Test Your Heart

Last week we looked at our speaking words, now let’s zero in on what God has to say abut our hearts. Our hearts and our words are both so important to God that we often find them linked together in the same scripture:

 Matthew 12:34 and Luke 6:45 both say “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.”

Many physicians recommend an annual stress test to determine if your physical heart is operating properly.  I believe Our Great Physician would also recommend an annual test of our spiritual heart. Are we following His Directions for our hearts?

Psalm 15:1-3 – “Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?  Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly and works righteousness and speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend.”

Psalm 24:3-4 – “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?  Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart.”

If you think no one can read your mind, think again.  If your mind is filled with His teachings, He will be pleased.  If it is filled with your own ego, He will not be pleased:

Psalm 94:11 – “The Lord knows the thoughts of man.  That they are futile.”

God loves a perfect heart that is following Him but hates a proud and wicked heart:

Psalm 101:1-5 – I will sing of mercy and justice; to You, O Lord, I will sing praises.  I will  behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will you come to me?  I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.  I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.  A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness.  Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, him I will not endure.”

The Lord loves a heart full of praise, privately and publicly:

Psalm 111:1 – “Praise the Lord!  I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.”

This is the very first scripture verse I memorized as a brand new Christian:

“Psalm 119:11 – “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”

I want to share this story with you of how and when this came about.  In 1973, soon after my second husband had died, the church women invited me to a luncheon on Valentine’s Day.  The theme of the luncheon was the heart.  The scripture on my place mat was Psalm 119:11.  I followed the advice it gave me 41 years ago and am still doing so.  When we read the Bible and really meditate on what God is telling us to do, we will remember His instructions.  I have found that there is no circumstance in our lives that is not covered by a scripture.  When we are tempted or troubled, these words that we have hidden in our hearts will come to mind.  We will remember what God has instructed us to do and we will choose His solution. We will run to Him for guidance or forgiveness,whatever is needed at the time.

I would like to end this week’s Granny Gram #2 with a prayer:

“Dear Lord, I pray that my words and my thoughts will promote life and encouragement, not destruction and  discouragement.  Soften my heart and my words.  Please give me a tender, forgiving heart like Yours.  Help me to be a “grace giver” and not a “fault finder”.  I want others to see You in me.  Thank You, Lord.”

P.S. Since this Thursday, Nov. 27th is Thanksgiving Day, I will be posting a poem I wrote in November of 1996.  The contents are still relevant 18 years later.  Four more blessings have been added since then.  At that time, I had only one great granddaughter. I now have three more great granddaughters and one great grandson.  I Praise The Lord for each and every one of them.