This is the 5th of 5 devotions with the theme
"Love Is Not Jealous"
by
Rebecca Cooley
(Adapted from Proverbs 14:30;
2 Corinthians 12:20; 1 Corinthians 13:4)
When I am in need of something, whether financial or otherwise, I do not look outside of my own heart for the reasons my needs are not met. I look inside for a blockage. God says I am supposed to increase in every area of my life. So if there is a decrease of any sort or a stagnation beyond my control, the first thing I do is search my own heart and find out what God says. When there is decrease in an area of my life and not increase, there may be a blockage of blessing. I cannot blame the blockage on the world, on an enemy or another person. I must examine my heart and humbly repent asking God to expose the darkness and remove the blockage. If I were to leave the blockage, it could turn into bondage and have detrimental effects on any area of my life, including my health.
A calm and undisturbed mind and heart
are the life and health of the body,
but envy, jealousy, and wrath
are like rottenness of the bones.
My problem sometimes is I don't want to recognize that an unmet need can be traced back to a heart blockage. If I need healing, there is more to do than just confess the Word. I can quote scripture all day but my confession does not override disobedience. If I am lacking the finances to meet obligations, my answer is not just to confess scripture over my budget. My confession of the Word does not override disobedience. I must look to my heart for disobedience, distrust, wrong thinking, selfishness, wrong loyalties, arrogance, disorder, jealousy, temper, hatred and any other sin that may be hiding in my heart creating a blockage to my blessing. If I ignore the sin causing the blockage, bondage occurs and serious side effects result. This explains why people pray and speak the Word and are not healed. This is the very reason for unsolved problems, and mysteries and unanswered prayer among Christians today. Faith confessions and positive words do not override disobedience.
For example, a blockage to my blessing can be something as simple as jealousy. Jealousy is suspicion and resentment and includes distrust. Have you ever heard someone say that they do not trust anybody? Distrust is akin to jealousy and jealousy is a blockage in a heart to blessings. I may pass jealousy off as a mere emotion – here today and gone tomorrow – but unless exposed for what it is, repented of and removed from my heart, it will remain a blockage stopping blessings and could become a bondage for great sufferings.
Father, once again I invite you to shine your light into every room of my heart. I give you permission to expose the darkness and bring me to repentance. I fully expect all of my heart blockages to be broken and all bondages removed. I choose to live by faith according to your standards and not mine.
LOVE AND LIVE
(Adapted from Proverbs 14:30; 2 Corinthians 12:20;
1 Corinthians 13:4)
Verse 1
A calm and undisturbed mind,
A calm and undisturbed heart
Are the life and health of the body,
But envy and jealousy and wrath
Are like rottenness of the bones
So love and live
Chorus
Love and live in harmony with one another
Love and live prefer your brother
Rather than yourself
Love and live in fellowship with one another
Love and live in fellowship with your Lord
Bridge
Oh What fellowship
O what joy divine
When you chose humility and not pride
©LoveWalkMusic
Words And Music
by Kent Clifford Cooley
No comments:
Post a Comment