Valerie Rumfelt

Why Guard Your Heart?

During my college days, I would attend movies that I knew my parents would not have approved of. I was away from home, and it was easy to justify doing some activities. I wasn’t interested in the Holy Spirit’s uncomfortable presence. And you want to know the consequences of that willful behavior? I’ve always remembered that time. I thank God that He forgave me, but He left the memory. But I thank God for the memory because later, it informed my decision to be careful of my media intake. He left that responsibility to me, and He left it to you too.
Guarding your heart is more than media intake. Are the people closest to you striving to guard their hearts too? God cares about the company we keep(I Corinthians 15:33). He cares about our attitudes in every area of life, from how we care for our bodies to how we treat others. Additionally, I have several articles on this site about the importance of a morning quiet time with God. And other articles on scripture engagement. These kinds of activities help us guard our hearts.

The heading of Proverbs 4 is “Get Wisdom at Any Cost.” With that heading, we can know God cares about our hearts. It is an understatement to say that from a physical standpoint, our heart is vital to our life. I think God looks at our spiritual hearts the same way. We must intentionally care for it. It is vital to our spiritual life.

Proverbs 4:23 – Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Sometimes adults believe they can watch, read or do whatever they want because they are adults. Societies determine a legal age to do certain activities, and some Christians adopt this way of life, thinking if an action is considered legal, then it is ok to do. The Bible doesn’t teach this. God commands us to guard our hearts.

Why guard your heart? Obviously, because the Bible says so. A few others are listed below, and you might have one to add. Please leave a comment to share if you do.

Reasons to Guard Your Heart:

To intentionally choose purity. You want the Holy Spirit to be at home in your heart(Matthew 5:8, Psalm 51:10).
To have a greater desire to meet with God. This desire increases when darkness decreases(Psalm 42:2).
To have godly wisdom to pass on to your children and grandchildren, and friends(Proverbs 1:8-9).
To be a good example. If you are a Christian, then you are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Christians and lost people need a good example.
To have a beautiful mind, plus, thinking about “these things” is easier(Philippians 4:8).
To use your time wisely since much of the harm to our hearts comes by way of media affecting our eyes and ears (Matthew 13:15).
To decrease anxiety because what we read, watch, and listen to impacts our spirit(I Corinthians 6:12-13, Matthew 6:22-23).
To fellowship with God because whatever is filling your mind has your attention. You can’t enjoy God and His presence with distractions(Psalm 16:11).
To have a filter for what comes out of your mouth. If you aren’t guarding your heart, then your mind is not the mind of Christ(2 Corinthians, chapter 2). If your mind is dark, then your mouth will reveal it(Matthew 15:18).
To have a strong mind since your mind is supposed to be used to understand God’s will. It is renewable. The sooner you guard your heart, the sooner you will know all that God has for you to know( Romans 12:1-2).
To have more peace by allowing the Holy Spirit to permeate your mind. Your anxiety level diminishes and your joy increases(Romans 8:6).
To lose the desire for the things of this world. Greed will decrease. Your eyes will be opened to all God gives to you straight from His loving heart materially and spiritually(I John 2:15-17).

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. I Corinthians 6:19-20

Think about what you let in. In children’s church, we sang a song with this line, “Oh be careful little eyes what you see.” The internet is wonderful and beneficial in many ways. Like a library, it has great content, but just like a library, it has sinful content too. The words to the music you listen to in your car (even if it is from your high school days)may be causing your mind to linger in places that keep you from God. Are your podcasts filling your mind with God’s truth or with the world’s solutions? Are they fueling anger or cynicism? There are so many wonderful books in this world. Find books that cause your mind to be in beautiful places and not fantasize, crave violence, or encourage careless speech.

We will never be perfect until Jesus comes again, but we are to strive to be more like Him each day and to bring glory to Him with our lives. Everyday choices show that we care about our relationship with Him. Think about your choices. Without comparing yourself to your friends, ask yourself, “Am I doing all I can to guard my heart?”

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How to use this article:

Personal Bible study – Look up every verse and write it, say it, pray it. Decide what you can do more to guard your heart.

Go over it with any new believer or with your children or grandchildren, nieces or nephews etc. Discuss more ways to guard your heart.

Memorize some of the scriptures.

©Valerie Rumfelt

5 More Reasons Why I Meet with God in the Morning

Recently I wrote an article entitled Why I Meet with God in the Morning. In that article here, https://valerierumfelt.com/2023/03/17/why-i-meet-with-god-in-the-morning/ (sorry for the little “g” as this is out of my control when I transferred the link), I used as much Christian persuasion as I had to influence you the reader to continue in your morning meeting with God or to change your schedule, make an adjustment so that you would begin to meet with God in the morning.

