True Identity Ministries Blog

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23


There may be nothing more intentional that scripture asks us to do than to guard our hearts. That word guard according to the dictionary means: to protect somebody or something against danger or loss by being vigilant and taking defensive measures, or to watch over and control passage through an entrance or across a boundary. Even though I had seen this scripture many times before in Proverbs 4 and the call to guard our hearts was very clear, for me the question still remained; from what? Finally it came to me. Guard our hearts from anything toxic.

That word toxic just means anything that contains poisonous material that can cause sickness or death. I can’t help but notice in today’s age how hard people are trying to keep their homes and bodies toxic free. You can now buy non toxic cleaning materials, hair care products, nail polishes, paints for your home, and the list goes on. So much effort and work put into living a toxic free life physically speaking, but no one thinks about all the toxic things surrounding our spiritual lives. If you and I are going to be able to be diligent in guarding our hearts we are going to have to be more aware of the toxic things we are allowing in. Allow me to point out just a few for you.


1. Toxic Thoughts
Part of guarding our hearts is to replace our toxic thoughts with God’s truth. Thoughts that are negative, fearful, critical and discontent need to be guarded against. In fact throughout scripture many times the word heart is used interchangeably with the word thoughts. The same is true for Proverbs 4:23. According to 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 we are to take our thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. Sounds like guarding to me. So begin to think about what you are thinking about. Be vigilant to watch over and control the thoughts you allow to linger about in your heart and mind. Whatever you do remove the toxic ones and replace them with whatever is noble, true, right, pure, excellent, and praiseworthy.


2. Toxic Influences
From the movies we watch, to the music we listen to, even to the sites we surf on the web you may not find anything more toxic to our hearts than these influences. We have gotten a little lazy at monitoring the influences we are allowing to shape and mold our lives. If you are a mom you know how hard you may work to control the media and cultural influences your children are partaking in, but what about you? What are you doing to safeguard against the toxic influences surrounding your own life? A few things to ask yourself would be: Is What I am watching/reading displeasing to God? Am I being entertained somehow by sin? Is this luring me away from Christ? If you answer yes to any of those questions you need to flee from that type of entertainment. Don’t be lazy when it comes to guarding against toxic influences. They really will determine the course of your life.


3. Toxic Relationships

The bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:33 to not be misled, that bad company really does corrupt good character. Toxic company can be anyone that is chronically negative and critical, anyone that is a controller, and especially anyone that is a tempter. If you have any one of these types of company in your world you need to beware and guard your heart. That toxic company can work against your good character. As women we can be so timid to cut off toxic relationships even though we know how much they are poisoning our own walk with God. Be brave to take measures against the toxic company in your life. Set up healthy boundaries and be bold to cut ties where God leads you.


4. Toxic Words
Scripture tells us that the tongue holds the power of life and death and that is so true. Words have the unmatched ability to shape and mold a person’s belief system and self image. Whether its words spoken to you or words spoken by you, you need to guard against toxic words. Any words that don’t line up with God’s words are toxic. Begin to evaluate the words you are allowing to be spoken over your life by others and be quick to discredit them if they don’t line up with what God says about you. Be even quicker to evaluate the words you are allowing to come out of your own mouth. If they aren’t words that edify and build up those around you, don’t even speak them. Remember toxic and poisonous words have the power to bring sickness, but if you guard your heart and speak life you will bring healing all around you.

Of course this isn’t an exhaustive list of toxic things for us to be guarding our hearts from, but it is a great start. I have learned in my own life that what I allow into my heart and mind really will determine the course of my life just as Proverbs 4 teaches. As for me and my family I want the course of my life to be one that pleases and glorifies my God. That’s why I am determined to always guard my heart.

xoxo
Justeina

Dirty. Filthy. Covered with the dust from the streets, the feet of the disciples were left black and sore with cuts as they entered the room for the last supper. It was a servant’s job to wash the feet of those entering the house, but no servant was to be found. Reclining next to each other as they ate at the dinner table, Jesus laid aside his outer garments, took up a towel, and carried the basin of water over to Simon Peter. One by one Jesus, the Son of God, humbled himself to wash the grime and dirt off of the feet of each man.

Can you imagine sitting there at the dinner table as God washed the mud off of your feet? The task, however disagreeable, had to be done and only Jesus took the initiative to see it accomplished. It was out of love that he performed the service of a slave.

Later on in the evening, Jesus continued his ministry and proclaimed, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love another,” (John. 13.34).

How did Jesus love? He had just given an example of his love at dinner by washing the disciple’s feet. If you have any doubt that it was an example of love, go back to verse 15, “For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.”

Jesus is calling all people to have this same kind of love...
A love that initiates when others sit back.
A love that humbles you to face what may seem unlovely and serve position underneath you.
A love that acts in the knowledge of another’s impure motives or betrayal.
A love that cleanses.
Among a group of men who quarreled over greatness, Jesus set the example of service instead of strife.

Loving a person isn’t always easy. If any person has a reason to withhold love, it is Jesus. He see’s the unlovely in a person and nothing is hidden from his sight, yet he loves unconditionally. This love served others by putting a person before himself. Men and women, that is the love that God is calling us to show. It won’t always be easy, but it is always worth it. And when you do, God is glorified. Verse 35 says, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

In a self-serve world, service stands out. Love for other people is a witness to the ungodly. In this season of “love,” set the example to others. With those around you, whether friends or strangers, show love by taking the initiative to humble yourself and cleanse people. Put others before yourself and let God shine!

