Tag:

Heart

Pastor Marty Ocaya: ‘Let God Restore Your Heart So You Can Love With A Whole & Full Heart’

by Christel Berns May 8, 2024

written by Christel Berns

Pastor Marty Ocaya of Elevate Church Philippines encouraged Christians to “let God restore your heart so you can love with a whole and full heart.”

Brokenness

In this world, people encounter various forms of brokenness, which can lead to either positive or negative outcomes. It depends on the individual’s response. Some struggle to cope with pain, leading them down a destructive path, while others choose to find silver linings amidst adversity and embark on a journey towards healing and wholeness.

Elevate Main [@elevate_main]. Pastor Marty Ocaya. Instagram, 6 Mar. 2024, https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4K5yQnpyEx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

In a message delivered by Pastor Marty Ocaya, he emphasized the positive outcomes that can emerge from brokenness. He highlighted how God’s redemptive power can bring transformation and strength to one’s shattered heart.

God Offers Healing To The Heart

No one is immune to pain; it is an inevitable part of life. Recognizing this reality, Pastor Marty underscored how individuals often feel hopeless in the face of brokenness.

“All of us, we’ve experienced brokenness in our lives, failures in our lives,” he explained. “We felt like we’re dirty, we felt like we were judged, we felt like we can’t come back up again. We felt like ‘what happened in the past is too painful and tough. I don’t know if I can come back up again.’”

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: EMBRACING WHOLENESS

Then, he recounted his own story of brokenness, highlighting how God restored his life from that painful and dark season.

“But you know what happened to me? I really felt God loving me fervently by stretching His hand out to me,” he said. “And saying, ‘Come, I wanna restore you.’”

Having encountered such profound love from God, the pastor learned how to love fervently. He attested to the transformative power of God’s restoration, describing it as incredibly powerful.

So, Pastor Marty urged the believers, “Let God restore your heart so you can love with a whole and full heart. It’s not hard, impossible to love fervently, if your heart is not whole. It’s difficult to be enthusiastic in loving others if you’re not filled with God’s love. But once you’ve experienced His restoration, you’re gonna be able to love fervently.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elevate Main (@elevate_main)

Reference | Instagram – Elevate Main

Header Image: Elevate Main [@elevate_main]. Pastor Marty Ocaya. Instagram, 6 Mar. 2024, https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4K5yQnpyEx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

May 8, 2024 0 comments

Articles Featured News Video

Man With Only 2 Years To Live Due To Heart Condition Receives A Christmas Miracle

by Christel Berns January 30, 2024

written by Christel Berns

A man who had been informed by doctors that he had only two years to live due to his heart condition received a remarkable Christmas miracle—a new heart!

Heart Condition Diagnosis

In 2004, the couple Tony and David Espinosa learned that David had a condition called heart enlargement. Disturbed by this diagnosis, doctors informed him that he had a mere two years to live due to his heart condition. The couple found this prognosis difficult to accept, seeking second and third opinions, yet consistently receiving the same results.

700 Club Interactive. (Screenshot). (2023). Healing The Heart – Christmas Miracle, Retrieved January 3, 2024 from: https://youtu.be/fEXd7WPQMuE

In David’s mind, he began to mentally prepare for his impending death, accepting the notion that his time was running out. All he felt he could do was make arrangements to ensure his family’s well-being upon his passing. However, his family refused to give up and remained steadfast in their faith in God.

Tony, his wife, persisted in praying fervently to God, pleading for a miracle. She reached out to her friends and church community, requesting their prayers for her husband’s healing. Eventually, the doctors informed them that David required a heart transplant. Tony came to understand the significant financial cost associated with the procedure, as it would necessitate another person’s death for her husband to receive a new heart.

With this in mind, Tony began seeking a divine intervention from God, earnestly asking for Him to grant David a new heart directly from Him, rather than taking it from someone else. She held firm belief in God’s ability to perform such a miracle, placing her complete trust in Him. Even in the midst of uncertainty, she expressed gratitude to God in faith, thanking Him for David’s eventual healing.

Simultaneously, David remained steadfast in his belief that God was working amidst their circumstances. While waiting for his heart transplant, David sensed God speaking to him in subtle ways. He, too, placed his trust in God’s plan.

“If you that faith, the size of a mustard seed and you just pray ‘God, Your will be done,’” Tony remarked.

Then, three weeks later, David and Tony returned to the doctor for David’s monthly check-up. To the doctor’s surprise, as he examined the charts, he exclaimed, “I can’t explain it but you’re not sick anymore.”

