Daily Devotional – 1/10/12 “Ungrateful!”

I read a friend’s status on Facebook this morning that said “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone, but the truth is you knew exactly what you had; you just thought you’d never lose it,” and this got me thinking. Wow! How many times do you take things for granted and then wish for them back? “Oh, I wish I had momma here to hug,” but how many times did you actually hug momma when you had her? See, all those times she told you that you would miss her when she was gone is playing over and over in your head now that you can’t pick up the phone to call her. The times when she would call you and ask for a favor and you’d brush her off because you got more important things to do, well, it’s eating at you now. But, what can you do? You hate to pump gas, wash your own car, get the oil changed or get a flat tire fixed, but you pushed away the one person that would do it all for you. You were tired of him smothering you, so you say, but in actuality it was your friends talking in your ear. They asked, “Girl, why does he always call you when we hang out?” But they were just mad because they didn’t have anyone caring if they made it to their destination, had enough money or made it home safely, so they hated on yours. But instead of you appreciating him for caring, you ran him off. Now, each time you pump gas and its 20 degrees outside, you pray for God to send him back. But baby, he has moved on with his life and enjoying the company of someone who appreciates him.

You’re acting upset because your dog ran away when you know you were barely caring for him anyway. You wouldn’t take him for walks, to the vet or feed him 2 days straight and you have the nerve so say you don’t know why he would run away. Child, please! How can you expect a dog or even a person to stay when they are not being treated right? The bible says in Matthew 7:12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you.” You expect a smile but all you give is a frown. You expect a hug when all you offer is a handshake. You expect love but all you got to give is hate. It’s like you expecting a steak dinner but you only gave $3, life doesn’t work like that. Haven’t you heard, “You get back what you put out?” If folk see you helping all the time, they’ll be quick to help you when you need it, but if folk always see you as being a hindrance to others, they’ll be a hindrance to you. Luke 6:31 says “And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.” If you constantly do folks wrong, they will get tired of it and leave. I know the bible says folks should turn the other cheek when they are done wrong (Matthew 5:39), but we only have 2, so eventually you’ll turn your back. Why would you consistently subject yourself into a situation that always leave you hurt? You have to stop treating folks like crap and then expecting them to stay around because when you take them for granted, there is someone waiting to grant their request. Somebody will miss this, so let me say it again. While you are taking him/her for granted, somebody is waiting to grant their requests. Hebrews 13:16 (The Message Bible) says “Make sure you don’t take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship – a different kind of “sacrifice” – that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets.”

Sometimes the things we take for granted are not taken by death but hurt can sure make you feel like it. May I suggest that you stop taking things for granted that you claim to care about because it/they might not always be there? Yea, you got your mind now but you can lay down for a nap and wake up without it. You got a great job today, but the company can close tomorrow. You riding in your car now but in a blink of an eye, a wreck can happen and completely wipe it out. You walked out the house mad at your spouse and too mean to kiss them goodbye and then you receive a phone call that a heart attack claimed their life. James 4:14 says “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog–it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” You may know the blessing that you have and you may even take it for granted because you don’t ever think that it can be gone, but ask the mother who had to bury a child or a husband who buried his wife of 40+ years or the steel worker who cut off his hand. God has blessed you with an amazing gift of singing but you complain every time sometime ask you to do a solo. The bible says that if you don’t use your gifts, then God will take them and give them to someone else. If you don’t believe me, read Matthew 25:14-30. But if you use what God has given you, for good, then you’ll hear God say “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” Isn’t this what we are all striving to hear? Well done? If God has given you a heart to love and you choose to hate, then hate is what you’ll get. If God has given your hands strength to help and all you do is sit on them then you get no help. If God has given your legs strength to walk and all you do is complain when someone calls your name, you may just lose the ability to walk. Proverbs 27:1 says “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” Cherish what you have. Love who you are and those around you. Stop waiting until tomorrow to apologize, to end a feud, to make peace because only God knows what tomorrow holds. Do it now while you have a chance because telling them while standing over their casket won’t do you any good, they can’t hear it.

Being ungrateful takes you out of God’s grace and being without the grace of God is like being in a tornado with no shelter.

Daily Devotional – 1/9/12 “What are you filled with?”

