’t go deeper with the Lord or spouse.
As a church family the Word tells us over and over how important our relationships are. We are family. Each of us were created with a specific character of the Lord. What you carry no one else can do in a way that you do it. When we don’t share the gifts God has given us we deny those around us a part of Him. We each need to believe in our hearts that we have something to give and even a simple word of encouragement can change someone’s life. The more time we spend with the Lord the greater desire we have for Him. Our deepest desires are satisfied in Him and there just aren’t words to express what that is like. When we are convinced in our hearts of His love and He is a good God wanting the best for us our whole life changes. Time with Him is captivating and our hearts will long to be in that close place with Him. His love is empowering and pure. My desire is to hear His words that will encourage someone in need. Every word we speak can bring great hope in someone’s life.
BUT for most my life I let the hurts stop me. I don’t think I am the only one that has done this. The Lord has been showing me that one of the first places we need to be able to share and care about one another is in our church family.
“If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. Matthew 18:19
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
“And they steadfastly persevered, devoting themselves constantly to the instruction and fellowship of the apostles, to the breaking of the bread together including the Lord’s Supper and prayers.” Acts 2:42
“Not forsaking or neglecting to assembly together as believers, as is the habit of some people, but admonishing, warning, urging, and encouraging one another and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25
“A soothing tongue speaking words that build up and encourage is a tree of life,” Proverbs 15:4
“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope and overflow with confidence in His promises. Now may the God who gives endurance and who supplies encouragement grant that you be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify and praise and honor the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, continue to accept and welcome one another, just as Christ has accepted and welcomed us to the glory of our great God.” Romans 15:4-7
“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like minded, having the same love, being in one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4
“Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:16
“Because of this, encourage the hearts of your fellow believers and support one another, just as you have already been doing. Dear brothers and sisters, make sure that you show your deep appreciation for those who cherish you and diligently work as ministers among you. For they are your leaders who care for you, teach you, and stand before the Lord on your behalf. They value you with great love. Because of their service to you, let peace reign among yourselves. We appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, to instruct those who are not in their place of battle. Be skilled at gently encouraging those who feel themselves inadequate. Be faithful to stand your ground. Help the weak to stand again. Be quick to demonstrate patience with everyone.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11-14 Passion
This is one of my life verses. I desire to hear a word from the Lord every morning on who I can encourage that day. “The Lord God has given Me the tongue of a disciple and of one who is taught, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He wakens Me morning by morning, He wakens My ear to hear as a disciple, as one who is taught.” Isiah 50:4
Encouraging one another is so important. I don’t think we do it enough in the body of Christ. I don’t know all the answers but I do know if you have a wall up to protect your heart from pain, you have a harder time speaking words of encouragement to others and receiving encouraging words. I know from my experience that there’s such a difference when the walls come down. The freedom to touch the life of another with His words of encouragement brings life to me and them. Greet one another with words of encouragement – “What a joy it is to see you today!” not just greeting – “Hi, how are you today?”. We get in habits of greeting people with the same words every time we see them. The Lord will give us words to say that will encourage and build up as we greet or fellowship. We all know what the Word says about our words. I know and believe that death and life is in the power of the tongue but will admit there are times I get going in the business of life and don’t take heed of what I am saying. I truly want those times to be much less than the times I am encouraging others with His words.
I have shared my heart and letting you know that I know I am not always easy to communicate with and my lack of encouraging words is about my heart not about you. But I KNOW He is in me and working through me and the walls of fear and unworthiness are about gone! I pray if you have walls that are keeping you from hearing from others or sharing with others words of life that you can go to your heart and let Him show you what is holding you back and you can release it. My greatest desire for this church family is that we can come together with encouraging words, prayer, communion and fellowship. That our worlds would not be so busy we that we don’t have time for each other.
I pray these verses are an encouragement to you. I am dwelling on them daily and putting them before my eyes so that when He speaks to me to share a word of encouragement that I won’t put it off or have excuses and distractions that keep me from listening to Him. He knows when someone needs prayer and encouragement and He wants to work through you and me to minister to one another. What you have to give is a facet of Him that no one else has. Each of us is a part of Him that He created us to be and together we are His whole body. Thank you for listening and pray for me as I pray for you as we share encouraging words to one another and this lost and weary world.
