
by Pastor Tim Burt
Do you know the old expression Is your cup half empty or half full? Well tell me this—how do you view this in relation to your life? Are you waiting for your ship to pull in before you become excited about what God has done in your life or have you noticed and are you thankful for what God has blessed you with now?

In modern-day language, it might sound like this. "God always seems to bless them but we never get blessed.” “This blessing stuff doesn’t work. My brother Frank has enough money for the entire family and yet he lives like the devil.” “I don’t get it. I give God some money once in a while and my car breaks down and I don’t have enough for the bills. That’s it! I’ve had it. If this is how God is going to deal with me, I’m going to keep my money and live like the devil, maybe I’ll come out ahead.”
If you notice at the start of this verse, it says, “You have wearied the Lord with your words.” We know that the Bible teaches, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” If someone was speaking words that wearied God, then we know that this was what was in their heart and thus, their perspective.
In Isaiah 50:7 we see the half full perspective. “Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.” This is the person who truly knows the Lord and is confident from the promises of God ,that the Lord is their helper, and consequently sets their face like flint. They know that God is there for them and that settles it. They are not going to be moved no matter what the negative circumstances seem to say. This is a heart attitude that emulates faith—faith that pleases God. This person's heart is a beautiful and inviting atmosphere for God to move mightily in. In the book of Matthew, we read about the woman with the issue of blood who had been sick for 12 years. She had finally set her face like flint toward God. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” This pleased the Lord because her words rightly reflected the heart and will of God. Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that moment. Matthew 9:21-22 NIV
When Christians aren’t mindful of God's love and promises to them, then when trouble comes, their faith is at risk. They most often don't feel like God is helping them. They soon become weary and disappointed and feel like their faith is dying. They begin to feel distant and pull back from God. They stop meditating on His Word and quit praying. Next they stop going to church and then eventually pull back from Christian friends. And finally they get careless about what they think and do that they know is outside of God's will and become loose with sinful behavior. It's just a short time later that whining and complaining begins to spill out their mouth. Their perception of God’s goodness has deteriorated and becomes distorted. Satan lurks just around the corner ready to convince them that having faith in God is bogus and a complete waste of time.
Intimate relationship is about great communication and God wants us to spend time in His word meditating on the depth of His love and promises He makes to His children. When we keep them before us and praise God for His intimate love toward us, then the our eyes of our heart are opened and we see more of what He is doing in our life. We notice His touch and help! We notice the small miracles that others call coincidence. It strengthens our faith.
Be blessed as you praise God for the abundance of goodness that He has touched your life with today! Speak your thanks out loud to Him. and watch your heart grow closer and your faith grow stronger. And finally, watch it change you and your circumstances.
Psalm 28:7 “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song.”
In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt
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Published by Pastor Tim Burt
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