Look Into My Heart

Look Into My Heart

Proverbs 14:10(NCV) “No one else can know your sadness, and strangers cannot share your joy.”

What if you saw the insides of my heart today?

If you looked deep inside of me I wonder what you would say

Would you be excited about the love that I have

For my God, my family, even the enemies that back stab

Maybe you would admire me for my love and dedication

To the Bible and God’s people; who I will serve without hesitation

You would probably be impressed by my faithfulness to my friends

No matter what comes I will be true to them until the end

You will smile when you hear that I trust Jesus and have avoided God’s wrath

That I delight to shun the broad way I try hard to stay on the narrow path

You will appreciate the part of me that is convicted of sin

Oh yeah, don’t forget that inner part that desires godliness within

But if you looked into my heart you would surely see the scars

That travel back to when I was young and my thoughts were my bars

You would see the part of me that was used to being laughed at

Whenever an awkward situation came up I never knew how to act

Trying to fit in and just feel like a normal human being

But no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t shake that awful feeling

If you looked into my heart you would definitely see

That sinful side that is always out to destroy me

You would see those things I hate to do when no else is around

Those things that we all swear would never bring us down

You would recognize that I always have struggles on the inside

A desire to always do right and hide my sinful side

And if you keep searching you will find something that permeates every part

From the beginning I always had a desire to make Christ home my heart

You would see that I am not willing to ever let go of the hand of my King

My Savior and Redeemer who has taken away death’s sting

If you looked into my heart you would see someone who is driven by God

To walk through this life even though it will be very hard

You would also see someone who is thankful for the gift of being alive

You would recognize that Christ is the reason I have so much drive

To keep smiling and living out His Words that give peace

For in my heart I fully recognize I am one of His sheep

1Corinthians 2:11(NCV) “Who knows the thoughts that another person has? Only a person’s spirit that lives within him knows his thoughts…”

Will Gilmer- I don’t have enough time to tell you about my heart, but if you hang around me long enough, I will show it to you.

William L. Gilmer

Knowing God can help you understand who you are, why you think the way that you think, where you are going and what you are doing. You may not know when and how you are going to get there, but if you grow to know Him, your understanding will become clearer and clearer.

1.       So, who are you?

2.       Why do you think the way you think (how do you form your opinions)?

3.       What are your dreams, desires or plans for life (what do you want to be and what led you to this decision)?

4.       How are you going to accomplish your dreams or goals?

I am What Ever You Say I Am!!!???

I am What Ever You Say I Am!!!???

 

Who Has Family Hero Traits?

Have you ever made the honor roll in school?

Made your mother and other family members proud by achieving something they asked you to do?

Been your teacher’s favorite?

Done something before a family member or teacher asked you to do it?

Been a leader in school, some sport, or your group of friends?

Have you ever been on T.V.?

Who Has Problem Child Traits?

Have you ever been punished?

Have you ever talked back to your parents or teacher?

Interrupted a class because you just felt like doing it?

Have you ever said, “I don’t care what anyone thinks?”

Have you ever been chased by the police or spent a night in jail?

Made your mom or dad mad just because you wanted to? 

Who Has Lost Child Traits?

Have you ever felt like you didn’t fit in with your family?

Have you ever said, “You just don’t understand me” to someone?

Have you ever fantasized about being someone or something else?

Have you ever felt intimidated by other people’s looks or talents?

Have you ever been afraid to go somewhere because of what others might say about you?

Have you ever felt like quitting or giving up just because you don’t like your life?

Who Has Class Clown Traits?

Have you ever acted like you were/are dumb to fit in?

Have you ever made fun of others so people wouldn’t make fun of you?

Have you ever worn something so people can pay attention to you?

Have you ever become jealous of someone else because they were the center of attention?

Who are You???

What Makes You, You and Me, Me?

Our Parents?

The things we do?

Our Neighborhood?

The people we hang out with?

The schools we go to?

The music we listen to?

The shows we watch?

The people we know?

How do you become the person you are/are becoming?

PEOPLE, RELIGIONS, NEIGHBORHOODS, PARENTS, FRIENDS AND OTHERS HAVE AN IMPACT ON WHO YOU ARE. WE ALLOW THESE PEOPLE TO AFFECT OUR BEHAVIOR, WHAT WE WEAR, AND WHO WE HANGOUT WITH, BUT NONE OF THESE PEOPLE CAN MAKE YOU WHO YOU REALLY ARE…

ONLY GOD CAN DO THAT

 

Romans 12:3 (The Message Version) The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what (who) God is and by what he does for us, not by what (who) we are and what we do for him (God).

IN THE BASEMENT

Does your life ever feel like a child in a dark basement?

You know where you are but you don’t have secure placement

You are afraid to walk through it because of what may get you

Others have said it’s not that bad, but you don’t think you will make it through

In the basement it’s dark and filled with creepy things

You can’t always see what’s going on, but you are always ready to scream

You hear a noise and wonder, “what is that over there?”

