The Heart of the Matter

The heart.

What is it?

For a long time people thought the heart was just a hollow muscular organ located behind the sternum and between the lungs; that uses its rhythmic contractions to move the blood through the body. It was later discovered that it serves a greater purpose, it's also the locus of feelings and intuitions. The Bible told us that years before it was discovered. Jesus referred to the heart many times throughout the scripture, here are a few:

Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God."

Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Mark 12:30 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."

We often associate the heart, with love. You see we don't love someone with our head or our brain, we don't commit to someone with our intellect and reason, we don't surrender in obedience to someone with our wit and intelligence, we do it with our HEART. In 2 Chronicles 16:9 we read God strengthens those whose hearts are fully committed to Him, thats why Proverbs 4 calls us to guard our hearts above ALL things for it is the wellspring of life. More than all this, the heart is the center in which God indwells in us, where the Holy Spirit took His residence once we accepted Him. Whatever we let our hearts consume determines the condition of it, declares what comes out of our mouth, and decides the course of our actions. Jesus said that it's what comes out of one's heart that makes him unclean, so the act of keeping a pure heart before Him is essential to our daily worship. So word, the heart is mad important, take care of it, not only in a physical sense, but also in a spiritual sense.

Psalms 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

-jayson

Anonymous Quote

“Even though we've changed and we're all finding our own place in the world, we all know that when the tears fall or the smile spreads across our face, we'll come to each other because no matter where this crazy world takes us, nothing will ever change so much to the point where we're not all still friends.”

I love each and everyone of you and I'm so thankful to God for giving us a day to never forget.

This Day

Praise God for giving us such a privilege to witness our brothers take part in the waters of baptism. Praise God for bringing these guys into our lives and even giving us the opportunity to get to know them.

When we were at the pier yesterday, Hap said something really interesting. He said that 4 months ago he couldn't have even imagined this happening - this community, these friendships, this family. It's funny how things come together when the time is right huh? It's funny how at the point where we all probably needed each other the most, our paths crossed and we found the heart of a community.

I had the privilege of standing in the back yesterday as we poured out our hearts in worship, and I'll never forget that moment when it was silent and all you could hear was the ripple of the waves crashing up against the shore. I'll never forget that moment when I understood what it must of been like for the disciples to hear the words "Peace. Be Still" come out of Jesus's mouth as they were so concerned about their situation.

I'll never forget that moment I looked at each one of you and realized why it was I had to come home.

God works in mysterious ways, and in the most mysterious of ways he has brought us all together for a purpose. Let's do whatever it takes to find that purpose. Let us be patient, Let us be humble, Let us keep striving to where we need to be.

I am sorry, I am sorry, for failing constantly

I am fighting, I am trying, I am dying to be freed

Lord I love you, Lord I know that you're the only one for me

yet I struggle, Yet I fail to grasp the road you've paved for me

Help me hold on, Help me stand firm in the promise of your word

Help me realize that in all things you are working for my good

Lord I know it, Lord you've proved it, search my heart, do not delay

To show your kindness, To show your mercy to your servant on this day

Thank you for Love, Thank you for your heart to deal with me

I am willing to keep striving to where I need to be...

Thank you for helping me find a title to this song today

- Ben Thomas

Be A Bold Witness For the Lord Jesus Christ

Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

I Thank God ..

I just wanted to say that I thank God for EACH and EVERY ONE OF YOU!

I love this family with all my heart, and I really do thank Him for placing each of you in my life, because I know it is for a purpose far greater then we can understand.

Here is to Community, Family, & Unity!

:)

-Betsy

TREASURE IN AN EARTHEN VESSEL

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves."- 2 Corinthians 4:7

In the 1st and 2nd century, a common practice was to conceal or hide precious treasures in jars of clay which had little or no value or beauty in it of it-selves. In the same way, our God often bypasses the wise; the mighty, and the noble of this World in favor of the weak and despised, that he might make them the privileged bearers of His precious Gospel. If your wondering whats the reason for this call or choice its simple-so that no flesh may boast before God, just as it is written, "Let Him who boast, boast in the Lord"-1 Corinthians 1:29,31

-Tom

Guy gets on the subway ...

So there's this movie called Collateral which I'm sure most of us have heard of and Tom Cruise's character Vincent's last line in the movie goes "Hey Max ......Guy gets on the subway and dies. Think anybody'll notice?" Think about it. Just think about how many people we know are dying around us everyday because they don't know Jesus. And sadly, not many notice. From the minute we are born we begin to die. We start to age and we slowly begin to die. Without Jesus Christ, we die and will be separated from Him for eternity and that is one ugly and frightening reality.

