What Are My Beliefs Producing?
Written by Jarred Rushing
(5 minutes)
Here's the one thing I crave from Yahweh, the one thing I seek above all else: I want to live with him every moment in his house, beholding the marvelous beauty of Yahweh, filled with awe, delighting in his glory and grace. I want to contemplate in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)
So above all else, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life. (Proverbs 4:23)
The scriptures make it abundantly clear that the issues of life flow from the heart. What we allow to occupy this space will affect everything in our lives. Giving our heart to ONE thing has significant consequences, just like giving our heart to MANY things does.
We've already seen the effects of giving our heart to many things. Doublemindedness leads to instability. It produces a troubled and worried spirit like Martha. Chaos continually swirls around us, because there's chaos in our heart. Whatever is being harbored in the heart will eventually leak out into our life. It's a principle of the Kingdom. Our outer world will only prosper to the degree that our inner world is whole. And wholeness begins with giving the heart to ONE thing.
What will this ONE thing lifestyle produce in us?
Well, David gives us a little insight. Before he tells us what his heart craves and desires most, he gives us a glimpse into what that desire was producing in his life.
Yahweh is my revelation-light and the source of my salvation. I fear no one!
I'll never turn back and run, for you, surround and protect me.
When evil ones come to destroy me, they will be the ones who turn back.
My heart will not fear even if an army rises to attack.
I will not be shaken, even if war is imminent.
(Psalm 27:1-3)
No more fear. No more turning back. No more being shaken.
The ONE thing lifestyle produces peace. It produces a restful trust in the Bridegroom to be our revelation-light and our only source of salvation. We can't truly be seated in rest until our whole heart is baptized in His perfect love. If we're holding back any part of our heart there will remain a restlessness that finds restful trust to be an uncomfortable posture to sit in. Distractions become our preferred method to protect us from feeling the condition that our heart is actually in. But the ONE thing lifestyle creates a quietness in our life that is able to be seated in any circumstance. If David is able to stand and hold his peace in the face of an enemy army, it must be because he is trusting Yahweh to do all the protecting. Yahweh being His single, greatest desire is producing a peace in his life that allows him to be seated no matter what is happening around him. So what does it mean if I still feel the need to pick up my sword and protect myself? What does it mean if my reaction to enemy thoughts is to cave, turn back and run? If fear still rules my life, what does that say about my heart? What does all my busyness say about what I believe?
We have to stop and ask ourselves: what are my beliefs producing in my life?
My life reveals what my heart believes. It's not a mystery!
We have to be honest with Abba and with ourselves about what our beliefs are producing in our lives. We can’t go deeper into Abba’s love while we’re hiding.
Remember, honesty is the highest form of intimacy. Interestingly enough, the word "honest" comes from the word "honor." What if the most honorable thing we can do in our relationship with Abba is be honest with Him?
Intimacy requires a tender, vulnerable heart being wholly given to another.
Why is it so important to be honest with Abba?
Because He longs to love the real us, not the version we're pretending to be.
As He becomes the ONE thing, it will influence every area of our life. Just like our entertaining a multitude of things has influenced every area of our life. One has produced chaos, the other can produce peace. One has produced a frantic busyness, the other can produce a restful trust. Pastor Tim has said this often, "The only thing that can change the world around me is the world within me." As the clutter is cleared out of our heart and it is reoriented around the Anointed One, it will begin to change every environment we find ourselves in. Things will shift in a room because we are in it. The wholeness that has come to our innermost being will begin to flow into our family, our home, our job, our city, and eventually our state and nation. But wholeness must first come to our heart.
There's a group of people at The Wilderness Place who are endeavoring to make Jesus the ONE and ONLY. And we're already seeing the most incredible transformation in our lives and families. We're beginning to see those significant changes even with the degree that our heart has turned towards Him already. Every day that we choose to take the walk with Abba, our hearts are turning even more. We're taking His hand and wading out into the river of His love. With every step, our heart is being washed and our mind is being changed. And it's His kindness that is luring and drawing us deeper. What religion promised and could not deliver, Abba is pouring out over us in bucketloads. Peace, true rest, and a content heart that can finally enjoy life. Every single day He is inviting us to pull a chair up to His table, and the command is always the same, "Eat and drink until you are satisfied!"
Abba's presence is the safest place we could ever be!
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Worship: "We Make Space" by Melissa Helser
Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place
Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!