God answered their prayers!

Healing The Heart - Christmas Miracle

Watch this video on YouTube

Reference | 700 Club Interactive

Header Image: 700 Club Interactive. (Screenshot). (2023). Healing The Heart – Christmas Miracle, Retrieved January 3, 2024 from: https://youtu.be/fEXd7WPQMuE

January 30, 2024 0 comments

Faith God's Word for the Day

God’s Word for the Day: A Pure Heart

by Lily Benson November 15, 2023

written by Lily Benson

A pure heart starts with the pursuit of purity, our hearts transform, our minds are renewed, and our lives become a reflection of Jesus.

What Does the Bible Say?

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8

In a world filled with distractions and competing desires, the call to have a pure heart may seem like an impossible feat. Yet, as a follower of Christ, you are called to a higher standard—a standard that requires you to pursue purity of heart and live with unwavering integrity.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus imparts a profound truth in Matthew 5:8 when He says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” These words echo the promise of divine encounters and deep intimacy with our Heavenly Father. To be pure is to have a sincere devotion to God, allowing Him to purify your motives, thoughts, and desires. It is a continual process of surrendering your heart to His transforming grace.

A pure heart is not merely concerned with external appearances or religious traditions; rather, it is a heart that aligns itself with God’s truth and seeks to honor Him in every aspect of life. It is a heart that seeks righteousness, purity, and love. Such a heart is not swayed by the moral compass of the world but stands firm on the unchanging foundation of God’s Word.

Living with purity requires you to guard your thoughts diligently. Proverbs 4:23 advises us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Your thoughts shape your actions, and your actions reveal the condition of your heart.

A pure heart is characterized by integrity and authenticity. It involves living a life of honesty, transparency, and humility before both God and others. Psalm 24:4 says, “The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.” You are to examine your heart and remove any idols or false gods that have taken hold of your affections. It is in surrendering these idols and aligning your heart solely with God that you find true freedom and fulfillment.

Guard your thoughts diligently, saturating your mind with His Word. And live a life marked by integrity, authenticity, and love.

Live By The Spirit

by John Mathai October 27, 2023

written by John Mathai

God created us as spirit beings to live in a body. Our soul also lives in our body and is separate from our spirit. However many interchange the spirit and soul. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 clearly states that we are body, soul and spirit. In Hebrews 4 the Word of God is able to separate the soul from the spirit. Therefore clearly we can see there is a separation between the soul and the spirit. Our spirit was redeemed through the born again experience. Our souls are being redeemed through our minds being renewed. Our soul is made up of our thoughts, feelings and will.

Facts Are Not Truths

We can have a lot of facts but lack wisdom. Facts are not the truth. Truth is in a person, Jesus. He is the Truth and the Life. When we have the Truth we are able to walk in the Truth. The Holy Spirit was sent to reveal the Truth to us. Truth is of the Spirit and therefore we cannot know the truth without the Spirit. The facts may lead us to the truth. Being able to discern the truth is a gift of the Spirit. Many can be full of facts but fail in the long run because they were unable to know the truth. I might have a lot of head knowledge but lack in heart knowledge. Knowledge of the heart is of a different realm to head knowledge.

Connect With The Spirit

Heart knowledge is of the Spirit. In the Spirit we are able to connect with God who is Spirit. We become one with Him and are called sons of God. In the Spirit we are able to discern behind the head knowledge and detect the spirit behind the knowledge. In this way we are able to transcend the different sources or narratives in the world that seek to confuse and deceive us. In the world, the god of this world, will try and deceive us and keep us from the truth. This is why we see so much delay and deception that keeps us from knowing the truth. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and He will keep us stedfast in Him till the end.

Dr. John Mathai
________________

Stepping Into A Heavenly Mindset

by John Mathai October 11, 2023

written by John Mathai

Jesus came to live His life through you. He does this through His Holy Spirit in you. He had to die and go back to heaven so that he could send His Holy Spirit to dwell in you. Imagine the potential within you when you realise that the Creator of the world lives in you. This revelation will blow your mind and still your heart. Your mind wants to control everything but the Holy Spirit works through your heart. He resides in your heart and thinks through your heart. When you begin to think through your heart then you are closer to the heart of God. Your mind is fleshly and thinks only of itself and its needs. Your heart is broad and large and embraces more than you. It extends itself because it is able to fathom the depths of eternity. Your mind is finite because it is limited by your brain.