One woman today asked us why we were out there doing what we were doing. She said "Why are you doing this?" and she kept saying it over and over and the only thing I could think of to say was -because we have someone/something that changed us from the inside out and we wanted to share it with her. I guess she was wondering if we were being materially compensated in some way for being there. Before I started talking with her I was distracted by a Batman shirt I saw in her store ..hahaha ..so at the end we left but then I went back in and bought the shirt. I figured the lady let us talk to her for a bit so I should at least buy something (not to mention I LOVE Batman- assuming some of you care ..I know at least one Batman fan does :D)

So after witnessing we did some shopping, Tom got an awesome jacket, Jabin got some shoes and I got me some nice boots (that my bro Jay convinced me I should get) ...so next time we go out witnessing we're going out in style ..word! All in all it was an awesome day with Jesus. I just want to encourage you guys to allow God to use you and speak through you as you go through your day no matter what it is you're doing. He will only use you to the extent you allow Him to, if that makes sense. Remember there's a world around you that's dying and Jesus is the ONLY HOPE. Live in a way that'll make Him known to those around you!!

-Lisa

Humbled

What amazing day today... wasn't it? I was truly humbled when we went for outreach. I mean seriously everyone we talked to today was a reminder of who I was. Lost, doubting, wanting to change but never did, empty and wandering. And even though I'm ashamed of who I was...I was reminded that Gods powerful love is more than enough to change the heart of man.
And then to top it all off this evening...soaking in an amazing message about the true inward, internal, divine call that saves us from the destruction we so rightly deserve.

On another note...I want to share a daily reading from Drawing Near for a Deeper Faith by John MacArthur that just really touched me.
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"By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God" (Heb 11:5)

Our second hero of faith is Enoch. Genesis 5:21-24 records that "Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him."

What a wonderful epitaph: "Enoch walked with God." His life exemplifies the walk of faith. Adam and Eve had walked with God in the Garden of Eden, but their sin separated them from such intimacy. Enoch experienced the fellowship with God they had forfeited.

Enoch's faithful walk pleased God greatly. And after more than three hundred years on earth, Enoch was translated to heaven without ever experiencing death. It's as if God simply said, "Enoch, I enjoy your company so much, I want you to join me up here right now."

Like Enoch, there is coming a generation of Christians who will never see death. Someday--perhaps soon--Jesus will return for His church, "then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up . . . in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord" (1 Thess. 4:17). Enoch is a beautiful picture of that great future event, which we call the rapture of the church.

As you walk with God, He delights in you. You're His child and your praises and fellowship bring Him joy. Psalm 116:15 says, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones." Even death itself simply ushers you into His presence for all eternity.

Let the joy of intimacy with God, and the anticipation of seeing Christ face to face--either by rapture or by death-- motivate you to please Him more and more each day of your life.

- Jincy

Jude 1:12-13

Jude 1:12-13

¹² These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; ¹³ raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

This passage is very touching and it talks about
the apostates mentioned in Jude, and the way they are
moving through our lives and churches. We should be
vigilant as we become closer to God and as we grow
in our spiritual life... God mentions their punishment and
how we should deal with them in the book of Jude.

"They are like clouds without water." - They promise
spiritual life but are empty clouds which bring the hope
of rain, but actually deliver nothing but dryness and death.

- Justin Thomas

Never, Never, Never, give up

Yesterday I saw the lion king of broadway. Awesome

but I came home last night not feeling too well, I thought it was maybe because I needed some sleep but I knew there was something more to it, and as I was laying in my bed last night thinking, I realized it was because I wasn't looking forward to Monday at all. I dont' know what it is but in this season of my life I have never looked forward to mondays - now that's not to say that I haven't made the most of my mondays and didn't appreciate them, it just means that I knew that the week was starting again - another week at a school I don't enjoy being at, another week of hours upon hours at work. This is not me complaining, this is just how life is for me in this season and I've come to accept that wholeheartedly. But something I kept racking my brain over with yesterday was why? I understand why all this happening, I understand that I am preparing for my future, I understand that this is all for my good, I understand that this is my time to be alone and figure out who am I so - why do I still have these disheartening feelings inside?

It's one of the biggest struggles when you know something to be true, but it seems as if everything is coming against you to tell you otherwise. I think it's something that applies to so many areas of our lives but especially in the area of discipline. When we know we need to be diligent and steadfast in the Lord yet our flesh and our desires tell us otherwise. It comes up with our desires to be persistent and not giving up as well. Knowing in the heart of your hearts that you can't give up, yet having your flesh and the world telling you it's not worth it or that there is something better for you.