You bump into an object and wonder if it is a person or a chair

You stumble over an object while straining to gain your sight

You walk briskly through the basement trying to find the light

In a panic you rushed into something that you could have missed

And now you are not only scared, you are also miffed

Mad that others told you the basement “was not that bad”

Distraught because you don’t seem to have the wisdom they had

So in a fit of rage you scream “can somebody help me?”

“I’m overtaken by the dark and I cannot see”

At that moment you are scared and feel all alone

And then your Dad turns on the light and you realize you are home

He calms your fears by letting you know that He was always there

He rushes to your side, hugs you, just to show you He cares

He lets you know that without Him you cannot reach the light

And if you go into the basement, just ask and He will give you sight

“You never have to worry about being in the basement alone

As long as I’m your Father and this place is my home”

Psalm 116:1-6 (NCV) “I love the Lord, because he listens to my prayers for help. He paid attention to me, so I will call to him for help as long as I live. The ropes of death bound me, and the fear of the grave took hold of me. I was troubled and sad. Then I called out the name of the Lord. I said, ‘Please, Lord, save me!’ The Lord is kind and does what is right; our God is merciful. The Lord watches over the foolish; when I was helpless, he saved me.”

William Gilmer

Doesn’t life feel like this at times, dark, scary and lonely? You are not quite sure where you are going, what or why you are doing what you are doing, how you got to this place in your life, when you will understand many of the questions and things you struggle with in life, and most importantly, you look inside and cannot figure out who you are. You are confused one day and excited the next. Some mornings are filled with fear, anxiety and stress, while others you are bursting with joy, anticipating the things you are going to do or be involved in. Life can be a confusing journey at times, but with the guidance of the Lord (and the people He has placed in your life), He will be the Light that clears up much of the fog that covers those areas of life where we are challenged and confused.

So, who are you? How did you figure this out? Let’s talk about who you are.

I Hear You, but Do You Hear Him?

I Hear You, but Do You Hear Him?

Psalm 4: 2, 3, 7, 8 (MSG) “You rabble—how long do I put up with your scorn? How long will you lust after lies? How long will you live crazed by illusion? Look at this: look who got picked by God! He listens the split second I call to him. Why is everyone hungry for more? "More, more," they say. "More, more." I have God's more-than-enough, more joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees. At day's end I'm ready for sound sleep, for you, God, have put my life back together.”

Will Gilmer- Rumors, lies and gossip; why do we enjoy spreading so much of it? Why do we take pleasure in hurting people with our words? Why do we “lust after lies” and are hungry for more?

Sin is a very powerful disease; there are many times when we don’t realize the depth of its grip on us or the affect that it has on our lives. I believe our sin nature is what allows us to take pleasure in spreading lies about someone else (even if it is under the guise of soliciting prayer). The nature we are born with delights to see someone else in misery and takes joy that someone has fallen in some area of their life. The nature we are born with is very twisted and depraved; Satan, who is the epitome of depravity, takes full advantage of this nature that we are born with and uses our carnal natural desires to draw us into these deadly conversations over and over again; with no regard to who we hurt or the relationships we damage.

If you have been the victim of one of these attacks don’t lose heart. Oh, I am not saying that the words that are spoken will not hurt, they will; what’s being said about you may be true and constant reminders of your actions will cause you grief,  but look at the verse of Scripture above, look at what the psalmist is saying, “Look at this: look who got picked by God! He listens the split second I call to him.” Do you see it; do you see who got picked by God? Do you see who God listens to? He doesn’t listen to the liar or the person who is spreading the gossip; He listens to the one who was being scorned (talked about).

Why would God pick the scorned people who are being talked about; why would God choose to listen to you even if some part of what people were saying about you was true… “Then Levi (Jesus newly appointed disciple) gave a big dinner for Jesus at his house. Many tax collectors and other people were eating there, too. But the Pharisees and the men who taught the law for the Pharisees began to complain to Jesus' followers, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy people who need a doctor, but the sick. ³² I have not come to invite good people but sinners to change their hearts and lives." (Luke 5:29-31) Jesus was eating with people who were used to being talked about, misunderstood and lied on. Jesus was spending intimate time with people who the religious people of that time would have never spent time with; Jesus was spending time with people who needed their lives put back together because of the nature they were born with (sin nature) and what was being said about them.

So Why would God listen to you? God would listen to you because…

·        He Cares for you…” Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you (1 Peter 5:7; NCV)”.

·        Those who rely on His grace cannot brag about their lives or talk bad (gossip) about the lives of others… “Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don't see many of "the brightest and the best" among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn't it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses; chose these "nobodies" to expose the hollow pretensions of the "somebodies"? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:26-30; MSG).

·        He wants you to have His joy, peace and to enjoy life in all the fullness that He intended it to be…  “I have told you these things so that you can have the same joy I have and so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy… I leave you peace; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don't let your hearts be troubled or afraid… A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I came to give life—life in all its fullness.” (John 15:11; 14:27 and 10:10, NCV), because He has put your, “life back together”, through His grace.