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| <latasha>
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I heard someone preach about God wanting a perfect heart from us and not perfect performance.
They quoted Hebrews 4:15-16. What exactly is a perfect heart towards God? |
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Latasha, what it means to have a heart towards God is stated concisely in one verse (Mark 12:30), "And you shall love the lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength", so often quoted in Steve's devotionals. If you are asking what this means, one could write volumes. God is a lover of our soul, who wants to benefit us in every possible way. Our best response is to love Him in return and to give Him all of our devotion. He says if we love Him, we will keep His commandments, which have been given for our own good. Following in His ways brings order to our lives that reaps His blessings. He wants us to live in such a way that will bring glory to His Name and seek the good of others.
A life lived for itself could hardly be considered living with a heart towards God. As we come to know Him, we realize that He is the center of this/our world and not us! For most of us that is a real struggle! He asks that we lose the desire to only please ourselves. The more we desire to please Him, the more we will walk in His ways and do what He asks. However, no matter how hard we might try, it is impossible for us to live a perfect life, and so God does not expect perfect performance. He does expect us be a follower of Him and of His ways. Hebrews 4:15-16 "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-- yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." In the context of this verse -- Jesus, having suffered the temptations we suffer, knows our weaknesses and our inability to save ourselves because of our imperfection. For this reason God sent His Son so that sins of all mankind could be forgiven by His atoning sacrifice. Only because of God's mercy do we have forgiveness of our sins. I pray the heavenly Father will reveal Himself to you in a powerful way and you will know His love that does not demand perfection, but asks for devotion. Chelki Lamentations 3:24 "The Lord is my portion." [This message was edited by Chelki on January 19, 2003 at 06:34 PM.] |
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Latasha,
Thank You Pax and Chelki for great responses to a question that is truely a Good one!!! I believe that God wants us to receive Him in our hearts that we would let God guide our every move, knowing his love is everlasting. He expects nothing less. As we walk by faith and work for our mighty father he says to be in covenant with him totally. But we know That Jesus came to bring us under his authority and to save us from destruction. As we walked through our lives knowing we will be tempted and will sin,far from being perfect; God supplies us with grace and love to overcome everything. As desciples and vessels we come into obedience with the Covenant of the Most high God. When I was first start knowing the Lord,I remember a Pastor telling me to read James 4: 7-8 Therefore submit yourself to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, your sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. The Lord knows are weaknesses and is willing to care for us. By his grace and love we can be servants working to bring others to Christ; that they would also Establish their hearts knowing we can not be perfect but committed to him until the coming of our Lord is at hand. May the Lord continue to give you wisdom and knowledge as you continue seeking for thy truth!!!!! John Trevino |
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