A Heart for God

A Heart for God
(A Change of Heart After You Have Been Saved)

The heart is a subject of much speculation in the world. We readily perceive the obvious aspects of what the heart is as love, tenderness, and joy. A person's heart is the deepest center of being, what they feel and believe. When we look into the Word of God at the subject of "heart," we see clearly that the heart is not only the center of spiritual activity, but also the center of all the operations of human life. The heart is the location in a man or woman of the home of "their personal life." The Word of God provides designations to men and women according to their hearts; wise, pure, upright, righteous, good, ect. The heart is also the seat of the conscience and the process of salvation begins in the heart by the believing reception of the testimony of God, while the rejection of that testimony hardens the heart. Hardness of heart is bore witness by an attitude of taking a light view of sin, only partial acknowledgment and confession of it; pride and conceit; ingratitude; unconcern about the Word and ordinances of God; repressing convictions of conscience; turning away reproof; unrestrained (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to and general ignorance of the things that pertain to God. The hard heart contaminates the whole life and character of an individual and is the natural state of man before salvation. After Noah, upon exiting the Ark, made a sacrifice in thanks to God for saving him and his family, God responded to Noah's sacrifice and made the statement "for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth;" (Genesis 8:21). One of the things that we must do before we can willingly obey God is that we must have a change in heart. And, that change in heart is only accomplished through accepting Jesus Christ and our Lord and Savior. From that point on, as we grow in maturity in the understanding of the Word of God, we grow in the attributes of heart that are pleasing and acceptable to God.

The importance of what condition you keep and maintain your heart in is of utmost importance to your relationship to God and to your condition in life (this life and life eternal to come). The primary thing to be mindful of is that when God looks at us, He does not look at our outward appearance. He does not so much look at the works that we do, nor our physical appearance, nor our status, nor our worldly accomplishments, nor how much we give of ourselves. . . God looks at the Heart.
“Psalms 44:21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart."
“Psalms 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:"
“Proverbs 21: Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts."
When God looks at us he knows the secrets of our hearts, he knows our thoughts, and he "pondereth" (reflects deeply) the hearts of each of us. God looks in us for similarities between His heart and our heart. He does not look for perfection but he does look for growth in righteousness and a true love for Him and a will to do His will. King David was far from being perfect, yet God records in His Word, "And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will." Acts 13:22. David was a man after God's heart because he had in His heart the things that God finds desirable to view.

In order to attain the position of being a man or woman after God's own heart, we need to consider what the desirable aspects of the heart are, We need to know what aspects we have and which ones we need to develop in our innermost being, according to God's Word. The importance of the condition of our heart is summed up in one verse found in Proverbs 4:23; "23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Our hearts are responsible for the things we receive in life, the condition of our hearts will determine what we experience as we walk our lives in the presence of God.

Characteristics of The Heart That is Pleasing to God (After God's Heart):
A Heart that is prepared to seek God. By removal of the distractions of the world and the negative concepts that the world opposes against the truth of God's Word, we open our heart to receiving His Word. God works with us to bring us to the place where our hearts are prepared for His truth.
“2 Chronicles 19:3 Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God."
“Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments."
“Psalms 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:"

A Heart fixed on God. Have a heart securely placed and set in belief of what God says, not yielding to the pressures of life and the world to turn us in the wrong direction.
“Psalms 57:7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise."
“Psalms 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD."

A Heart that is Joyful in God. With the recognition of how God has helped us through our lives and the realization of His care for us joy grows in our hearts. Joy is an inside creation in us that God gives to us as we seek Him.
“Psalms 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him."
“Psalms 13:5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation."
“Psalms 105:3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD."

A Heart perfect with God. To have a heart perfect with God is not to be perfect but rather to, as best as you are able, to walk in His statutes conduct oneself as He would want you to do. All that God expects is that we do our best.
“1 Kings 8:61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day."
“Psalms 101:2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart."

A Heart with uprightness. Uprightness is "of moral excellence." Uprightness is not something we just pick up and put on, it is a process of growth toward moral excellence through the application of God's Word in our lives. God looks the upright (those striving for uprightness) with His countenance (formal and explicit approval).
“Psalms 97:11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart."
“Psalms 125:4 Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts."
“Psalms 11:7 For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright."

A Heart that is clean. God looks in us for a heart free from objectionable elements and having clean habits.
“Psalms 73:1 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart."

A Heart that is pure. A pure heart is not an accomplishment of any works of our own, is by the grace of God through the death and resurrection of His son Christ Jesus that we can stand pure in God's sight. A pure heart is a heart having no faults, sinless.
“Psalms 24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully."
“Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."