Since that writing, I’ve been reminded by even more reasons. If you weren’t convinced by the last article, this one may bring you to your point of decision. I ask you, will you meet with God in the morning?

Reasons 6-10:

6. Urgent – To be available for the Spirit to do work that only He can do – I may miss the best plan God has for me. We are humans with our own wills. Even as Christians, we often don’t want to do God’s will. Our plans are more dreamy and include more of our loved ones or match our talent or degree, fulfill our desires, and any other myriad of reasons. In Philippians 2, Paul is urging the believers to carry the Light of Christ into the world. The only way we can do this is by obeying God’s will and plan for our lives. Verse 13 continues…” for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” It’s about God. If I’m not showing up for my meeting, God can’t do the work of changing me so that I learn to want what He wants. Our desires change when we meet with God.

7. To understand the love and hope offered to me – It is unfathomable. But when I spend time with Him, He supernaturally enables me to experience His particular love toward me. Down here, we only know human love. To know the love of God, we need to spend time with Him. Romans 5:5 says, …” and hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

8. For all the benefits of reading God’s Word, the Bible – If you have not read Psalm 119 in its entirety, your enthusiasm for God’s Word will strengthen if you will spend some time there. It is profound the many benefits the author gives of God’s Word in this one chapter. Besides this chapter, unless you read the Bible, you will not know the value of its truths and God’s heart for you and the lost.

9. Increased dependency on God and less self-dependency – God is holy, we are not. He is sovereign, strong, and able. We are hard-headed and prideful and would do well to admit our need for Him sooner. We typically don’t know what to do. Although we will do anything sometimes other than wait on God. When I humble myself and ask, the solutions come, and I don’t live with regret because of the consequences of taking matters into my own hands. Yes, God gives us brains and some common sense. But He is God. And He requires our hearts, and anything less is unacceptable to Him.

10. To keep my priorities straight. – Many of us are the worker bees in God’s Kingdom. But even that work pales compared to the work Jesus has done and continues to do in our lives. He is Lord, and we do well to remember we are not serving ourselves. We serve the Creator of heaven and earth who is over all and in all(Ephesians 4:6). Spending time in the morning gets my head and heart in line and conscious of His work around me and in me.

***Bonus reason***

11. We are often tired, weary, and unaware – My mind needs to be renewed in His word. I need to acknowledge the strength that only He can give. I need to learn from Him(Matthew 11:28). And I need Ephesians 6 to remind me I have what I need to fight the battle, and sometimes the battle, the resistance is me.

One can certainly have a devotional at night. My husband and I do. It ties up the day and brings a whisper to the evening that welcomes bedtime. These reasons and those in the previous article can’t be achieved when we are tired from the day and lying in bed. As Christians, we have a loving, heavenly Father who has a plan for our lives. Our sacrifice and intention to meet with Him in the morning give us an opportunity for transformation in our hearts and minds(Romans 12:1-2) so that we can live lives that bring Him glory.

“My quiet time is not a gift I give to God.
My quiet time is a gift God gives me.
I don’t offer him my quiet time. I simply offer him my time, my self. He’s the one who provides the quiet spirit.”
― Emilie Barnes, Fill My Cup, Lord… With the Peace of Your Presence

Thanks for taking the time to read this article. If you aren’t one of my faithful readers, it’s easy to become one. Just add your email below, and hit subscribe, and each time I publish, you will receive the article in your email first. Blessings.

©Valerie Rumfelt

How You Can Be Prepared for God’s Plans

When was the last time you thought about a beaver? Me neither, but these interesting rodents recently came to mind when I pondered being ready for whatever is coming. Curiosity led me to research these non-hibernators. Beavers have a method of gnawing on trees and branches near a stream. This begins the process of building a dam and a home for themselves called a lodge.

These creatures choose a shallow body of water. Choosing this protects them later from a build-up of ice in the winter. The build-up would slow down their ability to go to and fro in their engineered paths for food. They strip away from the trees and bring along other limbs, twigs, stones, and other plants for this intentional endeavor. The result; survival. In addition to this fundamental need, the dams serve as protection from those who seek to devour them; predators.

Beavers offer some analogy for us as humans. At times in our lives, we may choose to let go of unnecessary things, just like animals shed their fur to stay cool. This is good. But more often than not, it is God who orchestrates processes to cause this. The “letting go” can be in many forms and can come quickly or over time. This process is to get us prepared.

