"Imprisoned Heart"

"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" Proverbs 4:23

Yesterday we talked about having a united heart-- undivided to fear the Lord.  This morning, I feel impressed to talk about our hearts again. 

 

There are so many things that vie for our hearts.  Fleshly desires want to captivate them.  Some people want to steal them.  Mammon wants our hearts.  The devil wants to destroy our hearts.  So, we not only have to protect them from those things that would try to take them away from us, but we have to be on guard for those things that would want to hold them captive and make our hearts its prisoner.

Some of the things we have to be on guard for that want to take our hearts prisoner and hold them hostage are bitterness, unforgiveness, self-pity, anger, resentment, condemnation, false religion, guilt, jealousy, hate, envy, malice, etc. (plus many more I haven't named).

If these aren't dealt with, they will hold your heart in a prison as long as you allow them to.  They will not only hold it prisoner but turn it into something that it wasn't intended to be and unrecognizable-- stone. 

There is only one sure way to keep your heart.  Give up claim to it.  Turn it over to the Lord and let Him take full possession of it.  Does this mean that these things won't come again to try to reclaim it?  No, but it is much easier to keep from giving in when you realize it doesn't belong to you anymore.  So, when these things come to take your heart prisoner again, simply put out a sign that says, "This heart does not belong to me anymore.  You will have to go to the owner-- Jesus".

Have a great day.  There are so many things that want to destroy, possess and imprison our hearts.  But when we give up ownership of our hearts to Jesus, they can't. 

"Unite My Heart"

"Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name".  Psalm 86:11

"... unite my heart to fear thy name".   I have prayed this more times than I can count.  It is because our hearts tend to be swayed and persuaded easily.  We tend to want to follow the crowd.  We gravitate to the things that appeal to our flesh.  We want to go in the direction of whatever is the latest fad or most popular thing in the world around us.  Our affections seem to shift constantly.  I was telling a friend the other day-- in the area of home décor-- that my taste changes pretty regularly.  One day I like the rustic décor.  Next week I may be leaning toward something more contemporary.  This is something we seem to do in all areas of life.  We go from one desire to another. 

If we aren't careful the same thing will happen in our relationship with the Lord.  We will be pulled between Him and what our flesh wants.  We will be pulled toward what is "vogue" at the moment.  We will be pulled toward the opinion of others.  We will be pulled to mammon, material blessings, self-desire and the lusts of our flesh. 

Do you feel yourself drifting away from the Lord? Are you being pulled between Him and other things?  Are worldly things consuming your thoughts, time, energy and finances?  Do other things have priority over Him in your life?  Then you should be praying this prayer as well.  Unite my heart-- that is-- bring all the areas in my heart into agreement.  Make all the areas of my heart place You first and on the throne.  Help me not to have a divided heart but instead love and fear You with all my heart.

Have a great day.  Is your heart divided between the Lord and other things?  Pray for a heart that is united to fear His name. 

"Getting The Right Help"

"Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul".  Psalm 86:4

When I have a plumbing problem, I call a plumber-- not a doctor.  When I have an electrical issue, I call an electrician-- not an accountant.  When I have a legal matter to attend to, I call an attorney-- not a chef.  I call the "right" person for the job.  In the verse above the Psalmist knew where to go when he needed an answer to a problem, strength in weakness, help in trouble, guidance in confusion, etc.  He went to the "right" source.  He went to the Lord. 

I want to encourage you this morning, if you are wrestling with a problem, if you need an answer, the Lord majors in problem solving.  He knows your answer.... He even knows your question before you know your own question.  Look to Him.  Seek Him.  He will speak to you and let you know the course to take.  He may speak to you through His written Word, by His Spirit, through other people, or through a supernatural revelation.  So go to Him instead of those who can't answer your question or solve your problem.

Have a great day.  When you are in need, your need won't be met if you are going to the wrong source.  You have to go to the right place for help.  

 

"Comparing God To Man"

"O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.  But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth".  Psalm 86:14,15

Men/people won't always be kind and good to you.  They will rise up against you.  They will talk about you.  They will try to hurt you.  They will plot against you.  They will try to take advantage of you.  They may attack you-- your character, your possessions or even physically.  There are some who are out to do you harm.  They will mistreat you and abuse you.  The Psalmist learned that very well.  But he also learned something else.

He learned that while men were violent, uncaring and destructive, God was a good God who was full of compassion and mercy.  He learned that God would not treat him in such a way.  He knew he could always count on God to treat him fairly, even when he would fall or fail. 

I am thankful that God is not like man.  You don't have to wonder or worry about Him.  When people hate me, I know He still loves me.  When all forsake me, I know that He is still with me.  When there are those who try to do me harm, I know that He will only do good to me.  When there are those who are against me, I know He is for me.

So many people become "anti-God" because they equate Him to people.  They equate Him to an abusive father, to an unfaithful spouse, to a violent person they know, to the Christian who is a hypocrite, and so on.  But He is NOT at all like us.  He is not at all like any person we would dare to compare Him to-- good or bad.  He is God-- not man.  He is the Creator-- not the creation.  He is love-- not emotions running wild. 

Have you defined Him, acquainted Him with or looked at Him like you do some person?  Then you are seeing Him incorrectly.  He is in a "class" all by Himself.

Have a great day.  You can't compare God to men and get a true picture of who He is.   
 

"True Adversaries"

"But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive".  Genesis 50:20

Joseph said that his brothers thought- and did- evil against him.  He didn't say the devil did it.  We often say the devil is the one that does evil things against us.  True, he comes to steal, kill and destroy.  He plots and devises schemes.  He looks for opportunities to convince and inspire men to be the instrument to carry out his plans against us.  But the devil is not always behind every evil thing that is done against us.  The Bible says that the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked.  We do have real, flesh and blood enemies.  The wicked plot against the just.  Men do evil when their hearts are evil.  The heart of man has to be regenerated by the power of the blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  Jesus said for us to "love our enemies".  We know He wasn't talking about loving Satan.  He was talking about loving those who are against us; those whom the wickedness in their hearts is compelling them to act in a harmful manner against us.  So, Joseph was correct when he said his brothers acted in an evil way against him.

Even though we have real flesh and blood enemies, take note.... if God be for you, who can be against you?  Although the brothers hated Joseph, although they plotted against him, although they did an evil thing to him, God was still with Joseph.  He did not let them succeed in their evil plan.  They wanted to kill him.  God made sure they didn't.  God watched over Joseph.  God delivered Joseph from their desires.  God preserved Joseph.

This is a lesson and encouragement to us.  The devil is out to destroy us, and he will use any means he can-- material things, dark places, addictions, sickness, even family, friends and good people.  But also remember that there are wicked people who are out to destroy us.  But never forget that if you are in God's hands, then what they mean for evil, God will work out for good and the evil that they intended to do to you will not prosper.

Have a great day.  You do have adversaries, the devil and wicked people.  But God is for you and their weapons will not prosper against you.