It's a Heart Thing

[HoneyBare]

I've been concerned about a verse that says if you have sin in your life, God will not hear you. Well, I work in a day care center with one and two-year olds, and they often teach me things.

There are days when one little boy acts out a lot. He had been in "time out" many times that day, so it surprised me when he came up and gave me a hug and a kiss at the end of the day. He got right into my heart.

When there is sin in our life, it's us who separate ourselves from God's heart. He will not abide sin. But when we cry out to Him with our heart, in humble repentence, He hears us, and answers our cry. I learned that it's our heart God hears with His heart.

I hope I was able to convey my message. You may see something else in my experience. Please share it with me if you do.

 

[Boanerges]

None of us is without sin. We must keep a yielded heart before the Lord and trust in His grace and mercy always. He loves our fellowship and that is why He sent His Son, to restore that fellowship.
To put it another way- if God waited for a perfect person He would have to wait until Jesus came back again to fellowship.
Just keep your heart turned towards Him.

 

[Boanerges]

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.



He is able to save completely.
The connection of the promise with the character and the work of Christ shows us what it means. The great complaint of Christians is that their experience is so changeful- that blessed sense of God's love and grace passes away, and what they know of the keeping, cleansing power of Christ does not last; the sense of nearness to God does not abide continually. It is somehow as if there is a necessity of its being lost.With the change of circumstances, alas, comes too often change in the nearness of God and His saving power. Could what Christ does for them at times but be maintained continuously, could it but abide,- their joy would be full, their salvation complete. We have here the very
promise Christians need. Because He abideth forever, because He ever liveth to make intercession, because He is a priest forever, who exercises every function of His office in an endless life power,that never for a moment intermits its action, He is able to save completely. In Himself He has been perfected for evermore, with Himself He has perfected forever them that are sanctified. The salvation He has wrought out is a life in the opened sanctuary of God's presence in the power of God's Spirit; all that is needed is that the believer be kept abiding forever, ever living in the salvation-life which Jesus has opened up. And this He can do, when once he learns to trust Jesus for it, because he understands that He ever liveth to make intercession.
Andrew Murray.

 

[HoneyBare]

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.



He is able to save completely.
The connection of the promise with the character and the work of Christ shows us what it means. The great complaint of Christians is that their experience is so changeful- that blessed sense of God's love and grace passes away, and what they know of the keeping, cleansing power of Christ does not last; the sense of nearness to God does not abide continually. It is somehow as if there is a necessity of its being lost.With the change of circumstances, alas, comes too often change in the nearness of God and His saving power. Could what Christ does for them at times but be maintained continuously, could it but abide,- their joy would be full, their salvation complete. We have here the very
promise Christians need. Because He abideth forever, because He ever liveth to make intercession, because He is a priest forever, who exercises every function of His office in an endless life power,that never for a moment intermits its action, He is able to save completely. In Himself He has been perfected for evermore, with Himself He has perfected forever them that are sanctified. The salvation He has wrought out is a life in the opened sanctuary of God's presence in the power of God's Spirit; all that is needed is that the believer be kept abiding forever, ever living in the salvation-life which Jesus has opened up. And this He can do, when once he learns to trust Jesus for it, because he understands that He ever liveth to make intercession.
Andrew Murray.

I loved the book you recommended to my by Andrew Murray on surrender, Bo. He hit the spot every time. There are times I fail to take my doubts and my failings to God because . . . well, maybe it is because I still don't trust that He understands and is still making intercession for me like Murray said. I tend to make the excuse that I am too ashamed to take it to Him because it seems I am always messing up. When I know that I have failed to keep abiding in Him, and that is the reason I mess up.

I know this world is not going to make it easier for me, so I should just look ahead to those tough times and keep tuned into His promises by reading His Word, and communing with Him.

I am reading a book right now called A Deeper Walk. It contains several different authors like Winn Collier, S.J.Hill, and Margaret Feinberg. I have never heard of any of these authors, but they really make you think outside the box. One statement Winn Collier made was, "What if life now is simply a prelude? What if the real concerto is being played in the world beyond death? What if in fact the notion of death is a misnomer, and death in this reality is simply the doorway to the next? What if life has very little to do with you, yet everything to do with God? What if mercy was freely offered, abundant and free? What if you didn't have to earn it, and regardles of how you used it, it was offered again. . . and again. . . and again? What if God really wanted you to know Him? What if you could still walk in the cool of the afternoon with the Creator?"

In reality, then, we should be living to prepare us and our neighbors for death, and the eternity that comes after it. . . not just for the here and now.

 

[Giggles4God]

I see too...that we should have an unveiled...transparent heart...a heart that let's God see inside of it.

Even if that means it is broken...and needing healing...letting God do what only He can....Heal it and make it new.

 

[Boanerges]

In reality, then, we should be living to prepare us and our neighbors for death, and the eternity that comes after it. . . not just for the here and now.

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Amen. What is this life if not a test to see if we would want to spend our eternity with the Lord. Those who truly seek Him will find Him and dwell with Him for eternity. Those who hate His coming and would be their own god will reap the fruit of their choice.