20/01/2011 - WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE REFLECTS THE OUTSIDE

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A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. (Proverbs 15:13)

We are made up of three interrelated parts. The body, which is the visible part but not the real person; it is the temple of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19), which is our real essence. We also have a soul, which is the mind, the intellect. The human spirit was created in the image and likeness of God to walk with Him (Genesis 1:27) and to be forever in communion with the Almighty if Adam had not committed the sin which caused the nature of Satan – death, separation of man from his Maker – to enter the world. Now, to restore that fellowship, the spirit of man must be born again through a work done by the Father Himself, which occurs with the conversion and the resulting act of receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Even though we belong to Christ, our hearts, which should be happy all the time, do not rejoice automatically. In fact, we have to seek communion with the Lord for while we live in the flesh, we are subject to the negative influences of temptations and sin. The Master promised to visit us again, and then our hearts would rejoice (John 16:22b), but this visitation occurs when we are in contact with the Word of God. The Christian who does not give the Word its due value leads a sad, strife-stricken life, filled with all kinds of problems.

The angel sent to Daniel said he was a greatly beloved man (Daniel 9:23). That does not mean that the prophet had any special privilege. Comparing with the teachings of Jesus, we believe that Daniel used to seek the Lord and therefore he found Him (Luke 11:9-10). The Almighty lets Himself be found by everyone, but not everyone is seeking Him. Even the most prominent Christians are constantly searching for their own well-being as well as of their families, but they never find it. If they sought first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these things would be added unto them (Matthew 6:33).

Following Jesus can be compared to the act of riding a bicycle: when we stop riding it, we must get off. The mistake many people make is not to take interest in learning about the Lord, not to make any effort to have fellowship with Him or not to pay attention to the preaching and the reading of the Scriptures. Those who do so are overwhelmed with pain, resentment and sadness and end up paying too high of a price. Such people have a bitter countenance and do not see blessings being poured on their lives and in the lives of their loved ones.

Those whose spirit is broken do not live well since they do not seize the opportunities and do not attract true friendships and good businesses. Whoever has a cheerful face, the countenance of a child of God, will without a doubt be victorious in all things.

In Christ with love,

R. R. Soares