I read a quote from my neighbor this morning that said, “Whatever you are overflowing with will spill out when you are bumped (Ravi Zacharias).” This made me think because as Christians, I would imagine that whatever we are filled with will spill off on others when we bump into them or are in their presence, right? So I ask the question, “What are you filled with?” If you are filled with anger because your spouse made you mad on the way to church, then you give off anger to your fellow church members for Proverbs 29:11says “Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.” But, if you are filled with love because that’s the way you are supposed to be, then you give off love when you mingle with folk for John 13:34 says “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

Philippians 1:9-11 says “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.”Now salvation is defined as the act of saving or protecting from harm, risk, loss, destruction; and God does this for us, so he is filled with salvation. Then he fills us with this salvation, when we accept him into our lives, in order to save and protect others who have not accepted him yet. But if I am a sinner and every time I walk by you and you are complaining, why would I accept what you are offering? If I am a sinner and every time I bump into you and you are gripping because you don’t have money, then how can you tell me that God is a provider and make me believe it? If I am a sinner and every time I talk to you, you have gossip on your lips about your brothers/sisters, you are supposed to love, how can you tell me that God wants us to love one another? If I am a sinner and every time I see you, you are complaining about the sickness in your body, then how can you make me believe that you have faith in God’s word? You have to be overflowing with the love of God and his word in order to spill it into other folk’s lives because for the most part, the closest a doubter, sinner or backslider gets to God is through you. But if the stuff that you’re filled with smells and sounds like garbage when it overflows, then you will probably only have those around you who smell and sound like the same thing, which means you are conforming to the world instead of having the world conform to you. Through salvation you gain strength and through strength you get saving power and this power gives you purpose and this purpose gives your life meaning and through meaning you get mercy and with mercy comes grace and grace, God’s grace is more than enough.

But if you can blend so easy into the world, like a chameleon blends into their surroundings, then you may need to read your bible more. When you become filled with worldly stuff, then God’s business gets pushed to the back. 1 John 2:15 says “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”You’ve know that when you try to provide the same amount of attention to 2 things at the same time, one will suffer. It’s like you trying to blow air into 2 balloons at the same time. When you take your mouth off of one, the air releases so the only way for you to get one the size it needs to be, you have to continue to blow into it, which means the other one will be left out; at least until you finish with the first one. This is the same way with trying to serve God and the world. When you focus on the world, then God’s plan for your life is placed on hold until you are finished but will you finish in enough time to go back and get God and if you do, will he still be in the same place you left him? 2 Corinthians 13:5 says “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.” How do you examine yourself? You have to do the will of God and follow his commandments. When you go even when you don’t feel like going, you’ve passed the test. When your friend calls with problems and you pray for them instead of gossip and you don’t tell their business, you’ve passed the test. When you do God’s will because it’s what you’re supposed to do and not for recognition, then you’ve passed the test. When your money runs out and your faith doesn’t waver and your knees don’t buckle under the pressure because you know that God will do what he said he would then you’ve passed the test. After passing the test, you are rewarded and God’s reward is much more than man can offer, so you have to be careful what you allow yourself to be filled with. If you leave garbage in your house for too long, eventually you’ll start smelling it in every room. Well if you leave hate on the inside for someone, bitterness over something that happened and malice towards someone who hurt you, eventually these things will begin festering inside of you until they consume your insides and then your overflow will be tainted and who wants to be around a bad-smelling person? Folk will avoid you like you have a contagious disease and if the room suddenly clears when you walk in it, then you need to fix what you got coming out of you. Being around a person whose overflow is tainted is like spilling red wine on your white shirt, it creates a mess. You have to be aware of the things that you’ve allowed to consume your insides and let them out. The same way your body gets rid of waste daily should be the same way you get rid of worldly waste from your life. You’re able to do this by praying for your enemies, letting go of hate, stopping spreading gossip and lies and becoming a better soldier in God’s army.

I pray for you my brother and my sister daily. I don’t have to personally call your name and your situation because God knows all. In Ephesians 3, Paul talked to the Gentiles about the purpose that God had given him, which was to minister to them the word of God. See, Paul didn’t think he was worthy of the position, but God did, so Paul was obedient. In Ephesians 3:14-19, Paul offered a pray to the people and even though I am not Paul, I, too, don’t feel worthy of this gift, but God did, so I must be obedient to him and his will. This prayer fits so perfectly for what I want for each of you so I have to share it. God wants us to love one another because if we love each other then we can love him. We have to fill ourselves with the word of God along with faith so that when someone bumps into us that may be having a bad day, week, month or year; it’ll spill onto them and make them well. When we fill ourselves with God, all we have to offer is love because God is love. Overflow with God so that your face may always have a smile, your walk may always have joy, and your hands may always offer help and your heart may always show love.

