Home Is Where the Heart Is

Home Is Where the Heart Is
by Pete Berardi

Home Is Where the Heart Is. This expression can have two meanings. Interestingly enough I can think of a verse in the Bible that can be related to both meanings. Let us examine both of them shall we?

The first meaning is that where you live, that is where your heart is. You physically may be away from home however your heart is in the place that you live. You wish you were there because it gives you peace and joy and comfort to be there. Consider this verse:

Philippians 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

I believe that real followers of Christ can relate when I say that I would much rather be in heaven than here on earth. When you learn about the love of Jesus and compare it to the lusts of this world, one seeks to be with Jesus more than anything. The Bible does a great job of describing our future home in the Book of Revelation in Chapter 22. My heart is there right now. I wish to be there rather than down here.

The second meaning of our phrase, “Home Is Where the Heart Is”, can also be looked at as your own heart being your home. Perhaps you don’t need a comfortable place to stay to call home but there is something else that gives you such great peace that it is just like home. Simply the thought or the experience of this thing gives you the feeling of home. Consider this verse:

Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Jesus is my treasure and my heart is definitely there. While I have to spend time with things and people other than Jesus, I would choose him first anytime. I now know what my heart is because my treasure is Jesus. I can tell you that when I am with Jesus there is no place that I would rather be. I urge you to spend time with Jesus in prayer and reading his Word and you will make Him your treasure as well. God Bless.

Victory

Victory
by Pete Berardi

When Jesus spoke to his apostles, he spoke much wisdom. I would like to refer you to a passage in the gospels at a time where Jesus speaking to his apostles for the last time before being brought to Pilot to be crucified. Consider this verse:

John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

There is no doubt that the things of this world are in direct opposition with the things of God. This is why Christians can sometimes lead very rough lives. Paul led a very rough life. Please look at the following verses concerning the trials and tribulations that Paul went through which he attributes to for being a Christian:

II Corinthians 11:24-26 Of the Jews five times received I forty [stripes] save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; [In] journeyings often, [in] perils of waters, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils by [mine own] countrymen, [in] perils by the heathen, [in] perils in the city, [in] perils in the wilderness, [in] perils in the sea, [in] perils among false brethren;

Paul is not just talking about his trials and tribulations but Christians in general. Christians suffer for God’s sake. We not only struggle against non-Christians that persecute us but we also need to fight sin. Being obedient to God is not easy sometimes. The temptation of sin can be so great that we lose the battle for our hearts. However there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Look at this verse in 1 John.

I John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.

While it may seem that we are suffering and losing the battle, nothing could be further from the truth. We have won. Christians are victorious. There will be a time when we will be free from the powers of sin. Look at how Paul cries out:

I Corinthians 15:55 O death, where [is] thy sting? O grave, where [is] thy victory?

Here, Paul is hoping for his death. He knows that the only way out of the flesh and its trials are through death. Death is usually looked upon as a bad thing however when you read the next verse, it becomes clear that death is freedom from sin.

I Corinthians 15:53-54 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

As Christians, we must keep hoping for the blessed appearing of our Lord. When we are finally in his presence, we can be free from sin. Being obedient to God will no longer be a struggle.

Thirty Pieces of Silver

Thirty Pieces of Silver
by Pete Berardi

Christians and non-Christians alike are familiar with the story of the crucifixion. The story is told in all four of the gospels. Jesus and his apostles are in the garden of Gethsemane praying. Judas Iscariot, the traitor, sold out the secret place to the Pharisees for thirty pieces of silver.

Mathew 26:15 And said [unto them], What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

The brief conversation that Jesus had with his abductors while they were arresting him clarifies several things. They could have come and taken him away at anytime. All of the events occurred in God’s perfect time according to prophecy. Jesus knew that one of them would betray him:

Mathew 26:21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

While studying the Bible, I have found that God does not put things in the Bible for no reason. Everything has a reason. And in turn, everybody is a Judas Iscariot in one way or another. He chose thirty pieces of silver over Jesus. Judas is very similar to Pharaoh in the Old Testament. God chose to harden his heart to essentially make a point. One can look at the story of Judas the same way. What is God’s point?

