heart – Brian Friedl https://brianfriedl.com Making Your Life's Mission Possible Sat, 05 May 2018 11:57:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.3.17 64732294 What’s More Important Than Looking Good On The Outside? https://brianfriedl.com/whats-more-important-than-looking-good-on-the-outside/ Thu, 16 Mar 2017 07:30:39 +0000 http://brianfriedl.com/?p=1207 I grabbed my camera quickly as I often do to capture the beautiful scenery for the next day’s post before I lost the opportunity. This time it was of Canadian geese that had returned to an early spring.   I admired their beauty as I swiftly focused and grabbed the shot.  “Perfect”, I said to myself, “They didn’t even move”

Shortly after taking the photo something seemed odd.  Geese are incredibly loud creatures and I hadn’t heard even one make a noise.  As I studied more closely, I noticed that they appeared to be dead and frozen to the pond.   My stomached dropped.  How sad! The timeless and pristine photo I captured, though it looked like it was teaming with life, was actually a picture of a gravesite.  

Sadly, this reminded me there are several people who on the outside appear to be some pretty amazing believers; when in reality their hearts are still dead in their trespasses.  While their lips honor and build up, their hearts are far from the One through whom all things were created.  They do not seek to surrender, love, and carry out the work of God and their end is the way of death.   

To my relief, I found out later the birds were alive, but the illustration will forever be burned in my brain.  

Reflection

Examine yourselves honestly to see if Christ is in you.  Do not be found as the man whose lips praise and whose heart detests our Father in heaven.  

Confess to the LORD anything that is separating you from Him.  

Turn from those things and follow hard after God alone!

Prayer

Father we are guilty of caring more about the outside than the heart.   For You can see all things and You know our hearts.    Draw us to You and make Your thoughts ours.  Let us not be content with just giving You lip service and the doctrines of men, but instead let us run to You, surrendering all of our hearts in Christ’s name Amen!

]]> 1207 In Word And In Heart https://brianfriedl.com/in-word-and-in-heart/ Thu, 05 Jan 2017 11:46:49 +0000 http://brianfriedl.com/in-word-and-in-heart/
“Then the Lord said, “Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote, Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous; And the wisdom of their wise men will perish, And the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed.” Woe to those who deeply hide their plans from the LORD, And whose deeds are done in a dark place, And they say, “Who sees us?” or “Who knows us?” You turn things around! Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay, That what is made would say to its maker, “He did not make me”; Or what is formed say to him who formed it, “He has no understanding?”

~ Isaiah 29:13-16 NASB

When will we realize that God is the giver of all, sees all, and knows the depths of our heart? There is no intention that is hidden from Him. 

How sharp are the words of scripture; never wavering from the truth. How rotten the aroma of our arrogance that we continue in sin as if God is not real. We have been given new life and are to walk in it. No longer are we to walk in the death that our flesh used to. Praise God for His perfect son who has delivered us from this body of death!

May 2017 bring a time of renewal where our whole hearts draw near to God. May it not just be going through the motions; instead let us cast ourselves at His feet in fully surrendered worship! It is there we find victory and peace from all that ails us. . 

#turthtalk4life #knowlivespeaktruthinlove

Make sure to share and add these hashtags above.  How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news! 
@brianfriedl 
Note: All Bible quotes are taken from the New American Standard Bible offered by youversion.com unless otherwise stated.

]]> 998 Overflowing Word Of Faith https://brianfriedl.com/overflowing-word-of-faith/ https://brianfriedl.com/overflowing-word-of-faith/#comments Wed, 21 Dec 2016 12:19:13 +0000 http://brianfriedl.com/overflowing-word-of-faith/ Salvation is found when Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us by faith. With our heart, we believe in Christ and His finished work. With our bodies, specifically our mouth, we confess that Jesus is Lord.

Salvation is not the result of our work to earn favor with God. For this is impossible. Instead with God all things are possible. He has made a way by grace through faith in Christ.

Let that faith not stop at you, but instead May your mouth be the overflow of your heart as you bring the good news to all around you!

