I stopped the verse because I wanted to emphasize the next part. Compromise is birthed through our unbridled wandering thoughts. The verse continued, “…For the Lord searches all hearts and minds and understands all the wanderings of the thoughts…”

I like to keep Hebrews 4:13 Amplified in my mind. I often use it when I am praying. It says, “…all things…” All means everything without exception. “…are open and exposed, naked and defenseless to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.”

The only way that we will know what blocks our wholeheartedness is to ask the Lord. If we are sincere and attentive, He will show us. He will also give us Scripture to renew our mind with. His truth changes our penchant (a strong or habitual liking for something) from carnal to spiritual.

God’s word brings a shovel of His truth. It will effectively uproot the lies that occupy real estate in our heart which is designed as an investment for His Kingdom work. Let us echo David’s words in Psalm 26:2. He asked, “Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart.”

In another Psalm that he wrote, we find words we can use. Psalm 86:11 says, “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.” He was asking the Lord to give him singleness of heart.

Verse 12 says, “I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore.” David’s prayers were all in. Scripture recorded what happened when he let his thoughts wander. He compromised and brought shame on the name of the Lord.

All in means to be fully committed to or involved in something. Deuteronomy 6:5 is an all in verse. It is the foundation that God laid for the children of Israel. It says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”

When Jesus quoted it in Mark 12:30 He added, “…with all your mind…” The Strong’s for mind is literally a thinking through. It suggests understanding, insight, meditation, reflection, perception, the gift of apprehension, and the faculty of thought. 

I’ve been thinking about the four words: heart, soul, strength, and mind. They speak of commitment to not compromise. The children of Israel failed in this. They went after other gods, gave their children to marry within the nations God told them to destroy~unfaithful in many ways.

1 Corinthians 10:6 says, “Now these things become our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.” Compromise is the fruit of unbridled thoughts.

Heart~affections. Soul~life. Strength~silent trust in God alone. Mind~seat of our actions. I love David’s words in Psalm 63:8. The Amplified says, “My whole being follows hard after You and clings closely to You; Your right hand upholds me.”

Whole being: heart, soul, strength, mind. David spoke to his son Solomon. 1 Chronicles 28:9 Amplified says, “…know the God of your father (have personal knowledge of Him, be acquainted with, and understand Him; appreciate, heed, and cherish Him) and serve Him with a blameless heart and a willing mind…”

Let me use the example of an encourager from the life of Joseph. He shared his dreams from the Lord. They were not received well. Skipping forward he found himself in a prison. Yet he was attentive to those around him.

He noticed when their demeanor changed. Genesis 40:6 says, “And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were sad.” It was through that encounter that the stage was set for Joseph to step into what God had called him to walk in.

King Artaxerxes noticed there was a difference in Nehemiah’s countenance. In Nehemiah 2:2 he asked, “…Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing but sorrow of heart…” The Lord used that encounter to set the stage for the work He had called Nehemiah to do.

Colossians 4:6 Amplified says, “Let your speech at all times be gracious (pleasant and winsome), seasoned (as it were) with salt, (so that you may never be at a loss) to know how you ought to answer anyone (who puts a question to you).”

We never know what a conversation will lead to. Story after story in Scripture bear this out. Proverbs 16:23-24 says, “The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips. Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.”

The insights the Lord gives us in our crucible, sharpen our senses to encourage those who are in their own crucible. We are the recipients that we might in~courage others in their season of need.

A Word In Season

Years ago I lived in community with two married couples and two singles. Shortly after that five of us gals lived together. Words can encourage or discourage. Living in community allows our hidden flesh to be exposed. It is also the groundwork for mutual encouragement.

Isaiah 50:4 was written about the Lord. Think of it for yourself. It says, “The Lord has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned.” Wearied folks are often discouraged.

We receive our ‘seasoned words’ during our quiet time. It is there that our senses are sharpened, and our ears are opened to receive every whispered word. Isaiah 30:21 says, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.” 

We have to be attentive in order to hear. The Lord is our Equipper. He is our Trainer. Hebrews 12:11 says that our trials train us in His righteousness.

Our trust is in the Lord. He is our Solid Rock. Read David’s words in Psalm 18:1-2. It says, “I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

David also wrote Psalm 27. Verse 1 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Notice that David’s trust was in Who the Lord is at all times. He never changes.

Our circumstances change constantly. We can be stopped in our tracks in a moment of time. We live in fear because our focus is on ourselves. I froze in fear when I looked down and saw the snake. The Lord was not in my thoughts because I was focused on myself. In truth, we are weak and inert.

Once Paul realized that truth, he was able to rejoice in the Lord’s strength. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “…most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

I want you to picture one strand of long human hair. It can easily be broken. Now see yourself interweaving that hair through the links in a chain. Now let’s go to the first part of the verse. The Lord said, “…My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

We are only able to trust when we recognize and acknowledge that we are weak ~ without Him we can do nothing.

