Connecting with God's Heart-A Devotion

The Lord says, "What good is it for a man to gain his life, but loose his soul?'

He says. "It's harder for a rich man to go through the eye of a needle than a for poor man; harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven."

He says, "Seek My kingdom first, and I'll take care of clothing, feeding, housing you."

He says, "Let a young man enjoy the bride of his youth."

He says, "Speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs."

He says, "Watch your enemies turn against themselves, and destroy themselves in utter confusion as you sing of the glory of My beauty and holiness, saying, 'Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.'"

He says, "Arm yourselves with the helmet of salvation, the girding of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith."

I say, "Amen!"

I say, "I'm grateful, my Beloved Bridegroom, that my married children wed young, in the prime of their youthful strength.

I say, "Thank You for inviting me into increasingly regular fellowship which deepens at every gathering."

I say, "Sing to one another!"

I say, "Sing to the Lord of hosts!"

I say, "I love true fellowship more than a good eight hours of sleep!"

I say, "Marvelous to be freed by the truth of what our Father says about how He promises to care for His children."

I say, "Marvelous that  our armor isn't money or popularity or beauty or anything that can be bought."

I say, "Oh, Lamb of God, does it hurt when You hear people exclaiming with an air of victory that salvation is a free gift? It wasn't free for You to give it. It's a costly, priceless gift."

I say, "Praise God, for His mercies endure forever!"

He says, "Love Me."

He says, "Love others."

He says, "Do what I've given you to do, in the Spirit I've given you to do it in, and the fruit of your labor will be rooted in love.

He says, "If the fruit of your labor isn't rooted in love, there is no profit in it."

He says, "You are as a tree planted by the rivers of water, bringing forth fruit in its season."

I say, "I delight in Your Word and will meditate on it day and night."

I say, "Lord, prosper my branches till they are heavy with the weight of much fruit."

He says, "If  you have much fruit, but have not love, it profits nothing."

He says, "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

I say, "I have every substantial reason to live for all hopes and for final hope, because You give faith.

He says, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

I say, "May I build a good testimony by it!"

I say, "Love is the Living Water in whom I am planted. You nourish me as a river of water nourishes a tree.

He says, "When you bear much fruit, you will be humbled. Are you willing to be humbled?"

I say, "Humble me till my branches bow low and heavy with the weight of the fruit of Your glory; the fruit born from the waters of Your love."

I say, "May Your love be found in the core of the fruit; heart-center."

I say, "Gifts? Talents to invest for the sake of Your glory and my fulfillment? Yeah, I desire that. But, however fervent my desire, may my pursuit of Your love be more fervent."

He says, "May the desire you have for fruit be the desire which drives your pursuit of My love."

I say, "That's my prayer. Thank You! You just gave me my prayer!"

He says, "Outside of My grace, it's impossible."

I say, "Plant me deeply, root me down, may my death be Your renown.
             Plant me by the riverside, grant me resurrected life.
             May I bear Your fruitful seed which You gave upon that tree;
             May I grow and prosper great, bowing low 'neath glory's weight!

             "Blest is the man whose delight is in in Your word day and night.
             He does not sit, nor does he stay where unrepentant men may play.
             He shall stand in the light, a tree that grows at riverside;
             Jesus, may that man be me!"

He says, "Drink deeply from the rivers of water and you will bring forth the fruit of My seed.

I say, "Ah, yes! Love pours out from the throne of grace. It must the the River of Life.

I say, "Did that river spring forth from Your mortal side as proof that You had died?

I say, "When You were laid in the grave, did the surge of love's resurrecting power dislodge the sealed and guarded boulder at the mouth of the tomb?

I say, "Your love is River of Life to me.

We say in agreement together, ""And so, now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

We say, "Amen! It is so!


written by: Carolyn-Elizabeth Roehrig