Heart Matters

John Maxwell says, “You don’t attract what you want, you attract what you are.” Another person said it this way, “When you stop working on what it is you’re trying to get, and start working on YOU, then you will get what it is you want.” Goethe, the German philosopher said, “Before you can do something, you first must be something.”

All these very smart people are smart because they have learned Biblical principle that has been around thousands of years. Proverbs 23:7 says, “as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” The Hebrew word for “thinketh” is found only this one time in the entire Old Testament. Barnes Notes commentary on the Old Testament notes “[Thinketh] The Hebrew verb is found here only, and probably means, ‘as he is all along in his heart, so is he (at last) in act.’"

Is it time for a heart check? If you want a picture of what you will be in the future look at your heart today. After all our heart is what we are on the inside. I attended a conference a number of years ago and the title of the seminar was “Leadership... from the Inside Out.” I don’t remember much about the details of the seminar, but the title is the message.

If you don’t like what you see in the future after a heart check then change your heart. While determination and willpower may have a lot to do with changing the heart ultimately the Holy Spirit will need to be involved so why not start there. That’s where David started when he did not like what he had become. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” [Psalms 51:10 (NIV)] David knew everything is a matter of the heart.

My friend, Richard Exley, did a radio show a number of years ago and now writes a periodic blog called “Straight From the Heart.” You can read them at www.richardexley.typepad.com . Life really does proceed from the heart and we need help with it. Motivational speakers will have you believe that you can do it all just by disciplined thinking. It is a powerful thing to discipline our thinking, but the truth is that “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” [Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV)] We need help from God who can create in us the heart we need and one that is pure.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me a heart like yours, pure and holy, kind and compassionate, at the same time strong but submitted to Your will, full of faith and confidence in the Father’s promises. I pray with David, “create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” AMEN.

Blessings!
Pastor Roger