It’s A Matter of the Heart
Today’s Scripture References Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.” What Words Are You Using? Are the words coming from your mouth consistent with the Word of God and God’s will for your life? More specifically, are the words coming from your mouth consistent with what God says about you? As a believer of Jesus Christ and consistently growing in grace, consistently growing to be Christlike, we are to speak in ways that please the Lord. When you are being self-critical, self-sabotaging yourself with your own words, that is not pleasing to the Lord. What is pleasing to the Lord is speaking truth about Him and truth about His love for you. What is pleasing to the Lord is consistently speaking God’s truth over your life and then coming into alignment with what God’s Word says about you. 1. I am not stupid; I have been given the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16, “For “Who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” 2. I am not going to worry about this situation; I can cast all my anxiety on Christ Who cares for me. 1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon Him, for He care for you.” In my bible I wrote over the word care, anxiety – attached to the need for control. 1. I am not alone; I have Jesus with me always and He will never leave me or forsake me. Matthew 28:20 “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Hebrew 13:5 “Let your conduct be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” What is Really in Your Heart? Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” According to the Strong’s Concordance, heart is defined as: heart, intellect, awareness, mind, inner person, inner feelings, deepest thoughts, inner self. The Hebrew concept of “heart” is both the physical organ and a person’s inner desires. Israel’s Commandment: Deuteronomy 6:5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.” Jesus Emphasis on this great Commandment: Mark 12:29-30, “Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” This is the first commandment.” Take time this week to really think about what your inner man is feeling and thinking. Are you so negative on the inside towards yourself due to past mistakes, failures, or traumatic experiences? If you are caught in that trap and lie, I want to encourage you that you can change those negative thoughts about yourself to more positive thoughts. It takes a step of faith, courage, and determination to make the necessary adjustments in your life toward healthy changes. What is Acceptable to God? If you would commit to doing something like the above to change your negative belief about yourself, you will begin to see your speech and your heart towards yourself change. Speaking and thinking in ways that you know please the Lord, is what is acceptable to God. Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”