Heart

Your heart has no limits because it thinks like God. Now you can fly and swim and dance because you are free from the encumbrances of your mind. Your limited mind cannot fathom the mind of God. The Holy Spirit knows the mind of God. Switch into His mind by operating in the knowledge of His Spirit and fly. Yes, to fly is to be above all the limitations of your mind. It is to soar like an eagle. Thank you, Lord, for your Holy Spirit. I acknowledge your presence in me and now I will operate in your mind and see the barriers pushed back. Hallelujah here I come world, to overcome all barriers and see the impossible become possible.

This switch from the earthly to the heavenly is what makes the difference between a heavenly mindset and an earthly mindset. Let us make the switch today by acknowledging Jesus as Lord and walk in the Holy Spirit.

Dr. John Mathai

October 11, 2023 0 comments

Articles Featured News Video

God Restores Broken Marriage As Wife Holds On To The Word Of God

by Christel Berns September 5, 2023

written by Christel Berns

God incredibly restored the broken marriage of a wife who sought Jesus with all her heart. She chose to turn to God to restore her marriage.

Broken Marriage

Sheila Ramos’ life suddenly crumbled one day when her husband told her he no longer wanted to be married. She was six months pregnant with their second child at that time. She felt dumbfounded by the heartbreaking news. But the following day, God promised her that He would restore her marriage despite the seemingly hopeless circumstances.

A Home of Love (Screenshot). (2023). Sheila Ramos Testimony, Retrieved September 5, 2023 from: https://youtu.be/ElOJih90mvg

As a result, Sheila did everything she could to fight for her marriage. She prayed and fasted and claimed the Word of God. But despite it, the divorce pushed through, and she was disheartened.

My Maker Is My Husband

At that point, Sheila was unsure if God still wanted her to hold on to His promise or let go. And as she randomly opened her Bible, it opened to Isaiah 54.

“I just remember reading that the God of the whole world, the Universe, my Maker, my Creator was also called my Husband,” she recalled.

The Word of God pierced Sheila’s heart and she wept. It opened her eyes to the truth that God is her husband. Since then, her relationship with God has gone deeper.

CHRISTIAN COUPLE DISPLAYS CHRISTLIKE CHARACTER DESPITE LOSING BAGGAGE

As a single mom, Sheila took God’s revelation seriously and considered God her husband. She no longer felt alone; every day, she felt the presence of God so strongly in her life.

“For the first time, my secret place.. my intimate moment with Him,” she recounted. “And I would just sit there and we would talk. And I would tell Him all these things just like I would tell my husband.”

God has become her husband, her provider, her everything.

Then God spoke to her again that His promise to her still stood, andthat she needed to hold on to His Word.

“That I needed to hold on tight to Him, and trust Him,” she said. “And allow His Word to bear fruit in my life.”
So, Sheila trusted God with all her heart despite the impossibilities.”

She held on until one day, her husband, whom God also encountered, returned home.

Hear the entire story of how God restored Sheila’s broken marriage in the video below.

Covenant Love // Standing for Marriage // Sheila Ramos Testimony

Watch this video on YouTube

Prodigal Husband Comes Home // Marriage Testimony

Watch this video on YouTube

Reference | A Home of Love

Header Image: A Home of Love (Screenshot). (2023). Sheila Ramos Testimony, Retrieved September 5, 2023 from: https://youtu.be/ElOJih90mvg

September 5, 2023 0 comments

Faith Spotlight

Your Heart Matters To God…What The Bible Says

by Sarah Crockett August 8, 2022

written by Sarah Crockett

Your heart matters to God. You might not believe it because of something you’ve gone through, but the reality found in the Word of God reveals His pursuit of you. Many in the body of Christ have fallen into the trap of the enemies lies. Some believe that God is not for them, others believe that God doesn’t love them, and that’s exactly what the enemy wants. Often these lies come from wounds that have been inflicted by other Christians or disappointment from unmet expectations.

It is so important that we heed the wisdom we’ve been given in Proverbs 4:23 NIV, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” We must protect our hearts from falling into the traps of the enemy. We must believe that God is not a liar (Numbers 23:19) and that He is good (Psalm 34:8). He cares about your heart and there is nothing you can do to stop Him from loving you!

