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Do I have a heart after God?
Clearly God wants us to be people after his own heart. I read it time and time again. And so I am thinking about this a lot. What does it mean to have a heart that is far (Matthew 15:8) from God? How can I fully commit my heart to our Father?
I am thinking that it has a lot to do with my emotional engagement with God. No matter what, is my innermost desire to please Him, to love Him, to do what He wants? Do I have a passion for Him that won’t stop or go away?
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deut. 6:5)
Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1 Sam. 16:7)
Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:34)
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. (Prov. 3:5)
Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. (Ps. 119:11 NASB)
These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. (Matt 15:8)
For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. (2 Chron. 16:9)
A new heart
Now here is good news. God can’t see our old heart. We have a new one to help to live the way God wants us to.
And even better news. It is a heart that is God-willed. Wow!!!!!
“I’ll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I’ll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that’s God-willed, not self-willed. I’ll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands.” ~~God (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
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Is it true my heart is wicked?
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. (Ezek. 36:26–27)
“This we now know: the heart is central. It matters—deeply. When we see with the eyes of the heart, which is to say, when we see mythically, we begin to awaken, and what we discover is that things are not what they seem. We are at war. We must fight for the life God intends for us, which is to say, we must fight for our heart, for it is the wellspring of that life within us.
Standing in the way of the path to life—the way of the heart— is a monstrous barrier. It has stopped far too many pilgrims dead in their tracks for far too long. There is a widespread belief among Christians today that the heart is desperately wicked—even after a person comes to Christ.
It is a crippling belief.
And it is untrue.“
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Am I careful enough?
God is speaking. And He suggests that I be careful. I think I should pay attention to this. Israel didn’t, to their destruction on many occasions.
I have seen God do amazing things. I have seen them with my own eyes. He redeemed me. He healed me. The list goes on and on.
They are in my heart. Not only have I seen them but they are imbedded in more core. They define how I feel and who I am.
I must not forget them. It can happen. I should repeat them to my children like the great stories we always share. This is much more important than the first joke that they told me.
Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. Deuteronomy 4:9
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What does it take to get my attention?
What does it take to get my attention and to keep me focused? Hard to say some days. There are lots of distractions. Plenty of opportunities to miss God and what He is doing.
God’s life is not for the faint of heart. It is vigorous. It requires focus. His Spirit is the power to make it happen.
The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention. ~~Jesus (Matthew 7:14)
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Who is king of the mountain?
Some days things look bleak. Everything is out of synch. Nothing seems right at all. What I expect isn’t happening at all. It’s just not right.
If I count on God’s rule to prevail, I can be joyous. Do I have my eyes on Him or on my circumstances? It makes a difference. I can take heart. I can be thankful. I can gain (not lose) strength. 
Relax, God is in control.
Though the cherry trees don’t blossom
and the strawberries don’t ripen,
Though the apples are worm-eaten
and the wheat fields stunted,
Though the sheep pens are sheepless
and the cattle barns empty,
I’m singing joyful praise to God.
I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.
Counting on God’s Rule to prevail,
I take heart and gain strength.
I run like a deer.
I feel like I’m king of the mountain! Habakkuk 3:17-18 (The Message)
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How sad is this?
Whoo Hoo!! This is very good news. Since I have turned to Jesus, the Master, I am seeing Him face to face. Nothing is hidden. I see His absolute perfection. By His mighty hand, He made me to be a new creation in Jesus. I am free from the old agreement that He had so long ago. I am living in the new plan He has with us.
Now there is also some sad news here. It is possible to read the Bible and not see Jesus. The issue is the heart. We protect it thinking reading the Bible is all we need to do. God wants us to have a relationship of love with Him. Our mission is to help the religious see Jesus in what they read and hear at church.
May I see Him and His perfect plan today. May I help others see Jesus.
Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 2 Corinthians 3:15-16
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Can I go morally bankrupt?
Can I go morally bankrupt? It is possible.Without God’s word and promises stored up in a sufficient manner, we can make too many withdrawals.
King David knew the secret to preventing moral bankruptcy.
David treated his heart like a bank. He stored up God’s promises in the vault of his heart. It protected his heart from going bankrupt from his sin.
“I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt.” ~~King David (Psalm 119:11 The Message)
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Is God hard and unreasonable?