Some choose to cooperate with God in this process; others dig their heels in.

Who could have predicted an unseen, worldwide pandemic and all its ramifications? Remember when Covid 19 shut down gyms for a while? Was this a routine in your life? How did you adjust and prepare for the new season? Did you get creative and find other ways to stay fit? This is an everyday example. But twists and turns that require our adjustment come, and we must be prepared. We won’t always have time to get prepared.

Consider the following scenarios: a tragedy of some kind, a natural disaster, the death of a close loved one, a financial collapse, incarceration, a move to an unlikely place, a call to ministry or missions, a terminal diagnosis, or being the caregiver for a vulnerable person. It could be God is calling you out of your comfort zone, and you need to prepare for your next assignment. Or the surprise of a godly man or woman entering your life as your future mate.

But back to the beaver: Eventually, the dam or the lodge is built. Its functions and purposes are in place, and the beaver begins life in its new ecological home. Survival in a new season instinctually led the beaver to build a shelter.

In contrast, we can often ignore or procrastinate when action is needed. We spend more time than required asking why. We complain. We need time to process, and we wish things would go back to the way they were. We have no interest in being challenged or surrendering to God. Beavers? They do what’s necessary for life and living and survival. They do these acts of survival year around. I know I can learn some things from these nocturnal, busy, and intentional creatures.

Our God is sovereign, and He is powerful, and nothing that comes into a Christ-followers’ life is unplanned. There are no surprises to God. Since this is true, then why does it take us so long sometimes to get on board with His plan? The beaver knows what is required and gets about doing it. The result is efficient, prepared, and ready for whatever may come. We can do the same. God is not interested in us being ill-equipped or unprepared for life. We can adjust ourselves to God.

Our ability to adjust seems related to our ability to trust our Heavenly Father.

So just like the beaver, we can build our earthly life efficiently, with preparation, and live in the reality of what is, instead of what we wish it would be.

We can grow no matter how old we are, no matter the situation.

We can be ready for what God has. It doesn’t mean we won’t have fear or anxiety, but I humbly submit when I incorporate specific disciplines and habits, my response improves when the challenge comes and when life is changing.

I also know the enemy is prowling, and he preys on those who are idle and unprepared. Christ’s followers are in the Lord’s army, and we must have a soldier’s readiness. We don’t want to cooperate in any delay of God’s plan, do we?

Here are some practices and disciplines I’ve learned which help me. I’m still growing, and I need God’s mercy and help every day of my life.

Tips to be Prepared for Life:

–Memorize and meditate on scripture – The Bible is God’s Word and the roadmap for life. As followers of Jesus, He expects us to obey it. The more scripture you have inside of you, the better your foundation for action when the plan comes.

–Pray – Prayer is meeting with our Father. We are talking and listening, but mainly we are in His presence. If you want to feel close to God, intentionally set times aside to pray. When the plans begin to change, you will be at peace.

–Keep your mind clean – Just because adults can view it or listen to it doesn’t mean you need to. Be discerning and be vigilant to guard your mind. Your mind is a camera, and every word and image is inside your brain. Jesus tells us to love Him with our minds. You will be better able to love Him with a clean mind.

–Exercise and care for your body– We tend to feel better about ourselves when we do this. Giving in to every indulgence is not useful for building yourself for service to Him. Discipline and self-control are all close to God’s heart. He writes about the body in His word. It’s essential, and you will be ready for any new plans coming when you care for your body.

–Love the Church – Beavers stay in groups and care for one another. God has given us the church body to love and serve. Attend your local church, serve your local church, love other believers. Live in unity with every believer.

– Be weak – God cares, and He can perfect those weak and faithless places in you. Weak people depend on God. Our faith hangs by a thread sometimes. He is your dearest friend and loving Shepherd. Humbly seek His help and ask Him to make your faith strong.

The next time you sense your life is about to change. Consider how you will respond. Ponder one of God’s most unique creatures, and have a winning response. Success in life is when you walk hand in hand with Jesus. Faithful to Him.

The beaver is prepared. It ends up with shelter, an efficient way to get provisions, and a fun and safe place to play in the water away from predators. Jesus is our shelter, our safe place, and He desires us to live in the joy of His presence.

God is the God of ‘right now.’ He doesn’t want you sitting around regretting yesterday. Nor does He want you wringing your hands and worrying about the future. He wants you focusing on what He is saying to you and putting in front of you … right now. Priscilla Shirer

©Valerie Rumfelt

*photos by Google

Mary of Bethany

Just a few days before Jesus would die on the cross for the sins of the world, there is an account of a woman who took an opportunity to worship Him. Her display was remarkable and loving and remembered throughout all time.