What’s In Your Heart Matters

Luke 6:45 NIV – “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

God cares about your heart and He cares what you fill your heart with. Your heart is so important because it is the “well spring of life” (verse). It is the source of life in you and through you. In order to test the soil of your heart, you simply have to listen to what is coming out of your mouth. Is your heart full of life, love, and hope or is it full of discouragement, despair, and hopelessness?

If your heart is filled with the later, there is hope and the Lord wants to help you fill your heart with good things. One easy place to start is by reading the Word of God and allowing it to wash you (Ephesians 5:26). You can also spend time in the presence of God, worship, pray, and so much more. Spending time with Him will allow you to get to know Him and deposit His goodness into your heart.

Your Heart Reveals What You Treasure

Matthew 6:20-21 NIV – “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

God cares about your heart because it is the source of your life. Where your heart is focused reveals where your priorities lie. God longs for relationship with you, thus, He wants to be a priority in your heart. This begs the question, “Is God the number one priority in my life?” The answer to this question reveals where you are storing your treasure. There are only two options – temporary treasure or eternal treasure.

Some times we believe the lie that our heart doesn’t matter to God. When this happens its easy to be lured by the world’s temporary treasures, but you were created for so much more! There is abundant life available…think about that….ABUNDANT…LIFE…available to you, now, through Jesus. If you aren’t storing up eternal treasures, now is a good time to shift your focus!

Your Heart Is Where Life Springs Forth

Ezekiel 36:25-26 NIV – “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; and I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

Life happens to all of us. We experience failures, let downs, and disappointments along the path of life. But we don’t have to let our hearts get hardened in the process. Ezekiel 36:26 reveals that the Lord wants to give you a heart of flesh, or enable you to keep your heart tender.

A heart of flesh is a heart that is alive. Your heart matters to God and He has made ways for your heart to remain healthy and whole. He has revealed His wisdom and ways through the Word of God. As we dive into the Word we can learn about forgiveness, how to walk in the fruit of the Spirt, operate in the gifts of the Spirit, and so much more! As we follow His ways, His truth will set us free (John 8:32) and allow life to spring forth!

The Lord Is A Safe Place For Your Heart

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Trust requires the ability to feel safe in one’s presence and the Lord is trustworthy. Jesus is the pure and spotless Lamb and His ways are perfect (Deuteronomy 32:4). He is a refuge and strong tower (Psalm 61:3) and our hearts are safe in His hands. There is an invitation here Proverbs 3:5 to trust Him with ALL of our hearts. That means every area of our lives – relationships, finances, health, career, children, and the list goes on. The best part is there is a promise attached to this invitation that as we trust Him will all of our hearts “He will make your path straight“!

If your life feels chaotic, directionless, or lacking hope the Lord is inviting you to find a safe place in Him and as you do He will make a way for you!

The Lord Will Give You Strength

Psalm 73:23-26 NIV – “Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Your heart matters to God so much that He is willing to lend His strength to you! Isn’t that an amazing, and relieving, thought? You don’t have to do life alone. The God of the universe is not only on your side, but wants to be on your team. He wants to strengthen you with His strength, might, and power.

This is amazing news! What even more astonishing is that, just as David said in Psalm 73, your flesh and heart may fail, BUT God! You don’t have to be perfect or be afraid to make mistakes and fail. God will come through for you. After all, His power is make perfect in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Your heart matters to God. Will you let Him in?

Your Heart Matters To God

August 8, 2022 0 comments

Articles Video

How Do You Guard Your Heart?

by Christel Berns September 17, 2021

written by Christel Berns

Are your heart and mind confused lately? Then this word is for you. Learn to receive God’s peace in your life and let it guard your heart and mind no matter what happens.

Guard Your Heart

In another episode of GOD TV’s “It’s All Greek To Me,” host Pastor Chris Demterious expounds the Greek word “froorehsi,” or translated as “to guard.”

Philippines 4:7 in the Bible mentions the word guard. It said, “…and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard (froorehsi) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Times and Seasons

According to what Chris shared, “guard” is a word borrowed from a military term.

“It represents a garrison of soldier that are put in a specific place to make sure that there’s no invasion or threat,” he said.

Receive God’s Peace

More so, it is also a word very familiar to the Philippians in their time because they lived in such a kind of environment. Roman guards were placed everywhere to protect the city from possible invasions. With that said, it also works the same with the peace God is giving us.

Photo by DESIGNECOLOGIST on Unsplash

“The peace of God that surpasses all understanding will protect us, will guard us from any invasion into our lives that would be negative,” he stressed. “And that is what God wants to do with us.”

