Wednesday, September 4, 2019

SEEKING THE HEART OF JESUS: The Human Heart - a Biblical perspective (A blog post for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on September 8, 2019)

Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
As water reflects the face,
so one’s life reflects the heart.
The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve.”
May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
But the Lord said to Samuel, “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.”
Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.
The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the Lord.
I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Blessed are those who keep his statutes
and seek him with all their heart.
I will praise you with an upright heart
as I learn your righteous laws.
Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.
But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

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