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John 12:1-8 is the passage. We find Lazarus hosting a dinner for Jesus. His sisters are present. Martha is serving. Mary is near Jesus.

It is six days before the Passover Feast. Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived. Lazarus was the one Jesus had raised from the dead.

2 A dinner was given at Bethany to honor Jesus. Martha served the food. Lazarus was among the people at the table with Jesus. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard. It was an expensive perfume. She poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the sweet smell of the perfume.
4 But Judas Iscariot didn’t like what Mary did. He was one of Jesus’ disciples. Later he was going to hand Jesus over to his enemies. Judas said, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold? Why wasn’t the money given to poor people? It was worth a year’s pay.” 6 He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor. He said it because he was a thief. Judas was in charge of the money bag. He used to help himself to what was in it.
7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “The perfume was meant for the day I am buried. 8 You will always have the poor among you. But you won’t always have me.”

As onlookers to this beautiful story, we admire Mary because of her outward evidence of inward devotion toward Jesus. She gave all she had to worship Jesus and show her love to Him. To Mary, Jesus was the only one in the room. She is compelled to worship Him in this precious and costly way.

Judas, the thief, the one who would later betray Jesus was in the room and opposed this act of love. Judas’ weakness was he cared only for himself. And he was guilty and trying to hide it. When he tried to deceitfully point out Mary’s love toward Jesus as being misguided, the selfishness and darkness in his character were exposed. Judas tried to garner favor for his position by pulling in the poor as his cover. He not only revealed his true colors but tried to deceive those around him into thinking he was concerned for the poor. Jesus, of course, was the One present concerned about the poor most of all. The fact that Judas tried this tactic with Jesus present exposes even more of his unfavorable and repulsive character. 97e36477-fe33-4da0-a91f-00552724a6cf

Mary, on the other hand, is generous in her expression of love. To be clear, it was a display. Unabashed, Mary seems oblivious to the dark character sitting near her in Judas and still displays a lavish love for Jesus using a lavish product. She is one to admire and esteem. Jesus welcomed Mary’s love and worship while penetrating the darkness of Judas with a direct command to leave Mary alone.

Jesus was willing to fellowship with friends and foes alike, ready to defend the pure in heart, available to receive an extravagant expression of love, and used the sacrifice to teach a lesson. In only a few words, He exposes the motives and forces of evil sitting near Him in Judas. He uses Mary’s display of worship to uncover the truth.

The people in Jesus’ day didn’t understand they would soon lose Him to a brutal and sacrificial death on their behalf. Even in this passage, Jesus tells those present that He will not always be with them. They couldn’t grasp that He’d soon be gone.

What qualities do we see in Mary of Bethany? A brave lady used an opportunity to worship Jesus in the face of evil. Mary understood Jesus was going to die. She cared for Him. Her act of worship pointed to his forthcoming death. She was devoted. She wanted to be with Jesus. She followed Him, and she worshipped Him. She hung on to His every word. She had a pure heart.

And how does Jesus respond to Mary of Bethany? He receives her lavish love and worship. He stands up to evil and defends her pure love. He uses her example to show that a heart of worship and a heart of evil are choices. God, through the Holy Spirit, inspired John, the writer, to share it in Scripture to be read and told through the ages.

Mary of Bethany did not know this encounter with Jesus would be historical and serve as an example to us all. Mary of Bethany wasn’t in a hurry. Because her heart was ready, she experienced the presence and love of Jesus. He calls each of His followers to be ready with a devoted heart because each day, we get to express our devotion to Him in the way we live too.

©Valerie Rumfelt

Thanks for taking the time to read my article. If you aren’t signed up already, please add your email below, and tap subscribe. Each time I publish, you will receive Winning Ways to Follow Jesus in your email first. Blessings.

This article shares Old Testament prophesies and their fulfillment. You can find it here:https://www.jesusfilm.org/blog/old-testament-prophecies/

Focus Up

This quote is from Corrie Ten Boom. She and her family hid Jews during World War II, and Corrie and her sister Betsie were imprisoned in concentration camps. Even in the horrible conditions, they told many there with them of the love of Christ. Once released, she went on to have a worldwide ministry sharing God’s love.

“Do not be worried and upset,” Jesus told them. “Believe in God and believe also in me. John 14:1

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

How to focus up:

Follow Jesus’ example and get alone with God. Sing, pray, write scripture, read scripture. This doesn’t have to take a long time, a few minutes will transform your perspective and the Holy Spirit will comfort you, give you peace, and a way forward.

