Psalm 139:1-4 “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.”
God—knowing everything about us—from sitting to standing; from our every thought; and from our every action—God knows all these things! This can be a scary thought sometimes, right—having an all knowing, all-powerful God who sees all? Yet the state of our hearts is vital to our relationship to the Lord, for “a good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.” Luke 6:45 You have most likely heard the expression, “This is the heart of the matter.” Well, in Christianity, the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart! God’s Word makes this very clear: “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” Jeremiah 17:9-10 God knows the motives behind our actions, and one day when our works are run through fire, we will be receive rewards based upon whether or not our actions were based on pure motives. Therefore, God directs us in the following verses: “Guard you heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23 and “As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.” Proverbs: 27:19 When we look at the fact that everything we do in life flows from our hearts and that how we live projects what is in our hearts, we can understand why it is so important to regularly examine them. Are the motives behind our actions pure? Is there sin I haven’t faced or renounced in my life? “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.” Luke 15:21 The prodigal son examined his heart, repented of his sinful ways, and returned home. “I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow Your laws.” Psalm 119:59 It is believed King David used these words to teach Solomon his son, Solomon. A great daily habit, then, would be to purify our hearts by confessing sin, asking God for His forgiveness, and examining the motives behind our actions so that we can make certain they are meant to glorify God and not ourselves in the eyes of others. Let us also ask ourselves how obedient we are being to God’s laws, not because of the commands themselves, but because of our all-consuming love for our Savior God. Then let’s pray for the Holy Spirit to fill us until we overflow with the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—so that through us, others can see Jesus' hands, feet, and heart in action. VERSES: Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Job 13:23 “Tell me, what have I done wrong? Show me my rebellion and my sin.” 2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.” PRAYER: Father God, when I stop to pray and examine my heart, let me listen carefully for your voice. It is often all too easy to ignore or disregard the sin in me, make excuses for it, or blame someone else. This is not Your way! You long for us to be pure in heart! So, Father, If there is a log in my eye, I ask You to expose it, whether that knowledge hurts or not. “How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” Matthew 7:4-5 Always help me confess every sin You reveal to me and to examine the motives behind my words and actions. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so I may grow in Jesus’ way. DISCLAIMER: I am just an ordinary woman who loves Jesus, accepting Him as Savior at the age of thirty-two and digging into the Bible ever since. How could I possibly hope to develop a heart relationship with God and trust Him with my life if I didn't know who He is?! These devotionals are written to help you journey with Christ and grow in your heart relationship with Him. However, it is essential that you examine my words, and those of all other "teachers," with God's Holy Word. Therein lies the source of all truth! Comments are closed.
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Author Candice Mary Thomas writes about loving God and loving people! Coming to Christ at age 32 and now in her 70's, Candice knows what a difference it makes living with or without Christ as one's personal Savior. Archives
December 2022
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