Dear All,

It is not the body’s posture, but the heart’s attitude that counts when we pray. Billy Graham

 

The Heart
I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.

Jeremiah 17:10

According to the Bible, a person’s heart reveals his true nature and motivation. In Luke 21:1-4, when Jesus saw the poor widow put in her two mites for the offering, He said that she had put in more than any other because she had given all that she possessed. Her offering was an outpouring of her heart’s devotion to God; giving to God was more important than meeting her own needs.
Contrastingly, in Matthew 23:25, Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees, saying, “Woe to you teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish but the inside is full of greed and self-indulgence.” Jesus was rebuking the self righteous, religious leaders who placed great importance on keeping to the letter of the law and maintaining a good outward appearance while their character and hearts were full of sin and deceit.

 

We may be able to put up a façade before our fellow brothers and sisters but the Lord sees through to our heart’s true motives. Let us challenge ourselves with a heart check to see if our hearts are filled with love, joy, peace and compassion or whether it is overcome by hatred, unforgiveness, bitterness and envy. A heart that bears the fruit of the Spirit will produce the works of the Spirit but a heart that is of the world will only bring forth works of the flesh.
Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.” So let us be diligent in keeping our hearts pure before the Lord and let us ask His Holy Spirit to soften and mould our hearts according to His purposes, for it is only by His grace and His blood that we are saved.
Dear Lord,

I come to You in Jesus’ name. Please search my heart and reveal to me any traces of worldliness and sin, so that I may confess and repent and be washed clean by the precious blood of Jesus. May the work of Your Spirit cleanse me from all greed and self-indulgence for I desire to have a selfless and loving heart of Jesus. Amen.

 

God bless you,

Theo and Manju