In many countries, especially ours, heart disease is a leading cause of death. Unless we get check ups for our hearts, we can find ourselves with serious, even deadly, health problems. The same is true in regards to our spiritual hearts. Regular checkups are necessary. Spiritual heart disease left unchecked, can lead to eternal separation from God. In these times, we need a revival amongst the people who are willing to look into their own hearts in this manner. No one is exempt. We all need these regular check ups. This is complicated by the fact that the heart is deceitful, unwilling to reveal itself truthfully to us. We need God's help for this spiritual heart checkup:
"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is...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 doing." Jer. 17:5-10 (excerpt)
The deceitfulness of the heart of man often causes us to look on the outward appearance, rather than looking deeper for our true condition. God, however, sees exactly what is in our hearts. Even Samuel, the prophet of God, tried to choose the new king of Israel from among Jesse's sons by the outward appearance. He almost made the wrong choice. God had to correct him:
"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." 1 Sam.16:7
As the LORD looks into every corner of your heart, what does He see? Does He see a deadly heart condition going unchecked?
We often hear the deception that so easily rules the heart in the statement, "God accepts me as I am." This is not what the Word of God says, and this is not something our God would ever say to His people whom He continually urges to turn away from the ways of death. Ignoring the sickness of our heart condition hurtles us to our separation from the One who is life. From the beginning, God has sought fellowship with man, not separation. God has continually urged His people to seek Him, and His ways, to find life. Those who desire God and life, must have a heart of repentance before Him, eager for God to deliver the heart from deadly wickedness. David was such a man, who prayed earnestly before the LORD as he confronted a heart of adultery and murder:
"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me....Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."
In the verses from Psalm 51, including those above, David understood that unless he acknowledged his own heart condition, and asked the LORD to cleanse his heart, he would face separation from what he considered the most important things in his life: the presence of God, the Spirit of God active in his life, and the joy of having the salvation of God. His heart condition left unchecked could cause David to be cast away from these things (v.11-12). From David's experience with this hidden heart wickedness that almost led to his destruction, he gained this revelation for all of us:
"For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken (broken to pieces) and a contrite (crushed) heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (v. 16-17)
David revealed that the effect of just a single man like himself, sincerely offering his heart for inspection, cleansing and re-creation by God, can be enormous. In his own life, the cleansing and re-creation of David's heart would lead to an outpouring coming from his lips as well, that would change others (v. 14). Jesus also taught about the good heart that brings forth that which is good, and the evil heart that brings forth evil: "for of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaketh" (Lk. 6:43-45). However, the check of heart does not just change David, the individual. Transgressors and sinners would learn from him as a result, and be converted (turned back, restored) to God (v. 13). The blessing of this fruit of repentance would go well beyond David, and encompass all Zion and Jerusalem - built and blessed with God's pleasure (v. 18). As in this Psalm, 2 Chron. 7:14 also tells us that the sincere heart check and repentance of God's people will cause God to hear from heaven, and heal the whole land.
God, not man, is the One who can effectively transform this crushed heart sincerely offered to Him. Of His people, Israel, as He promises to restore them to the land from the nations to which they were scattered, which He has done in our generation, God also promises to change the captivity of their hearts:
"And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh: that they my walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I shall be their God. But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the LORD God...Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin...for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the LORD God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye."
Ezek. 11:19-21, Ezek. 18:30-32
The death of a man with an unchecked spiritual heart condition is different from the death of those who have had their hearts cleansed by God. Those who, after their heart re-creation, walk in the statutes of God, pass through only the shadow of the valley of death. Real death cannot touch them. This is why God says of these, His saints, that their "death" is "precious in His sight" (Ps. 116:15).
Psalm 119:9-16, in the stanza under the Hebrew letter, Beth (House), God revealed this same secret to attaining His spiritual "house". The young man spoken of here cleanses his way by taking heed of God's word. He seeks God with his whole heart. He hides (treasures or stores up) God's word , commandments, and precepts in his heart, meditating upon them, declaring them with his lips, delighting in them, and vowing not to forget them. This is the house of God in our hearts.
Proverbs 6 and Romans 1 describes and lists the destructive wickedness of the heart that goes unchecked, and the accumulative effect in the earth. We are seeing these things in abundance in these last days in which we live. The destruction of this deceitful wickedness is so great that except for the return of Christ, no flesh would be left. However, when God's people are willing to examine and test their own hearts, and surrender them to Him for His cleansing, far reaching effects result, even the building of His "house".
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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.
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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.
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