Long to be Breathless

~~~1 Kings 10:1-10~~~ Psalm 37~~~Mark 7:14-23~~~

God granted Solomon the gift of profound wisdom.

The wealthy queen of Sheba sought him out;

she wanted to see for herself.

The queen had heard many rumors of his great wisdom.

She arrived ready to put him to the test.

She stood in his presence asking him question after question

to which he quickly and confidently gave his answers.

...she was breathless.

Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report I heard.

The queen recognized and acknowledges

 the greatness of Solomon's wisdom...

a gift for which he asked God to bestow upon him.

What renders you breathless?

Jesus explains that it is not what we consume that corrupts us.

Our corruption does, however, begin from within.

Only those things which we harbor in our heart can we spew forth.

If we have hatred, anger, greed, jealousy, 

arrogance...these come from within.

 ...the things that come out from within are what defile.

If we let darkness fill the unattended 

or ignored spaces in our heart,

this will become the source of our corruption.

But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him.
From within the man, from his heart,
come evil thoughts...

It is of vital importance that we keep ourselves vigilant.

What goes in will ultimately come out.

I have been around people who routinely cuss and curse;

this is the steady diet they have fed their heart.

If necessary limit the time you spend with this person. 

How many times we begin to mimic the actions

 and the sayings of those we hang out with.

If you want to be breathless, like the queen,

be aware of with whom you are spending the most time.

Plan to spend time with those who emulate

that which you admire most.

God blesses us with the ability to push the evil from our hearts.

He offers to replace it with his light and goodness. 

Draw goodness from those who have goodness.

You can strengthen one another.

Peace.

...to be Breathless...