LET GOD GUARD YOUR HEART

Guard Your Heart

I was on my morning walk and passed a neighbor’s house about 2½ blocks away. We had greeted each other before because he likes to work in the front yard early in the morning. One day he initiated a conversation with me and I stopped, and we had a pleasant talk. Following that day we spoke a couple more times, just casual neighborly conversation — nothing wayward at all.

After a while, I found myself still thinking about him long after my walk was done. I slapped the top of my head and said, “Stop that!” I said a prayer for him and moved on with my day.

Shortly after that, I stumbled across the Verse of the Day in my Bible app… it said, “Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life.” I am happily married to the love of my life and knew it was time to go into my secret closet and address it.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your heart of compassion, that is gracious and merciful to us even though our hearts tend to lean the other way. I know Scripture says for me to keep my heart with all diligence, but I still need Your help guarding it. I pray You will give my heart its right desires so the things I seek will be right and pleasing in Your sight. Let me not grieve Holy Spirit by dwelling on things that are not godly. Help me to remain holy as You are holy. Help me follow the right path for my feet.

The prophet Jeremiah stated the heart can be deceitful and desperately wicked. I need Your help keeping it guarded against lust and pride. Help me to maintain a servant’s heart.

I pray You will put desires in my heart so that You and I are in perfect alignment. It is difficult, at times, to know what Your will is, but I do know that my heart’s desire is to be on one accord with You. I’ve heard Pastor Dirden say a few times, “You may not know what you will do, but at least you’ve got to know what you won’t do.” I am determined to walk in lockstep with You all the days of my life. I don’t want anything to come between us or get me out of step. I pray You will deliver me from the evil one, and provide the way of escape for every temptation that comes my way. Let Your peace abide in my heart.

It is written, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

It is also written in Proverbs, “My child, give Me your heart.” Well Lord, here it is, with a bow around it. 💝 My heart is in Your hands. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Amen.

The Lord answered my prayer. He diverted my thoughts, and also changed my neighbor’s yard keeping schedule. I’ve only seen him one other time since the prayer, and that day his hello was halfhearted. I laughed to myself because I knew the reason why.

We should be careful when judging others by saying, “I would never do that!” The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, who (except God) can know how it will turn?

Proverbs 21:1 (NKJV) The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.

Pay careful attention to your thoughts and submit them to God for safekeeping. The apostle Paul said, “I know in whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to guard what I’ve committed to Him until the day we stand before the Judgment Seat.”

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST (1)

There is a newer version of this blogpost.

Please see May 26, 2024.

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2 Corinthians 5:10 (NKJV) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Romans 14:10 (NKJV) But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Matthew 16:27 (NKJV) For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

1 Corinthians 3:8 (NKJV) Now he who plants, and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 (NKJV) Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on the foundation endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

1 Thessalonians 2:19 (NKJV) For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?

2 Timothy 4:8 (NKJV) Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

James 1:12 (NKJV) Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

1 Peter 5:4 (NKJV) When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

ENDOWED WITH POWER

On my morning walk today, I passed this house where a ferocious dog behind a fence started barking at me, and leaping up and down. He barked so viciously at me as I was passing by that it made me stop and consider getting in the street. He was trying to leap over the fence, but I stayed on the sidewalk and kept moving. On my way back, I did decide to walk in the street by the curb. That same dog that barked at me so viciously as I was going, had gotten out of the fence and came charging at me. I raised my little one pound weights and told that dog to "Come on!!!" He turned and ran away. Then he came at me again barking ferociously. I got louder, "Come on!!!" He turned and ran away again, this time he was looking for a way to get back inside that fence. I was somewhat surprised myself by my reaction to the dog... inviting him to a fight, instead of running away.

Occasionally in our walk with the Lord, we may encounter a vicious attack of the enemy, but James 4:7 says, "Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." Those that have made Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior has been endowed and equipped with the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Even the fear of the dog left me when I came into a face-to-face confrontation. Behind the fence leaping and barking, he intimidated me and I considered going into the street as I passed by, but when I came face-to-face with him, I invited him to a fight, and he walked away.

In this world, we will have tribulation, but Jesus said, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." We are not just your run-of-the-mill conquerors, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

In yesterday's blogpost, I wrote out a prayer in which I petitioned our Heavenly Father, "Don’t let even one attack of the enemy triumph over Your people." This morning, God proved Himself faithful in that regard.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand, stand therefore. Ephesians 6:11

Come on!!! Let's go higher, ever increasing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

DELIVER US FROM EVIL

1 Samuel 17:34-36
David Protects the Sheep

Psalm 41:11-12 NKJV By this I know that You are well pleased with me, because my enemy does not triumph over me. As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, and set me before Your face forever.

