Our grandson Colton is a car-aholic. He can never have enough Hot Wheels and is overjoyed to come to Mimi and Papa's house knowing he will get to pick a few new ones to add to his abundant collection. And it is not a quick, pick two cars, and go play kind of thing. He literally digs to the bottom, then the sides, picks a car and then decides against it, tossing it back into the mix. But once he decides on the perfect car(s), he happily runs to the table and places them in line with his plethora of mini automobiles circling our dining table. The Word of God is like those spectacular cars to Colt . . . they are perfect and just what we need for the day.
In the Gospel yesterday (John 13:16-20), Jesus tries to prepare His disciples ahead of time:
When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.
From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
In Volume Two, our loving Jesus assures us by choosing Him, we are choosing the Best:
"I have come to cleanse souls. Much as a mother cleans her house, My child, I am cleaning and organizing your soul. If you have been away from Me, We must be busy. Events in your life, from your past, must be looked at now in a different way. This is an important task, and that is why I am spending time on it with you. Events can leave marks on your heart when you are not praying. Hence, My goal. To clean these marks and leave a heart that gives and receives love freely. When you pray, My child, I help you to sift through the experiences occurring in your life. Perhaps you have a disappointment today. Taken alone, without My assistance, you might feel down, sad and discouraged. If pride is a problem for you, and many suffer from pride, you might not share your sadness and disappointment with even another soul. It remains on your poor heart and, after a time, this turns to bitterness. Now, earthly life being what it is, and human beings being flawed, as they are in their search for perfection, you encounter yet another disappointment or betrayal. Pride asserts itself and again you do not adequately share your grief. Another patch of disappointment turns to bitterness and covers another area of your poor little heart. My child, when this process continues, you have a heart enclosed in bitterness. A heart needs love, in the same way your lungs need oxygen. Your heart was designed this way, dearest, and if your heart is enclosed, the love is blocked off. How handicapped you are in the spiritual sense. How it grieves Me to see you so disturbed and unhappy. My little one, I am coming to clean every mark from your heart so that you will love freely, as I love. Do not think this is an impossible task. I am Jesus. I am God. I can cleanse your heart in no time at all if you are willing to let Me. I will restore order to your soul, I will adjust your thinking, and I will place the kind of love in your heart that is so genuine and abundant that this love reaches your eyes. All who see you will experience this love and know it is from Me."
Lay apostles, what choices are you making? Do they center around the Word of God? It's easy to make choices based on our woundedness and what makes us feel better in a worldly view. Consider what the Gospels and messages in the Volumes are trying to teach us . . . choosing the best is choosing Christ.
Thank you Lord for leading me to choose YOU 98% of the time . . . please help me over the fence to make that 100%!
God bless,
Bonnie
Colton and Papa the morning after a recent sleepover!
In the Gospel yesterday (John 13:16-20), Jesus tries to prepare His disciples ahead of time:
When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.
From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
In Volume Two, our loving Jesus assures us by choosing Him, we are choosing the Best:
"I have come to cleanse souls. Much as a mother cleans her house, My child, I am cleaning and organizing your soul. If you have been away from Me, We must be busy. Events in your life, from your past, must be looked at now in a different way. This is an important task, and that is why I am spending time on it with you. Events can leave marks on your heart when you are not praying. Hence, My goal. To clean these marks and leave a heart that gives and receives love freely. When you pray, My child, I help you to sift through the experiences occurring in your life. Perhaps you have a disappointment today. Taken alone, without My assistance, you might feel down, sad and discouraged. If pride is a problem for you, and many suffer from pride, you might not share your sadness and disappointment with even another soul. It remains on your poor heart and, after a time, this turns to bitterness. Now, earthly life being what it is, and human beings being flawed, as they are in their search for perfection, you encounter yet another disappointment or betrayal. Pride asserts itself and again you do not adequately share your grief. Another patch of disappointment turns to bitterness and covers another area of your poor little heart. My child, when this process continues, you have a heart enclosed in bitterness. A heart needs love, in the same way your lungs need oxygen. Your heart was designed this way, dearest, and if your heart is enclosed, the love is blocked off. How handicapped you are in the spiritual sense. How it grieves Me to see you so disturbed and unhappy. My little one, I am coming to clean every mark from your heart so that you will love freely, as I love. Do not think this is an impossible task. I am Jesus. I am God. I can cleanse your heart in no time at all if you are willing to let Me. I will restore order to your soul, I will adjust your thinking, and I will place the kind of love in your heart that is so genuine and abundant that this love reaches your eyes. All who see you will experience this love and know it is from Me."
Lay apostles, what choices are you making? Do they center around the Word of God? It's easy to make choices based on our woundedness and what makes us feel better in a worldly view. Consider what the Gospels and messages in the Volumes are trying to teach us . . . choosing the best is choosing Christ.
Thank you Lord for leading me to choose YOU 98% of the time . . . please help me over the fence to make that 100%!
God bless,
Bonnie
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