We are a family of nine. We left our homeland to sojourn in the Middle East. Through the prophetic scriptures, we have discovered an end-days calling for the protection of a remnant during the tribulation. In this publication, we teach and share about our walks of faith.
Psalm 119:11 I have treasured up Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.
Sojourning together, our family devotes much time to reading and studying the Word. It shapes our lives and keeps us striving forward. When truth is unveiled, it becomes a treasure in our hearts.
For some special study time, my mom invited my sisters and me to a mother-daughter retreat. The theme was From the Heart. We baked heart-shaped, jelly cookies; painted watercolor hearts; and played the card game hearts. Our activities were scattered throughout an in-depth Scripture study.
On the first evening, we read and discussed Luke 6:45.
Luke 6:45 “The good man brings forth what is good out of the good treasure of his heart, and the wicked man brings forth what is wicked out of the wicked treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart his mouth speaks.”
Later, we pulled out a poster board with some markers and began a “scavenger hunt.” The poster board was divided into two equal sections. One was for Good Treasures; the other for Wicked Treasures. We opened our Bibles and searched for references of these treasures within the heart.
Our memory (with help from the internet) led us to many treasures, which we wrote on the poster board. We put the colorful poster on the wall where our heart-shaped decorations hung.
Among the Good Treasures
Memories (Luke 2:51)
Worship (Ephesians 5:19)
Wisdom (Proverbs 14:33)
The Word of God (Deuteronomy 30:14)
Courage (Psalm 31:24)
And many more
Among the Wicked Treasures
Pride (2 Chronicles 32:25-26)
Anxiety (Proverbs 12:25)
Deceit (Proverbs 12:20)
Doubt (Mark 11:23)
Guilt (1 Samuel 24:5)
Pain (Psalm 55:4)
And more
The Essence of the Heart
The study uncovered something profound—the heart is far more than an organ that pumps blood. Throughout Scripture, it is represented as:
The storehouse of memories and beliefs
The generator of thoughts and feelings
The igniter of plans and desires
And the very essence of who we are
As we continued to study throughout the retreat, I was inspired to write what I call poetic proverbs. Quickly, I typed one up.
The center of all thoughts and emotions is the heart Words come from it, and into it, they fly like a dart As a fortress, it must be guarded to stay set apart
I showed it to my mom and sisters. My younger sister wrote her own proverb, emphasizing both sin and forgiveness coming from the heart.
Fear, doubt, and perversity These are wicked treasures of the heart Instead, seek joy, trust, and purity Follow good treasures and be set apart
For what’s in our hearts defines who we are And what comes out can cut deep, leaving a scar But if we confess with our mouth and repent with our heart We are given the mercy and forgiveness to restart
My mom then added a proverb based on 1 Peter 3:15. It is a reminder to keep the Good News of Yahushua in our hearts always.
To share the hope within your heart Always be ready And above all, set apart
I thought of another proverb. It was inspired by a verse from the book of Sirach.
Sirach 42:18 He searches out the deep and the heart.
As man dives into the seas for wonders to behold Yah searches the heart to find treasures of gold
The heart is like the sea. Vast, and to some extent, unreachable. It contains a whole world of deep thoughts, ideas, and feelings that only YHWH can see. And like the sea, it is a mystery—a mystery with great depth to explore. During our retreat, we merely scratched the surface of the wonders of the heart.
Studying Scripture is a look into YHWH’s heart. It’s a window into His thoughts, His feelings, His perspectives. When we study His Word, it is implanted into our own hearts. And we become what YHWH said of David—men and women after His own heart.
If you enjoyed this post, you might like my recently published devotional study—Psalm 23: Hidden Prophecy.
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