Unbolt The Door To Your Heart

Tag: david

  • Seek

    “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.” Psalm 27:4 KJV

    “The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.” Psalm 27:4 NLT

    David’s Goal each day was to be in the presence of God. To be with God, to walk with God and to behold God.

    He starts by describing the one and only thing he desires each morning. He desires it so much that he is going to “seek after” it.  There is a difference between seek after and sought after. 

    Seek after is to actively pursue, you are determined, it is your sole focus.

    Sought after is an adjective that describes what many people want. It is popular and they want it but not enough to actively pursue it.  They want it given to them.

    David is setting aside all other needs, desires, worries and distractions. He is focused on one single all-consuming pursuit.  To be in the presence of God.

    The Hebrew word for “dwell” is yashab. It means to stay continually, sit or remain.  David is not interested in a temporary or occasional visit with God. He wants a permanent, all-day presence.

    To behold or gaze means having your eyes, mind and thoughts in a focused look at the character of God. You are not fixating on your pain, darkness, or the circumstances of this world.

    Enquire or Inquire are the same word, just spelled differently depending upon the different parts of the world.  In this verse they mean to meditate on God’s truth, listening to His heart, and aligning one’s life with His wisdom instead of relying on human wisdom or solutions.

    “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33 KJV

    Your first focus and only focus when your eyes open in the early morning is to seek the presence of God in your life today.  In your work, in your relationships with family and friends.

    Let God’s presence dwell deep inside you today.

    Don’t ask God to walk with you. You walk with God.

    Seek Him first and all things will be added to you.

    Remember it is not a religion it is a relationship.

    Loving People one step closer to Jesus.

    Larry

  • Taste

    “O taste and see that the Lord is good” Psalms 34:8 KJV

    Have you ever been in a home and they fixed some food and you were somewhat concerned if you would like it or not? Maybe a restaurant?  You are just not sure if you can trust the taste buds of the person that fixed the food.  Your first questions are how the food was prepared and what are the ingredients. You are asking yourself if I can really trust them that this food will taste pleasing to me.

    David is not asking you to taste in this verse. He is telling you that if you take a taste of God, you will most certainly find that it is the best experience you will have in your life.  David is saying this from experience. David wrote the song after he had been delivered from death at the hands of King Saul and King Abimelech.

    David is know asking you to share in the same feeling that he felt when he realized that his God saved him from death

    David invites you to experience firsthand the delivering power of God.  He understands that you may be hesitant and fearful. You are comfortable in being in control. Yet David is so assured of God’s promise to take care of you that He says if you taste you will see how good God really is. You will experience the benefits of letting God lead and find that it is the best experience you will ever have.

    Just like food must be eaten to know its flavor, God’s goodness must be experienced personally. He invites people to experience God’s goodness for themselves instead of just hearing about it. Tasting is active. You must reach out and take the food and open your mouth to taste it. God is not going to force open your mouth and shove in the experience.  You must be actively seeking and desiring to experience God and His wonderful blessings.

    “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Matthew 7: 7-8 KJV

    Today you must purposefully reach out and taste the greatness of God.  Then you will experience that His promises are true and everlasting.

    The rushing river did not part until the toes of the priest touched the water.  They had to take the first step. They had to take the first bite to taste and see the greatness of God.

    “And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan” Joshua 3:17 KJV.

    Once they took the first step into the raging flooding water of the Jordan river, it dried up completely for all of the children of Israel to cross.

    Take the first step of complete trust in God and put your wisdom and ideas aside. Taste Him and see that He is Good!

    Remember it is not a religion it is a relationship.

    Prayers and Love for all.

    Larry

  • Confess

    “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 NIV

    There is a word in the above verse that many followers of God have misunderstood or just plain believe the wrong definition of the word.  They then pass on this wrong definition to their children and to others.

    The word in question is “confess”. I can hear many of you immediately utter “I know what that word means”.  It is a simple word, and I know I need to say I am sorry to God for my actions.  The problem is you rely on man’s translation without digging deeper and finding out what was really meant by the word and how it is used.

    Confess (Homologeō): In Greek, this word literally means “to say the same thing” or “to agree”.

     Confessing means you stop making excuses and agree with God that what you did was wrong. It is an honest acknowledgment rather than just feeling bad and saying to God “I am Sorry”.

    This word has no relationship with “I am sorry” or “repent”.