Psalm 18:3 NKJV I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.

Psalm 18:48-49 NKJV He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me; You have delivered me from the violent man. Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your name.

Psalm 59:1 NKJV Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; defend me from those who rise up against me.

Psalm 25:2 NKJV O my God, I trust in You; let me not be ashamed; let not my enemies triumph over me.

Psalm 31:15 NKJV My times are in Your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.

Psalm 56:9 NKJV When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back; this I know, because God is for me.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness and mercy that will follow us all the days of our lives. Thank You for being our everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. Father, I pray that You would lay Your hand upon us and hedge us in. Deliver us from the evil one. Don’t let even one attack of the enemy triumph over Your people for it is written in Your word, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; and unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” You are our help, and we need Your help in these last and evil days. Protect us against enemy attack that would try to devour Your flock. When a lion and a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock David was tending, he killed them both and delivered the lamb out of its mouth. You’re the Good Shepherd who watches over us, so shall we be saved from our enemies, for the kingdom, and the power, and the glory is Yours forever. In the precious name of Christ Jesus we pray, Amen.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

OFFENDED BY THE PREACHER

Feeling Down and Out

I heard a statistic that 66% of people who leave churches, do so because they’re offended. That’s a large percentage of church folks walking around offended in some way by the church, and I happen to be one of them.

We grew up going to church, but the environment we worshipped in was an extremely legalistic mindset. It was frowned upon for women to wear pants and make up, or to cut our hair. We couldn’t go to a movie theater or a school dance, we couldn’t listen to secular music (only gospels were allowed) … and the list goes on and on.

Many, many sermons I’ve heard over my lifetime dwelt on these thou-shalt-nots… and finger-pointing… and judging. God finally delivered us from legalism… most of that generation has passed on and we can now stand fast in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, no longer yoked in bondage to “the law”. Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we’re free at last.

Even though I’m now free, I’ve noticed a tendency to still be offended by preachers coming at me, brutally pointing out my flaws. I said to my Heavenly Father, “You don’t have to come at me with scathing rebukes. I want to be delivered from my hang ups. I’m not some wayward child You have to beat down every Sunday.”

Then I discovered that this proclivity toward being offended was deeper than I’d realized. The light came on. Those legalistic sermons that I grew up listening to have built up deeply rooted spiritual strongholds that causes me to become offended by a certain tone in the preacher’s voice, or even by how “he chooses” to express himself throughout the message. I cannot tell you how many times I have left the building feeling down and out as a result of the Sunday morning sermon.

Author, Lisa Bevere says, “How a person reads a book is just as important as what they’re reading. If you’re reading a page and it sounds like God is attacking you, then you’re reading it wrong. God’s eternal love must be the filter through which we receive His word.” Her words hit me like a brick. I am not filtering the word of God through His love for me, I am still seeing Him as that mean-spirited judge leaning over his bench and throwing the book at me every Sunday, even though I try my best to live and walk with integrity every day. I have many faults that I need to be delivered from, but God is not angry with me about any of that. His love has been poured out in our hearts by His Holy Spirit that abides in us. God is not sending sermons to attack me; He wants to edify me through them. There’s the filter. He wants to edify me. He is tending the sheep, not beating them.

Over time I have built up strongholds against all the finger-pointing, and now these strongholds need to be knocked down so that I can come away from the church building without my feathers ruffled every Sunday.

The apostle Paul said, “The weapons of our warfare are not fleshly but mighty in God (not natural, but spiritual) for pulling down strongholds, and casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.” The weapons of our warfare is God’s divine power for the destruction of strongholds.

I gotta let go and let God change my filter, so that I can be totally free; not just free to wear pants, but free to receive a word on Sunday morning and not hear it wrong. Jesus said to His disciples, “Blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear.” Holy Spirit gives us the ability to discern and interpret His word. Ask, and it'll be given to you. Seek, and you'll find it. Knock, and it'll be opened for you.

James 1:5 (NKJV) If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Now, there may be some ministers out there that God needs to change their delivery and mechanics for sermonizing, but there are many more that has God's anointing to speak a word of encouragement for the equipping of the saints to fulfill their part in kingdom work, and to collectively edify the body of Christ.

Come, let’s go higher, ever increasing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

To God be the glory.
Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

GOD FINISHES WHAT HE STARTS

MEN LIKE TREES WALKING

Jesus came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.” Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. (Mark 8:22-25 NKJV)

When Jesus laid hands on this blind man, he did not see clearly at first. He looked up and saw men carrying sheaves on their heads down the street and they looked like walking trees to him. Jesus did not say, "That's good enough, be on your way." He laid hands on the man once again and his vision was completely restored without any blurriness.

