Half-Hearted Devotion …
A cold heart is a calloused heart. Funny line to start with but it is true. If our hearts have become entangled in the fruit of tolerance, they will become cold. The moment that we find ourselves where we start to tolerate sin, we become the fruit of sin.
It is subtle, yet the end result is devastating. Allow your guard to drop where you start to tolerate things that you know are wrong, and you with out knowing it, have started down a path that is leading you away from your Heavenly Father and His presence.
When we tolerate sin our hearts become cold
When we stop hating the things that God hates, and embracing those things, we have become part of the problem, instead of the solution. We were never called to compromise our stand for what is right and wrong. Yet if you are not stable and fixed in your relationship with the Lord, you will be easily swayed from where you stand, and easily enticed by the spirit of this world.
This is why we are instructed to guard over our heart with all diligence. Every season of our lives is controlled by what we entertain. Our thoughts are a direct result, good or bad.
Read what Proverbs 4:23 says;
‘So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life.’ (Proverbs 4:23 TPT)
Since wisdom is found in the midst of your heart, if you do not guard over it, you will lose it. This is the point that most do not understand. When we give no thought as to the consequences for what we allow into our hearts, we become disconnected to the path that leads us to life.
The affections of your heart are determined by what you feed it
It requires a discerning heart, one that understands that change to accomplish anything in our lives must begin in our hearts. Our hearts are the reservoir, and must be seen as that. There is no point trying to fix the outside before we deal with the heart of the matter. What we have allowed in will become the overflow.
Read what Luke 6:45 says;
It’s the same with people. A person full of goodness in his heart produces good things; a person with an evil reservoir in his heart pours out evil things. The heart overflows in the words a person speaks; your words reveal what’s within your heart. (Luke 6:45 Voice)
When we are instructed to guard it with all diligence, it means that this will take work. It is not an easy task to accomplish. To walk in a wise and discerning heart, one is required to stand watch, and to understand the pitfall that comes when it is not taken seriously.
When we are warned by wisdom to guard it, there is a deeper meaning hidden. The enemy is looking to bring distortion to your heart through it being enticed. The enticement comes that it will be fun, pleasant and ultimately happiness that you long for will be achieved. This is a lie that will only bring devastation upon you. True happiness can only be found in the Lord.
Here is the part the enemy never wants you to figure out. When you do not look at the consequences for the choices at hand, and only the pleasure of it, you have not allowed wisdom to guide you away from the pitfall that will surely come. Wisdom will always instruct you of the misery that will follow wrong choices. Our actions if not understood what the end of the matter holds, will always empower the enemy and the enticements that he desires to contaminate your reservoir. Your heart is designed to live in perfect union with Jesus.
Your soul if not led by Gods Spirit will lead you astray
When the enemy has his hook into your heart you will become unstable in all of your ways. That is the end of his game. Total disfunction, distorted ability to live the life that God had desired. Always in conflict where the inner war rages because the peace you could have had was removed by sin.
When we pollute the “Well Spring of Life” the infection will spread throughout our entire body. It is not long after that that the appetites, the cravings and desires will become open sins where it is exposed for all to see. This is the pitfall that follows a heart that has not been properly taken care of.
This all starts out of a divided heart. There is an entire war over your heart and the affections of it. God’s wisdom is in direct conflict with the outcome of an evil heart. Satan desires to deceive you, getting you to surrender the power that you hold. Anytime he has the ability to capture our hearts, our whole being is affected by that choice.
Our affections, desires, motives, and our passionate pursuits will be handed over to him. He becomes the task master over our souls. Our future is a miserable death. Is it then any wonder why we are given such clear warning in Gods word.
We are warned to avoid a double minded heart, a hardened heart where we have refused to set our lives according to Gods word. A proud heart is the source of much trouble because in that place we are not close to the Lord, but only seen from afar. An unbelieving heart will always cause you intense turmoil where you will continuously find yourself cast upon the rocks.
As lawlessness increases around us, we will see the hearts of those around us grow cold. An unclean heart will always lead you towards sin and the pleasures of it. Yet death is the end to all of these. Nothing good can come out of a life that has not surrendered its life, in its fullness, to the Lord.
There is no peace in a life that has not surrendered itself to the Lord
The reason that we as a society can not see the truth is simple, yet totally avoidable. Lack of understanding people perish. Everything we need for success has been provided for us to walk in overcoming power and being victorious. Yet few find there way to this point.
Their hearts have been blinded to the truth. The only way to gain the upper-hand is through Gods word. The word has the power to change the course of anyone who is alive. It has the power to unlock the steps required to break-forth from the clutching grip of the attacks of Satan. It has the power to unlock the ability to see the actions required.
The sad part is that many still choose to never change, and continue down this path to destruction. Do not follow those who are not walking as they should. Remember that bad character will corrupt good. Our culture is for the most illiterate to the word, the power that it holds, and the victory that it brings. At no time are we left with an excuse as to why we did not change the path we were on.
As a whole society has become entitled and very self-centered. It does not desire to work hard for its freedom. So, for most they succumb to the pressure and the easy path. But what they do not understand is that by the choices that they are making, death is waiting at the door looking to devour them.
Read what Genesis 4:7 says;
If you do well [believing Me and doing what is acceptable and pleasing to Me], will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well [but ignore My instruction], sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you [to overpower you], but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:7 AMP)
Sin is crouched at the door, waiting to pounce on you, over take you, and have dominion over you. It is looking to strike you, litterly like a wild lion looking to rip you apart. All because you would not rule over it, you have released the power you had, and it now rules you. When the bible says that we need to rule over it, to have a life where we have a heart that has been cleansed, we are spared the devastation that was heading our way.
It requires hard work. We suffer greatly when we do not recognize the cost that is associated to the choice. We need to be willing to put action behind Gods word to see the fulfillment of it. Without action on our part the word holds no value. Head knowledge will only make us religious, but it will deny the power that it holds to accomplish a life that is set apart.
We have nothing to give to those around us until we have overcome and mastered sin. This is the part that many do not get. There can be no authority until you yourself have gained the victory. Then you can actually walk with others and have a strength to help them in discerning where they have gone wrong. Until then you are full of words with no power.
Our lives here on Earth were meant to make a difference for others
A half-hearted devotion is no devotion. You cannot have a half-hearted approach to serving God and expect life to change. You need to become totally devoted, walking according to what His word teaches. Then instead of a life that is swayed, tossed and turned, you become steadfast in all of your ways.
Read what Psalms 19:7 says;
The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. (Psalms 19:7 MSG)
We choose, the path we take. By that choice our future is determined. Our actions that we take will guide us towards the destination that we choose. Everything that we need for the journey has been provided by God. Our part is to follow the life that leads us to eternal life. We will all stand before the Lord one day … what will your end result be … the choice is yours and yours alone.
Read what Psalms 17:5 says;
My steps have stayed on your path; I have not wavered from following you. (Psalms 17:5 NLT)
