What About Your Heart?

With all the science fiction films being made, could you imagine if people got their hands on a device that could instantly read your mind? Or more importantly, your heart? That'd be scary to say the least. But did you know that there is a "device" that can penetrate into our inmost being and see the motives behind our actions? It's the most powerful weapon on earth; the Word of God! "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." But so often you and I set this immense tool aside on a bookshelf or coffee table, and as the Bible sits there and gathers dust, so do the dark corners of our hearts. Have you ever noticed how dark corners quickly gather dust and cobwebs? Our heart is the same way! Without daily Light exposing the dirt and cobwebs, how can we expect to recognize them and get rid of them? "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9 Every time I read this verse it always strikes me that it's talking about the heart of mankind in general-not just the heart of the wicked, because all of us possess a heart bent on evil. When verse 9 asks a question, "who can know it?" verse 10 supplies the answer. God says, "I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." 

When Samuel was seeking the Lord's anointed to replace Saul on the throne, the Lord sent him to Jesse. When Samuel saw Eliab he thought he was the one, "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."

This is a great comfort to me, but it also is a caution. God doesn't see like a man sees. He looks past outward actions and appearances into the source of it all.  A perfect example of human judgment based on sight is the scribes and pharisees in Matthew 15, when they asked why Jesus' disciples ate with unwashed hands. They were upset because the disciples didn't observe the tradition of the elders. But Jesus answers their question with one of His own, "But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."Then in verses 10-11,  "And He called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."


And in Luke 18,  "And He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

Outward righteousness isn't going to work with God. Matthew 23:27-28  "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.  Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."
I've wondered about myself, questioning my motives for things I do. Do I go to church or memorize Scripture to look good to men? Or do I do it out of a pure heart because I want to please God? James 4:8  "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.'
Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."
"Follow your heart" is the worst thing you could possibly do! Rather, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23.

After his confession to God, David makes this plea, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10.  And here is a promise from our Father. - "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26.

Remember, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."