Wisdom from Everett

My grandson, Everett, is seven years old. He was recently visiting with us and had a conversation with me about being a Christian. He said the following:

"Grandma, I am a Christian. You can know that Jesus died for your sins but you have to really believe it and tell God you believe it. Then you will be a Christian."

He also said, "When I grow up I am going to be a preacher or FBI."

My grandson is learning a lot about God. He is being taught well by his parents. I am very proud of them. When Everett said these things to me, I let him know that we will be looking for fruit in his life as he grows. He said that he wanted to bring God glory not himself.

Later before we all had lunch together, Everett asked to pray. He prayed beautifully never mentioning the food but thanking God for Jesus and how he paid for our sins. He apologized to God for our continued sin. Then he said this...
"And God our Uncle Gabe is not a Christian. We want him to be a Christian and we will do everything we can to make him a Christian but you have to do it."
I could barely speak after his prayer. No one had mentioned his uncle, my son and yet he remembered him. Isn't that fruit?

Everett wants to do what is right but still struggles as we all do. (see my former post) Through his instruction from home and the Holy Spirit, I believe he has quoted scripture without really knowing it.

Romans 10:9-10, "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord", and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

Amen and amen...Thank you Everett. God has granted you wisdom. May God grow you up in Him. But whether you are a preacher or FBI or something entirely different, you can honor God with your life. And me??? I will be the proud Grandma.

The Heart of the Matter

On March 17th, I went into the hospital to have a cardiac ablation. This procedure is supposed to keep my heart from racing out of control. It will take a whole year to see if the process was successful. It has left me tired. I am ready to move but my body is not. I try to argue with myself but it does no good. I am always defeated by my lack of energy.

So what's a woman to do? The problem is I want what I want when I want it. Sound familiar? God is so gracious and patient with me. He is teaching me to wait on Him. My heart has to learn this as I progress through this time. The procedure had nothing to do with my heart attitude. I am afraid that I am the only one who can control that!

The surgeon worked on my heart for six hours. Wouldn't it be great if I could correct my attitude in six hours? This next year will come and go and I will still be working on my attitude. My desire is that I will be more in line with Jesus at the end of this year than I am now. And the year after that...and the year after that...and the year after that...conforming more to His Image.

The heart of the matter is whether my heart beats too fast or too slow, I have to have a heart attitude that's becoming more and more like Jesus. I thank God for giving me the new heart in Him, a pliable heart not a heart of stone. I thank God for His Spirit who lives within me to guide me and give me discernment. I thank God for His Word which gives me direction as I live out my life. When I think on these things, I can lay back in my chair in peace just resting in Him.