David messed up big time but God told us through the Bible that David was truly after God's heart. Its not about how we "practice" our devotion to draw near to God, but rather how our "hearts" are when are drawing him near to us. Learning from David's experiences, God meets us in our heart rather than our minds therefore we need to focus on the "heart of the matter". "David son of Jesse is a man after my own heart, for he will do everything I want him to do." Acts 13:22 & 1 Samuel 13:14 (NLT). We can fake other people but we can't fake to God. It is important to understand that our hearts are the state of our "flesh". Our flesh search for pleasure, pride, passions and selfish motives. Our hearts are like a garden with beautiful flowers and plants. As with all gardens, the hearts must be kept free from weeds and insects. God is not impressed by our works or how we worship. In 1. Samuel 16:7, The Lord said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord don't make decisions the way you do. People judge by outward appearance (i.e. works), but the Lord looks at a person's thoughts and intentions (heart)."
Great quotes below:
To be like Christ is to be a Christian. -- Daniel Webster
God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves. Dwight L. Moody
Galatians 6:3 "If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself."
James 1:26 says, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless."
"Moses spent 40 years thinking he was somebody; 40 years learning he was nobody; and 40 years discovering what God can do with a nobody." DL Moody
"A man may be theologically knowing and spiritually ignorant" Charnock, Stephen
There is head knowledge, head and heart and just heart knowledge. In knowing God (not just about Him) the heart must be involved. A.W. Tozer
"Faith, as Paul saw it, was a living, flaming thing leading to surrender and obedience to the commandments of Christ." Tozer, A.W.
If we take our doctrines into our hearts where they belong, they can cause upheavals of emotion and sleepless nights. This is far better than toying with academic ideas that never touch life. John Piper
Doctrinal preaching certainly bores the hypocrites; but it is only doctrinal preaching that will save Christ's sheep. J.I. Packer
How Does God Deliver Me from Pain by Pain?
21 hours ago
3 comments:
Good blog! We have to be careful how we live because our heart is deceived. Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?"
Thanks for this timely reminder. Christianity is a religion of the heart. To know many Bible passages and many great doctrines in our mind only without having them changed our life and our heart, will only make us scholars and intellectuals.
But when what we read and understood from the Word of God, is effectually applied by the Holy Spirit to our souls, convicting us of our sins, turning us away from our wrong ways and enabling us to walk humbly in God's Ways and strength, then these becomes life saving and life changing experiences. God sees our heart and delights in our worship and service when we do so because we truly love Him and desires to please Him and walk with Him.
Great quotes and another eye opneing post.
Post a Comment