Out of the Overflow of the Heart

This has been a key theme for me lately. And my friends might even have tired of me talking about it. Maybe that's one benefit of blogging. I can "talk" to anyone who will "listen".

I've truly been looking into my heart to fully see what is there. What I have found is parts that I like and parts that I don't like. And yes, there have been some parts I don't want any more... and, thank God, He has taken them from me and has put Himself in where pride, arrogance, self-righteousness once held a grip. And what also was NOT in my heart was full trust and surrender to a God who is bigger than anything imaginable. What also was there was knowledge (not bad) and self-effort (not good) masking as obedience (very subtle). This resulted in a sinful inner thought life (thus where pride, arrogance, and self-righteousness took reign). There was a servant's heart but it was with a servant's love. What also was there was a lot of looking around, seeing how the world wanted me to act, and seeing if I was keeping up with the Jones'. Itw was all pretty useless bondage.

I have also been mindful that I cannot work harder at being holy. What has to take place is a surrender, a yielding to Christ. And in that yielding is where the miracle takes place! He comes and resides, if you let Him. And it is out of that overflow that I live and move and have my being! But it will take everything. Everthing yielded. Everything not of Him killed. Everything. I think when I realized that fully is when I feared God completely.

This passage helped me to put these thoughts together:

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.
John 7:38

The commentator added: Such faith will enable one to receive the Spirit and enter an abiding relationship with Christ after his glorification. All of this is based on who God is and what he has done for us. When we believe we open our hands to receive what his grace offers--we come and drink.

All for now,
Lisa