Heart, just give a heart

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1 Samuel 16:7     But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.  The LORD does not look at the things people look at.  People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Psalm 7:10     My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.

Psalm 51:10,17      Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. . . . My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God will not despise.

Psalm 95:8-10     “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness, where your ancestors t4ested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did.  For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways.’ . .”

Psalms 112:7-8     They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.  Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

Proverbs 4:23     Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Proverbs 16:2     All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD.

Proverbs 21:2-3     A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart.  To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.   

Jeremiah 29:13     You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Hosea 6:6     For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

Mark 12:30-31     Love the LORD our God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no commandment greater than these.

Acts 15:8-9     God, who knows the heart, showed that He accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us.  He did not discriminate between us and them, for He purified their hearts by faith.

Hebrews 4:12-13     . . . it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Nothin in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.  Everything is laid bare before the eys of Him to whom we must give account.

 

Do you have a healthy heart?  Can you run, do all your errands and take care of all your needs?  What about chest pain, shortness of breath, difficulty climbing stairs or walking a very far distance?  Physically, you feel your heart is in a healthy shape….all looks good on EKG, ECHO, or stress tests and lab work, so you can believe you have a heathy heart.

What about the inside of your heart?  Not the vessels, or the electrical system to ensure proper and strong beating and pumping, but the area of your emotions, desires, hurts, bitterness, and anger; does that feel healthy?   Does yours have some bitterness, envy, jealousy, disappointment within it? 

We all have disappointments, hurts, some periods of envy, but as we go through life, particularly once we know Jesus, we should be working at letting all that which is negative, go.  Those negative emotions can add to physical illness oftentimes.  But more importantly, if we hold onto those hurts, envies, disappointments, jealousies, etc it stunts our growth with Jesus.  There is still a barrier separating us from Him.  I want to purge all those undesirable feelings.  Much like the few times I have had a stomach bug—I want EVERYTHING out so I am not on my knees in front of “that” throne.  But in the same manner I do not want to hold onto anything making me feel ill and physically done, I do not want to hold onto anything in my heart that is bitter or destructive. 

It says throughout God’s Word that He wants our hearts—ones that are repentant, true and want to desperately please Him.  That is the sacrifice He wants.  We certainly do not want to give Him a dingy, gray one full of malice and ugly feelings.  Purge out the negatives—keep asking to ensure you have all the adverse thoughts and feelings out of your heart and continue to ask and seek Him to keep you cleansed and free of anything that could defeat your relationship with Him.

We can be surrounded by sinful things.  Gossip, judgmental thoughts, envying others for something they might have, having to listen to frequent cursing or negative talk, being around folks who are constantly negative and in a bad mood, seeming to always be pessimistic, folks who cannot seem to say a optimistic thought, and so forth.  That is Satan causing you to listen to this person’s unhappiness and it can eat at our positive thoughts and joy trying to pull us away from the joy we know with Jesus. 

I want the Holy Spirit to point out all the garbage I might still be harboring in my heart.  Diseases can start with the smallest of organisms—and I prefer to be safe rather than sorry.  Easier to be bathed daily in God’s Words, to seek Him with any questions, to remain thankful daily for blessings, to help others who are less fortunate, and to know He is there even if I don’t feel Him—that feeling is on me—not on Him.

I want my heart to be the sacrifice I honor Him with.  I want my heart to come before Him with joy, thankfulness and humbleness.  I don’t want to be angry, arrogant, making excuses as to my poor thoughts and behavior.  Own it, confess and repent of the wrongs and nasty manner you may have been expressing.  He wants us to be cleansed and forgiven—and we cannot be if we are not sorry and repentant for any wrongs and hardness we have expressed.  Or if we are finding excuses for the bad behavior, the arrogance, the belief we have the “right” to act wrong.

He has given us so much, blessed at least me, in a myriad of ways so often I cannot count that high.  So, when a bad mood or misbehavior starts, I am ashamed.  I may even feel justified—but again, I know Satan lies—if his mouth is moving, it’s a lie, and have learned he loves to egg me on to bad temper or behavior.  So, I must scold myself that there is NO excuse for my conduct and apologize, then confess and ask for forgiveness.  

I want to show kindness and gentleness to all.  I want my heart to be healthy with genuine goodness, kindness, gentleness, and without arrogance. 

How can I expect to receive grace if I have negative things in my heart?  Show me, Holy Spirit what still might need cleansing and confessing.   You, Lord, have always stayed and tried to direct my stubbornness when I have sinned.  I do not want to be that wretch.   I want to give You my heart and have it be the best it can be for others.   Thank You, Father for all Your patience while dealing with my bratty periods, for guiding toward what You want me to become, and for the steps You have shown for me and ‘mybellaviews.’