When Selfishness is Good

           

 
My beloved, I know your heart. I know that even your most generous acts often carry hidden longings—for approval, for purpose, for love. And I do not condemn you for this. I created you with desire. I shaped you to seek.

Even when you obey Me, there is still something in it for you—a sense of peace, a hope for reward, a longing to please. But do not be ashamed of this. What you call selfishness, I call hunger. It is part of the way I designed you to be. And I am not offended by your hunger when you bring it to Me.

When you gave your life to Me, I began the quiet work of reshaping your motives—not to erase your desires, but to redeem them. I mean for you to be motivated by, even greedy for, heavenly rewards. I do not ask you to stamp out your longing. I ask you to let Me increase it.

What We Missed in the Garden

 

I told them to eat from any tree. Any tree. Except one. Of the many trees in the Garden, only one was forbidden.

There were only 10 commandments. Out of all the things I could have forbidden, I picked only ten. And all of those commandments can be distilled into only one: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength and love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27).

So don’t let your actions be guided by fear or guilt. I invented pleasure so you don’t need to be afraid of it. Instead, eat from the smorgasbord of life. Delight in sweet relationships, hobbies, nature, or any of the wholesome pleasures I bountifully provide. For I am a generous God.

With love beyond measure,

Jesus

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You know Jesus lives in your heart, but what’s He doing in there?

You often hear that I “live in your heart,” but My presence there is not passive. I am not tucked away inside you as a quiet guest. I am alive in you, and I am living through you.

I speak through your voice when you offer encouragement.
I love through your hands when you comfort someone who is hurting.
I see the world through your eyes, noticing the ones others overlook.
I reach people through your life in ways you do not always recognize.
I cry your tears when you feel compassion.

And there is something I want you to understand about this: I do not erase who you are — I inhabit who you are. I shaped your personality, your tone, your way of seeing the world, and now I express My heart through those very things. Our union does not take your identity away; it brings it into fullness. You do not need to strive or become someone else. You simply let Me live through you, and together we move as one.

Cease Striving and Swim Free

Consider this: If you truly believed that 

resting in Me was the most powerful act of obedience, 

how would your life transform?

With love beyond measure,

Jesus

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Break Free: From Caterpillar Soup to Rainbow Wings

Have you ever felt as if your life had become liquified, messy, utterly unrecognizable. It's when disaster feels like too polite a word. When everything you thought you knew dissolves into a thick, swirling dread. But even in that swirling, soupy chaos, something miraculous is happening. Renewal isn't just on the way; it's already at work. And I am there, right in the thick of it, stirring the pot.

The righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all (Psalm 34:19). Note, it says ALL. It's not just a nice sentiment; it's a promise I keep.

Think about the butterfly; that incredible, impossible transformation. It’s a perfect picture of what I do. The caterpillar doesn't just sprout wings; it goes through a radical, almost violent, breakdown. It actually becomes a liquified worm. But within that “caterpillar soup,” there are a few remaining particles, core pieces that refuse to be destroyed.

Hummingbird's Sermon

Take a moment to consider the beautiful qualities of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Colossians 3:12). Allow them to deeply resonate within you, embracing them with open-heartedness. You may explore these virtues through engaging with Scripture, diving into an inspiring novel or film, or even observing someone whom you admire. Practice the art of focusing on one task, one quality, at a time, bringing mindfulness into your actions with a sense of freedom and faith. By doing so, you will effortlessly align yourself with what is right and good.