Is Your Heart in the Right Place?
Yes. It is right where it should be, slightly behind and to the left of the sternum.
Jokes aside, if there is anything I have learnt from the past couple of months, it’s that the state of our hearts determines our behaviour.
Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23
Everything we do could either be pleasing to God or an abomination to him, we can either present our members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin or present our members as instruments of righteousness to God. (Romans 6:13) Being comfortable with sin is a sign that something’s off with our fellowship with God. When we’re lukewarm, it is so much harder to obey His commandments. A heart filled with love for the Father compels one to comply.
...For the love of Christ compels us 2 Corinthians 5:14
Jesus said “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)
You don’t (deliberately) hurt the people you love, sin is an offence to God – do not grieve the Holy Spirit by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Eph. 4:27)
We will battle with sin until the grave but we can rise above it by consistently seeking God in prayer and through the word so that our hearts abhor what is evil and hold fast to that which is good. Here are some verses that illustrate this point.
Psalm 119:11
Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
Having the word of God embedded in our hearts helps us to make the right decisions when there is pressure mounting against us to make us go off-track. Jesus cited scripture each time the devil tempted him. Our ability to stand against the wiles of the devil depends on how much we are able to wield the sword of the spirit – which is the word of God. (Eph. 6)
Matthew 26:41
Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Psalm 86:11
Teach me Your way, O Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
When we consistently choose a sinful lifestyle and “fall” it is usually because our hearts aren’t in the right place. We need to realise that the more our hearts drift away from God, the easier it is to settle for a life that is displeasing to him.
Proverbs 14:14 AMPC
The backslider in heart [from God and from fearing God] shall be filled with [the fruit of] his own ways, and a good man shall be satisfied with [the fruit of] his ways [with the holy thoughts and actions which his heart prompts and in which he delights].
Heal my heart and make it clean
Hossana, Hillsong
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your kingdom’s cause
As I walk from earth into eternity
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