What is your thirty pieces of silver? Is there a sin in your life that is more important to you than Jesus? There are many vices in this life. For some reason, a certain vice may have power over one person but not another. Regardless of what it is, it can get in the way of your relationship with God. Judas chose because his faith was not true. Is your faith true?

I think that no one in this life is free from sin. There was only one man that could live his entire life without sinning and that is Jesus. God will forgive any sin that you commit.

I John 1: 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Let us examine our lives and see if there is anything that places itself as a higher priority than obedience to God. This is your thirty pieces of silver. While God will forgive you, you must ask and repent. Let’s not turn into a Judas and let that sin lead to our demise.

Pro 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh [them] shall have mercy.

While it may be difficult, because of our prideful nature, to ask for forgiveness, it is the only way to forgiveness. We cannot cover our sins, they will end up killing us like it did Judas. By confessing and repenting, we come clean with Jesus. He forgives us and accepts us. He is an all merciful God and his love is everlasting.

Hope and Riches

Hope and Riches
by Pete Berardi

Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

I may seem redundant in my theme here from the previous post, but it just goes to show that the message of the Bible is simple. This world has transformed many good things into bad and bad things into good. Love of the world is enmity with God. You cannot serve God and mammon. The verse above in bold is along the same theme. Hope and riches according to the Bible is certainly not the same hope and riches according to the world. Let us examine a worldly point of view of hope and riches.

I would think, based on television shows, people at work and other places, and things that I have read that people hope for mostly worldly things. People hope that they get a raise. They hope for a promotion. Some hope that they marry a rich spouse.

Riches is quite obvious, however there is a spectrum of riches that could be looked at. Money is the obvious one. Material possessions are another form of riches. Some people consider themselves rich when they have a lot of friends. Others consider themselves rich in mind. They pursue a grand education and knowledge. Some people consider fame to be riches. These are all things of the world. I am not necessarily saying that these things are evil. However, most of the time, the pursuit of these worldly things, can take our eyes off the prize. The real prize of Jesus Christ is truly the only goal worth pursuing.

According to the Bible, we are made rich when we are indwelled with the Holy Spirit. This is the riches of his grace. Our hope is the second coming of Christ. We are to be constantly hoping that God will deliver us from this present and evil world. We are to be looking for his glorious appearing. The Bible states that his love is better than gold or silver, in other words better than any worldly riches.

I am stating that maybe we should try to redefine what the term riches are and reevaluate what is worth our hope. Only Jesus.

Length of Days

Length of Days
by Pete Berardi

Modern history has been trying to control many things on earth. None has taken great precedence that extending life. How many drugs are on the market that promise to be the next fountain of youth? How many diet plans are recommended to help you live longer? How many self help books have been written to provide peace of mind? In my opinion there is no greater prescription than God’s word. Consider this verse:

Proverbs 3:2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

Notice how the Bible talks about length of days and long life as if they were too different things. Certainly one can live a long life but their days are short. This verse also speaks of peace. Certainly we all want peace. Not just freedom from wars but also internal peace is very important. This verse promises them to us. But in order to know what will give us this peace, we need to look at the verse previous. Let us examine it.

Proverbs 3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

Keeping God’s commandments are the way to length of days, long life and peace. God’s word is the perfect antidote to any disease. God’s laws are better than any drug. They are the perfect psychiatrist. God’s wisdom is the ultimate wisdom. No self-help book can be a substitute for the words of our Creator. He made us, he knows our frame, and he loves us and wants the best for us. His commandments are not there to make life harder, but easier.

Humanity and human nature are hooked on the fact that we can do it better than God can and that we know better than God. This is malarkey. How can we know more about ourselves than the One that created us? God gave us the wonderful gift of his word. All we have to do to have length of days, long life and peace is to follow his commandments. In order to follow his commandments, we have to know his commandments. The only way to do that is to read his holy word, The Bible. Read it, Heed it, Know it.

We are All One

We Are All One
by Pete Berardi

The next time you go to church, it may serve you to look at the people around you a little bit differently. I would think that the common way of looking at people is as they are individuals. They are separate entities completely independent from you and I except for a conversation that may have taken place. While this is a logical approach, it is hardly Biblical. Assuming that all the people at church are followers of Christ, these people are more connected to you than your son or daughter or your Mother or Father. Consider this verse:

I Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

The United States Constitution states that all men are created equal. I believe that this is what the reference for that statement is. We are all equal in the site of God. And more importantly we are all of the same body. With this in mind, would you ever try to cut your pinky finger off, or your left arm for that matter? The way you treat fellow Christians is the way you treat yourself. We are all ONE.