©Valerie Rumfelt

Just As I Am

Is this lyric familiar to you? What is your memory of it?

If you are a Christians, may it comfort you and remind you of the day you decided to come to Jesus.

Pray for someone you know who needs so great a salvation.

©Valerie Rumfelt

Thanks for taking the time to read my article. If you aren’t signed up already, please add your email below, and hit subscribe. Each time I publish, you will receive Winning Ways to Follow Jesus in your email first. Blessings.

Why I Meet With God in the Morning

How do you feel when you are out alone and discover your phone battery is low and you didn’t bring a charger? While this happens to all of us occasionally(or maybe just once, a lesson learned), none of us like to feel vulnerable and detached from those we love.

The lack of readiness and vulnerability the above scenario alludes to is how I feel when I miss my morning quiet time. Of course, there are mornings when it isn’t possible because, occasionally, life happens, something out of the ordinary like an early flight, a medical procedure, a hospital stay, and a variety of other situations.

Think about your typical morning routine. Do you wait until the last snooze to get out of bed? Is having an occasional morning quiet time all you expect of yourself? Maybe no one ever challenged you when you were a new Christian to set aside time every morning to spend with God.

Why am I writing about meeting God every morning? Because living life intentionally is important. Mornings are important. Your morning routine, or lack of one, can change your life. One sets you on a successful, Spirit-led trajectory—the other results in a sluggish, unfocused drift. Meeting with God first changes my life. Meeting with God first before you accelerate into your day should be a priority for every Christian. Over time this excellent habit will change your life.

Lamentations 3:23 proclaims that God’s mercies are new every morning. We hardly know this when we rush to leave the house. We cannot run on automatic and expect to see God working in our lives. The Bible says that God loads us daily with benefits(Psalm 68:19). Our spiritual eyes are alert to see all He gives us on any given day when we spend time with Him each morning.

My phone illustration reminds me I want to stay connected to the Source. I want to be connected to God through reading His word and prayer. I want to absorb His Word and use His Word to pray for His desires over my life.

My relationship with God is first. My relationship with God is a friendship, and friendships require time and investment. But this relationship is not like meeting a friend you haven’t seen in a while and catching up on things. Not at all. The all-powerful, all-knowing God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, your soul rescuer, your Redeemer, the One who died for your sin and is alive today to be your Helper and Comforter, He is the One you meet. The One who provides you everything you need to love and serve Him on earth, and to keep you faithful because He is faithful(Hebrews 10:23) until He comes again.

That old quote about we become like those whom we keep as our company is true. We become like our closest companions. My dearest companion is Jesus. My first priority of the day is to meet with the One who saved my soul. I Corinthians 15:33 says, ” Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.'” “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” (Proverbs 13:20). I will become more like Jesus as I spend time with Him.

Today, I’m writing to persuade you to consider adjusting your morning routine to include a morning quiet time in your home before you leave to begin your day. Even if you have to change your alarm, sacrifice a little, and wake up before anyone else in your house, I can testify that this is one habit you won’t regret. Solitude, alone with God, is transformative.
Just getting to this point, I’ve given so many reasons! I could name a hundred. But here are 5 reasons I meet with God in the morning:

I get to meet with God, the Creator of the universe who loves me. Like the music director said in Psalm 42:2, … “When can I go and meet with God?” The author of this statement longed to meet with God. If you don’t have that longing. It’s ok. Show up. And one day, you will. Meeting with God each morning gives me time to worship, let go of worries, and strength to wait on God’s plans. It also gives me comfort and guidance to start taking His steps into a new day(Proverbs 3:5-6, Proverbs 37:23). Truly, God’s Word is a lamp and a light(Psalm 119:105) showing me the way.
The Bible tells me sinless Jesus often went away for prayer and to be alone with the Father. It stands to reason that if Jesus needed to meet with God, then we who are sinners need to meet with God(Mark 1:35). How can I take up my cross daily and follow Jesus if I don’t look to Him at the beginning of each day(Luke 9:23)? Jesus gave me an example in His life that I can follow.
Philippians 2 urges me to imitate Christ. Surrendering and choosing humility are settled in my time with Him. My wrong thinking, bad attitude, and rebellious spirit dissolve and lose their hold on me as I confess my sin and let His Spirit reign in me. God changes my heart, and it needs it every single day. Any real change in my life comes not through a rushed or skipped time with God but through self-examination, cries to be changed as I pray scripture and pour out my heart, and worship to the only One with transformative power.
Jesus promises to be with me always, but when I choose to meet with Him, I sense His presence. Through the Holy Spirit, He responds to my willingness and provides all I need to follow His plan in this quiet time. I get to gaze upon His beauty, majesty, and splendor(Psalm 27:4). I would miss this joy if I were in a rush, flying down the road to work.
I need the Lord. My time with Him brings me emotional and spiritual health. I need the spiritual protection of Ephesians 6 to stay alert to the devil’s schemes. When suffering and trial come, the investment I’ve put in to meet with God pays off because I can trust God. Meeting with God equips me for the day that He knows all about and that I know very little about. The Lord desires me to grow up in my salvation( I Peter 2:2). These few reasons I’ve given here can’t be achieved in exhaustion at the end of the day or midday rush. I often meet with God throughout my day or even at night on my bed. Those are extra times, not the main time. If every day is a trip, then I need to consult my Guide before I take the trip.
BONUS REASON: “He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day.” John Bunyon
The above quote might be a one-sentence summary of this article! Having a morning quiet time has nothing to do with works unto salvation. God has a plan. We are Christians. Jesus told us to follow Him, which means He is the Leader. A leader is a first position, meaning you meet with your Leader first. Intentionality, a desire to understand God’s plan, and a desire to get a sound mind before heading out into the dark world are intelligent actions. Learning to lean on Jesus and longing to hear from Him bring honor to Him and spiritual reward to your life. I know myself and need the Holy Spirit to change, transform, and prepare me to go out in the dark world. I must take spiritual responsibility for my life. Jesus already did the work of achieving my salvation. The very least I can do is meet with Him. Why not start a new, life-long, redemptive, results-driven habit to meet Him every morning?

“My quiet time is not a gift I give to God.
My quiet time is a gift God gives me.
I don’t offer him my quiet time. I simply offer him my time, my self. He’s the one who provides the quiet spirit.”
― Emilie Barnes, Fill My Cup, Lord… With the Peace of Your Presence

©Valerie Rumfelt

The Lowdown on Loving

Luke 6:27-35

⁷“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. ³⁰Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. ³¹Do to others as you would have them do to you^{. 32}“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. ³³And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. ³⁴And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

Matthew 5:43-48

⁴³“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[a] and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Romans 12:17-21

¹⁷Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. ¹⁸If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[a] says the Lord.²⁰On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”^[b]

²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

A friend asked me this week, what do I pray for my enemies? Years ago, I worked in a Christian environment, and it wasn’t long before an enemy presented herself. This lady would do all manner of hurtful things. The shocking part was she was a Christian. At the time, I had no idea I’d be in that work situation for 10 years. But that’s where Jesus kept me, so I had to learn to get along with this person. On my way home one day, the Spirit reminded me that He loved her as much as He loved me. That truth likely began my journey to please God in that situation.
When my friend asked me how to pray for her enemies, I immediately thought of my past work situation.
Jesus’ biblical commands, at first glance, present an impossible task for His children. I submit that all Biblical teaching, precepts, and commands are impossible. But thankfully, Christians have God’s divine power to lead a godly life (2 Peter 1:3). Knowing this power is within should motivate us, but it might cause us to question why we struggle to live it out.