I woke up this morning with a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach, and it wasn't anything physical, I knew it was more emotional and mental. I took out a pen and a piece of paper and started writing what was on my heart from the moment that I had opened my eyes

I am sorry, I am sorry, for failing constantly
I am fighting, I am trying, I am dying to be freed
Lord I love you, Lord I know you are the only one for me
yet I struggle, yet I fail to grasp the road you've paved for me
Help me hold on, Help me stand firm in the promise of your word
Help me realize that in all things you are working for my good
Lord I know it, Lord you've proved it, search my heart, do not delay
to show your kindness, to show your mercy, to your servant on this day
Thank you for love, Thank you for your, heart to deal with me
I am willing, I'll keep striving to where I need to be

Ben Thomas
Untitled 8:10 AM 11.8.10

This is my prayer today...why am I sharing? Because maybe it can be yours as well.

If you've grown weary, If you're tired of the way things are, if it seems as though everything is coming against you, and there's too much for you to do to get yourself where you need to be, don't give up - because that's exactly what Satan wants you to do

Never, Never, Never, give up

- Ben Thomas

Ecclesia- the called out ones

There are at least two reasons why we need to grow in our relationship w/ the Lord. 1) To survive 2) To be a vessel of His glory

I'll mention the second reason first. God receives glory with or without us, He gets glory all on His own. But it's a privilege if that glory is brought to Him through us. If you want to be the vehicle in which that takes place, we need to be trusted by Him. If you want to do the miraculous, amazing works of God, it's important that He can trust you. That's one reason you need to move close to Him.

The second reason is- just to survive- day in and day out, to make it. We can't do it on our own. You are in one of 3 stages right now, the phone's ringing, you already answered it, or it's about to ring. When you pick that phone up, you've gotta be ready to stand firm, and trust in the Lord. We need Jesus, or we won't make it out the lion's den. How else will you be ready? How else will you be a witness? When I was in Bermuda, one of the nights of the gospel meetings, this one particular lady got saved and her response for wanting to be saved was, "I see something in her that I want". We've got to learn to draw close to Jesus, so when we get hit hard, we can trust Him. That's what we're doing at bibletalk, being that "called-out" people, the group of people God is trying to cultivate out of the world for Himself. Let's do it. How about you wake up a bit earlier tomorrow?
-happy

Exodus 12:13

"And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt."

Thanks and praise be to Jesus Christ, Our Passover Lamb!!

Hope everyone had a wonderful week and is ready for the weekend :)

-Lisa

New Shoes

you know after you share something with someone or a group and you remember all the things that you intended to to say but never said? Yea....

I had one of those moments when I came home last night and remembered all the things I didn't end up sharing.

I can only hope and humbly pray that you were able to take something away from what was shared yesterday, something that not just stays at the time and place that you heard it, but something that will effect you for the rest of your life. Something that will push you to be that morning without clouds. It may be something completely different from what I was sharing, but whatever it is that God spoke to you with, take it to heart and apply it. Like I told you before I started speaking, I don't consider myself to be the most powerful of speakers, I don't know anything, I am nothing, I am only sharing the things the Lord has established in my heart, the things I didn't just prepare for that Tuesday for me to speak, but the things that I have been preparing with my life, the things I have found myself struggling with and the undeserved ways the Lord has helped me through them. I just posted the worship and teaching from this week, when you get a chance - listen to the worship and teaching back to back and remember the ways God spoke to you individually that night.

I just came home from a pretty exhaustive night at work - for some reason or the other the customers today decided to be more persistent and messy than usual, but oddly enough I'm not even close to tired; I just want to embrace this moment I have in the stillness of the night where it seems like I am the only one awake as the rest of the world goes to sleep.

Those things that we encountered on the new prayer wall yesterday were really heart shattering, Thank you to those of you who were brutally honest with yourselves and our community, it was not only encouraging, it was refreshing to see walls being torn down with the concepts of pride and fear being crushed along with it. It was beautiful to see people embracing their brokenness and their need for a Saviour. I'll type it up tonight and send it to those of you who have asked me for it. You can rest assured I will be spending ample time tonight committing those things to the Lord.

You guys have been such a strong encouragement to me as I proceed with the things that I do, and I sincerely thank you for that, please continue to commit me to the Lord wholeheartedly in prayer, because I don't know anything, I need all the help,wisdom, and understanding I can get as I continue to humbly lead and do whatever I can to move the mountains that will always attempt to get in our way.

No turning back

Let's get into those new shoes.....together

It's about time

goodnight

- Ben Thomas

if this looks familiar, you probably have some clothes to donate :)

Colossians 1:13-18

¹³ He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. ¹⁸ And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Just when we think everything in our life is of of control. When we are overwhelmed, afraid, and insecure with what we face in this world. Here is reminder of who God is. He is all knowing, all powerful and He loves us. Bring yourself to His feet and you will never fear. You will never doubt. Have confidence and trust in Him because we know... He is in control of all things.

Amen?