Hope for Healing, Faith for Living Podcast

Sometimes when we want more of God or are pursuing his promises, we miss that we need first see God’s plan to prepare us for coming into a deeper relationship with him.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8 ESV

If we want to see God as more real in our lives, what are we to do? Have a pure heart.

“Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” - Hebrews 12:14 ESV

If we want to see, to experience the reality of God and his will in our lives, then we know the condition of our hearts and how we live our lives matters.

Have you ever heard someone like a coach or trainer tell someone to follow a certain diet and exercise plan and after time they will see results. That means experience results. This is what the Scripture is talking about, seeing the results of more of God in your life.

I want more of God. I believe you do too. But, we have to understand to see more of God, we must address those things in our actions and in our hearts that are not pleasing to God.

Look at psalm 19 NLT

7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect,

    reviving the soul.

The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,

    making wise the simple.

8 The commandments of the Lord are right,

    bringing joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are clear,

    giving insight for living.

9 Reverence for the Lord is pure,

    lasting forever.

The laws of the Lord are true;

    each one is fair.

10 They are more desirable than gold,

    even the finest gold.

They are sweeter than honey,

    even honey dripping from the comb.

11 They are a warning to your servant,

    a great reward for those who obey them.

12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?

    Cleanse me from these hidden faults.

13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins!

    Don’t let them control me.

Then I will be free of guilt

    and innocent of great sin.

The psalmist mentions two types of sin. Those hidden that we are not aware of and those that are deliberate.  Sin means missing the mark. Falling short of God’s will. Our thoughts and views can fall short of God’s will, his truth. Some we know and some we need to be made aware of.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! - Psalm 139:23-24 ESV

We need to seek God, asking him to reveal those things in our hearts that are not pleasing to him which can include deep rooted beliefs that are in contradiction to is Word. How will he reveal them? By his Word. We need to be diligent in being in God’s Word inorder to know it and act in obedience to it.

Then there’s things we hold on to that we know do not please God. It can be anger, unforgiveness or sensual sins that are enjoyed for a time.

We have to realize that we must make a choice. Do we want to grow in the things of God, increase in knowing and experiencing him, in seeing his will manifest in our lives, then we have to remove those wrong thoughts and desires from our hearts.

Psalm 66 ESV

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,

    and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

17 I cried to him with my mouth,

    and high praise was on[a] my tongue.[b]

18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,

    the Lord would not have listened.

19 But truly God has listened;

    he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” - James 4:8

God will help us have a right heart if we trust and ask him to.

“And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭30‬:‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We can't hold on to things in our hearts that do not please God and expect to see more of him in our lives. We have to make a choice. Choose God over all other things.

Blessings in Christ,
Tim Dumas
Hope for Healing, Faith for Living