Another important thought concerning this verse is the fact that no matter what denomination we are a part of, we are all baptized into the same Spirit, Jesus Christ. Jesus is our Father and our brother. He is the head of the Family of Christians. This is the uniting point. Therefore, no matter Catholic, Baptist, Protestant, if the person has a relationship with Jesus Christ, he is your brother.

Relating to people is not always an easy task. Often times how we relate to people has a direct correlation to how we view them. How do you think you would relate to a person if you were certain that they were a part of yourself; as much as your eye is a part of yourself? If we all had this attitude, I think that we would treat each other with love more often. We would put others first and treat others how we would treat ourselves. Isn’t that one of the golden rules, one of the major commandments by Jesus?

Not your own…God’s

Not your own…God’s
by Pete Berardi

When we are children we are completely and totally dependent upon our parents for everything. As infants we unequivocally would perish if our Mother and Father did not feed us and provide us shelter. As we grow older, our dependence slowly fades. Perhaps as teenagers we may be able to feed ourselves but could not afford our own shelter. Then as we become adults, we are totally and completely independent of our parents. There is nothing wrong with being independent. I think it is shameful for one to “mooch” off their parents if they are too lazy to make it on their own. I will say this however. Society has pushed us to become independent and be “on our own”. The Bible has something to say about this.

While the word “own” appears close to 600 times in the Bible, it appears close to 50 times in the book of Proverbs. I want to examine a few of these verses and how it relates to the contrast of “our own” way of thinking and God’s way of thinking. I think you will agree with the wisest of the wise Solomon, the author of the book of Proverbs, that most if not all of the time, our thinking is moving in the opposite direction of God’s thinking.

I have gleaned several verses from the book of Proverbs. Please read them and think about them. Meditate on them. Memorize them if you could.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

Can you see how a man’s understanding is so clearly described as being contradictory to God? Do not lean on your own understand but trust in the LORD. Do not be wise in the way you see things, but fear the LORD. Do not always think that you are right but listen to counsel (God).

Here are a few more:

Proverbs 21;2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.

Proverbs 23:4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

Proverbs 28:26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

In the preceding verses, Solomon is reminding us that we can be blinded by our own selves. It is easy to think that we are always right. It’s called being wise in our own conceit (Proverbs 26:16). In Proverbs 23:4 he even asks us to cease from our own wisdom. Can’t you see how powerful that is? The book of Jeremiah tells us that the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Can’t you see God’s love in these verses and how he is trying to protect you from yourself?

Power

Power
by Pete Berardi

When one thinks of the word power, many definitions can come to mind. Physical power makes objects move, allows us to communicate, and provides us with many of life’s conveniences. Political power is held by men and women in “high places” and allows them to make laws and change the course of a nation. People on this earth seek power in their personal relationships, in their job, and in some cases in their own lives. Power, in a nutshell, gives people control over one thing or another no matter how big or small.

But is this really power? The word power occurs almost 300 times in the whole Bible. It is outside the scope of this article to speak of every verse. However, by looking at what Jesus said about power, we can obtain great insight into what power really is. Throughout each of the gospels Jesus uses the word power only five times. This author will use the book of Matthew to examine the word power and how it was used in the words and teachings of Jesus.

One of the first mentions of power is being able to forgive sins.

Matthew 10: 9 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

The next instance of the word power describes it as being able to heal.

Matthew 10:1 And when he had called unto [him] his twelve disciples, he gave them power [against] unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

In three other verses Jesus speaks of the power of God. He refers to God as having power and actually being power. Also, when he was resurrected, he spoke of being given all power in heaven and in earth.

My point is this. People here on earth have lost the idea of what the use of power should be. Although Jesus had all the power of God, he did not use it for selfish means. He used it to forgive sins and to heal. As I think about it, was there any other reason for Jesus to be here? That is what Jesus did, he forgave sins and healed people of their diseases. In my opinion, this is what true power is. We, as children of God, have the power to indirectly do both. By bringing the truth to all men by preaching gospel, men can be healed and their sins can be forgiven. There is no higher purpose and no better use of power.