Knowing JESUS Daily Devotional | August 15, 2019 | Enrich and Sustain your relationship with Jesus reading our daily devotional – Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. – Philippians 4:8.
Beloved, if there is anything you give attention to much more than any other thing in your life, on this side of heaven, it is your heart. See what the Bible says.
Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
The state of your heart is very important.
It determines your relationship with God.
It determines the fulfilment of your destiny on earth.
It is your heart that determines what you say.
It is your heart that determines, your behaviour .
It is your heart that determines, what you amount to before God.
It is your heart that determines whether God will answer your prayers .
It is your heart that determines the acceptance of your walk and service with God.
It is your heart that determines where you are going to spend eternity
The state of your heart makes God to accept or reject your person.
2 Chronicles 16:9. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
Beloved, see how the scriptures describe the heart of an ungodly and defile person. How you need to examine the state of your heart.
Mark 7:21-23. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
Jeremiah 17:9-10. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
Genesis 6:5-6. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
However, God’s desire from His saints and you in particular, is a heart that is contrite and broken , that will be full of good and heaven based thoughts and be committed to doing His commandments. May the Lord help you to cultivate such a heart in Jesus name.
Psalms 34:18. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Psalms 51:17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Deuteronomy 5:29. O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!
Philippians 4:8. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Beloved, only saints that have these kind of hearts shall fulfil their destinies on earth and live eternally with God n heaven. May the good Lord give you in particular grace to cultivate and sustain, such a heart till Christ comes in Jesus name.
2 Corinthians 9:8. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
See how your heart determines everything about you.
1: It determines your relationship with God. The state of your heart makes God to accept or reject your person.
1 Samuel 16:7. But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
2. It determines the fulfilment of your destiny on earth. King Saul lost his glorious destiny to David, a man after the heart of God. Don’t allow your glorious destiny or ministry passed on to another person, because of the state of your heart.
1 Samuel 13:13-14 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.
3.,It is your heart that determines what you say.
Matthew 12:34-35. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
4. It is your heart that determines, your behavior .
Pro 23:7. For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:Eat and drink, saith he to thee;but his heart is not with thee.
Proverbs 14:14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.
5. It is your heart that determines, what you amount to before God.
1 Chronicles 28:9. And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
6. It is your heart that determines whether God will answer your prayers .
Unanswered prayers.
Psalms 66:18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
Answered prayers.
Isaiah 38:3-6 And said, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying, Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.
7.,It is your heart that determines the acceptance of your service with God.
2 Chronicles 31:21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.
8. It is your heart that determines where you are going to spend eternity
Psa 24:3 — Psa 24:4 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
Matthew 5:8. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Beloved, having discover all these. Won’t you do something drastic about the state of your heart and cultivate a heaven based heart?
James 4:8-10. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Hebrews 10:22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Dearly beloved, during the earthly ministry of our Lord. He took quality time to teach Bible days believers and by extension believers of all ages and that includes you. He made them to understand that God sees beyond their outward conducts and what comes out of their mouths. That God sees into their hearts and relate with them, principally according to the state of their hearts.
Luke 16:15: And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
Matthew 15:7-8. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Luke 11:39: And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
Matthew 23:25 -28 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Dearly beloved ,you could tell your husband, your wife, your parents, your children, your pastor, the reason why you are doing what, you are doing. But God knows your heart and shall reward you accordingly.
Luke 16:15: And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
No wonder Jesus, encouraged and compelled His followers and you, to cultivate and sustain pure , undefiled. and acceptable hearts before God. This exhortation is not optional but compulsory.
Matthew 5:8. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Mark 7:21-23. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
The import of this all important exhortation of our Lord on believers cultivating and sustaining pure and undefiled heart, was what the blessed Holy Spirit further stressed through the writing of apostle Paul.
He encouraged believers of all ages and you to cultivate and sustain heaven based thoughts in their hearts. It is important that, you endeavour to do this, till Christ comes. The good Lord shall help you in Jesus name.
Philippians 4:8. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
See how the scriptures describes the lifestyle of a believer, whose thoughts are heaven based .
Romans 12:9-21. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Galatians 5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
James 3:17: But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
2 Peter 1:5 -7 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
Dearly beloved if in deed you desire to cultivate Christlike conduct or Christian virtues that shall guarantee your eternal wellbeing. All you need to do is to determinedly work on your heart and let your thoughts be heavenly based as outlined in Philipians 4:8. The good Lord shall help you in Jesus name.
Friend, your aspirations to be part of the dawning rapture shall be granted in Jesus name. However, if this lofty dream will be realised and it shall be realised for you in particular in Jesus name. But then, you take heart issue very important.
Only believers whose daily thoughts are heavenly based shall be part of the rapture. The grace of God is available and you shall attain it in Jesus name.
Philippians 4:8. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Luke 16:15: And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
So let God do the following with your heart, to help you to be prepared and this imminent event shall not elude you in Jesus name.
1. Let God open your heart so that you will be receptive to His words always.
Acts 16:14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
2. Allow God to circumcise it, to help you to love Him and be obedient to Him.
Deuteronomy 30:6. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
3. Allow Him to take away the stony and hardened heart and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:26. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Lastly let Him purify your heart, knowing fully that only those whose hearts are pure shall see Him or be admitted to heaven or partake in the rapture.
James 4:8. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Psa 24:3 — Psa 24:4 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
Matthew 5:8. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
After this is done, make sure you make tireless efforts to keep your heart with all diligence till you see Jesus. The good Lord shall help you in Jesus name.
Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
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