The Eyes Of Your Heart...

Peter, is a man who loves God. He loves God with all his heart, mind and soul. Every morning upon rising, Peter diligently reads his bible, makes notes and throughout the day tries to make a conscious effort to meditated that which he has read. He especially liked the book of Psalms and did his best to memorise at least a few verses from it. In all aspects of life, Peter experiences trials and tribulations of life just like you and I.

There came a time when Peter became unwell. He got sick and needed to be admitted into a hospital for several operations. His family and friends gathered around him daily and they fasted and prayed. They interceded for him, asking God to please take away the sickness and the pain. Despite all their prayers, Peter did not get any better, in fact, he got worse and began drifting in and out of consciousness. However, all through his ordeal, in his mind Peter was alive and well. He kept telling himself, "I need to get up and read my bible, I need to find those words and verses to pray for healing and encouragement".

Whenever he was conscious and strong for a short time, he struggled to physically pick up his Bible. When he did, he struggled to read it. As soon as he opened the pages, the words became a blur and because he was weak, his body got tired of trying to focus and he drifted either to sleep or un-consciousness. He tried this a few times and then he realised that no matter how hard he tried, it was just physically impossible.

Then during one of his conscious bouts, he thought, "my mind is still conscious and able" which means I can still speak to God, I can still pray. Ah! He was excited, and so with all the strength he could muster within his mind, he opened the eyes of his heart, the pathway to the richness that lies deep within its walls.

Heart now open, Peter starts to read with the eyes of his heart. He starts to read the words he had so diligently and patiently memorised over the years; words of healing, comfort, peace, deliverance and victory. As he reads, Peter started to speak to God. He whispered and presented God's words and promises to him, bringing them to His remembrance; all on the wings of a prayer.

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When trouble comes knocking at your door and you find yourself in situations such as Peter's or even worse, what is your first reaction, what do you do?

Do you rush to get your hands on the nearest bible you can find, flick through the pages (or index) and find passages relevant to your situation and start to read and declare the word? Or do you kneel down, or encourage your mind, spirit and soul to bring to remembrance the words of God hidden within the walls of your heart and start to pray them into your reality?

Psalm 119:11 reads "I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."

From this verse, we see that when we keep God's words within our hearts, it helps us to know when we are about to or are sinning against God; for the truth of the word will be a witness.

It will be mighty difficult to guess if we are sinning or have sinned against God if we don't know what the Bible says about what is right or wrong. Imagine this with me: Remi wants to take a piece of candy that does not belong to her, this will be stealing. Before she does this, she wonders, "is this a sin"? She is not sure, so she picks up her bible, and rumages through the pages to find out what it says about taking candy that does not belong to her. :-).

Well that approach is will not be a practical way to live from day to day. However, if Remi has the words of God (along with the understanding of it) stored within her heart, she WILL know that taking candy that does not belong to her is a sin, so therefore, she will leave it. (I hope - for she has a choice!).

When we are deligent to keep Gods word within our hearts, we are able to live out the reality of Philippians 4:8, which reads "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."

We will know what is true, honorable, right, pure and lovely and admirable to think and meditate on, daily and constantly.

The act of storing the bible within our hearts, is not an easy task. It takes practice, diligence and perseverance. However here are a few tips that might help:

Using visual aids: example Index Cards:

• Get a pack of Index cards such as used for presentation. Example below:
  
  

• Find the Bible verse or verses you would like to memorise
  
  
• Decide how many verses you would like to memorise a day, a few days or a week
  
  
• Date the index card and write the Bible verses on it.
  
  
• Every night, mid-day and night (or night and morning) read the bible verses
  
  
• Every other night, write from memory as much as you can remember of that verse
  
  
• Do that until you can write the verse as it should be, then move on to another verse

Using Technology Devices:

Technology is a beautiful thing, it has many usages and advantages. You can do the same as using an index card, with a few alterations such as:

• Find the Bible verse or verses you would like to memorise

• Decide how many verses you would like to memorise - a day, a few days or a week



• Open a task or note reminder on your technology device and write and store the Bible verses to be memorised on it



• Save the task or note reminder for each day or duration required



• Every night, mid-day and night (or night and morning) read the bible verses (tip, you could programme reminders into your technology device)



• Every other night, open a note book on your technology device and write from memory as much as you can remember of that verse.



• Do that until you can write the verse as it should be, then move on to another verse

"1MY SON, forget not my law or teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; For length of days and years of a life [worth living] and tranquility [inward and outward and continuing through old age till death], these shall they add to you."

Proverbs 3: 1-2

Here is me encouraging us all to be diligent in the reading and storing up the word of God within the walls of our hearts. Storing up its meaning, wisdom, understanding and power. There will surely come a time when we will need these words, but will not be able to physically pick up our Bibles to read them from. The next thing for us to do is open the eyes of our heart, and read from what we have stored therein, within its very walls.

However, the beauty and power of God's word is that, if it already resides within us, we can call upon and declare it any time, into any situation, giving us the victory and making God famous along the way.

Much Love

Remi Banjo

***pictures by photobucket***