One of the themes I hear about almost everywhere I turn is about how good God is and what a good mood he is in. The story of the bags of gold that Jesus told is on the same theme. I have heard a lot about using the talents God has given us as the message here. And it is. But part of it, maybe much of it, is about the heart we have for God and how we see Him.
Of the three men in this story, only one starts his conversation with God with an indictment of who God is. His first sentence revealed his heart. He believed at his core that God is a hard, stubborn, and stiff necked. WOW!!!
Now think about all the messages you have heard about God. Which fall in the “God is good” category and which fall into the “God is mean” category. What does God think about that?
Well, my oh my, did God get angry with him? His answer was blistering. Oh my goodness, he ticked Him off big time. This is not the kind of answer I want to get from my Father. I want the “well done” answer. I do not want the “you wicked and lazy” man answer. I want the “he has a heart after God” answer. I want Him to put His arm around me.
May I take what God gives me, have a heart that knows He is good and use what He gives me well.
Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man.” Matthew 25:24
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Is my heart reflecting what I want it to?
God spends a lot of time talking about the heart. He longs for me to have His heart. That is what David had. That is what Jesus had. That is what I long for.
May I have His heart. May I show His love and compassion. May I know what He cares for and do it. May I be completely one with Him.
As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man. Proverbs 27:19
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Did Jesus keep His promise?
We are at war. The prize is my heart. Jesus kept His promise. He healed my heart.
I need to prize what Jesus has done. I have a whole heart.
Of course your heart would be the object of a great and fierce battle. It is your most precious possession. Without your heart you cannot have God. Without your heart you cannot have love. Without your heart you cannot have faith. Without your heart you cannot find the work you were meant to do. In other words, without your heart you cannot have life. The question is, Did Jesus keep his promise? What has he done for our hearts? ~~John Eldredge
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What does Jesus want?
Jesus is not after behavior modification. He wants heart transformation.
That is His challenge to us. Will we love God? Will love everyone we come in contact with every day? Will we have a heart after God?
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“Listen now, all of you— take this to heart.” ~~Jesus
English: Sacred heart of Jesus Español: Sagrado corazon de Jesus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Jesus challenges us to understand that it is not what we eat that is the problem. The problem is our heart. The problem is what we think, do and say. That is the real pollution in our life. Jesus is clear that it’s what comes out of a person that pollutes: obscenities, lusts, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, depravity, deceptive dealings, carousing, mean looks, slander, arrogance, foolishness—all these are vomit from the heart in GOD’s world (Kingdom).
We need to know this about our self so that we can take advantage of Jesus redeeming us from the price we have to pay for what is in our heart. Jesus gives a new heart. Now that is good news.
“Listen now, all of you— take this to heart. It’s not what you swallow that pollutes your life; it’s what you vomit—that’s the real pollution.” ~~Jesus (Mark 7:15 The Message)
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Do I have true freedom?
Not only has He healed my heart, He has set it free. That freedom leads me to run in the path of His desire for my life. His freedom leads to my commitment to do what He wants for me.
Freedom leading to willing obedienceis His way. And I run in it!! Willingly. Gladly.
I run in the path of your commands,
for you have set my heart free. Psalm 119:32
“The same people who want 60 minute worship services rent 2 hour movies & watch 3 hour ballgames. It’s about our heart’s focus!” ~ J. Bull
Life Starts with my Heart
My life starts with my heart. That is the center of everything. Nothing else matters so I need to be vigilant over it. I should guard it like I guard nothing else. Since everything flows from my heart, I need to be careful not speak out of both sides of my mouth. I should completely avoid careless banter that can hurt others and me. Little white lies hurt my integrity and I need to avoid them at all cost. Gossip hurts others and so it damages my heart.
So … I should keep my eyes straight ahead and completely ignore distractions which take me away from you, my Father. If I watch my step and focus on what you want, the road will be smooth. It will straighten out in front of me. If I focus on my relationship with you, looking only at you, I will leave evil in the dust.
Take Heart
Many days, there is a whole lot of worrying going on. Fear can cripple. How many times does God come to us and say, “Fear not”? That is one of His great themes. Trust in Him. He is in control. He didn’t bring us this far to leave us now.
Here is the good news. Jesus has overcome everything. He is seated at the right hand of the Father. All is well. It is finished.
