Are you Nourishing your Inner Man?

The Lord taught me that the first business I needed to attend to every day was to have my spirit happy in the Lord. My first concern shouldn’t be thinking of ways to serve the and glorify the Lord,  but rather, how to get my spirit into a happy state, and how to nourish my inner man. –George Mueller

The Cleansing of the Inner Depths of the Heart

“Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, as do stripes the inner depths of the heart.” ~ Proverbs 20:30 NKJV

      The blows and stripes referred to in this verse are accurate metaphors of the discipline that we must go through to be cleansed from strongholds and bad habits. In Christ Jesus we are forgiven from all sin, but we often have ungodly habits and strongholds of sin which must be beaten and wounded until they die.

      Our strongholds and bad habits are like cancers that tap into our soul’s “blood supply.” They drain the resources that are meant for our nourishment, peace, and joy. We can never break free from these strongholds without the Lord. Yes, we may break away from some bad habits, but we cannot eradicate the cancerous evil at its very root—only the strength of Christ can do that.

      Likewise as you pursue the wisdom of God, your natural, fleshly man must be beaten and wounded. Your natural inclinations of selfishness must be purged. The process will be painful for you are being separated from the aspects of your old nature which made up you. This process will span the entire length of your life: there will always be another stronghold or something to deal with while you are on this earth, BUT IN CHRIST YOU CAN CONQUER and OBTAIN THE PRIZE!

        As you walk through your life this week remember, dear friends in the Lord, that the blows and wounds—yea the purging of your soul—is necessary for your new life in Christ to continue to grow. Just as a plant must die some day; it will be replaced by another or perhaps many more plants; and the dead plant becomes fertilizer for the new plant. As you abide in Christ, the Lord must discipline you to make room for more of His Spirit and love: to plant new plants, new groves of vegetation that produce fruits of gentleness, love, joy, peace, kindness, self-control and more Christlike character traits where old ones of greed, hate, and condemnation once stood.

     Stand firm and embrace the Lord’s discipline (chastisement) for He is purging your inmost being!  Take Courage brothers and sisters, the Lord is your strength!

Apply! Apply!

 

 

Apply! Apply!

“Apply thine heart unto instruction,

and thine ears to the words of knowledge.” Proverbs 23:12 (KJV)

 

  Apply your heart, young man, to instruction! And your ears to words of knowledge! My mission, my resolution when I began a daily personal devotion time around the age of eleven or twelve was to read a Proverb every day and to learn wisdom. I took care to apply my heart to what I was instructed in by my spiritual leadership and I opened my ears and listened attentively to the words of knowledge that many had to share from their past experience. I “sat at the feet” of those men that instructed me.

 

    Daily reading a Proverb is a habit I have kept most days for the past six or seven years and in that time I know that I have grown in wisdom, yet there is still so much wisdom that I lack. Others have noticed my growth though. I encourage you, young men, to seek wisdom and knowledge from those older than you, and, especially, from the Scriptures—for they are the ultimate source of all truth.

 

   This chapter of Proverbs goes on to say two key things:

·       “Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. “ vs. 22

·        “Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.” vs. 23

 

    Lord, may all those who read this be stirred to cultivate a pursuit of wisdom, truth, discipline, and firm understanding. In Jesus Name, amen.

 

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Who are You?

Who are You?

“Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight. I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord.”

Psalms 101:6-8 (KJV)

     

What is the condition of your heart?

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A Seeking Heart

A Seeking Heart

 

And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord.

2 Chron 12:14 (KJV)

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

 

The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Psalms 1:1-6 (KJV)

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matt 6:31-33 (KJV), emphasis added

 

    David was a man after God’s own heart. Enoch walked with God. Samuel served the Lord all His days. Noah was the only righteous man in His generation. Jude wrote a different epistle than he intended to because of the Lord’s guidance. These are but a few of the many examples that we have in the Scriptures of individuals and nations whose lives and course where undeniably transformed as a result of seeking the Lord.

     Study Daniel, Nehemiah, and Joseph (of the Old Testament). Then study Paul and Timothy (in Acts). Minister, will you seek the Lord? It is of utmost importance that you do. Unless you seek the Lord first, you are sinning for you are trusting in your flesh or some other idol.

seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness . . . .

Matt 6:33 (KJV)

The Desires of Your Heart

The Desires of Your Heart

“Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Psalm 37:4 KJV

  I do not believe that this Scripture is referring to your lusts and fleshly passions when it talks about the desires of your heart. If that is what it meant, God would be condoning sin! God does place His desires in your heart for a reason as you seek Him. One desire that has really been on my heart for years is a wife: even a little boy I’ve looked forward to getting married and having a family. I don’t see God moving in this area; yet He is working in my life. HE placed that desire in my heart for a reason, and God is never slow about carrying out His promises. As I continue to delight myself in the Lord, spend time in His presence, and share His Word, I am sure that His perfect timing will fulfill every desire that is from Him. Any lustful or sinful desire; however, will be cast to the ground for sin cannot dwell in the heart of a person after God. Sin may tempt, but it cannot inhabit a vessel of the Lord unless Satan is given a foothold, for what fellowship has light with darkness, life with death; how does a good tree produce bad fruit?

Close today in prayer and then read all of Psalm 37; as you do so be prepared to learn from the Holy Spirit.

The Heart is the issue

The Heart is the issue

    Why do we sin? What is the greatest problem in life? What can love sometimes yet lust at others, trust sometimes yet doubt at others? The heart. The heart is the issue.

 The Bible says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23 KJV

     You cannot change your heart by your willpower. Trust me, I have tried! The only way your heart can change is to have it transformed, “transplanted.” Ask the Lord to give you a spiritual heart transplant.

       Lord, please give us all a Heart Transplant. Change our hearts, create a new heart within us that is attune to Your will, loving, and the heart that You want us to have in this season of life. In Jesus Name, amen.

Guarding the Heart and Affections

Guarding the Heart and Affections

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)

 

       Guarding your heart and affections is the primary aim of why I advocate courtship so strongly. It is a big part of why I am writing this book. Far too many friends and acquaintances, have “followed their heart” to emotional brokenness and the searing of their conscience. At first, one’s conscience is prodded about the wrong being committed when sinning. But if one continues without repenting, eventually the conscience becomes numb to sin (1 Timothy 4:1-2). At first, there is the pain of a few breakups and cautiousness about “how far to go” . . . . then, I have sadly observed, it no longer matters. Jumping from partner to partner, pursuing emotion, having a hollow life, and departing from the Faith are the fruit of continuing down that path.

    We must, dear readers, do everything that we can to guard our affections. What I mean by this is that we must not let our hearts become infatuated with one person, and then another. It takes discipline, it isn’t easy, and you have to confront your own thoughts and watch your mouth. Truly “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” I thank God that I have never crossed any physical boundaries with the opposite sex, although my heart desperately longed to in the past. By God’s grace, I have never so much as kissed a young woman and thus my lips have been reserved for my future wife alone.  My biggest struggle has been controlling my affections, mainly by not entertaining a crush: fantasizing and playing up how great a particular young woman is in my mind. I think we all can admit that we have done that at one time or another. Our minds want to dwell on a particular member of the opposite sex and ponder what it would be like to marry them. But we must resist! Not only should we resist the devil and flee from temptation, but we must guard our heart and the deep recesses of our mind: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled (2 Corinthians 10:4-6, KJV).

      Please, Do not “follow your heart,” it is unbiblical and dangerous!

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. Proverbs 28:26 (KJV)

 

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV)

 

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. Matthew 15:18-19 (KJV)

Guarding the Heart and Affections

Guarding the Heart and Affections

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)

 

       Guarding your heart and affections is the primary aim of why I advocate courtship so strongly. It is a big part of why I am writing this book. Far too many friends and acquaintances, have “followed their heart” to emotional brokenness and the searing of their conscience. At first, one’s conscience is prodded about the wrong being committed when sinning. But if one continues without repenting, eventually the conscience becomes numb to sin (1 Timothy 4:1-2). At first, there is the pain of a few breakups and cautiousness about “how far to go” . . . . then, I have sadly observed, it no longer matters. Jumping from partner to partner, pursuing emotion, having a hollow life, and departing from the Faith are the fruit of continuing down that path.

