Shirlee Abbott

Follow the Heart

Posted on October 14, 2020 by Shirlee Abbott

Folks say, “Follow your heart.”

Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV)
The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?

Take care whose heart you follow.

Lord God, I want to follow Your good heart. I don’t trust my own.

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Stubborn Heart

Posted on October 13, 2020 by Shirlee Abbott

These words from an ancient prophet
speak to us here and now.

Jeremiah 16:12 (NASB)
You are each one walking according
to the stubbornness of his own evil heart,
without listening to Me.

I see lots of folks (including the one in the mirror) walking according to their stubborn hearts.

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Set Your Heart

Posted on October 12, 2020 by Shirlee Abbott

Got your heart set?

- - - on the election results
    - on a comfy home
    - on financial security
    - on a loving relationship

Whatever your heart’s desire–where is it? On earth, or in heaven?

Colossians 3:1 (NIV)
Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God.

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Safe Shelter for Your Spirit

Posted on October 11, 2020 by Shirlee Abbott

I’m tired of it all.

Bad news.
Politics.
Social distancing.
Wars and rumors of wars.

Psalm 31:1-2 (NIV)
In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
    let me never be put to shame;
    deliver me in your righteousness.
Turn your ear to me,
    come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
    a strong fortress to save me.

I need to tune in less to the noise of our culture, tune in more to the Word of the Lord.

Turn Your ear to me, Lord, and tune my ear to You. Be my shelter, my energy, my perseverance, my get-up-and-go, in Jesus’ name.

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On Center

Posted on October 9, 2020 by Shirlee Abbott

Hebrews 12:2 (TPT)
We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection.

With Christ at the center, all else falls into perfect place.

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Self-Centered

Posted on October 8, 2020 by Shirlee Abbott

Here’s an interesting description of a self-centered soul:

“Self-will so ardent and active
that it will break a world to pieces
to make a stool to sit on.“
Richard Cecil (1495-1553)

Where’s your center? On you, or on the world?

Sir Richard was an English nobleman, Master of Burghley (a 16th century country house, something like the fictional Downton Abbey), royal page and Groom of the Robes (in charge of the king’s ceremonial attire).

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Front and Center

Posted on October 7, 2020 by Shirlee Abbott

You are a target. The enemy’s arrows are aimed at your weakest point.

Ephesians 6:16 (NIV)
Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Shield up, front and center!

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The Whole Center

Posted on October 6, 2020 by Shirlee Abbott

The world maps of my childhood classrooms
put the United States front and center.

What does God’s see?

John 3:16
For God so loved the world . . .

It’s simple. God sees the whole world.

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Not the Center

Posted on October 5, 2020 by Shirlee Abbott

Last Friday, I realized every news report I read was centered here in the United States. Surely, I thought, there were newsworthy incidents elsewhere in the world.

I looked harder:

- - - Hostility is escalating between Armenia and Azerbaijan (the on/off battle dates back to 1918-1921 and 1988-1994)
    - Kuwait has a new Emir, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah
    - Britain and the European Union are hammering out the details of a Brexit trade deal
    - Belarus citizens protest long-time authoritarian president Alexander Lukashenko

God knows, the world doesn’t revolve around me.

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Shelter in the Storm

Posted on October 4, 2020 by Shirlee Abbott

Political storms,
firestorms,
health storms,
wind storms,
rain storms–

Do you beg God to shelter you from the storm?
Do you see Him as your shelter in the storm?

Psalm 57:1 (NIV)
Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.

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