Is my heart right with God? How do I know if my heart is right with God?
Proverbs 4:23, ESV Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
The Bible tells us the story of two men ~ A Pharisee and A Tax collector. What a clear contrast between their thoughts and attitudes! This thought provoking story is found in Luke 18:10-15 (See below). It makes you ponder on the question ~ Is my heart right with God? I pray that God ministers His truth to you as you read. May we seek God with all of our hearts: May our hearts be right with God.
Luke 18:10-13, ESV Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
Luke 18:14a, MSG Jesus commented, “This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God.
Luke 18:14b, ESV For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
See Also: Dangers of Pride in the Bible ; Bible Verses about Arrogance, Pride; Bible Verses about Humility ; The Calling of Humility
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This above story reminds us to be alert, and not turn our walk with God into a checklist of things we are doing right. This is pride, and pride leads to a big fat fall! Dear Friends, we are saved by GRACE alone. Not by our works! When we begin to pat ourselves on the back, thinking we are all that because of our own doing, it’s time to get a reality check – Is my heart right with God? Related: Getting to know God
We have no right, absolutely no right, to look down on others and think we are better than them based on what we see! Only God sees every heart!
1 Samuel 16:7b, NIV Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.
There are some people who may not appear to us as “good Christians”, based on what our expectation of a good Christian should look like. We can take a look at them, maybe the way they dress, the way they talk, or something about their lifestyle that we are not comfortable with, and find ourselves jumping to conclusions about the state of their hearts. But their hearts might be just right with God! Only God sees every heart ~ we are all on our personal journeys with Jesus Christ. Maybe they are pleasing God with their humble hearts. Maybe their hearts are filled to overflowing with love for God and love for others. Perhaps the bigger question we should actually ask is this: Is my heart right with God?
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 139:23-24, NLT Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Micah 6:8, ESV He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Hebrews 4:16, NLT So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Amen)
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Thanks for reading, Dear Friends!
Have a wonderfully blessed, stress-free, productive, and joyful day!
Much Love & Blessings,
Bomi Jolly ~ JollyNotes.com
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