A Heart that is tender. We are to develop a heart given to sympathy or gentleness, having warmth and displaying affection. A tender heart is heard by God.
“Deuteronomy 15:7 If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:"
“2 Kings 22:19 Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD."

A Heart that is single and sincere. Singleness of heart is the unifying factor in our hearts to join which each other in heart felt unity of purpose. This singleness is linked to having sincerity in our hearts which is based on a full confidence of our faith.
“Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,"
“Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."

A Heart that is honest and good. Keeping honest with ourselves in our hearts, we are enabled to retain God's Word in our hearts and as a result produce fruit (fruit of the spirit as well as win others to Christ).
“Luke 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience."

A Heart that is broken, contrite. A heart broken is a heart that is trained to obey and a contrite heart feels regret for faults or sin. The sacrifice of a trained and penitent heart (regretting sin) is acceptable to God, in that self will and honest regret of sin are willingly excluded through humility.
“Psalms 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all."
“Psalms 51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."

A Heart that is obedient. It is from the heart that willful obedience to God's Word which is His will expressed to us is capable. It the obedience that comes from the heart that is acceptable to God, not obedience out of necessity just to look good to others.
“Psalms 119:112 I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end."
“Romans 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you."

A Heart filled with the law of God. When we allow a place of residence in our hearts for God's Word to live in us, we stay aware of our thought and intentions and are able to overcome the temptations thrown at us by our adversary in a non-hesitating manner.
“Psalms 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.”
“Psalms 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."

A Heart awed by the word of God and God. We must develop a sense of an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration of all that is God.
“Psalms 119:161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word."
“Psalms 33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him."

A Heart filled with fear and reverence of God. We need to develop a real regard for God with feelings of respect and reverence.
“Jeremiah 32:40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me."
“Hebrews 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:"

A Heart that is meditative. A heart that communicates intimately with God and considers in a contemplative manner God's Word.
“Psalms 4:4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah."
“Psalms 77:6, 12 - 6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. 12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings."
“Psalms 119:15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways."

A Heart that is circumcised. Circumcision of the heart is a thing that God works in the heart of His children.
“Deuteronomy 30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live."
“Romans 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."

A Heart void of fear. Such is the confidence that we can develop in our hearts that there is absolutely nothing we should fear with God on our side.
“Psalms 27:3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident."
“2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

A Heart desirous of God.
“Psalms 84:2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.”

A Heart faithful to God. A heart faithful to God is a heart rewarded.
“Nehemiah 9:7 Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham; 8 And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous:"

A Heart confident in God. Having a heart with developed confidence in our heart toward God is an acquiring attribute. Confidence enables us to remove doubt from our hearts.
“Psalms 27:3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident."
“Psalms 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD. 8 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies."
“Proverbs 14:26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge."
“1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:"

A Heart zealous for the things and ways of God. We should school our hearts to be zealous for God's Word and for applying it in our lives. We are to zealously speak it forth to others.
“2 Chronicles 17:6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah."
“Jeremiah 20:9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay."
“Galatians 4:18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you."

A Heart tempered with wisdom, a wise heart. We temper our hearts with wisdom through the reception of the Word of God and the application of His Word in our lives. The only true wisdom is the Word of God.
“Proverbs 10:8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall."
“Proverbs 14:33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known."
“Proverbs 23:12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge."

A Heart wholly devoted to God, you can not serve God with split devotion.
“Psalms 9:1 I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works."
“Psalms 119:10, 69, 145 - 10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 69 The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. 145 KOPH. I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes."
“Jeremiah 24:7 And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.”

As beloved children of God, members of the body of Christ, we have been set aside and reserved by God for great things and a special calling and position for each of us. Our heart toward God and toward our brothers and sisters in Christ determine the quantitative amount of the power of God we manifest in our lives. As we grow our hearts to match the heart of God, as we grow our hearts with the aim of developing a Christ like heart, we will grow in the understanding of God and His Word. As we allow our hearts to grow to become men and women after God's own heart, we will walk in the power of the love of God and manifest the power of His might as lights in the world with mighty signs and wonders following us to confirm His Word in our hearts and spoken by our lips to others. Continue to grow in God's grace and knowledge of His Word and you will walk a walk of claiming the promises from God.
“Psalms 37:3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday."

Remember, When you delight yourself in God and His Word, He will give you the desires of your heart. God will place a desire on your heart for the things he wants you to have and beyond this, He will "bring it to pass", He will provide you with the things He has placed a desire on your Heart to have.

When we have developed a heart for God, we can never be defeated or side tracked from the plan God has for each of our lives. God has called each of you and chosen you before the foundation of the world to have a particular function in the body of Christ, the Church. You were called from the dark to the light, from defeat to being more than a conqueror....YOU ARE GOD'S BEST.