A Matter of the Heart

​As I sit and look out of my window this morning, it amazes me who quickly things change. Just yesterday it was partly cloudy and warm, the roads were filled with people moving rapidly about there day and school children heading off to start there day. Now, one day later we are a city paralyzed by the thought of snow. Yes! I am writing this blog from my just outside of metro-Atlanta as we prepare for our “big non-snow” snow event. Funny yes, but it brought to mind how the heart behind the decisions to close schools and business while pure may have been hasty and isn’t this how we sometimes respond when we react based on our emotions (our heart) instead of aligning our responses with God’s word.

In Romans 12:3 Paul says, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” Paul encourages us to be self-aware and maintain a sober judgment. A judgment void of excessive or extreme qualities of fancy, emotion or prejudice.

We are also instructed in Proverbs 4:23 to, “guard our hearts above all else, for everything flows from it.” Everything, every thought we have, every decision we make, every response, everything!
Today, I encourage you to take some time to examine your heart as we work through Psalm 139.

Psalm 139:1-6
You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Question: What does intimate mean to you?

Intimate – defined as closely acquainted, familiar, close

Question: Do you realize that God has an intimate knowledge of your thoughts, fears and dreams?

PAUSE & REFLECT > What do you think God sees when he looks into the depths of your heart?

Psalm 139:7-12
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me, “even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day for darkness is as light to you.

PAUSE & REFLECT > Ask yourself is there anything in your life that you don’t want revealed to God? Are you running away from God?

PSALM 139:13-18
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you.

QUESTION: How does it feel to know that everything you are was intricately crafted by God?

QUESTION: Do you accept that where you are at this very moment is exactly where God wants you to be?

​PSALM 139:19-24
If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.

QUESTION: Do you count as enemies not only those who go against God, but do you hate YOUR actions that go against God?

QUESTION: When was the last time you cried out to God asking him to rid you of the things that take you away from him?

​NEXT STEPS: Now that you have taken a glimpse into your heart, take a few minutes to write a personal prayer to God asking him to help you to truly see and gain a conviction about anything in your life that his keeping you away from him?

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