Pray today that this simple but powerful message of the Gospel would have its way in the hearts of all who hear it, especially for those enslaved by the thought of having to earn their way.

Pray for those suffering to bring this truth to the world. May they not grow weary but be filled with the power of God that never tires….

Reflection

Who do you know that is without Jesus today?

How can you invest in your relationship with that person?

Commit time to pray for and share Jesus in word and deed with this person over the next 6 months.

Prayer

Father we humbly pray that You would use us to full measure as Your hands and feet. Let Your love reign in and through us to reach those that are without Jesus. May the come to know a Your amazing truth and grace in Jesus, Amen!

@brianfriedl

#truthtalk4life

]]> https://brianfriedl.com/overflowing-word-of-faith/feed/ 2 953 A Heart Of Obedience https://brianfriedl.com/a-heart-of-obedience/ https://brianfriedl.com/a-heart-of-obedience/#comments Sun, 18 Dec 2016 12:20:28 +0000 http://brianfriedl.com/a-heart-of-obedience/
There is a stinging truth that our pride often prevents us from seeing the depths of wickedness in our hearts. We make light of our sin and the sacrifice that was made to atone for it. We think of ourselves more highly than we ought. 
Sometimes we even intentionally sin ignoring the magnitude of the Lord’s sacrifice reducing the cross to an unlimited get out of jail free card. It is true that where sin abounds grace abounds all the more; however, Paul said in Romans:

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be…”  ~ Romans 6:1-2a NASB

God sees our heart for what it is and longs for it to be pure like His. He desires our heart to overflow with righteousness and justice out of a love and devotion for Him.  Our hearts were designed to love and worship Him!  

What sin in your life continues to promise life but keeps delivering death?   

Confess that sin before God today, turn from to Your Father in heaven, and know that what He has provided in Christ is all you need. 

Pray today that the minds of our brothers and sisters as well as ours would be rightly fixed on Jesus Christ, that we would humbly see our hearts as they truly are, and that we would realize our desperate need for Him. For He is our love, He is our justice, and He is our righteousness. 
@brianfriedl 

#truthtalk4life

]]> https://brianfriedl.com/a-heart-of-obedience/feed/ 2 942 Let Your Heart Be Written On https://brianfriedl.com/826-2/ Mon, 15 Aug 2016 11:35:02 +0000 http://brianfriedl.com/?p=826   
As I read these verses, my heart was filled with gratitude that I can spend time in God’s word just about any time I want to.  I, like you, have access to multiple translations physical and digital and even audio. 

No excuses! We have access!  I love the plan of our Father that He wants to write His word on our heart. I so desperately want His word so much a part of me that it is who I am.  I want it to have its way in all that I think and do!

Personal Reflection

Have you opened the notebook of your heart to the most amazing writer this world has ever known?  The One who spoke all of the world into being desires to be that close to you. He has adopted us as His children and not only are we made in His image we also carry His word branded on our hearts!  We are His!

What can you do today to diligently teach others God’s word?  What are some ways you can know, live, and speak the truth to them?

Set a schedule to be in His word daily.  You can do this!

Prayer Focus

LORD, we praise you for saving us and writing Your words upon our hearts.  May we sing of Your love forever.  May we diligently and intentionally teach Your Word to others for Your glory, in Jesus’ Name, Amen!

]]> 826 How To Overcome Despair https://brianfriedl.com/how-to-overcome-despair/ https://brianfriedl.com/how-to-overcome-despair/#comments Thu, 05 May 2016 12:03:16 +0000 http://brianfriedl.com/how-to-overcome-despair/ There is no doubt that our situation can overwhelm us.  It can cause our emotions to spiral to a place of anger, frustration, hopelessness, and despair.  We can feel ourselves sinking in the water instead of being on top with Jesus.

It is in these times that we don’t “feel” God is present or caring.  This is when our minds must take charge and preach the truth to ourselves.  Notice the Psalmist grounding himself back in truth:

1) I have trusted in your lovingkindness

2) My heart shall rejoice in your salvation

3) I will sing to the LORD because He has dealt bountiful with me.

Personal Reflection

Two things stand out for personal application and I may sound like a broken record.