(Paul’s prayer which is my prayer to you)

“My prayer for you, “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen”


Daily Devotional – 1/7/12 “Be Still”

I got up this morning and I thought I was going to have my devotional done early, but nope, I couldn’t think of one thing! I prayed and I still had no idea, so I put the computer down, fixed breakfast and nope, still nothing. So, I watched a movie and washed my hair and now I’m sitting down at the computer under the dryer still with no clue. But then all of a sudden, God’s said, be still. I thought to myself, be still, but I still have a devotional to write yet I obeyed because in my reading this morning I found that being obedient to God is better than any offering or sacrifice that you or I can ever give (1 Samuel 15:22). Then I realized that God was telling me to tell you, today, to BE STILL! You are pacing trying to figure out your next move, when God says he already has it covered. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).” You are already stressing about tomorrow’s worries when you haven’t even given a thought about today but Matthew 6:34 says “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” You are anxious and running around from here to there and for what? BE STILL! Philippians 4:6 says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” See, God is trying to do something in your life, at this very moment, but you’re moving too fast to catch it. God is trying to tell you something but you’re too busy to hear it. Slow down because you might just be missing out on a blessing that you’ve been waiting for. Can you remember being young and your mom has gotten you dressed for church and she tells you to be still and don’t move until she is ready to go, but instead you go and get into something and mess up your dress or shirt and now, she is mad which means you’re in trouble?

With God, it’s almost the same. He won’t be as mad as momma but you get the gist of what I’m saying. The answer that you’ve been waiting for, it’s coming but be still. The confirmation that you’ve been praying for, it’s coming just be still. That husband or wife you’ve been wishing for, they are coming just hold on and be still. Stop trying to rush God, stop rushing for things to happen and stuff to change because usually when you rush you make a mistake. Let God do what he said he would, in his own time. Just be still. Psalm 37:7 says “Surrender yourself to the LORD, and wait patiently for him. Do not be preoccupied with [an evildoer] who succeeds in his way when he carries out his schemes.” This is simply saying; stop trying to keep up with the Joneses because if you look closely at them, you’ll see that all they got didn’t come from God. While you are working sun up to sun down to get a house like Jody has, she is barely making ends meet to keep it. While you are spending every dime to wear Polo like your friends, they are stealing theirs. When you take matters into your own hands, you remove them from God’s hand. I don’t know about you but I’d rather be in God’s hands than Allstate because they may let me down. When you worry it’s like saying you don’t have faith that God will be there. But I can tell you that he’s better than Visa because you don’t have to take him in your wallet, he’s everywhere you’re trying to be. He’s is better than Aleve because he will give you all day relief. He’s better than Nyquil because he can give you a peaceful sleep. God is better than Nationwide; he’ll be more than on your side because he will be your front, back, side, top and bottom. God is better than Goody’s or BC’s because he’ll ease your pain faster than they can. God is better than State Farm because he’ll be there even before you call him. All you have to do is trust him. Proverbs 3:5 says “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” When you depend on folks, they can let you down but if you depend on God, he’ll never fail.

While you are putting all your trust in folks, you should be putting your trust in God because then he’ll screen everyone that comes into your life. With God, it’s like having a security checkpoint in your life at all times. You know how you go through the security checks at the airport and they check everything to make sure you are no danger to them; well God is your security guard, if you allow him to be. I know you’ve heard this but it’s true, if you place your heart in God, all the folks that come into your life will have to go through God to get it. Once they go through God, they should come out being a new creature with love in their heart and joy on their lips. But, if you give yourself to anybody that comes along, you’ll soon be filled with holes and just like a bucket that has holes in it, you’re no good. Think about the cartoon Tom & Jerry and the time when Jerry filled Tom with holes and every time he took a drink of water, it all came running out of him. Well, if you keep allowing folks to take a part a of you every time they walk out of your life, you’ll soon be filled with holes and by the time the real person for you comes along, you won’t be able to hold anything inside. Stop rushing, stop pacing, stop worrying and be still! When you stop running from God and the will he has for your life, you’ll see everything in a whole new light because the light that God has isn’t dim and it doesn’t ever need recharging or replacing. Be still and let God handle your problems. Try it, if just for today and if you like it, try it again tomorrow and the next day. God never breaks a promise, he never fails and he’s always there.

