Your Heart is the Issue
Isaiah 29:13
Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
It was not what these people were saying that was at issue with God. In fact, what these people said was honorable to God. In fact, you would have thought these people were right with God had you heard what they said. Likely, these people were preaching the Word of God correctly. Likely, these people were singing songs that glorified God. Likely, these people even looked spiritual. However, God was not pleased with these people. The reason He was not pleased with them was because they honored him with their lips, but their hearts were not with God.
You see, God is more interested in having your heart than he is with your lip service of how much you say you love Him. Our nation is filled with churches that sound spiritual, but are as dead as the tree in the middle of winter. You can go to churches all over America and hear them sing the songs of God, but their hearts have nothing to do with Him. You can go to churches all over the country and see people raise their hands as if they are praising God, but it is amazing that once they leave the church, their hearts no longer have anything to do with God.
God is interested in having your heart. God says in Proverbs 23:26, My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. Deuteronomy 11:13 says, And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. God said about the Jews in Matthew 15:8, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. God is more interested in having your heart than He is in your lip service.
Why is it that God wants our heart? Proverbs 4:23 gives the answer: Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. God knows that if He has your heart, then He has your life. God knows that if He has your heart, then you will do whatever you can to serve Him.
My friend, you can sit in church and praise God all day long, but at the end of the day, does God have your heart? When someone has your heart, you will do anything you can to please them. When someone has your heart, you will do everything you can not to offend or hurt them. When someone has your heart, you will be willing to serve them even if it inconveniences you.
Does God have your heart? If God has your heart, then Matthew 6:33 will represent your life when it says, But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. If God has your heart, the preacher won't have to stir you to serve God because He will be at the forefront of all that you do in life.
Moreover, if God has your heart, He will also have your pocketbook. Luke 12:34 says, For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The two greatest identifiers as to whether God has your heart is if you seek Him first, and if He has your pocketbook. If you're not willing to tithe, you cannot say that God has your heart, for when God has your heart, tithing will be done joyfully and not begrudgingly.
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