“But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
—– Jesus,John 16:33
“Do not be anxious about anything.” ~~Apostle Paul
My part is to rejoice. God is so very good and He is always in this amazing mood. Jesus has a mission to bring Good News to me. Am I hearing bad news? It is a lie then. That is from my enemy Satan. So, I will rejoice at the good God is doing now.
I need to talk with my Father, ask Him for what I need, and be thankful in my conversations with Him. He knows what I need and will do more than I can imagine.
I don’t understand it, but as a result, His peace is mine. I can rest and relax. His peace is at attention in my heart. He is protecting me and the enemy can’t reach my heart.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-9
A man after His heart
What is the BIG THING my heavenly Father is looking for? He is desperately seeking a man after his own heart. How will I know what is in His heart? Have a relationship with Him. Know what makes Him tick. Seek to please Him at all costs.
May I be a man after God’s own heart!! May I do what He asks me to do.
“The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people …” 1 Samuel 13:13-14
Alignment
It is God’s goal for me to align my heart with my words in a way that is acceptable to God. I am to love Him and others with all my heart. Do my words reflect that? Does God’s love in my heart cause me to think amazing things and then act in a way that reflects His love?
Beyond what I have to say, is what I am thinking and meditating on acceptable to God?
May I align God’s love in my heart with what I say.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14
Like the "energizer bunny" but only real
Some days things don’t look good. All I have to do is listen to the news to know that. Bad news at every turn. That is the way of the world.
God has a goal that has nothing to do with that. We don’t lose heart when we are listening to Him. It doesn’t matter what is going on around us. Trouble brings His mighty and awesome outcomes. We see a reality, in Him, that others don’t know exists. We have our gaze fixed on Him. Today’s trouble is no comparison to His love which goes on like Him, forever. There is no end to it. Like the “energizer bunny” but only real.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 TNIV Bible
Not forced on us
Some things just aren’t forced on us. We can have it or we can not. Peace comes from knowing His love and doing what He wants. We have to let that kind of peace happen. Jesus has peace to offer us like we have never known. His peace can rule over any other emotions that we have.
The phone is ringing. A text has arrived. The email arrives “You have peace from Jesus” we hear. A tweet shows up on Twitter. It is Jesus calling us to peace.
For this peace, I am very thankful.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15
May I let His peace have precedence over any other emotion in my life.
A mind unafraid to travel
A Prayer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anonymous
Dear Lord, please give me…
A few friends who understand me and remain my friends;
A work to do which has real value,
without which the world would be the poorer;
A mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed;
An understanding heart;
A sense of humor;
Time for quiet, silent meditation;
A feeling of the presence of God;
The patience to wait for the coming of these things,
With the wisdom to recognize them when they come.
Amen.
My own understanding
I think I am pretty clever some days. I think I can figure it all out. AND then I run into the wall with something and I realize I am not as clever as I like to think I am. My understanding is not what our LORD wants.
If the victory is to be His, I have to trust Him with all my heart. I have to emotionally connect with what He wants not what I understand. May I trust him from the bottom of my heart. May I do it now. What is He saying?
Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! (Prov. 3:5 The Message Bible)
Am I willfully stupid?
Some days I just don’t get it. Am I being willfully stupid? Jesus knew the truth. It is not what goes in that causes contamination. It is what is in my heart. That is what counts.
What is in my heart will be demonstrated then in what I think, say and do. It works from the inside out.
May I have a heart after God. May nothing else matter.
Jesus said, ‘Are you being willfully stupid?’ …. Mark 7:14-23
Wormy Apples and my heart
I don’t like wormy apples. No one does. It is just not right. The ultimate gross out for sure. I love fresh, juicy apples. So, I must begin with my heart. I want healthy fruit.
So what is in my heart? Do I long for what counts? Am I starting with what matters and working from there?
May I have healthy fruit that comes from a pure heart. May my true being spill forth from my heart.
You don’t get wormy apples off a healthy tree, nor good apples off a diseased tree. The health of the apple tells the health of the tree. You must begin with your own heart. It’s who you are in your heart, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds. Luke 6:43-45
Heart
Now here is a good word. What should I do? Seek Jesus with my whole heart. David knew this at his core. He was a man after God’s own heart. He knew about the connection emotionally.
Interesting it is about the heart. My connection to God is not primarily about thinking. I am a thinker so this is a challenge for me. God is doing great things.
May I long for a connection with God that brings me supernatural courage. May my emotional connection to Him bring obedience.
I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. Psalm 119:10
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