Putting God at the Center of Your Heart
I wonder how many realize that God loves them more than words could ever say. He's not looking at our performance, when it comes to salvation. He's looking at our heart. Out of the heart can come many different things, even hate and evil, but the Holy Spirit can change our hearts when we come to Christ.
He only wants the best for us... to love us and take care of us and ensure that we have the best. God always gives us his best. There is no fear in perfect love, and God's love is absolutely perfect in every way. No one will ever love you like Jesus. When the Bible says to fear God it's not talking about being afraid of him. It is talking about accepting his unconditional love and showing him the respect he deserves, as Lord and Savior.
According to the Bible, nothing can separate us from the love of God, as stated in Romans 8:38-39:
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord".
This verse is a reminder that God's love is always available, no matter what. It also says that no one can accuse or condemn us. We are justified in Christ Jesus, not ourselves, who forgives us of our sins. When God forgives our sins, He remembers them no more and we start a brand new life in him, just as if we had never sinned, praise God.
A heart connection with God, involves trusting him with your life and not only thinking of our own selfish "wants", but because of our great love for him and what he has done for us on the cross, we want to consider his heart's concerns, as well. We want to give God our best. Not because we had to, but because we want to. It means giving God your heart and sins, turning from them to a brand new life in Christ and trusting Him with your fears and struggles. When we love and trust God, there's nothing he cannot do with our lives. He gives us the best outcome possible.
We see this in the life of Joseph, as God's faithful follower and one of Jacob's twelve sons, who was thrown into a deep pit by his brothers, who resented their father's favoritism towards him. Although they sold him into slavery, he rose to become master of Egypt (Genesis 37).
The Bible does not specify the depth of the pit that Joseph was thrown into, but according to Jubb Yussef (Joseph's Well), the well is at least 30 feet deep. The well is about 3 feet in diameter and is located in a small courtyard by the side of the Khan.
In the Bible, Joseph's brothers initially planned to throw him into a dry cistern and leave him to die. However, Reuben convinced his brothers to throw Joseph into the pit instead, secretly planning to return and save him. He was a scared kid, stuck in a giant pit used for storing rainwater, but God had other plans for his faithful child. When Reuben returned, Joseph was gone.
The Bible also speaks of David, from his early life as a shepherd boy, to his time as king of Israel. David's story in the Bible, can teach us many lessons, including:
Faith in God: David's faith in God was strong, even when others doubted him. His faith led him to victory in his battles.
God cares about all battles: David's story shows that God cares about all battles, even the small ones.
Faith may seem foolish to other's, but David's faith was what led him to victory. Even during his battle, against the giant, Goliath.
Pride leads to fall: Goliath's attitude shows that pride can lead to a fall.
The Importance of the Heart
In the Bible, the heart is a central symbol of the inner self, and is considered to be the source of a person's thoughts, passions, and decisions. The heart is also considered to be the wellspring of life, and is a key factor in a person's health and well-being.
In scripture, the heart is considered to be a component of the soul. The Bible describes the heart as the seat of life, strength, and the spiritual part of a person. It's also described as the steering wheel of the soul, the conscience, the instrument of faith, and the place where a person's choices produce good or evil. The heart is the central organ that controls all activities, thus determining one's character of living. Simply put, the heart in scripture, conveys the totality of our inner self. We are governed from this one point of unity.
Here are some Bible verses that relate to the heart and faith:
Mark 12:30: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength"
Proverbs 4:23: "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."
Romans 10:10: "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Matthew 12:34: "How can you who are evil, say anything good? Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."
However, given to God, the heart transforms into God's image, giving wisdom, intuition, and love by the Holy Spirit. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Roman's 10:10
What does the Bible say about faith in the heart?
Romans 10:9-10 – If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.
The word of God is alive. Remember how God spoke things into existence, in Genesis? The heart of faith speaks faith. Use the word of God, speak the word of God against your problem, with faith. If the word of God is abundant in your life, it will manifest in your faith in God. Nothing is impossible or "too hard" for God. He hears your prayers and he wants to help you. He wants the very best for your life. I can tell you from my 51 years of knowing him, that he is trustworthy.
