April 13th: Heart of the Matter pt. 2

The heart of the matter will be the matter you choose to put in your heart.

Think about next Friday, Good Friday, for a minute. Think about what took place that day all those years ago as Jesus took so much on our behalf on the cross. In those last moments He would push up on His nailed feet digging His exposed bones and flesh against the wood for another gasp of air to say “My God My God, why have You forsaken Me?” and realize, my sin is within Him.  And after Jesus declared for all of humanity “It is finished” a soldier thrust a spear into His side between His ribs and into His heart immediately releasing the water and blood of a broken heart. 

   Three days later, He was risen from the dead and in doing so, provided us an opportunity to do the same – die to ourselves, be a servant to all, pick up our cross moment by moment, and live to His glory!  Often times, we complicate this by getting in our own way, choosing the convenience of when, where and why we want to “invite Him into our heart” (that He made). As though we were standing at the noontime deli counter in Publix, oblivious to the fact He is the beginning and the end, standing beside us, ready, willing and wanting to engage and even serve us that sandwich! 

Matthew 6:33 gives us a great picture of how to respond with our heart to the cross, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”.  Here’s some more tips for setting your heart before God…

Be consistent in asking the Holy Spirit for His power to do a work within, to cut deeper into your heart so that you can be filled with more of Him and who He called you to be for His purpose.  Ask for His understanding and wisdom before reading His Word daily, so that you will be consumed with wanting more. Believe and know that His promises and Word are Truth.  Act and be obedient to the work He does in you sharing Him with everyone you can on the straight path which He directs. 

Think on this today: There is no limit to how much of Christ is available to us but the limit we put on ourselves. 

Smith Wigglesworth said “I don’t often spend more than half an hour in prayer at one time, but I never go more than a half an hour without praying”.  The heart of the matter will be the matter you choose to put in your heart.  1 Peter 4:1-2 “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God”, Amen. 

“Guard your heart above all else,
    for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23

*written by Joseph Costello