A Divided Heart

Where have you found yourself the past couple of days, weeks or months in regards to reading God's Word? I've been in Joshua and as I finished this book early this morning I felt convicted to share something that can stir my heart from time to time.

I want my heart to beat for Christ like Moses' did, Ruth's, David's, and even Joshua. Honestly, I know that there times that I fall short every day. Yet I'm thankful that God HIMSELF will stir my heart to love and serve Him more than I have been when I allow Him to. As I closed God's Word this morning after hearing The LORD'S covenant renewed for the people of Israel after crossing over into the promised land, I wanted to encourage you and I to serve the Lord.

Do you and I have a divided heart? Joshua 23:6-8 NIV "Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them. But you are to hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have until now." I'm going to change to italics something that struck me this morning as extremely important, perhaps it will be the same for you.

What I felt as confirmation for me in the early hours will follow in a moment. I know that a conviction is between myself and God. Your own conviction is between you and God, perhaps not meant for others. I also am very aware that God spoke to my heart when I started writing Higher Grounds that I was to teach by sharing what He has revealed to me, done for me and through me. I want to pitch a thought or two out to you this morning that concerns invoking the names of foreign gods (idols) and God's fervent NO to you and I that we MUST NOT SERVE THEM OR BOW DOWN TO THEM. YOU AND I ARE TO HOLD FAST TO THE LORD OUR GOD.

My question that I'm asking of you and myself today that I want us to ponder and reflect upon. Would you today read a horoscope? Would you use tarot cards? How about visit a palm reader? Do you open a fortune cookie and read what is tucked inside of them? Aren't any and all of these part of the eastern religion world? By doing so, are you and I invoking the name of a god not the ONE TRUE GOD? Are we serving and bowing down to them by participating?

Sisters and Brothers, the enemy is sneaky, sly and he creeps in ever so quietly. Something we tend to think is harmless, perhaps is not harmless at all. Does that not cause you and I to have a divided heart. When I, myself, was first confronted with this several years ago I thought, now they are just down right off their rockers. I don't think that today, I think today that God was using them to show me how easy it is to allow a god in. Deuteronomy 28:14 NIV "Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them."

I want you to know that both my spouse and I thoroughly enjoy a good Chinese restaurant. My husband enjoys the taste of the fortune cookie but often we find ourselves in the midst of others pushing that tiny little piece of paper at us to read our fortune. I very gently tell them no thank you, and if they persist I softly say, I already know my future, I've read the end of The Book.

Father in Heaven, we desire to be like Joshua, **But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD. You alone are our God. We come to You asking for forgiveness for our divided hearts. The wisdom and discernment to recognize when we may be stepping off of that very narrow path and righting us to walk with-in Your perimeters. Thank You Father for the plumb line of Your Word. Guide and direct us now, tomorrow and always. In the saving name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

**Joshua 24:15b**