    Just feeling bad and saying I am sorry is an act of the mouth and not the heart. Confess (Homologeō) is a deep agreement in your heart that you agree with God that you are a sinner and have wronged Him.  It is an agreement that you need to stop and immediately make a change. It is a deep wound inside that is crying out for forgiveness or your sin.

    David cried out “I have sinned against the Lord” 2 Samuel 12:13 KJV. “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin”. Psalms 32:5 NIV

    Genuine confession offers no defense for the offense. It is a frank admission: “What I did was wrong.”

    Saying “Sorry” for some action never brings about a true change of heart.  “Sorry” focuses on the mistake itself rather than the deep emotional pain that causes you to change. Apologizing just eases your own guilt. It makes the moment about your own comfort and not a true agreement with the Lord about your sin.

    Agreement with God about my sins can only happen when I allow the Holy Spirit to make a complete transformation of my heart and mind.

    A transformation that brings about a completely new mind, new behaviors and new habits.

    When you agree with God about your sinful behavior it will bring about a transformation of the heart and mind that will prepare you for eternity with God.

    1 John 1:9 means that when we admit and agree with God about our wrongdoings, God is reliable and fair to forgive our sins and completely clean our hearts.

    Dig deep into the word of God and be transformed.

    Remember it is not a religion it is a relationship.

    Prayers and Love for All.

    Larry

  • Representing

    Is there such a thing as too much worship, praise, and sacrifice to God?

    In 2nd Samuel chapter 6 we read of King David taking the Ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the city of David.  In verse thirteen we read that when they had taken six steps they stopped and He sacrificed a bull and a fatted calf.  Did he stop and sacrifice these animals every six steps or just once?   If he had done it every six steps he would have made over 5000 sacrifices on the journey.  Most commentaries weigh in on the subject and choose that King David sacrificed every six steps.

    This would mean that King David sacrificed over 10,000 bulls and fattened calves on this journey.

    We find that this sacrifice is small compared to King Solomon when he dedicated the temple. 

    “Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the Lord: twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the temple of the Lord”. 1 Kings 8:63 NIV

    I do not think we can comprehend the logistics of sacrificing, on altars, 120,000 sheep and 22,000 bulls. The Effort and time taken to say thanks to God.

    They observed this festival for 14 days. We are told in verse 66 that they were “joyful and glad in heart for all the good things the Lord had done for his servant David and his people.”

    How do you show your praise and excitement over what the Lord did for you today?  A simple thanks, maybe a little longer prayer?

    “Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might”. 2 Samuel 6: 14 NIV

    “Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops”. Isaiah 42:11 NIV

    “You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, Here is your God!” Isaiah 40:9 NIV

    Do you not think that praising God for His many blessings and Miracles is worth more than a simple “thank-you”.

    Why from the mountain top?  It is a perfect place for the sound of your praise to be carried to all the people.  Sound Carries a lot farther from the mountain top than from the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

    “Let your joy lift up people around you just like a song carrying across the hills”. Let it be seen on your face and in your walk.  Your presence in a room should bring in God’s presence.  Without asking people should see, hear and feel the wonderful blessings of your Savior.  

    Are you embarrassed to praise God to others?  What would be some reasons that we are hesitant to praise God from the mountain tops?

    Fear of judgment: Worrying that others will think you are strange, fanatical, or out of touch.

    Social pressure: Wanting to avoid awkward silence, arguments, or being mocked by peers and coworkers.

    Private habit: Feeling that faith is a personal matter meant only for home or church walls rather than public spaces.

    Self-consciousness: Worrying about how you look or sound to the people standing right next to you

    How to Overcome Hesitation.

    Focus upward: Shift your attention away from the people around you and onto God, just as King David did when he danced unashamedly.

    Live authentically: Let your daily actions, kindness, and peace speak first so that when people ask, sharing your faith feels natural.

    Start small: Share simple expressions of gratitude in everyday conversation rather than feeling pressured to give a grand speech.

    Let them see and experience your God before you ever speak a word!

    I had finally arrived at the checkout register at Costco. When I handed my card to be scanned the cashier looked at me and spoke.  “I saw you way back in the line and I could see the smile and peace on your face”.  I just smiled even brighter and responded that I was smiling because I was blessed by God this morning. She looked up and responded that she was blessed to have me in her checkout line this morning. We had a wonderful, very short conversation about God’s blessing, and I went on my way. 

    God introduced His presence to her before the Holy Spirit ever put a word on my lips.

    Dance every step you take today. Let God shine forth from you.

    Remember it is not a religion it is a relationship.

    Let God shine through you.

    Larry