When it comes to your convictions, where is your heart?

For the past two weeks, I have had a heavy heart. Yesterday, my wife asked me if I was ok. That question is not unusual. Her response to my answer was, “You seem melancholy.” That evaluation was accurate.

I am despondent at the state of our nation. I am despondent at the toxic Christian messages that are being intertwined in our politics. I am despondent to the way the messaging is creeping into our minds. I am despondent to how this messaging is creeping into our churches. And I am despondent how people are responding to the division crisis that has been created in the USA.

Now using the word despondent on a site that claims to have HOPE FOR ALL, is not my idea of forwarding my mission. Please hear me out. I think I have a solution.  

Over the past two weeks the heart has been a topic as I have listened to sermons, as I have talked to my wife, as I have talked to others.

The most used summary phrase I have heard has been something similar to these words, “This is what was on my heart.”  In fact, I did it in yesterday’s post.

So, the question I have is this: If my/your heart tells me/us something, does that make me/us right?

Jeremiah 17:9 NIV

The heart is deceitful above all things
    and beyond cure.
    Who can understand it?

Whoa, Phil? Now what? If the heart is deceitful above all things, and I just told you that the words I just spoke/wrote came from my heart, does this make it truth?  

The fall has formed a heart that is evil, treacherous and deceitful. As Christians, we are called to have a change of heart, as we grow in Christ.  

Through our faith, God creates a new heart, leading to real transformation

I am most certain, that the progression of this solution is making sense. If we ALL agree that the heart is deceitful, and we ALL agree that the heart can be transformed by our Faith through God, then I think we are ALL on the right track.   

Except, now I have still not answered the question: If it comes from the heart, is it truth?

YES! However, there is a caveat.

It is YOUR TRUTH! Not necessarily God’s TRUTH.

This I think, is the key to the question at hand.

The transformation of the heart is not instantaneous, nor is it ever complete. It is a constant work in progress. In other words, we are never done developing a pure heart. Which still begs the question whether or not, if we are right or not.

In our Sunday school class that my wife and I teach together, we have gotten into some topics of disagreement at times. I am most positive that some of us still disagree with each other in this very moment. As a class, we have always come back to the doctrine of LOVE. We accept each other, listen to each other, and we set aside our differences to get to the TRUTH in the WORD of Jesus. I am most positive, that most of us, me included, have still not changed our minds. However, what we do often say at some certain point in our discussions, is that we are to maintain an opened mind. This does not mean that we are gullible, or we lack discernment. It simply means that we should investigate.

Proverbs 14:15

The simple believe anything,
    but the prudent give thought to their steps.

The wisdom provided in Proverbs 14:15 supports that we should investigate. Investigate what?

THE TRUTH!

It’s not Just TRUTH because someone says so.
It’s not Just TRUTH because your Preacher said it.
It’s not Just TRUTH because it confirms what you already believe!
It’s not Just TRUTH because you say it comes from your heart!

We have to test the FRUIT

We must collect evidence that indeed, IT IS TRUTH. If someone says their interpretation of the bible is TRUTH because it’s biblical, Well now, that is just plain horse puck unless the FRUIT is FULL. Harm to others as a result of someone’s “truth”, is a great example of BAD FRUIT. And I go back to my message that we know from Luke 15.

We must go after the lost sheep

If you have not gone after the lost sheep, then what is the condition of the FRUIT? Further, what is the condition of your heart?

You might expect me to close out this post with scripture on the heart. Instead, I have a different approach:

Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Is your Heart, the Heart of Jesus?

Did you leave the lost sheep behind?
Is the lost sheep actually right and the 99 are wrong?
Did you offer compassion?
Did you offer empathy?
Did you investigate properly?
Did you assume you are right?
Did you offer an alternative?
Did you set aside your differences?
Did you keep an opened mind?
Have you asked, does your answer might cause harm to others?
Did you compare the evidence?
Did you presume you are right?
Have you asked, would Jesus agree with this?
Have you asked, WWJD?
Did you GIVE LOVE?
Did you Give hope?
Did you ask, is “this” of JESUS?

Is your Heart, The Heart of Jesus?