    We must, dear readers, do everything that we can to guard our affections. What I mean by this is that we must not let our hearts become infatuated with one person, and then another. It takes discipline, it isn’t easy, and you have to confront your own thoughts and watch your mouth. Truly “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” I thank God that I have never crossed any physical boundaries with the opposite sex, although my heart desperately longed to in the past. By God’s grace, I have never so much as kissed a young woman and thus my lips have been reserved for my future wife alone.  My biggest struggle has been controlling my affections, mainly by not entertaining a crush: fantasizing and playing up how great a particular young woman is in my mind. I think we all can admit that we have done that at one time or another. Our minds want to dwell on a particular member of the opposite sex and ponder what it would be like to marry them. But we must resist! Not only should we resist the devil and flee from temptation, but we must guard our heart and the deep recesses of our mind: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled (2 Corinthians 10:4-6, KJV).

      Please, Do not “follow your heart,” it is unbiblical and dangerous!

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. Proverbs 28:26 (KJV)

 

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV)

 

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. Matthew 15:18-19 (KJV)

With God all things are Possible

With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Matt 19:26 (KJV)

     You can do anything that God wants you to. It is important that we believe this in our hearts and let the peace of Christ rule in our minds (Phil 4), because our thought life can build walls that hinder us from following God. One’s thought life is very, very important.

     I remember a car ride home with my Father and Brother where my Dad was teaching my little brother the importance of how powerful our thoughts are. He started off telling how the son of our Self-Defense Teacher was going to break a board that night and said before he hit it that he wasn’t good at this and didn’t break it. Then my Dad said something that stuck to my mind and heart, “You can do a lot more than you think you can….but Satan wants you defeated because then you’re [useless].” Does the vision God has given you seem too large? Too hard? Too out of your skill set? Not your personality? None of that matters. God can do the impossible; yea, He can do anything through us!

      Think of Noah, Joseph, Daniel, Samson, John the Baptist, Nehemiah, David, Ruth, and the many others we find in Scripture—they did extraordinary things because of God! If they would have just given up because it was hard or too big, they would have disobeyed God and the people of God may have been destroyed. Pause for a moment or two and contemplate how important your thought life is.

Thought 259: Love--you can's spend enough time on this topic from Ryan's devotional book series Thoughts

Thought 259

Love – you can’t spend enough time on this topic

 A changed life shows Christ’s love. His love is a firm love, yet merciful, forgiving and non-compromising love.

  Love is the key to forgiveness and true love of God and others fulfills all the commandments.

Read John 3:16-17 and all of 1 John.

Thought 257: Animal rights--Pshaw! from Ryan's devotional book series Thoughts

Thought 257

Animal rights—Pshaw!

         These days animals may have better rights people. Something is wacky here, God gave man dominion over the animals, which means we can eat them and use their “parts” for our clothing, handles, soap, etc… God’s Word tell us to eat mean and to use animals as beasts of burden. Sadly, however,  aborted children have fewer rights than the dog that is put in a sack and thrown into the river—the aborted children that are cut to tiny pieces in the womb or stabbed in the neck or has their brain sucked out or is born and set aside on a table to die of neglect is more important than an animal! Modern laws show the wicked condition of modern man. Only the Gospel can change the heart of the masses that made these laws and transform their conduct.

          May we all stop and petition the Lord about these wicked modern practices. And may we take a stand for children.

Thought 256: Have a hard heart? from Ryan's devotional book series Thoughts

Thought 256

Have a hard heart?

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26 KJV

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8 KJV

 

Read Matthew 13:1-23

 

Thought 254: Do you serve with a servant's heart? from Ryan's devotional book series

Thought 254

Do you serve with a servant’s heart?

Read 1 Corinthians 13.

   A servant’s heart is a loving heart. Without love we are just resounding gongs or clanging symbols!

P Do you really love?

P Have you been loving like Christ loves?

If you haven’t been operating in love pray…

Admit, to the Father, that you have not been loving. Ask the Lord to forgive you and to teach you how to love like Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. And ask the Lord to give you a “heart transplant”—a new heart full of His love to spill out on others.

Thought 241: Porn from Ryan's devotional book series Thoughts

Thought 241

Porn

  I have read many articles and testimonies from boys and men that have battled with this ugly monster. But let me assure you, most of the things that I have learned; any wisdom that my soul might now cling to, has come from using the gifts of my ears and eyes to listen and to read and using my mind to muse over something and consider the matter. God is the only way out of an addiction to pornography.

