Ever had to get a background check? When you volunteer? When you want to join or become something? When you want to serve kids? When you want to serve teens? When you want to mentor? When you want a job? When you want to become a citizen?
Ever noticed the different levels of background checks? Ever noticed the different types of background checks? You give them information and then they go searching. You give them information and fingerprints and then they go searching. Imagine if someone was doing your background check and they used all of these types:
- Criminal History Check
- Prior Employment Verification
- Education Verification
- Reference Check
- Drug Screening
- Sexual Offender Registry Check
- Credit Background Check
- Social Media & Internet Check
- Driving Record
- Professional License & Certificate Confirmation
- Social Security Number Trace
But would they be able to find out about what is going on in your heart and mind? If someone were to try and do a check of your heart and mind would any red flags come up that would need to get addressed or that would potentially disqualify you? In general people are searching for external evidence but God searches the heart.
- ‘But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” ‘
1 Samuel 16:7 - ‘For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.” ‘
- 2 Chronicles 16:9
- ‘Take delight in the Lord , and he will give you the desires of your heart. ‘
Psalms 37:4 - ‘Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. ‘
Psalms 51:10 - ‘Test me, Lord , and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness. ‘
Psalms 26:2-3 - ‘You have searched me, Lord , and you know me. ‘
Psalms 139:1 - ‘Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. ‘
Psalms 139:23 - ‘See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’
Psalms 139:24 - ‘“I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” ‘
Jeremiah 17:10
So have you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Have you invited Him into your heart to help get things fixed up and cleaned up and then to help with the regular maintenance work? Do you realize that when God helps you to clean up your heart that it doesn’t leave a background or stains? Are you ready to allow God to create a new, clean heart in you? Are you ready to give your broken heart over to God so that He can put it back together and give you a new clean heart?
THE ONE YEAR DAILY INSIGHTS
WITH ZIG ZIGLAR AND DR. IKE REIGHARD
FOR DECEMBER 14TH
He Searches Hearts
MEMORY VERSE OF THE DAY:
‘Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.’
Romans 8:27
Let’s dig in a bit to get the context of what is being said and then look for additional details through the Amplified version.
‘For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us! For [even the whole] creation [all nature] waits eagerly for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration and futility, not willingly [because of some intentional fault on its part], but by the will of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will also be freed from its bondage to decay [and gain entrance] into the glorious freedom of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been moaning together as in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only this, but we too, who have the first fruits of the Spirit [a joyful indication of the blessings to come], even we groan inwardly, as we wait eagerly for [the sign of] our adoption as sons—the redemption and transformation of our body [at the resurrection]. For in this hope we were saved [by faith]. But hope [the object of] which is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait eagerly for it with patience and composure.
In the same way the Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words. And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because the Spirit intercedes [before God] on behalf of God’s people in accordance with God’s will. And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose. For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers. And those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified [declared free of the guilt of sin]; and those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity]. What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us? He who did not spare [even] His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect (His chosen ones)? It is God who justifies us [declaring us blameless and putting us in a right relationship with Himself]. Who is the one who condemns us? Christ Jesus is the One who died [to pay our penalty], and more than that, who was raised [from the dead], and who is at the right hand of God interceding [with the Father] for us. Who shall ever separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? Just as it is written and forever remains written, “For Your sake we are put to death all day long; We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter .” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us]. For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’
Romans 8:18-39
POINTS FROM THE DEVOTIONAL:
- Remember how yesterday how the Holy Spirit can pray for us even when we don’t have the words to speak? Ever been at a loss for words?
- As we looked into the expanded details of today’s verse we find that God has even more encouragement as it relates to our heart. The Holy Spirit is able to pray in alignment with God’s will with the complete and total knowledge of every detail of our lives, even the deepest and darkest parts of our heart.
- God is omniscient and knows everything.
- God knows us better than we know ourselves and has great plans for us so that we can have a hope and a future. Are you ready to receive and accept that?
- The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit are one. So they are in constant and complete agreement.
- So when the Holy Spirit prays it is in alignment to God’s perfect will and plan for us.
- Do you understand God’s will for you life? Do you like to think you understand God’s will for the life of others too?
- God’s spelled out many aspects of God’s divine direction in His Word.
- Even so there are many times (probably even more than we’d like to admit) where our desires and God’s will may not be in alignment and could get in the way of God’s will for us to have life and life to the full or more abundantly.
- So let’s not get trapped by the ways of the world and the desires of the world but instead look to God to help us live our lives to the full and in all the abundance He desires for us.
- Sure we look to have fun, excitement, happiness, and wealth but would that be enough? Look around and see all the people who seem to have it all and yet don’t have God in their lives and end up getting into trouble or traps of the devil.
- So instead of going after material things, let’s turn to God and pursue His perfect plan for our life.
- Let’s lean and trust in Him rather than our own understanding!
