God Examines the Heart
Deuteronomy 8:2 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
Psalm 26:2 Prove me, O LORD, an say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does he not pd try me, test my heart and my mind.
Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Proverbs 16:2 All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
Proverbs 17:3 The crucible is for silve, and the furnace for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.
Proverbs 21:2 A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart.
Jeremiah 17:10 I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways.
John 16:8 “When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:”
Luke 16:15 And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God
Acts 7:51 “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors; You always resist the Holy Spirit!
Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the LORD comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.
2 Timothy 1:14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
Revelations 2:23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
How humble do we think we are? Sometimes, I think we are so arrogant, and as judgmental as the Pharisees. So many of them felt they obeyed ALL the Laws God had set forth for Moses on two tablets of stone. And over the years, some of the priests had added to those rules–they were not originally set out by God. It was the righteous priests who got big hunks of whatever meat was being sacrifice, got free land within each of the 12 territories, and they had the chosen privelege of being closer to God as the Levite family had been chosen to be His priests. Only priests could offer sacrifices, only priests and their families could care for the tent of meeting and once in the Promised Land, serve in the temple. They had holy and designated clothing and God had chosen them to have the special privelege of checking on diseases–is this leprous or just a rash? They were elevated to the other Israelites, looked on with respect–which many of them craved and added to their arrogance.
As they grew in their roles as priests, they developed more and more commands that the Israelites had to follow. I do not know exactly how many, but have heard a couple times there were more than 600 by the time Jesus was teaching and leading.
Most of the priests had elevated themselves and did not consider themselves low enough to help others. It was two religious men who passed a beaten, naked man, in fact crossing the street–and did not even pause to see if he was alive and perhaps when they got to a village, could send someone to help the fellow. They just passed on by being too important and holy to dirty themselves.
But a Samaritan, part Israeli and part Samarian stopped, treated the man, helped him to his donkey and took him to the nearest inn and then paid for the innkeeper to nurse him for a few days, and if the cost was any more than what he left, he would pay that bill. That is love, a serving heart, a heart after God’s own design.
To find your true motives and leanings, God tests your heart. He may put temptations in your path–new job but lot more hours and stress and being away from family vs keeping your job which allows time with family, spending daily time with God, and less stress. He has provided enough. Or it may be you see new clothing and truly wish to have it–but know your finances are very tight this week. What does the Holy Spirit’s guidance say? Do you listen? For me, I should NOT even try on the clothing–it already increases my own desire and works against my better judgment. And I do not NEED it–it is a desire, not a NEED.
How do you react when someone a cashier, wait staff, or just someone you pass and treats you rudely? Are you rude back? Do you think nasty thoughts? Do you smile and say something like you recognize they may be having a rough day, and tell them you will pray for them? There are bunches of ways to handle the situation and allay some of the bitterness and anger from the other. And hopefully, they will receive the message with love, and it will help diffuse their hurt/anger/ arrogance.
What about when you hear some gossip? Do you pass it one–as James says the tongue is like a flame and can start a huge fire. Gossip can explode situations–make them bigger than they actually are, and certainly always hurts the person the “juice” is discussing. It is hurtful. I do try to keep things to people who will keep their mouths shut and just pray for the issues I come across. This is not a perfect area for me, but I do try.
God wants to see if we have a hardness, arrogance, self righteousness in our hearts and actions. If so, that is one of the things the Holy Spirit tries to guide us from. We read the Bible and learn who our blessed Savior was, how treated all people, and how He died for us–and all our scummy sins, and the bad things, the sinful things are sanded and culled away. It is NOT an overnight process, although I certainly wish I was better than I am. But it is a process, a lifetime of discovering you are not as loving and good as you think, and with the help of the Holy Spirit and the examples of Jesus, get those putrid areas cut out.
Lord, I thank You that You and the Holy Apirit walk and guide me to cutting and sanding away all the areas that are rough and disappointing. You have always been there to watch over me and ‘mybellaviews.’
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