CLOSET in Heart #3

Well, God's funny.  Not funny ha-ha, but surely ironic and well timed.  I turned on Joseph Prince this morning and what was he mentioning in his teaching?  Mostly the topic was wisdom but the tongue was brought up as well.  Hmmmm, OK, God, I'm paying attention!  So, next is Joyce Meyers.  Again, her teaching was so on target EVEN MORE about asking God "why" and having to know everything....yep, I just sat & cried.  It was SO ME!   The word of God says in 1 Peter 3:10 For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile: (ASV) Well, what do you consider grumbling as I mentioned in my last lesson?  Oh, I think this covers it pretty well, eh?  Maybe, just maybe, some of my health issues?   Now, I know genetics plays a part in our life as well as how we eat & take care of our bodies. But first let me show you what God says about attitudes and those attitudes are first in our brains, take root in our hearts and spout out of our mouths with grumbling, muttering, gossip, complaining, whining, etc.  God's word says: Pr 14:30 A tranquil heart is the life of the flesh; But envy is the rottenness of the bones. Pr 15:30 The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart; And good tidings make the bones fat. Pr 16:24 Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. Pr 17:22 A cheerful heart is a good medicine; But a broken spirit drieth up the bones.  WOW!  I could see so well that I, through letting my tongue flap at both ends (as they say here) gripping about this area I live in and wanting out, negative words after negative words.  Am I not going to receive what I have planted?  AND MULTIPLIED?  This is a law of God.  If it weren't farmers would be out of business!  They plant, get more than they plant AND IT SHOWS UP LATER than they planted. How can my heart be filled with peace and joy and contentment when all my tongue is doing is complaining, grumbling, muttering which sow seeds of Discontentment, NO JOY, etc?  Well, you reap as you sow and I've done some awful sowing, peeps, and now, I'm reaping, eh? Well, there is but one way and only one way to get good stuff in your life...you got to sow good stuff.  How much does my Father in heaven have for me but can't put into my life because of this nasty stuff in my heart's closet?  Oh, what needless pain am I bearing in my heart & soul & mind because I chose to say these things out of selfishness, and then THINK on these words I spoke out of selfishness, and they finally, like anything we do consistently, it is now embedded into my heart GROWING MORE SELFISHNESS and the cycle begins again? Peeps, I'd love to say "Well, I'm not going to grumble any more.  I'm not going to let selfishness get control of my heart & mind " and as it states in Rom 4:17 (as it is written, A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he believed, even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were. What have I called into my life where I reside and yet so desire to leave?  Look at the children of Israel.  Man, did they grumble & mutter!  I can relate! FIRST, they grumble & murmur to get out of Egypt.  God gets them out.  Then they grumble & murmur for water in the Wilderness. God provides.  Then they grumble & murmur about the blessed manna from HEAVEN because they want meat!  THIS IS GOD'S SPECIALLY DESIGNED MADE FOR THEM HOLY BREAD AND DELIVERED FRESH!  God provides meat.  Eventually, MOSES has had enough to make his ears bleed and wonders why God sent him to help these people? Now who does this sound familiar to?  Yes, is it not I?  Yes, I am doing the same thing, am I not grumbling & murmuring about where I live, I want to live somewhere else, I want, I want, I want.  SELFISHNESS! What about the others who live with me?  What about those who live around me?  Would not my selfish wants effect them?  Oh, but do I care? NO! I WANT! What utter horrific selfishness! So, yes, again today, God showed me more of the effects of this and how it appears in my life. Yes, again, I wept silent tears and repented before my Father.  Yes, again, His grace (unearned & unearnable favor) was with me.   See, God is not being mean or cruel.  It is for my good that these things be removed from my heart (re-read the verses above if you doubt).  It is for my happiness, contentment, joy, peace & HEALTH.....a long life.  One cannot remove something if they aren't shown it is there.  So the tears of sorrow, soften my harden root ridden heart so the bad roots & seeds can go.  Each day, God's desire (and it should be mine too!) is to make me more like His holy beloved son, Jesus.  As God's word says: Rom 12:2 And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Tit 3:5 not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,  So my dearest peeps, think on these things....I know I will as I go thru my day PAYING ATTENTION to my words & thoughts that they would strive to be pleasing according to God's word. Hugs & much love, as always, my peeps!