When I think of the word encourage, I see it as inserting courage. When Barnabas brought Saul to the disciples, he inserted courage into their spirits which changed their perspective. They were afraid. When he inserted courage through his words their fear left.

Fear robs us of courage. It paralyzes us. Case in point. Years ago I walked out to the chicken pen to feed them. They were all crowded by the gate. I walked up talking to them but they paid me no mind. I looked down as I put my hand on the latch. There was a snake and I froze in fear.

When God commanded Joshua to be of good courage, He brought strength and courage together. The root to being courageous is knowing that we have God’s strength to face whatever He allows. 

I have read that there are 365 verses in the Bible that say ‘fear not.’ That is one verse per day. I have not looked for them, but it would be a worthy pursuit. Here is one that I have embedded in my heart. Psalm 56:3 says, “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.”

Trust, strength, and courage work together. They are activated when we set our focus on the Lord. Verse 4 says, “In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?”

Psalm 34:8 says, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trust in Him!”

Discouragement causes us to lose strength. It is a cousin to depression. We see this played out with Elijah. He ran for his life. In 1 Kings 19:4 he asked the Lord to take his life. Verse 5-8 was God’s answer for His discouraged prophet.

It says that Elijah laid down and slept. An angel brought him food. He ate that and lay down again. The angel came the second time. Verse 7 says, “…Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.”

Verse 8 says, “So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights….” When he reached his destination, the Lord revealed Himself through a still small voice. Then He gave Elijah new orders.

We have the power of life in our tongues. When we speak God’s word, we strengthen ourselves and others. Countless verses release life-giving power. Here is one. God redeems our time in the fiery crucible, as we share the rich insights He gave us with others. 2 Corinthians 1:4 says, “…that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

Here is another one we can share from our own experiences. Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.” Sharing how He empowered us, our living testimony strengthens those who are discouraged.

Saul of Tarsus had just accepted the Lord, but was rejected by the disciples. Who did the Lord bring on the scene? Barnabas, whose name means, Son of Encouragement (verse 36). Can you just imagine that scene?

Acts 9:26 says that Saul tried to join the disciples; but they were afraid of him…” Verse 27 says, “But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles…” Authentic followers of
Christ are encouragers. We carry His words of life into every situation we enter.

Paul wrote to the Colossians about the struggle in his heart for them. Colossians 2:2 says, “That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding…”

The temptation when we are discouraged is to withdraw. When we do that we lose that sense of connection. Today I replied to a mentee in another country. She had withdrawn from her family because she was discouraged. This is the enemy’s plan ~ isolation with negative fiery dart bombardment.

God’s word fills us with light and life. God spoke to Joshua three times in Joshua 1. Verse 6 says, “Be strong and of good courage…” Verse 7 says, “Only be strong and very courageous…do not turn from it…that you may prosper wherever you go.” 

In verse 9 we read that it was not just a suggestion. It says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” This is true for us as well. We must guard our heart to resist any temptation to give into discouragement.

I finished reading through the book of Numbers. One last thought from that book. In Numbers 32:9 it says that the ten spies who gave the bad report, “…discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, so that they did not go into the land which the Lord had given them.”

Discouragement is another key weapon that the enemy of our soul uses against us. He is determined that we will not fulfill God’s purpose for our lives. If you will remember, the children of Israel heard two reports.  

Numbers 13:30 says, “Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” The ten spies immediately refuted his words.

Verse 31 says, “But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” Notice the two different focuses. Caleb was looking to God’s promise. The ten spies were looking to their own strength.

We are never a solo match against satan. John 15:5 is a constant reminder to me. It says, “…for without Me you can do nothing.” Yet there is another verse that should undergird our faith in every circumstance. Luke 1:37 says, “For with God nothing will be impossible.”

When we take our eyes off the Lord, we fall prey to the temptation to be overwhelmed and discouraged. David wrote Psalm 61. Read his words in verse 2, “…when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

The wheels of a train are designed to groove into the train track. Our hearts are designed to groove into God’s word. I have discovered, with these injuries to my brain, that it takes a little time to learn something new. The new patterns need time to groove in. 

How do we first get derailed? Keith Green wrote a song and a book entitled, “No Compromise.” I like to put an exclamation point after those two words when I think about them. Compromise creates gaps, which the enemy specifically widens, through strategic temptations designed to entice and entangle us.

Song of Solomon 2:15 says, “Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.” The little foxes are seemingly insignificant compromises. The Holy Spirit will check us, but if we ignore Him, we will become derailed. 

The little foxes get inside a vineyard through a gap. At my former house I had chickens. Little did we know that there was a gap being formed. The chickens would go near the fenceline and bathe in the dirt. They made indents. A fox then was able to dig through from the outside, using the indent to gain entrance. 

One morning several were missing and many dead. The chickens unknowingly set themselves up. That is exactly what happens when we compromise. Proverbs 2:9 says that discretion will preserve us.

Proverbs 7:21-23 was about the young man who was enticed by the harlot. Verse 22-23 says, “Immediately he went after her…he did not know it would cost his life.” Beware of the little foxes of compromise.