1 John 4:18

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." 1 John 4:18

"But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth." Luke 11:17 Our hearts were not meant to be divided. Two masters cannot exist inside of our heart. Once we have accepted Christ as our Savior, our heart becomes his heart. It becomes a heart after God. What is God? "...for God is love." 1 John 4:8B When our heart takes off after God, it is infused with love. What kind of love? A perfect love. The perfect love of Jesus is indwelt in our heart. What next?

Jesus is in our heart, BUT he does not have complete access to all the areas. Self defense mode of our heart is still in place. We have let Jesus inside, but we have to get to know and trust him better before we start opening up the deeper chambers. It is a learning process. These chambers are haunted. They are haunted by fears of the past and the future. The past is the heartaches and heartbreaks suffered by our heart. Due to the past, a hindrance and fear of the future(heartaches and heartbreaks that we will suffer-for we believe it will always be that way) also reside in our heart. The chambers or pieces of our heart are like skittish animals. Trust has to be earned. Love has to be given. A perfect love from the Son of God is the answer.

Over time, Jesus makes his way through our heart. Piece by piece, chamber by chamber. He beckons and ministers to the fearful pieces of our heart. His love is a wonderful glowing light and beacon in the darkness of fear. It infuses confidence into these skittish pieces. A confidence and love born out of the Son born of the Father. Fear is driven out. The past and future worries are evicted by the new Holy landlord. Our heart is no longer divided but made whole by His perfect love. Why is confidence in your heart so important? Confidence gives us the ability to step forward, instead of staying in the shadows of fear. Jesus' light shines forth from our eyes and our heart. It sets us free to love again. Confidence gives us permission to be vulnerable in His Holy name. It is that seeming "weakness" that is so awesome. The limits of our heart have been lifted. Once we truly are free from the fear in our heart and Jesus reigns in our heart, then...maybe then...the dove from within will be able to spread it's wings and take flight. Perhaps....our turtledove will find a place to roost.

kenny