Pastor Chris’s message points out that God desires always to fill us with His peace. Because God wants to make sure that no invasion or threat from outward forces could cause our hearts to stumble. That is why He always offers us the peace that only comes from Him.

“This peace He has given us for that purpose, and it guards us,” he said. “We can’t understand it. We don’t have to understand it. But we got to understand that it does guard us. It guards our hearts and our minds from any of those things that are trying to invade, trying to attack us.”

God's might; Kairous, Froorehsi, & Dynamis - It's All Greek to Me

Watch this video on YouTube

Grow closer to God daily by getting exclusive video teachings on God Today!

Read God’s Word For You Today directly from your phone. Download the Daily Word app now in Google Play and Appstore!

September 17, 2021 0 comments

Articles

Relentless Woman, Invite God In Your Heart Everyday

by Christel Berns September 14, 2021

written by Christel Berns

Every day in this life, our circumstances change a lot. And often, these circumstances may cause us to stumble, fall, or strengthen our faith. That is why inviting God every day in our heart is a crucial character we all should take seriously as followers of Jesus.

How’s Your Time With God?

We often hear the quote, “time is gold.” And because many people believe in this principle, they don’t waste their time on things that wouldn’t benefit their future. Hence, most people spend several working hours every day to make a living to earn money. Being responsible is not bad until your relationship with God is compromised. Now, the question lies behind the motive of your heart in what you do. Are you still chasing God, or are you pursuing money, purpose, and pleasure before God?

Photo by Fa Barboza on Unsplash

The thing is, if we are not careful, we could easily fall into this trap of believing we are putting God first by working hard but not prioritizing Him deep inside our hearts. That is why it’s very important to invite God every day in our hearts. In that way, we can always align our hearts with Him and His will without the danger of falling out.

Invite God In Your Heart Everyday

When you practice acknowledging God’s sovereignty over your life every morning after you wake up, you have God’s favor with you. And the best thing is, throughout that day, you would be sensitive to His presence wherever you go. Moreover, you would become mindful of God’s heartbeat to your circumstance. And your day every day would become extraordinary, full of hope, joy, and love—a miracle happens.

Therefore, relentless woman, do not neglect your time with God every day. Make spending time with Him a priority. Allow God to minister to your heart and let Him lead the way for you every day. And you can never go wrong with following His leading always.

ALSO READ: Relentless Woman, Trust God Even When His Answer Is ‘No’

Grow closer to God daily by getting exclusive video teachings on God Today!

Read God’s Word For You Today directly from your phone. Download the Daily Word app now in Google Play and Appstore!

September 14, 2021 0 comments

Articles

Prepare The Soil Of Your Heart To Receive The Word Of The Lord

by John Mathai August 31, 2021

written by John Mathai

Jesus used the illustration of different soils to illustrate the type of soil that bears a hundredfold fruit (Matt 13:3-8). Most of us neglect preparing our heart and therefore when we hear the seed of His word it does not remain long enough to produce fruit. We hear so many opinions and stories of breakthrough but fail to experience it ourselves. It always seems to happen to others and seldom to me. Could it be that it is the state of our heart that prevents or delays the fruit? Seed is sown to produce fruit. When what we sow does not produce fruit, we don’t blame the seed but the soil. The seed sown is good and so the fruit should be good.

Preparation

There are many reasons for delays but preparing the soil of our heart is vital to producing a bountiful crop of fruit. I know from my own experience that when I had prepared the soil and fertilised it, the fruit from my lemon tree and mandarin tree had multiplied this year. I need to constantly tend to the garden of my heart so that I am always bearing fruit. Most of us listen to a lot of sermons and attend conferences and are blessed by the word preached. However the initial blessing does not appear to last. Could this be because our heart has responded but failed to sustain the word sown. Either the devil was able to steal the word or we have allowed the cares of the world to rob us of our initial joy.

Ways

The way we prepare the soil of our heart is to daily walk in repentance and forgiveness. Taking holy communion daily is a good way to prepare our hearts. In the communion we daily acknowledge our own sinfulness and ask for cleansing and forgiveness. The blood of Jesus cleanses us like nothing else. He paid the price and now we can walk in His righteousness. In this way we are always conscious of our position in Christ as a redeemed son of God. We now can receive His word of power to bear good fruit. We begin to exercise by faith His love, joy and peace and all the other fruits of the Spirit. This is the only way to bear a hundredfold fruit for others to enjoy.

Dr. John Mathai

_____