Time for a HEART check...

Posted: 2011-06-26 15:52:55 by: Sybil Nelson

Over the past days I’ve been thinking about verses 7-11 in Psalm 95: (New King James):

….Today, if you will hear His voice:  “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, As in the day of trial in the wilderness, When your fathers tested Me; They tried Me, though they saw My work.  For forty years I was grieved with that generation, And said, “It is a people who go astray in their hearts, And they do not know My ways.'  So I swore in My wrath, “They shall not enter My rest.’”

Matthew Henry has insightful thoughts about the verses in the “Matthew Henry Concise Commentary:”

“Christ calls upon his people to hear his voice. You call him Master, or Lord; then be his willing, obedient people. Hear the voice of his doctrine, of his law, and in both, of his Spirit: hear and heed; hear and yield. Christ's voice must be heard to-day. This day of opportunity will not last always; improve it while it is called to-day. Hearing the voice of Christ is the same with believing. Hardness of heart is at the bottom of all distrust of the Lord. The sins of others ought to be warnings to us not to tread in their steps. The murmurings of Israel were written for our admonition. God is not subject to such passions as we are; but he is very angry at sin and sinners. That certainly is evil, which deserves such a recompense; and his threatenings are as sure as his promises. Let us be aware of the evils of our hearts, which lead us to wander from the Lord. There is a rest ordained for believers, the rest of everlasting refreshment, begun in this life, and perfected in the life to come. This is the rest which God calls his rest.”

In Biblical times, God’s own people, the Israelites, had hardness of heart towards God.  Today, God is speaking to all of us, saying, “Check your hearts—make sure you are not becoming hardened towards Me and My Ways.”  Let us be a person, a people, a world, whose hearts are tender towards God. 

Below are some general thoughts about how to keep our hearts tender towards God:

• Spend some spend quality “alone-time” with God and ponder if we could possibly have any hardness in our hearts.    Disappointments and troubles can harden our hearts towards God.  Be thankful for any good that is happening in our lives—even the simplest things.  
• Pray for strength, mercy, and grace to handle disappointments and troubles that come our way.
• If you haven’t made the decision to accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, do it today!
  

Strengthen relationships with Christians:

• Keep gathering together with Christians who are excited about God! 
• People in your fellowship group may be going through some of the same things you are.  It’s good to get different people’s perspective on things.  This gives us more wisdom when making decisions in our lives. 
• There may be people in your Christian group, friends, or relatives who are going through very dire situations.  Do what you can to encourage and assist these folks.  You will be strengthened and encouraged as you help others.     

We must turn away from evil and make decisions that honor God in our families, our neighborhoods, cities, states, country, and the world!   

• We must keep praying for ourselves and for all people to have strength to overcome evil.  As Christians, we know that the strength to overcome evil comes through the power and blood of Jesus Christ.
• As God prompts us, we need to keep doing our own special part to promote good instead of evil in this world.