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The prophet Jeremiah observed a potter molding a jar from a lump of clay, but it didn’t turn out as he had hoped. So the potter crushed the clay back down and started over. The Lord said, “As the clay is in the potter’s hands, so are you in My hands.” (Jer. 18:1-6) God finishes what He starts. Everything He created in the first chapter of Genesis, He saw that it was good. Not just, "That'll do."

Sometimes I struggle in my faith when I see God starting to answer my prayers, then suddenly we stop making progress. But I was reminded the other day that He is… 

Alpha and Omega

Beginning and Ending

First and Last

Author and Finisher

It's not over, till God says it's over.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

ENOUGH CHASTENING

Heavenly Father, I know that out of love, You chasten and rebuke us so that we may grow and become disciplined. The Bible says, “Do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when He rebukes you.” But might I also remind You that the Bible says, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, lest they become discouraged by the root of bitterness springing up in them.” Out of love, You chasten us, but out of love, surely You also know when the children have had enough chastening and it is time to back off.

I remember a time when I went to church, and every Sunday the pastor brought a fiery sermon. I became so discouraged that all I could do was drag myself away from the building feeling pitiful. I wanted to please You, but all I got in return was a scathing rebuke. There has to be a balance between scolding and nurturing. Far be it from me, to tell You how to parent Your children. But I will ask my Father if He will have mercy on us. Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away; nevertheless, not our will, but Your will be done.

Permit us to come boldly to Your throne of grace concerning this sensitive matter. Father, please be merciful. Be full of grace and compassion. Let Your favor rest upon us. Let Your face shine brightly upon us in our weariness. Please don’t let us drown in despair. Jesus came that we may have life, and that we may have it more abundantly. Take away the shackles so we can be free. You have to know when enough is enough, and we need for You to free us… to turn our captivity as You did for Job.

When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, they were like those who dream. Their mouths were filled with laughter, and their tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” (Psalm 126)

The LORD has done great things for us, and we are glad. Thank You, our faithful Father.💚

To God be the glory.
Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

THE SACRICE OF PRAISE

Sacrifice of Praise

Early one morning I was on my way to McDonald’s to get breakfast. I saw a homeless man asleep on the shopping center sidewalk, and for some reason, it flooded my heart with compassion. I went back home and dug through my purse bin and found an old billfold that would hold coins and bills. I put all the money I had, to the last penny, in that billfold and wrote him a note. I went back to the shopping center and found him still asleep. I wanted to remain anonymous, so I quietly sneaked out of the car and placed the billfold up against his cup and tiptoed back over to my car. When I got in the car and looked back, I saw him waking up and looking at me. I pointed to his cup and when I saw him look down at it, I drove off.

Someone has said that God works in mysterious ways. I think it’s a song, but anyway… I think that in the same way I was moved with compassion for the homeless man, God is moved with compassion for us. He’s there behind the scenes, working miracles, maneuvering things around secretly so they appear to be “coincidences”, but it’s actually God all the time.

Albert Einstein said, “Coincidences are God's way of remaining anonymous.” He is a behind the scenes God.

Matthew 5:45 says, “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” He even blesses the atheist who says he does not believe God even exists.

Actually, I think my compassion for the homeless man that morning was God working through me because He wanted to bless him. Something was driving my actions and I’m sure it was God.

Psalm 86:15 (NLT) But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.

There were times when Jesus healed people and He told them not to tell anyone. Great multitudes followed Jesus, and He healed them all. Yet He warned them not to make Him known (Matt. 12:15-16).

Sometimes God just want one individual to give Him glory… that’s the one that He is blessing at the moment.

We bring the sacrifice of praise, into the house of the Lord.

And we offer up to You the sacrifices of thanks.

Thank You Lord!

Click here to read another story I wrote about God's glory.

To God be the glory.
Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

UNFRIEND FEAR

UNFRIEND FEAR

Fear is not welcome in my heart anymore.

There is no fear in love (God is love); but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

THE LORD LAUGHS AT HIM

Little Bitty Dog

I was on my morning walk and this little bitty dog came walking toward me. As I passed by, he leaned up against the fence to get out of my way. When I got about 6 to 8 feet away, he commenced to barking up a storm and following me down the street, like he was so tough.

I laughed at him and kept walking. I always carry one-pound weights in each hand just in case I need to protect myself against ferocious dogs, but that little bitty thing just made me laugh.

I thought of that Scripture that says, "The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him." That’s what we look like to God, that little bitty dog that thinks he’s tough but is no match at all against the Mighty God who holds the power of the world in His hands.

Psalm 37:1-2 (NKJV) Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be mowed down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

Psalm 37:12-13 (NLT) The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance. But the Lord just laughs, for He sees their day of judgment coming.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove