GREENE STREET LETTERS: They Were Just Words.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

They Were Just Words.

Acts 2:37
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart........

Words...
Words spoken by men and women.
Words that come from the heart, not the mind, spoken concerning the things of God.
These very words are covered and empowered to be like arrows shot from a bow.
They leave the lips of people and somewhere between the speaking and the hearing, God's Holy Spirit prepares hearts to receive. Each heart is different and has different needs.

One heart may need encouragement.
Hope may be running low and dry.
The words that fall on the ears of the listener quicken the spirit inside bringing a fresh rain of hope to that person.
They were just words.

One heart may need to be awakened.
Rude awakening.
Shook to the very core with the reality of the spiritual state of the person.
To be brought to the place where decisions have to be made.
"Yes" to this Jesus.
"No" to validate and retain an old lifestyle.
They were just words.

One heart may need to remember.
The day to day grind had worn down that person.
The message got lost in the shuffle and bustle of living.
Now the words bring a renewal to this heart.
Like dew in the early morning, the words stir life in the heart of the person.
They were just words.

One may need to know that they simply are alive and someone cares.
Needle and rock have robbed them of the ability to believe.
The words sound good, but there are other words trying to crowd them out.
"I am what I am, I cannot change," plays over and over against the words of hope.
It is a battle.
But the words of hope are guided and directed like a laser guided smart bomb, and they find the target. The heart. Even as the head and mind remain full of unanswered questions, the words of hope break through and the person is drawn to surrender will and live over to the care of God.
They were just words.

These words I speak of are not influenced by the oratory skills of the one speaking.
Great, swelling words of wisdom cannot stand against the simple proclamation that Jesus is Lord.
It is the heart that sends these words.
A heart that believes God is who He says He is and will do what He claims He will do.
They were just words.

As much as I love to see God's hand move....
I love to hear His words even more.
My Bible says that "Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God."
So the next time you think they are just words....
Think again.

God on you....
mb

2 comments:

Anonymous said...: What if you speak words from your heart and you feel like God is sending them. Yet the person you are speaking to starts accusing you of preaching to them and makes excuses and leaves. I was left surprised that they took it wrong and wondering why they didn't feel what I felt. They were always telling me how good God is to them.; March 9, 2013 at 10:28 AM
Greene Street Letters said...: I don't know all the particular's about your situation, but it sounds like they didn't want to accept the truth. Funny thing about when God speaks...it either draws us in or it drives us away.
mb; March 13, 2013 at 5:35 AM

Looking At The World Through Cracked Lens

As ol' Paul wrote in his Corinthian letters.."We see in part and we know in part." Now what piece of this bit of wisdom do we not get? I wish to not run around acting and trying to be some sort of Biblical G00-Ru (I meant to spell it wrong). Or a sage of sages.

I simply want to be able to communicate some of what God has given to me. Why? Do I think what I get is better than what you may have received from Him? Nope. But I do think encouragement comes when we share our daily story of struggle and victory in an effort to encourage each other.

Thanks for letting me share.

Time to soldier on..

mbb

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We believe that God is the eternal king. He is an infinite, unchangeable Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, goodness, justice, power and love. From all eternity He exists as the One Living and True God in three persons of one substance, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit equal in power and glory. we believe that God created mankind in His image, male and female, for relationship with Himself and to govern the earth. Under the temptation of Satan, our original parents fell from grace, bringing sin, sickness and God's judgment of death to the earth. Through the fall, Satan and his demonic hosts gained access to God's good creation. Creation now experiences the consequences and effects of Adam's original sin. Human beings are born into sin, subject to God's judgment of death and captive to Satan's kingdom of darkness. We believe that Jesus, God's Son, was sent to this world, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Mary, fully God and fully man in one person. He is humanity as God intended us to be. Jesus was anointed as God's Messiah and empowered by the Holy Spirit, ushering in God's kingdom reign on earth, overpowering the reign of Satan by resisting temptation, preaching the good news of salvation, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead. Jesus' atoning death on the cross took God's judgment for sin which we deserved as law-breakers. Jesus' resurrection and ascent back to heaven opened the door for those who received salvation to begin a relationship with God.

Little Nets Into Deep Waters

Fishing nets were designed for one purpose only. To catch fish. Nets are no good if they stay on the boat. Nets serve no purpose if they are never used. I think maybe God sees us this way. We are all created for a purpose (by the way, the creator gets to define what our purpose is). Any other use besides the one we were created for does us no good. But when the creator places His hands upon us, casting us out into those scary, dark places with deep waters, it is then we can see the reality of our purpose. He knew there would be a catch waiting for us. I think I will be the net God has called me to be.

The Twelve Steps

As a community of people in recovery, we affirm that our higher power is Jesus Christ. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Just as God told the children of Israel He was going to give them a promised land, He has revealed to us that He desires to give us a "Promised Life." When Israel got to the promised land, God instructed them to go and in a possess it, fight for it and claim it. In recovery, the 12 Steps are the directions given to us on how to fight, possess and claim this promised life.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

They Were Just Words.

2 comments:

THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD