A Right Heart

A Right Heart

by David Brenneman 

In reading this morning, which through a different Bible reading plan than I've had been using, seeing a theme is often something of the Spirit.  

The begging question that's often out there for everyone is where a person's heart is before Jesus. 

Jesus said that we would know people by their fruits. Let's read this. 

"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’"  Matthew 7:15-23.

Practice.  As in to continually do, take intentional purposeful direction to engage in. 

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

Jesus died for every single sin of every single person who has ever lived or will live.  This doesn't grant permission for any to live a life of it. 

A heart that's right before Jesus will have fruit that bears witness to it.  We can read the words of Jesus in saying that God is not mocked, what a man or woman sows they will reap. 

As I heard in listening to Dr. Charles Stanley's Life Principles #6.  The Principle of Sowing and Reaping. "You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow." He called it a principle of agriculture.  It applies to life as well.

What's in your heart eventually comes out.

We can deceive ourselves but we will never deceive Jesus.  We can put up front for others but never before a Holy God. 

We always will be found out.

For the life of the Believer, it's the Spirit who testifies that we are indeed children of God.  The Spirit brings conviction concerning sin and its consequences.  Our hearts will either agree with Him, be tender towards His revelation in us or will be hardened to it and build walls. 

When we speak, and do life...what's in our hearts comes out.  Being intellectual about the things of God will not grant you entry into Heaven.  

We who are in Christ are to be more than hearer of the word, but to be doers of the word.

The fruits of the Spirit...these are what's evident in the life of the Believer.  When they are absent, they are very noticeable as being absent.  Satan has his versions of these fruits but the genuine article from God is unmistakable as being wrought in Christ Jesus.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:23-24.

Also in we need to add what's before  verses 23-24,  it is written: 

"Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:19-23.

See the other possible fruits of the heart? 

God is not going to be deceived by anyone.

Our hearts were designed to be in a right relationship with Jesus Christ.  We can and will often hide our hearts from others but never with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Never with His Spirit, and never with the Father.

Knowing people by their fruits explains more about life and human behavior than any psychological research.  

Being right before Jesus, with a heart that is wholly His, is where the Spirit is leading all who are in Christ Jesus.  

Knowing about Jesus, about God, isn't enough.  Demons do that and the Bible says they shudder.  Most human beings don't even do that. 

Be sure of your salvation. Be sure that the true fruits of the Spirit are evident and growing in you.  

Even marriage is the union of three hearts, not two.  It's a covenant between Jesus and a man and a woman, Biblically speaking as Jesus has stated when He refers to it in Genesis. 

What condition is your heart in?

Are you showing true signs of life in it from a right relationship with Jesus?

If not...let today be the day that you turn to the living hope that's only found in a right relationship with Jesus.  As the Bible says, turn to Him while He may be found. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. Lockman Foundation