Sharing these passages, the theme I have in mind is that of God calling people closer to Him at the heart level: Isaiah 1:11-16 11 “What are all your sacrifices to Me?” asks the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings and rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I have no desire for the … Continue reading At the Heart Level
Tag: truth
Healing a Soul
The context here is John 5:1-15. Verse five is what hit me the hardest: “One man was there who had been sick for 38 years.” You can be healed of a condition, but how do you recover from being trained into a mindset, or from having your mindset reinforced by your circumstances? Thirty-eight years. How … Continue reading Healing a Soul
Press In
So, what if you find yourself in that place, maybe too busy, or just feeling off track? If you are struggling, if you don't feel loved, if you feel empty, if you feel broken, guilty, ashamed, or dirty: press in. Press in when you would rather withdraw. Press in with God. I’m not going to … Continue reading Press In
Purpose and Holiness
Recently, God was speaking to me about how holiness is connected with purpose. It's easy to think of holiness as it relates to things that are obvious sins, but even those sins can be thought of as not just wrong or bad, but as violations of, or deviations from, God's purpose for a person. When … Continue reading Purpose and Holiness
My Toothbrush is Holy
I am a big fan of demystifying churchey words, not because I am irreverent, but because I don't want their effect to be lost. So, "holy". I would describe "holy" as 'designated for a particular purpose'. People have holidays (holy-days) designated for remembrance of certain religiously significant events. A holy day, or holy place, or … Continue reading My Toothbrush is Holy
What You Already Have
I was talking with a friend of mine about seeking God in the context of a romantic relationship. In the course of that, he told some of his story about the woman who is now his wife. At some point he said, "we prayed together", and though he was not placing any special emphasis on … Continue reading What You Already Have
Answers to Prayers
My girlfriend and I were discussing the dynamics of praying for God's direction in our lives, and the changes and growth happening in our lives. One thing she said about her prayer life is how God is changing how her approach to prayer, God is changing what she prays for and how she prays for … Continue reading Answers to Prayers
Someone Who Won’t Lead You Astray
What makes someone a good potential mate? The thought I arrived at recently was, 'someone who won't lead you astray'. The idea is that she is someone who, by engaging together, will cause you to be a truer version of yourself, and conversely, you will cause her to be a truer version of herself. She … Continue reading Someone Who Won’t Lead You Astray
Finding Your Way
If I were to paraphrase Isaiah chapter 58 in one sentence, it would be something like, “You need to evaluate your practices and discern what is pointless versus what is actually conducive to the truth of God blossoming in your lives.” Roughly speaking, that is the context of the quote which came to mind recently … Continue reading Finding Your Way
Andrew K. Banks 