1) Our eyes must be fixed on Christ if we are to enjoy the abundance of God.  Looking at ourselves and our situation always ends up producing a feeling of lacking something. On the contrary, Looking to Christ brings us to a place of abundance and gratitude.   Get connected with another believer who is serious about following Jesus and help eachother through practicing preaching truth to your hearts.

2) The best way to equip your mind to deal with these waves of despair is to fill it with truth.  There is a reason we are to meditate on His Word day and night.  In the same way a soldier sharpens his body for battle do we must also sharpen are minds to be on the ready.

It is truth that will carry us when our heart lies to us.  There are times when that truth is the only thing we have to cling to.

Again having a brother or sister in Christ to study with helps hold you accountable and leads to success in this process.

Prayer Focus

LORD, we confess that our eyes wander and focus on the waves instead of your faithful hand holding us.  You have warned us that out of the heart flows much deceit. Father we pray that truth would reign in every part of our lives and over our heart.  Teach us to preach your truth to our hearts, that our faith would grow and our lips would be filled with your praises for all eternity. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

#preachtruthtoyourheart #truthtransforms  #truthtalk4life

@brianfriedl

]]> https://brianfriedl.com/how-to-overcome-despair/feed/ 4 648 Does Your Outside Match Your Inside? https://brianfriedl.com/does-your-outside-match-your-inside/ https://brianfriedl.com/does-your-outside-match-your-inside/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2016 12:39:49 +0000 http://brianfriedl.com/?p=486   
There is nothing new under the sun.  This proverb is timeless for sure!  From the beginning it was intended that God would be the ultimate desire of our hearts. We were designed to delight in His law, precepts, and statutes. 

Take a close look at verse 3.  Sacrifice is an outward expression of an inward obedience.  The challenge is that we can sacrifice or do something on the outside with no real desire for God or obedience behind it. Hence the need to our weigh hearts.  He knows every thought and motive contained therein.  What a mighty God we serve!

Personal Reflection

Let’s face it sometimes we get distracted and just go through the motions of trying to be good or maybe we don’t think about our relationship with God at all.  If you’re in that place today, wake up and make time for God today.  Confess to Him that you have neglected your relationship.  Make a plan to be in His Word.  Invite someone else to study with you so you are more likely to stick with it.  Get serious about your relationship. Choose for Him to be the 1st desire of your heart. 

Prayer Focus

Heavenly Father, distraction by things in this life seem to be one of our biggest enemies. Help us to invest in our relationship with you.  Make our hearts desire you above all else.  Give us discipline to be in your Word that we may know you and walk with you everyday; always; in Jesus’ Name. Amen!

@brianfriedl

#pureheart #desireGod #truthtalk4life

]]> https://brianfriedl.com/does-your-outside-match-your-inside/feed/ 2 486 Restore My Heart https://brianfriedl.com/resore-my-heart/ https://brianfriedl.com/resore-my-heart/#comments Mon, 15 Feb 2016 12:59:24 +0000 http://brianfriedl.com/?p=454  Jeremiah tells us that the heart is deceitful above all else and is desperately sick.  We cannot fool the LORD. He sees right to our core and tests us according to absolute truth and fact.  

What hope is there then if we are desperately sick at the heart of our being? Our hope lies in the great physician; the one who handcrafted every cell in our body; the only one who has the power to restore to perfection through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  

Without Him we would have been left in a helpless state.  Instead God’s desire for us to be with Him has trumped our inability to do what is right.  He has rescued us with the blood of Christ and we are now righteous in His eyes. 

Personal Reflection

What sin are you hiding from others?  Know that it is not hidden from God.  Confess it and walk in the light as he is in the light and experience true freedom today. Let Him cleanse and purify your heart. 

Prayer Focus

Father God, we confess that we have harbored sin against you and you alone.  We have been deceived and thought we needed something more than your provision.  Please forgive us and lead us into the light of your love and righteousness.  Thank you for your son Jesus and His powerful victory at the cross.  In His name we pray, Amen.  

@brianfriedl

#restoration #righteousness #love #truthtalk4life #knowlivespeaktruthinlove

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