Daily Devotional – 1/6/12 “The devil don’t like it … “

Because I am blessed like that! See, when I woke up this morning and opened my eyes, I could see. When I opened my mouth there was breath in my body and I could speak. When I moved my arms and legs they worked and I had strength in my body to get up. When I rose, I didn’t have missed calls, texts or voicemails informing me of bad news so I knew all my family was fine, I’m blessed. When I went into the kitchen we have food, we have clothes and shoes to wear and coats to put on in the cold weather, so we are blessed. See, the devil thought he had me when my money ran out before payday, but I’m not without so I’m blessed. He thought he had me by attacking my body with sickness but God woke me up, so I’m blessed. He thought he had me when he took my job, but God gave me strength to fill out job applications, so I’m blessed. He thought he had me when he took momma, but God gives me comfort in my lonely hours, so I’m blessed. He thought he had me when friends walked off, but God is a better friend than they could ever be, so I’m blessed. He thought he could take me out by constantly sending storms my way, but God is my protector, so I’m blessed. I don’t have to worry about tomorrow because God said in Lamentations 3:22-23 “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Every morning God sends new mercies so that means you can use them all up in one day without trying to keep them for tomorrow. So, it doesn’t matter how many times you call him on today, because he’ll still answer on tomorrow because his mercies are new. It doesn’t matter the amount of times you fall today because he’ll still pick you tomorrow because his mercies are new. It doesn’t matter the number of times you repent today because he’ll still forgive you on tomorrow because his mercies are new and because of this I will praise the Lord. I want the devil to know that he has no place in my life every time my feet hit the floor!

The devil doesn’t like it because he knows that you are blessed for the word says in Deuteronomy 28:6 says “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out,” so he roams looking for those that he can devour. I know that it sometimes hard to resist temptation, but I’ve learned the only way for the devil to get into your home is for you to bring him. See, the devil doesn’t have legs because he is a spiritual being, so the only way for him to enter inside any dwelling somebody has to bring him. How do you bring in him? Well, Ephesians 4:27 say “for anger gives a foothold to the devil.” Now, a foothold is defined as a secure starting position in order to advance. It’s like a person who climbs rocky mountains, in order for them to continue to move up, they have to place their foot into a foothold that boost them up higher and the only way for them to make it to the top, they have to keep putting their feet into footholds. When we get angry with each other, the devil is grabbing our feet and the madder we get, the higher he rises until he is running things in YOUR house because you’ve given him the means to rise to the top. Now you’re no longer in control and you’re so angry that your home is no longer happy and he has completed what he sat out to do, but James 1:19 says, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” But if you, “Submit yourselves, then, to God, Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).” You do know the devil can send blessings just like God can? But we have to be strong enough, in our faith, to notice the difference. When the joy is gone from your marriage, the devil will send that fine co-worker your way smelling & looking good while saying all the things your spouse use to say.  When the joy is gone from your worship place (church), he’ll send gossip your way about the minister that spreads like a wild fire even if it’s not true.  When the joy is gone from your life, he’ll send temptations by way of drugs and alcohol that will make you feel like everything is fine but 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 states, “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair, persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” So, even when God allows the trouble to come, it may knock you down but it doesn’t come to knock you out. How can you have a testimony without a test? How can you appreciate the sun when you’ve never experienced the dark clouds? With every battle come scars, after the scars there is healing, after the healing there is deliverance and after the deliverance comes joy!

So, yes, the devil will come because he doesn’t like it that you’re blessed like that but when he knocks on your door ask God to get it. When he shows up in your path, dance around him. When he shows up in your spouse and children, pray him out. When he shows up in your praise and worship, shout him out. When he shows up in you, dance him out. Not only am I dancing to show my appreciation to God but I’m dancing on the devils head. I’m letting him know that he can’t have my joy, my peace, my children, my husband, my family, my friends, my mind, my car, my job, my happiness nor my life. I’m letting the devil know that even though you may try to show up from time to time, there is no room here because I won’t allow you to sleep in my guest room. So whatever situation you’re ready to send my way, send it because I’m ready. Whoever you want to send to try to block my blessings, send them because I’m ready. Whatsoever you try to do to me won’t prosper because I’ve got the love of God in my heart and I’m covered by his blood. I know all my days won’t be easy and the sun won’t always shine but God’s word has prepared me for that and for you, so I’m ready.

He may not like it because I’m blessed like that but I sure do! So when times begin to get too much for you, dance on the devil’s head! When it seems like you’re getting pushed 4 steps back, dance on the devil’s head! When your bills outweigh your money, dance on the devils head! When your spouse & kids aren’t acting like they belong to you, when sickness comes, death attacks your family & friends and it seems like there’s no answer, God is the answer. 2 Timothy 1:9 says “For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time–to show us his grace through Christ Jesus”

Daily Devotional – 1/5/12 “God knows my heart!”

