Thoughts for Life: SATISFY YOUR HEART

Diane Ohlson-

"I am one of those people who is generally happy but who can also quickly lose that happiness when faced with something. Scripture showed me that I experienced the ups and downs because I kept focusing on the wrong things.(Satisfy Your Heart)

Basing our happiness on surface-level stuff is easy. We build happiness around people, plans, possessions, titles, and achievements. Satan fools us into believing that we can achieve happiness if we become whoever or have whatever. This is a problem. Satan doesn't remind us our world is sinful or that many details are outside of our control. Instead, he works to keep us on this path of desire.

Framing happiness around things that can break, people who may disappoint, and titles and classes that can change is dangerous. With all the noise around us, it's hard to remember that contentment is a matter of the heart. The shift back starts by widening our perspective and recognizing the need to depend on something greater.

We must center our hearts around something that can weather the storms. God's love can do that, and it is enough. God's love is unlike any love felt here. His love is too great to understand fully. His love is steadfast and eternal and will never let us down. It can protect, isn't earned, and is freely given. God's love is something we should and can depend on above anything else.

If we place God's love at our core, we won't experience life's ups and downs as earth-shaking. Accepting it as enough permits us to let life's disappointments pass us by without rocking our foundation. Putting God and His love for us as the thing that matters most is the secret sauce to keeping a joyful heart.

Let Jesus show you the path to joy because God knows you personally by name. Let God's love fill your shortcomings and shine brightness into the dreary days. Call on God's love to satisfy your heart so you can rejoice and be glad daily."

"Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days." Psalm 90:14 ESV

Let's pray-

Father, many of us are generally happy, but we can qwickly lose that happiness when faced with a difficult situation. Your Word shows us that when we experience ups and downs, we're not focussing on You.

We tend to build our happiness around people, plans, possessions, titles and achievements, the surface-level stuff. This is a problem, as Satan doesn't remind us of our sinful actions, but rather, he works to keep us on this path of desire.

We ask for Your help to make wise decisions for our lives! In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

#85 Quote- James Banks

"With God, in a far more profound way, stillness accomplishes what constant motion and effort cannot. The stillness of our souls as we learn to rest in Him through prayer is something He blesses. 'Be still, and know that I am God,' He tells us (Psalm 46:10). The Hebrew word rendered 'be still' is also sometimes translated as 'cease striving.' When we stop pushing, God meets us with His peace, and we find ourselves in the place where we were always meant to be." James Banks in Peace through Prayer (pg.91).

1461-1465 One-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted-

1461- Ez. 33:22a "Now the hand of the LORD was upon me."

1462- Ez. 9:6b "Begin at my sanctuary."

1463- Job 33:12b "God is greater than man."

1464- Ps. 105:43 "And he brought forth his people with joy, and his

chosen with gladness."

1465- Ps. 123:3a "Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us."

#85 Hymn- A Mighty Fortress Is Our God LISTEN

The information about this song, is taken from the book by Robert J. Morgan, THEN SINGS MY SOUL (pg. 15)

"When the Protestant Reformation began, Martin Luther determined to restore worship to the German Church. He worked with skilled musicians to create new music for Christians, to be sung in the vernacular. He helped revive congregational singing and wrote a number of hymns.

Luther's most famous hymn is "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." Based on Psalm 46, it reflects Luther's awareness of our intense struggle with Satan. In difficulty and danger, Luther would often resort to this song, saying to his associate, "Come, Philipp, let us sing the 46th Psalm."

Some instructive words-

"When we criticize ourselves, we devalue His masterpiece. We were made in His image, fearfully and wonderfully crafted with a purpose only we can fulfill. God doesn’t make mistakes. If He sees us as “very good,” why do we struggle to see ourselves that way? Instead of dwelling on our perceived shortcomings, let’s fix our eyes on the One who formed us and find our worth in His unchanging love." Rachael Adams

"The Bible shows us that we were not created to walk alone. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reminds us that when one falls, their companion can lift them. This principle also applies to our spiritual journey: we need others to encourage us, correct us, and walk with us in the fight against sin."Mario Vega

Whatever He Says, Do It Dutch Sheets

Church Notes:

Jesus is the Man of incredible authority! Demons are afraid of Him, and they torment us everytime they can. We're to stand up to them, knowing that Christ has given us authority over them!

The degrees of harassment are these:

1). Demonic harassment which is, they try to take control of our thoughts.

2). They're deceptive and hard to deal with.

3). They oppress women especially

4). They attempt to take control by possession.

As we learn to lean into Jesus, a transformation takes place. When we seek healing and deliverence, we'll become the new creations He desires us to be. He is our Over-All Authority!

Upcoming posts:

5/17- WHY WE NEED TO PRAY- John Calvin

24th- BE PREPARED- Revin Spencer

31sr- CHOOSING THE RIGHT DOOR- Karen Huffaker