- Let’s lean on Him when things get tough so that we can take heart and even consider pure joy.
- Let’s turn to God to get wisdom and discernment for our situation.
- Let’s cry out to God to get wisdom and discernment for our situation.
- Let’s be bold and courageous when we step out to do what God is calling us to do in faith and knowing we are walking under the protection of His wings.
- Let’s not allow a difficult or confusing situation rob us!
- Let’s decide to invite God into our situation to be able to give us wisdom and discernment in the midst of the difficulties and confusion.
- Let’s receive that wisdom and discernment so that whether God takes us out of the situation, walks us through the situation, or takes us around the situation His perfect will be done.
- Let’s receive that wisdom and discernment so that we come out the other side with a valuable lesson.
- Let’s grab a hold of how when the Holy Spirit prays for us He is praying at this higher, deeper level so that we can have richer lessons in this life we live.
- Let’s decide today to pray in alignment to the Holy Spirit and God’s will for our life.
DISCUSSION TOPICS FROM TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
- What are some ways we might confuse our wants with God’s will?
- Does it comfort you or disturb you that the Father searches your heart? Explain your answer.
QUOTE(S) FROM TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
“God always answers our prayers according to our good and His glory.”
— Ike Reighard
As we move into December we have finished the readings of the Tanakh and I thank Sefaria for their resources in helping me to see the Old Testament in a new way and my friend Lionel for having shared this tool with me. As we kick off December the idea my wife brought up came to mind about going through the book of Luke (who was a doctor) which happens to have 24 chapters which means we can read one a day and complete it in time for Christmas. To get as many details from this I am going to use the Amplified version to try and grasp all the details Luke gives us to consider and learn.
So today we will read Luke 14:
‘It happened one Sabbath, when He went for a meal at the house of one of the ruling Pharisees, that they were watching Him closely and carefully [hoping to entrap Him]. And there in front of Him was a man who had dropsy (extreme swelling). And Jesus asked the lawyers and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” But they kept silent. Then He took hold of the man and healed him, and sent him on his way. Then He said to them, “Which one of you, having a son or an ox that falls into a well, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” And they were unable to reply to this.
Now Jesus began telling a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been selecting the places of honor at the table, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down [to eat] at the place of honor, since a more distinguished person than you may have been invited by the host, and he who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your place,’ and then, in disgrace you proceed to take the last place. But when you are invited, go and sit down [to eat] at the last place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; and then you will be honored in the presence of all who are at the table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled [before others], and he who habitually humbles himself (keeps a realistic self-view) will be exalted.” Jesus also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or wealthy neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. But when you give a banquet or a reception, invite the poor, the disabled, the lame, and the blind, and you will be blessed because they cannot repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous (the just, the upright).” When one of those who were reclining at the table with Him heard this, he said to Him, “Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is he who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”
But Jesus said to him, “A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many guests; and at the dinner hour he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, because everything is ready now.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have purchased a piece of land and I have to go out and see it; please consider me excused.’ Another one said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have [recently] married a wife, and for that reason I am unable to come.’ So the servant came back and reported this to his master. Then [his master,] the head of the household, became angry [at the rejections of his invitation] and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and the lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and the disabled and the blind and the lame.’ And the servant [after returning] said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ Then the master told the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled [with guests]. For I tell you, not one of those who were invited [and declined] will taste my dinner.’ ”
Now large crowds were going along with Jesus; and He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life [in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God]— he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow after Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me] cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a watchtower [for his guards], does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to finish it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is unable to finish [the building], all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish!’ Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one who is coming against him with twenty thousand? Or else [if he feels he is not powerful enough], while the other [king] is still a far distance away, he sends an envoy and asks for terms of peace. So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not [carefully consider the cost and then for My sake] give up all his own possessions. “Therefore, salt is good; but if salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear and heed My words.”’
Luke 14:1-35
So where are you today? Are you in need of heart healing? Are you in need of a heart repair? Are you in need of a heart cleaning? Are you in need of a heart recreation? Are you in need of a heart resurrection? Are you in need of a heart transfer? Are you in need of a heart creation? Are you ready to invite Jesus into your heart and your life to make it a reality? Let’s pray:
I come to you in prayer asking for the
forgiveness of my Sins. I confess with my
mouth and believe with my heart that
Jesus is your Son, And that he died on the
Cross at Calvary that I might be forgiven.
and have Eternal Life in the Kingdom of
Heaven. Father, I believe that Jesus rose
from the dead and I ask you right now to
come in to my life and be my personal
Lord and Savior. I repent of my Sins and
will Worship you all the day’s of my Life!
Because your word is truth, I confess with
my mouth that I am Born Again and
Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus! In Jesus
Name, Amen
Did you pray with me?
Would you be willing to leave me a comment so that I can pray with and for you about such an incredible decision?
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God's story through my life from 2005 to eternity... 