We’ve been talking about spiritual growth for the past few Thursdays and today I would like to take a closer look of what spiritual growth truly looks like in our lives.

Spiritual growth does not look like: slavery. In Romans chapters 6-8, the Bible speaks on slavery to sin, freedom from sin’s grasp, and life in the Spirit.

Romans 6:1, “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?”

So, if forgiveness is guaranteed, do we have to the freedom to sin as much as we want to? Paul’s answer is a solid, “Of course not!” The slavery to sin leads to-

Shame…

Romans 6:20, “When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do.”

Shame? I know that I certainly do not want to live this life on Earth with this hanging over my head! So, if we are in some type of slavery to sin..how can we GROW past it?!

We can take some necessary steps:
1.Identify our personal weaknesses
2.Recognize the things that tempt us
3.Stay AWAY from the sources of temptations
4.Practice self-control
5.Invest our time and energies into things that pleasing to God
6.Lean on God’s power and strength.

Lastly, we must realize that sin’s power is broken. We do not have to live in slavery. We have power available to us.

Romans 8:2, “And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”

Many times we are not tapping into the true power source and we are trying to achieve this on our own. I know I have done this many times and still mess up! It’s like thinking I am going to use my blow dryer to dry my hair without plugging it in to the power outlet. It’s impossible!

Well, it’s the same way with our spiritual growth. If we want to live in freedom and be the women of God that He intended us to be…we MUST never underestimate the power of sin and attempt to fight it in our own strength. Satan is a crafty tempter, and we have an amazing ability to make excuses. Instead of trying to overcome sin with our own human willpower, we must take hold of God’s provision for victory over sin: the Holy Spirit, who lives within us and gives us power.

This week’s challenge:
1.Read Romans chapters 6-8 and ask God to speak to your heart through these chapters.
2.Read and pray over the 6 steps.
3.Ask the Holy Spirit for His power to be the director of your days.

Masquerading 2/8/2011 - True ID Ministries Internet Radio Blog Talk Radio

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2 (NIV)


My family is getting ready to leave for Florida for a ten day vacation. One of my favorite things to do right before we leave is go get my yearly pedicure. Ok, I call it yearly because it’s my excuse to go give my feet some much needed attention before I’m wearing cute sandals all week! Ha! My mom and mother-in-law are also going to Florida, so they went along and we had so much fun getting our mini-makeovers before our trip.

We were laughing at ourselves and our excitement over this mini make-over, but also realizing how much ‘cuter’ we all felt afterwards. And while a simple pedicure can be a small makeover, how much more vital and important are our spiritual makeovers?? So, today, when I went to have my quiet times, the devotional below sure caught my attention! I hope you are equally blessed and encouraged just as I was!

(This devotional is by Buddy Owens, teaching pastor at Saddleback Church and author of ‘The Way of a Worshiper’.)


Change is great on the outside, but real change comes from the inside out. It’s more than cosmetic; it’s more than a skinnier version of the same old you. God wants you to be made new from the inside out – spirit, soul, and body.


God puts them in that order in his Word: “May the God who gives us peace make you holy in every way and keep your whole being – spirit, soul, and body – free from every fault at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23 TEV).

God knows that real change comes from the inside. It’s great’s to clean out the fridge and get rid of the junk food in the pantry. But what about the junk food in your head? The old lies, the empty values, the false perceptions? Ephesians 4:23 says, “Be made new in the attitude of your minds” (NIV).
There are two words in today’s verse from Romans 12 that I want to focus on --

1.Conform. According to the dictionary, conform means to “make or become the same” or “to behave in a conventional way by accepting without question the customs, traditions and prevailing opinions of others.” How often do we do this? We think, “Oh everybody else is doing it so it must be okay.” But God says, “Don’t conform to the ways of this world. Stop and think about what you’re doing.”

2.Transform. Transform means “to change the condition, function, nature, character or personality” of something. It means changing from the inside out. In Romans 12, Paul says to transform yourself not by trying to be like the rest of the world, but by renewing your mind, by changing the way you think.

God wants a new you who not only looks different, but who lives and thinks and speaks and acts differently. He wants a new you who has taken a 180-degree turn and is headed in a new direction, no longer pursuing an old way of life, no longer trying to conform and fit in and be like everybody else. He wants a new you who is being transformed by the renewing of your mind – a new you who is being transformed into the likeness of Christ.

With Valentine's Day fast approaching , I have been thinking about love. What does it look like? How and who do we show it to? What does God say about love?

I'm excited about a devotional I will post next Friday about love...so check back in. But today I wanted to pose a question for you. To get the wheels in your mind turning.

When you walk into a room, the question you shouldn't be asking yourself is, "Do these people love me?" The question you should be asking yourself is,

"Do these people know that I love them?"

Remember that as you go into your church, your workplace, your home, the doctors office, the grocery store, etc. It's not always easy, to love. But love is a decision.

Whether it's a room full of strangers or a place filled with old friends, love is the greatest thing you can give them. Can show them.

Decide to love, no matter how you are feeling: it may be you're down, it may be you're up. Our feelings can't control our disposition like that. The presence we bring shouldn't be affected by our day. Because Scripture says love never fails.

Decide to show God's love, to show genuine love each day. Like I said, it will not always be easy. At times the flesh will want to be irritable and rude, but the flesh must bow down to the Spirit. And the Spirit loves. Now go love the people in your world and offer the greatest of these.

2 Corinthians 12:9