What’s in your heart?

9/17/2018

Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your loving-kindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. Psalm 51:1-2 NKJV

This is David’s prayer of repentance. He asked God to forgive him for committing adultery with another man’s wife. He asked God to forgive him for murdering that man.

David says to the Lord, “Against You, You only, have I sinned.” All sin is primarily against God. In David’s case it was worse. David abused the power and authority God gave him to commit his sins.

David the King of Israel had Bathsheba brought to him. David the leader of God’s army had Uriah sent to the front of the battle. David the man whose son would sit upon the throne of Israel forever ordered his men to withdraw leaving Uriah to be killed.

God rejected the first king of Israel for his sins. Why didn’t God reject David?

God never called David a man who is like me. God called David “a man after My own heart.”

When God speaks of a man’s heart He is talking about what we think. He is referring to the things that define our character and personality. He is talking about what is really going on inside of us. Our hearts hold secrets only the Lord knows.

David did not minimize or excuse his wickedness. Godly sorrow and genuine repentance filled the secret place of his heart. David knew God would forgive his sin. He did not abuse God’s forgiveness and mercy. He was humbled by it.

We have control over the things that are in our hearts. David chose to seek God and to know Him. David chose to humble himself before God’s mighty hand.

How can we grow closer to God? How can we know the Lord better?

Growing closer to the Lord begins with a desire to grow closer to Him. We can know God better by cultivating a desire in our hearts to know Him better.

Ask God to put a desire in your heart to grow closer to Him. Ask the Lord to put a desire in your heart to know Him better. Ask Jesus to form His heart in you today. Ask Him to grant the desires of your heart!

You will sin. We all do. Do not let the devil use your sin to draw you away from Jesus. Let the Lord use your sins to form His heart in you. Do not abuse the Lord’s forgiveness and mercy. Thank God for His grace. Humble yourself before His mighty hand!

Jesus pours out mercy and grace to all who call out to Him out of a sincere desire to know Him. Jesus will Blot out your transgressions. He will wash away your iniquity and cleanse you from your sin if godly repentance and genuine sorrow are in your heart!
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Louie Garcia

Joyfor2day daily devotional goes out over the internet to thousands of people all over the world five days a week

Jesus can use you to shake the foundations of the prison and set people free!

Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out that very hour. Acts 16:16-18 NKJV

The slave girl was speaking the truth. She was possessed by an evil spirit. The evil spirit was drawing people away from Christ!

This attack came as God’s servants went to prayer. The enemy of our souls attacks when we step out in faith. Satan seeks to distract us. He wants us to focus our attention on things other than Jesus.

The devil perverts the truth. He uses it against us. No one can serve two masters. This girl was speaking the truth about Paul and his companions while practicing witchcraft. When people claim to speak for God we must consider how they live.

The girl followed the disciples for several days before they cast the demon out of her. It is important for us to wait on the Lord before stepping out in faith. The bible tells us Paul was greatly annoyed by this girl. Paul was not fearful. The Lord was with Him!

Paul and Silas were put in jail. The owners of the slave girl were angry at the loss of income when the demon was cast out of her. While Paul and Silas were in jail they shared the gospel with the jailer. His entire household was saved.

God uses Satan’s attacks for His glory and our salvation!

Satan is a real being. He takes people captive to do his will. There really are demons who seek to destroy God’s people and bring destruction to our world.

We have nothing to fear from the devil or his demons when we live according to God’s will. We have nothing to fear from anyone or anything when we step out in faith to serve Jesus!

Jesus wants us to fear Him and Him alone. He wants us to know His power and authority are unequaled in all of creation.

God wants you share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the people in your life. Jesus wants you to walk in great boldness because He is with you everywhere you go!

Jesus can use you to shake the foundations of the prison and set people free!

What’s in your heart?

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Louie Garcia

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