 God accepts me despite my failures and despite all my sins and all my miserable shortcomings. If He can accept me, one of the worst sinners, then He can accept you as well.

 If you struggle with the sin of pornography, first recognize that you cannot be free in your own strength, but the Lord’s Spirit in you can give you the power to become free. Believe—have faith—that the Lord will free you from this. It is not His will for you to stay in sin and if you are willing He will delight in helping you out.

 Read these Scriptures and stand on their promises—memorize them, know them, quote them when temptation comes: 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, Ephesians 5:3-4, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, Psalm 24:3-4, James 1:12-16, Psalm 119:9-11, Philippians 4:13, James 4:7-8, Matthew 1:21,   Hebrews 2:17-18, 1 John 2:14, Psalm 101, Job 31:1, 2 Timothy 2:20-21, 1 Cor. 10:13

Thought 239: The Desires of Your Heart from Ryan's devotional book series Thoughts

Thought 239

The Desires of Your Heart

 

“Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give      

thee the desires of thine heart.” Psalm 37:4 KJV

  I do not believe that this Scripture is referring to your lusts and fleshly passions when it talks about the desires of your heart. If that it what it meant, God would be condoning sin! However, God does place desires in your heart for a reason. One that has really been on my heart for years is a wife: even a little boy I’ve looked forward to getting married and having a family. I don’t see God moving in this area, yet He is working. HE placed that desire in my heart for a reason, and God is never slow about carrying out His promises. As I continue to delight myself in the Lord, spend time in His presence and share His Word, I am sure that His perfect timing will fulfill every desire that is from Him. Any lustful or sinful desire; however, will be cast to the ground for sin cannot dwell in the heart of a person after God. Sin may tempt, but it cannot inhabit a vessel of the Lord for what fellowship has light with darkness, life with death; how does a good tree produce bad fruit?

Pray and then read the whole Psalm 37; as you do so be prepared to learn from the Lord.

Thought 226: Contentment from Ryan's devotional book series Thougths

Thought 226

Contentment

  We need to be content. Christ emphasizes the need contentment when He refers to the Pharisee’s as a generation of vipers who don’t know that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matt. 12:34). The problem of discontentment is in our heart, it is a lack of trust in God.

Take some time to examine your heart before God. If their discontentment in your life, what wrong passion of the heart had not been dealt with? The Holy Spirit is your teacher, He will show you.

Thought 198: Praise from Ryan's devotional book series Thoughts

Thought 198

Praise

 “O God, whom I praise…”  Psalm 109:1 NIV1984

Quick Fact

Ø Based on www.scripturektext.com the word praise occurs 594 times in the Bible.

     God desires our praise, but praise isn’t just worshiping or singing to Him. God is praised when we pay the tithe that He commanded us to pay. God is praised when we are obedient. God is praised when we proclaim His name as the source of our strength, our comfort, and our strong tower.

Praise an action not a feeling. Praise is a choice. Keep these two in mind as you read.

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”   John 21:15-22 NIV1984

     From this passage we see the same principle reflected above about praise. Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him and two times Peter responded that he loved the Lord as a friend, but the  last time Peter responded that he loved the Lord undeservedly. What came to mind as I was writing this is that Jesus was trying to get Peter to make a choice to love Him. The love Jesus wants is our choice to love Him, He isn’t trying to force love on us. It is the same with praise. We should love God unreservedly and should praise Him, both are a choice.

Worship the Lord. Praise Him. Love Him.

Daily Devotion from Ryan's devotional book series, Thoughts

Thought160

The Heart is the issue

  Why do we sin? What is the greatest problem in life? What can love sometimes yet lust at others, trust sometimes yet doubt at others? The heart. The heart is the issue.

 The Bible says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23 NIV1984

In the New Living Translation Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

     You cannot change your heart by your willpower. Trust me, I have tried! The only way your heart can change is if God changes it. Ask the Lord to give you a heart transplant.

       Lord, please give us all a Heart Transplant. Change our hearts, create a new heart within us that is attune to Your will, loving, and the heart that You want us to have in this season of life. In Jesus Name, amen.