To the priesthood of Believers in Jesus Christ, the Indwelling Christ Himself is the provision of a loving Heavenly Father, perfectly balanced and made available for every situation to be faced in life.
Calvary was the biggest, most costly sacrifice in the history of the world. The shed blood of Jesus redeemed mankind and made available the only “Door” back in to right relationship and fellowship with our Heavenly Father.
In spite of this wondrous transaction my wayward heart can still become dysfunctional and out of order when I stray from God’s path in pride, i.e. becoming a god myself instead of having the Lord as my God and listening to Him.
1 John 3: 18 – 20
“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in DEED and in truth.
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.”
When I listen to my heart condemning me, I allow it to rob me of the “DEEDS” (verse 18) that can be produced in me by the Indwelling Christ. A dysfunctional heart produces condemnation and robs me of God’s peace if I take counsel from it. The fruit of condemnation is bondage.
Romans 8: 1 – 2 declares, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
When my heart condemns me I need to assure myself it is out of order and refuse to listen to it. Repentance on my part, and forgiveness through Jesus, restores the peace of God in my heart where His Kingdom abides.
When I learn to recognise my own disorderly heart, I also receive discernment regarding other people’s hearts that are out of order. “A tree is known by it’s fruit,” Matthew 7: 16 – 17.
In the record of Abraham and Sarah in Genesis, Sarah laughed when told she would bare a son in her old age. We, too, may laugh at some of the things God may tell us if our heart is not ruled by the Holy Spirit – but we need to quieten our heart, bypass our understanding and believe what God is saying. Only God makes the impossible possible!
“Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire,” (hymn by J.Wittier “Dear Lord and Father of mankind.)
As God requires me to refuse to listen to my own disorderly heart, I should never take counsel from someone else’s that is out of order, neither must I fall in to the trap of judging them and becoming hard towards them!
Proverbs 4: 23 instructs us: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” If I do not allow the Holy Spirit to guard my heart and respond to His promptings, I most certainly will have many undesirable “issues” to face. My heart speaks forth creation – either good or evil.
Even a disorderly heart has knees to bow with. God ALWAYS has the last word. Why should I contend with the Living God, for it is with Him that I firstly “fall out” with, not my brother or sister. If I humble when I am wrong, then God works with me in His great mercy, bringing restoration and redemption, to His glory.
“Let the peace of God RULE in your heart.” Colossians 3:15
