October 15, 2015 THE EYES OF THE LORD
2 Chronicles 16:9: “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”
2 Samuel 16:7: “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at His appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart’.”
It is without question that the greatest thing that a person can gain is a heart that belongs wholly to God. If the heart is compromised or divided in our relationship with God, the full blessings of God will not be experienced. As we see in the verse above, God looks at the heart of man and He is looking for those who have hearts that are completely His. What a heart that is completely His looks like, and how we get that kind of a heart, is certainly a good question to explore. Getting a heart that is completely His requires the working of the Holy Spirit, but it also requires a choice, a desire on our part as well. If you have read many of my postings, you will know that I often discuss the fact that God has given us a new heart, a new mind, and a new spirit. To live or to express this new person that we are is not automatic-that is where we have a choice to make. God is pleased when the greatest and strongest desire of our heart is to walk in our newness-to be who He made us to be. There will be times when we are tempted to revert back to who we use to be, and at that very moment-how we respond-reveals the condition of our heart. For example, if I respond with anger to a certain situation, then I am revealing the fact that I am living out of the old nature-not expressing the new heart that God has given. This is not saying or implying that if we have a heart that is completely His, we will be perfect in all of our responses. The key is that when we do respond out of the old nature-we quickly recognize it and we confess it and turn form it; and if we have wronged others, we are to ask their forgiveness. God is pleased with the heart that is quick to recognize when it is wrong and when it is quick to turn back to Him. As we mature in the faith, there should be fewer times when we revert to the old nature and there should be ever increasing times of expressing the very life of God. There is a false teaching that promotes the idea that “It does not matter what we do because we are saved by grace.” Yes, we are saved by grace and thank God for His graced toward us. But by His grace, He does not leave us who we use to be, and by His grace He transforms us into His image. God never looks the other way when a believer chooses to sin; there is no place or time in the Christian faith where we are to allow sin to reign. The believer is not to live in fear of sin; but at the same time, there is a healthy fear of God, knowing that God is not pleased when we sin. Misunderstanding grace can lead to shipwreck. “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2). We need to know that we can gain a heart that is completely His, and it begins with the desire to have such a heart. Remember that the scriptures are given as instructions on how we are to live-how we are to think-how we are to respond-how to walk in holiness, etc.; so there is good reason to read and study the scriptures on a regular basis. “All scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16). Commit to express, or implement the instructions found in the scripture. Ask the Holy Spirit to point out any areas of the heart that are not pure or that do not please the Lord, and when He does, confess it and turn from it. Ask God to give you revelation concerning your new nature-what it means in a practical way to have a new heart. Let your focus in all of life be on the condition of your heart-is the heart desiring to be pleasing to the Lord-are the motives of the heart honorable and pure-does the heart trust in God-is the heart teachable and pliable-is the heart quick to confess when it is wrong. The believer is not called to live by a set of rules in order to gain God’s favor, but is called to live in relationship with our Father who is committed to transforming us into His image. Having a heart that is completely His is not a dream nor is it unattainable-it is God’s desire and His plan that our hearts belong to Him and He invites us to work with Him as He is in the process of transforming us. It is a wonderful and effective prayer when we know deep within our heart that God is the potter, and we are the clay. It is freeing to be the clay-telling God that you want Him to form you into anything He desires. It’s a great day when we have a total trust in our Father for every aspect of our lives.
John 7:38: “Whoever believes in Me, rivers of living water will flow out from his heart.”
Hebrews 4:12: “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.”
Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
Blessings,
Buddy
2 Chronicles 16:9: “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”
2 Samuel 16:7: “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at His appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart’.”
It is without question that the greatest thing that a person can gain is a heart that belongs wholly to God. If the heart is compromised or divided in our relationship with God, the full blessings of God will not be experienced. As we see in the verse above, God looks at the heart of man and He is looking for those who have hearts that are completely His. What a heart that is completely His looks like, and how we get that kind of a heart, is certainly a good question to explore. Getting a heart that is completely His requires the working of the Holy Spirit, but it also requires a choice, a desire on our part as well. If you have read many of my postings, you will know that I often discuss the fact that God has given us a new heart, a new mind, and a new spirit. To live or to express this new person that we are is not automatic-that is where we have a choice to make. God is pleased when the greatest and strongest desire of our heart is to walk in our newness-to be who He made us to be. There will be times when we are tempted to revert back to who we use to be, and at that very moment-how we respond-reveals the condition of our heart. For example, if I respond with anger to a certain situation, then I am revealing the fact that I am living out of the old nature-not expressing the new heart that God has given. This is not saying or implying that if we have a heart that is completely His, we will be perfect in all of our responses. The key is that when we do respond out of the old nature-we quickly recognize it and we confess it and turn form it; and if we have wronged others, we are to ask their forgiveness. God is pleased with the heart that is quick to recognize when it is wrong and when it is quick to turn back to Him. As we mature in the faith, there should be fewer times when we revert to the old nature and there should be ever increasing times of expressing the very life of God. There is a false teaching that promotes the idea that “It does not matter what we do because we are saved by grace.” Yes, we are saved by grace and thank God for His graced toward us. But by His grace, He does not leave us who we use to be, and by His grace He transforms us into His image. God never looks the other way when a believer chooses to sin; there is no place or time in the Christian faith where we are to allow sin to reign. The believer is not to live in fear of sin; but at the same time, there is a healthy fear of God, knowing that God is not pleased when we sin. Misunderstanding grace can lead to shipwreck. “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2). We need to know that we can gain a heart that is completely His, and it begins with the desire to have such a heart. Remember that the scriptures are given as instructions on how we are to live-how we are to think-how we are to respond-how to walk in holiness, etc.; so there is good reason to read and study the scriptures on a regular basis. “All scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16). Commit to express, or implement the instructions found in the scripture. Ask the Holy Spirit to point out any areas of the heart that are not pure or that do not please the Lord, and when He does, confess it and turn from it. Ask God to give you revelation concerning your new nature-what it means in a practical way to have a new heart. Let your focus in all of life be on the condition of your heart-is the heart desiring to be pleasing to the Lord-are the motives of the heart honorable and pure-does the heart trust in God-is the heart teachable and pliable-is the heart quick to confess when it is wrong. The believer is not called to live by a set of rules in order to gain God’s favor, but is called to live in relationship with our Father who is committed to transforming us into His image. Having a heart that is completely His is not a dream nor is it unattainable-it is God’s desire and His plan that our hearts belong to Him and He invites us to work with Him as He is in the process of transforming us. It is a wonderful and effective prayer when we know deep within our heart that God is the potter, and we are the clay. It is freeing to be the clay-telling God that you want Him to form you into anything He desires. It’s a great day when we have a total trust in our Father for every aspect of our lives.
John 7:38: “Whoever believes in Me, rivers of living water will flow out from his heart.”
Hebrews 4:12: “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.”
Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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