No one likes their rights trampled on. Plus, Christians and unbelievers alike have lots of pride. Many times we live for ourselves. In this area, often, we can live like the world, walking in darkness. And we justify ourselves. All this gives us plenty of obstacles to carrying out these biblical mandates.
We should approach these passages with a spirit of obedience. Jesus is good, right, and just in all His ways. Jesus expects His followers to act toward enemies as He teaches us.
Most of our problems come with our rebellion against what Jesus asks. We are good at developing alternative plans, rationalizations, and reasons to ignore uncomfortable commands. These commands in this passage require a dying to self on the front end. If you don’t, you will add an enemy to the situation, yourself.
At the point of our salvation in Christ, each of God’s children receives the promised Holy Spirit. Acts of obedience are accomplished only through the power of the Holy Spirit.
So what does it take to love our enemies, as Jesus outlines in these passages?
-Die to yourself first
-Obey all that Jesus outlines here.
-Remember, you have the power inside you to do what pleases God. He doesn’t ask His children to do anything without the power of the Holy Spirit. He never expects us to act on our own will, ability, or desire. He looks to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him( 2 Chronicles 16:9).
Luke 6:31 assumes we want to bless our enemies since we would like to be treated this way too. Jesus is trying to help us see that sometimes we are the enemy. But we don’t want to hear that. They are the wicked ones, not us. But this is not what Jesus implies. Our self-righteousness hangs us. His demands are high. Verse 35 is in no way speaking of earning your salvation. It implies that should you choose the biblical way of relating to your enemies, then you are being like Jesus. He is the only perfect one.
Matthew 5:48 only highlights Jesus’ desire for His children to obey the command to love one’s enemies by declaring perfection before God when we do these actions toward our enemy. When we act as He desires, we are becoming more like Him. He is the perfect example.
So why is God so hard on us?
The whole Bible is about the redemption and salvation of all men. Behavior like this is so counter to human nature. What would happen if we decided to behave as Jesus tells us? What effect would our Christian behavior have on the world, our families, and our workplace?
There is a high probability that our enemy will see Christ in us, and God will get the glory(Matthew 5:16). What is the outcome of this example? Possible reconciliation. Certain forgiveness in your heart(the offended one), possible salvation in Christ Jesus for the enemy. This behavior can potentially have such eternal ramifications that Jesus spells out precisely what to do. The details are clear. A life well lived in demanding situations with our enemies is a good witness. If nothing else, it gives your enemies a good impression of what Christianity is.
So my friend asked, “How do I pray?” Suppose any of God’s children decide to take God at His Word and follow these instructions. In that case, you will be praying throughout the process for yourself, and your enemy, and those prayers are coming from our Counselor, the promised Holy Spirit. I know this because if you decide in your heart to follow Jesus in obedience, then He will teach you how to pray, and behave.
As a child of God, you can’t read these requirements for your obedience without being impacted. You must know that whether you are mistreated for persecution or just another believer being mean-spirited toward you, God wants you to leave revenge with Him. Your assignment is to pray for all you will need to obey God, and then go in obedience to your enemy and begin your task.
Do these passages take into account loving those who never respond redemptively? Do they offer anything for the offended one? I can tell you from experience that God left me in an office with someone ten years before delivering me. When He did, I left knowing I’d been obedient to Him. I’d learned my lesson, and I left at peace with myself and that person.

Some people have enemies hundreds of miles away. Maybe you have forgiven them, and for you, they are no longer an enemy. But you know they still view you as their enemy. Your requirement is to do all these passages outlined and leave the result in God’s care. Everyone is not interested in redemption. Whether your enemy is interested in redemption or not, be sure you are interested in redemption.

Let’s be sure we desire to please God and not just get revenge or keep the offense alive. Situations of injustice make enemies. Situations with enemies make Christians Christian. To act like Christ, we must focus on Christ, remember His suffering, how He acted before His enemies, and how little he talked before His enemies.
Praying, giving, loving, and blessing are all required of Christ’s followers. It is how we become most like Jesus and how our enemies in life know we are Christians. I believe Jesus spends so much time teaching about this because it is one of the most profound ways to lay down our lives and to show His love to others.

Writer Answers Reader

Just like the lego man was built one piece at a time, when you engage Scripture, you are investing and building for yourself a strong life in Christ. Valerie Rumfelt

In the comments of my last article, a reader asked me a question. I decided to answer her question with another article. I told her to look for another article soon. My desire is to answer her question so all my readers will see it and that she will see the answer too.

Reader question:

I’ve done a bit of Scripture memorization in the past, but I haven’t been consistent with it. Do you have any tips for committing Scripture to memory?

5 Tips for Scripture Memory:

1. Choose Scripture that the Spirit has highlighted for you in your morning quiet time. This way, it isn’t a random scripture but one with a meaningful connection.

2. Engage with the Scripture as much as you can. Many tips are in the articles here: https://valerierumfelt.com/2023/02/14/the-ultimate-love-letter, and this one, https://valerierumfelt.com/2023/01/29/diagramming-scripture/. Choose ones you like, and you could begin to remember parts of a verse or verses soon.

3. Learn a little more about the context of the Bible passage. What’s the surrounding story or teaching? That will give your brain some connectors.

4. Get a partner and encourage one another until you both get it memorized.

5. Stay away from human expectations. God wants His children to love His Word, not be frustrated with it. Know the Spirit is working in your life each time you engage His Holy Word,

Reader, I hope this encourages you to keep going in your pursuit of hiding God’s Word in your heart. To everyone reading, remember, as good as it feels to conquer a scripture, you may not be able to have instant recall later. The reward is you know it is hidden in your heart(Psalm 119:11), and it will not come back void(Isaiah 55:11).

If any readers have other tips, please share them in the comments.