You ride in your car, smelling and looking good, hair done or a fresh-cut, nice pant suit or dress, smiling because you want the world to think you’re ok. But at home you’re drinking tears for water because you’re struggling to keep up with the world but baby, God has never told you to conform to this world for his word in Matthew 6:33 say “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” What sense is it to have food and no appetite, a bed and no sleep, a closet full of clothes with no desire to wear them, feet but no desire to walk, a voice with no desire to talk, hands with no desire to work and a heart with no desire to love? Stop trying to keep up with folks when you should be trying to keep up with God because when you’re down he’ll be the only, for sure, person that you can depend on. If you don’t believe me, get really sick and see how many of your true friends step up. See, while you are trying to please folk, you are forgetting about praising God when Isaiah 33:6 says “He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.” While you are busy worrying about how folks will treat you if you can’t afford to go out for drinks, they are hoping you say no because they don’t have the extra money either. While you are busy paying one credit card off with another one because you’ve got to go to Macy’s to shop when you know you can’t afford it, your co-worker is shopping at Dollar General and Fred’s, because they know they can’t afford it, but they make their $3 shirt look just as good as your $45 shirt. It’s not about the money that you got that makes you who are you because God surely won’t ask you how much you got saved but he’ll want to know how much you helped folks. God won’t ask you how much you spent at the mall on Saturday but he’ll want to know if you fed folks when they were hungry. God won’t ask you how much your shoes cost but he’ll want to know if you went when folks called. God won’t ask you how much your car cost but he’ll ask if you gave a ride to someone in need. God won’t ask you how much your phone cost and what features it has but he’ll ask if you answered when someone called for prayer. God isn’t concerned about wealth for Mark 4:19 say “but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.” When the word of God is unfruitful, then that means you are unfruitful because you are supposed to live by God’s word and if you are not fruitful then it means that everything you touch will not be productive.

We have become so accustomed to material things that we forget about the message. Let me explain what I mean because somebody missed that. We’ve gotten so caught up in looking good going to church that we wear shoes that are too little and now we can’t stand to give God his praise. The dresses have become shorter, so now Deacon No Good is constantly looking at your thighs instead of his bible. The color of the hair has gotten so wild that folks can’t even concentrate on the song that is being song because you’re sticking out in the choir stand with your pink and purple highlights. We are going to the Pastor with all the church gossip that keeps him from meditating on God’s message for him to bring. But Luke 16:15 say “Then he said to them, “You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.” While you are worried about your appearance, God is concerned about your heart. Yea, you say “God knows my heart,” but if your heart is filled with the desire to gain earthly riches instead of heavenly treasures, then it’s not pleasing to God. Romans 8:27 say “And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” This is saying when you can’t say a word about your situation; let your heart do the talking because God’s spirit prays on your behalf. Haven’t you heard when older folks say, “When you moan, the devil doesn’t know what you’re talking about?” This is what they are really meaning. See, if your heart is filled with God, then you are filled with his spirit so when it comes to a point in your current situation, storm, test, circumstance and life’s journey where you can’t say a word and your heart is right, God still hears you. That’s why the bible says in Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.”

So, if the mess you’re in isn’t pleasing to God, then you aren’t pleasing to him. If your heart is filled with dirt, then it makes you dirty. If your heart is filled with hate, even though you claim to love, you’re hateful. If your heart is filled with malicious content for a person that did you wrong, then you are just as bad as that person. However you think so are you. If you think that about me, then you are thinking the same thing about yourself so don’t be so quick to say that God knows your heart especially if you haven’t cleaned it in a while. It’s like inviting people into a room that is filled with clothes, trash and dirt; where are they supposed to sit or stand if every part of the floor and chairs are covered? It’s the same with inviting folks into your heart and it’s filled with hate for a boy/girlfriend that left you years ago, pain from something momma/daddy did 22 years ago or despise for somebody who got the job you thought should have been yours. Search your own heart and ask God to remove the stuff that shouldn’t be there and those things that hinders you from being in fellowship with him. But once you ask, you can’t go looking for it to put it back. Read Psalm 51:10 that says “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” When you have a clean heart you give out clean love that is able to come back to you but when you give out dirty love then it comes back to you the same way. Matthew 5:8 says “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Isn’t your ultimate goal, when you die or when God comes back for us, to see God? Then why are you the one blocking your own way? Yes, God knows your heart but if it’s dirty then he’s not in it. With a clean heart you’re humble and with humility comes healing and in your healing comes happiness and when you’re happy you have more and when you have more you help more and when you helpful you heed to God’s word which leads you to Heaven.