Our Mission and Vision

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (Eph 4:11-12 KJV).

We purpose to build disciples of Jesus Christ by empowering people to walk out the Gospel and impact the world around them. Our vision is to gather, shepherd, encourage, confirm, and release into ministry those individuals God joins with us, as well as to develop, establish and oversee foundational expressions of Christian worship, training, prayer, and service.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Architecture of the Heart

My wife, Jan, and I love architecture. Lately we have been watching You Tube videos and doing photo searches of Gothic style cathedrals from around the world. The architectural designers behind these masterpieces built with enthusiasm because they truly believed these structures would house God. Many are inspired in proportion by the measurements of Solomon’s temple. I visited England and Scotland several times in the very first years of this century and was awed at the sight of Bath Abbey, York Minster, and Westminster Cathedral, among others.
As much as I was and am inspired by these “house of God,” they pale in comparison to the true tabernacle of God, the heart of man. I’ve compiled here 30 positive, spiritual architectural features of the heart from the Psalms and Proverbs. Of course, there are many duplicates to these within the respective books and also throughout scripture. There are many negative examples of heart architectural, as well. But if we cultivate these positive traits, we can largely avoid the negative. There are 30 entries here, so a monthly devotional could be “built” around them. God bless.  

Ps 4:4 Aware heart
Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

Ps 4:7 Glad heart
Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

Ps 7:10 Upright heart
My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.

Ps 9:1 Whole heart
I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.

Ps 10:17 Prepared heart
LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

Ps 13:5 Rejoicing heart
But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

Ps 15:2 True heart
He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

Ps 17:3 Proved heart
Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

Ps 19:14 Meditative heart
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Ps 24:4 Pure heart
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

Ps 27:14 Strengthened heart
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Ps 28:7 Trusting heart
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

Ps 34:18 Broken heart
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Ps 40:8 Devoted heart
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

Ps 45:1 Expressive heart
My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

Ps 51:10 Clean heart
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Ps 51:17 Contrite heart
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Ps 57:7 Fixed heart
My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.

Ps 78:72 Innocent heart
So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

Ps 86:11 United heart
Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

Ps 101:2 Perfect heart
I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

Ps 119:32 Enlarged heart
I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.

Ps 119:80 Sound heart
Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.

Pro 3:3 Imprintable heart
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

Pro 4:23 Governed heart
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Pro 8:5 Understanding heart
O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

Pro 10:8 Wise heart
The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.

Pro 14:30 Sound heart
A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

Pro 15:13 Merry heart
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

Pro 18:15 Prudent heart
The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge

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