The Ultimate Love Letter

Don’t let Valentine’s Day get you down. If you are a Christian, you have the most incredible love letter in your copy of God’s Word. Any moments you choose today to spend with the Lord in His Word will pay off. I can’t tell you how He will bless you specifically, but I know He will.

Our emotions can get the better of us on days like today. God’s Word brings calm and peace, and the correct perspective. Valentine’s Day is of this world’s system. While it can be a delightful day to express our thoughts toward others, ultimately, as Christians, we live for a world yet to come, and we serve the One who loves us most. So let’s get started on reframing this day if you are struggling.
Have you sometimes memorized Scripture or you’ve thought of memorizing but have yet to?

The Bible tells us that Scripture is a lamp to our feet and a light for our path(Psalm 119:105). Joshua 1:8 says to meditate on Scripture day and night. Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. Its theme is the Word of God. The Bible advocates for a Christian to engage with Scripture as a regular part of life intentionally. So to encourage you to engage God’s Holy Word and find joy in making that choice, here are a few ideas. If you have other ideas, please leave them in the comments.

Have a morning quiet time every day – Whatever plan you choose, show up faithfully to meet God in His Word each morning.

Write Scripture – Peace will come to you while you are doing this. It doesn’t matter if you have pretty handwriting. The motion and very act of taking time to write Scripture sends a message to your brain to slow down and pay attention. And the reward is being aware of the Holy Spirit in your life, the meaning of the scripture, and a calming, pervasive peace.

Listen to a Bible app while you do anything – Driving, doing chores, on your lunch break, going to sleep. You will hear things you’ve never heard before, which might lead to further scripture engagement.

Memorize one verse – If you have a morning quiet time, then you are coming across some amazing passages. Choose one and write it in a notebook. Say it, write it, as often as you can.

Meditate on Scripture – What does this look like? Scripture writing is a meditation activity, but you can sit and read a passage. Read it aloud, read it silently, write a poem about what you’ve read, talk to God about what you read, make up a song from a passage, or just spend time in the Word.

Type out some scriptures – After this, press the read-aloud function in the review tab of your document menu- close your eyes and listen to everything you typed.

Read a Proverb every day of the month – Then write the proverb. Then choose some to memorize.

Do word studies – Find all the words in the Bible about a topic using a study Bible. This could lead to other activities interacting with Scripture.

Record your voice reading Scripture – Send it to your children, grandchildren, or a friend.

Pray Scripture – If you need some extra help in your prayer life, add scripture. This can be praise passages, repentance passages, asking God for transformation in some area of your life, reading passages that describe God, and thanking and praising Him.

Here’s a post where I give ideas of ways to engage scripture https://valerierumfelt.com/2021/01/06/trust-and-hope/

Psalm 119:11 says, “I will hide God’s Word in my heart that I might not sin against thee.”

Memorization is an excellent discipline I do, have done, and would encourage for you. And memorization is what I believe the Psalmist is referencing. But there’s not a verse I know of that says one will have instant recall years later of any memorization. Hiding God’s Word means, by some supernatural means, the Holy Spirit is working the Word deep inside you. The Word is transforming you. David believes it will help him to sin less. His desire to please God is paramount.

I look at Scripture as medicine. It is healing, transforming, peace inducing, soaking me in truth, making my mind healthier, flushing old patterns of sin, digging up embedded lies, and softening my heart.

It is mental health, heart health, emotional health, and yes, I believe the one who is interacting with Scripture regularly has a fountain of youth that has nothing to do with wrinkles but with winsomeness, a sparkle in the eyes, and a general peaceful countenance.

Scripture is powerful, and this is backed up in Scripture in Hebrews 4:12, as Paul describes Scripture’s supernatural ability. But most of all, scripture is a treasure. It is God’s Word to us. He loves us, and we get to know the One who loves us through His Word.

Memorizing is an intentional way to get the scripture in your heart. But instant recall is not the goal. If you memorize a verse or passage and over time you can’t repeat it. Don’t be discouraged. Rejoice because the Bible tells us it is in you. It is hidden in your heart.

image by Unsplash

I’ve heard people say over the years that whatever you memorize will be there when you need it. That can be true; it has been for me in some cases. But often, I wonder why more scripture doesn’t pop into my mind in challenging moments or times. But whether it springs up or not, this I do know, it is in me. It is transforming me to be more like Christ and is doing all the functions I listed above and more. That I do believe.

Memorization seems like a spiritually profitable practice to me and one I believe will bring eternal change in your heart. Why not use this Valentine’s Day to spend some time with the Author of the Ultimate Love Letter. Let me hear from you in the comments. And Happy Valentines Day!

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