God Looks at the Heart - Romans 2:28-29

 Romans 2:28-29 "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; ²⁹ but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God."

1st Samuel 16: 7 For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

To My Precious Daughters,

As I read through Romans 2 so many applications came to mind.  Romans 2 is about judging. Paul is dealing here with the self-righteous hypocrite.  Heart motivations. This one is the application I decided that counts.  This is the one that encompasses the others. Do we really believe what we say we believe?. Are they just words that we say or does our heart follow our belief?  Do we truly have a heart like David who was described as a man after God's own heart. Do we really want His desires to be our desires?

This one could hurt...in fact when we allow the Word of God to really examine our motives for what we do and say it always hurts.  We always see our sin. "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart"  Ouch!

Make no mistake we all have our agendas...our reasons for doing what we do and I am including our good works here as well as our sin. Jesus' "agenda" was pure...His was clearly spelled out in the New Testament...not only spelled out but lived out.  He came to do His Father's will.  (John 5:30) . He Himself in John 5:19 said that of Himself He could do nothing. If Jesus said that about Himself why is it that I think I can do it without Him.  Why is it that at times I think my motives are pure. You know what? It really doesn't matter what I think...it matters what my God thinks. The Bible says that our hearts are desperately wicked who can know them.  We can be deceived. Some of our motives/works may spring from a true heart of worship...but others might be from the pit of hell.  Jesus deals with both the inward and outward expressions of the heart in Matthew 5 and 6 respectively.

As we draw near to Jesus and depend on Him more and more He will show us our hearts.  He will show us where they are steadfast and stayed on Him and where they are looking to man for praise and applause.  Girls...when we look to man for our praise it will absolutely always rob us of our peace and our joy and will lead us to pride and self-righteousness, but when we look to Him...our Creator...the One who fashioned our days for us...He will lead us into His peace and His joy and whatever we do will be for His glory and our good.  Psalm 34:5 "They looked to Him and were radiant and their faces were not ashamed." This outward vs inward is perfectly  illustrated  in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.  Here is the story from Luke's gospel.

⁹ Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: ¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ ¹³ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

So what is our job in this? It is to by faith let Him do the work in us...to surrender...to open up our hearts so His Spirit can work.  Philippians 3:3 says "For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (emphasis mine)  There truly is peace in that one girls...it is not of us...it is all Him.  What a burden off our shoulders! Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

My beloved daughters...God wants our hearts..He wants them right now...in whatever condition they might be in. Why does He want our hearts first and foremost? Matthew 22:37 says "...You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind..." Heart is always first. I think the reason is because our minds are easily changed. Even when heartbreak and grief strike our hearts may break but they do not change easily. I think of how greatly Absalom, David's son betrayed him and yet David never stopped loving him. The Bible tells us that with the heart one believes unto righteousness and then the mouth confesses unto salvation.  Matthew tells us that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. God's word also tells us to keep our hearts with all diligence because out of it springs the issues of life.  Listen to your words girls and you will know the state of your heart.

1 John 3:21 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. ²¹ Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 

If our heart condemns us...no worries...God knows our frame.  He knows we are but dust.  (Psalm 103:13) There is no condemnation for us who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1) He is greater than our heart. God knows who belongs to Him. (2nd Tim 2:19)   He knows our vulnerabilities and our failing...(Psalm 139) He will gather us up in times of trouble and hide us in the shadow of His wing . He will not fail, leave or forsake us.  (Psalm 27)

If our heart does not condemn us and we have confidence toward Him...Praise God that there is not a lot of stuff in the way of your relationship with Him and  remember Who it was who put those desires on your heart in the first place. (Psalm 37)

Here is what I want for myself and for each one of you...

1 Peter 3: 3-4  Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.


Much Love
Mom