SUNDAY STUDY: The LORD Looks at the Heart

By Oswald Chambers "Devotions for a Deeper Life"

“Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matt. 16:24).

Jesus Christ, while on this earth, taught all He had to teach. Let me say this very clearly: Pentecost added nothing to the doctrine taught by Jesus Christ or believed by the disciples.

What did Pentecost do? Pentecost made the disciples what they preached. They had heard all of Jesus Christ’s doctrines preached in the day of His flesh and had not understood a word He said. Theirs was a life of sentiment. But Pentecost made them living examples of the gospel.

In the dark church she knelt alone,

Her tears were falling fast,

“Help, LORD,” she cried, “the shades of death

Upon my soul are cast.

Have I not shunned the path of sin,

And chosen the better part?”

What voice came through the sacred air?

“My child, give Me thy heart.”

“Have I not worn my strength away,

With fast and penance sore?

Have I not watched and wept,” she cried;

“Did Thy dear saints do more?

Have I not gained Thy grace, O Lord,

And won in heaven my part?”

It echoed louder in her soul –

“My child, give Me thy heart.” 

1 Sam. 16:17 “…for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Psalm 26:2 “Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart.”

Acts 15:8 “And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us”

Mark 7:6 “And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me.”

Ephesians 3:17 “so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith”

1 John 3:20 “in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things.”

The LORD JESUS wants our hearts

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