People today like to quote the adage about "following your heart". That's probably the worst advice you could possibly give someone! The Bible says the heart is deceitful. Not only that, but the Lord tends to take into account what's in your heart when He answers you.
Jeremiah 17:10- I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
The deceived heart.
Ezekiel 14:1-5- Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.
These men came before Ezekiel claiming to want to know what the Lord had to say, when in reality, they were harboring idols and looking for justification for their sins. The Lord answered them deceitfully and appeared to be giving them an allowance for what they really wanted.
The lying heart.
Jeremiah 42:1-3- Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near, And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:) That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.
These people claimed to want to know God's will. They promised they would follow whatever God had to say when in reality they had already made up their minds about what they were going to do.
Jeremiah 42:19-22- The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day. For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it. And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, nor any thing for the which he hath sent me unto you. Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn.
God called out their lies, and told them exactly what would happen to them should they follow their own council. Guess what? They died in Egypt because they followed their heart instead of obeying the Lord.
The conniving heart.
Mark 11:27-34- And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me. And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
These religious leaders were demanding answers from Christ for questions they should have already known the answers to. If they had submitted to the preaching of John they would already know whose authority Jesus was working through.
However, they reasoned among themselves because they didn't want to answer honestly. Because of this dishonesty, Jesus didn't even answer them.
The uncommitted heart.
Matthew 19:16-22- And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
This man seemed to be honest. He appeared, even, to be righteous. But theLord saw through him and answered with the thing he wouldn't relinquish. You may come to the Lord in what you believe to be honesty, but you need to be ready to act on what He points out. It isn't that easy, because we don't know what lies deep inside sometimes.
The humble heart.
Matthew 15:21-28- Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
This woman came to Jesus with a very serious request. It was an honorable request. But, Jesus was sent to the lost sheep of Israel, not the Gentiles. He was under no obligation to help her.
He even went so far as to call her a dog. How humiliating! Yet, in her despair,she accepted his insult and replied in humility. And Jesus answered according to her humbleness. He stepped out of his dispensation to address her desire.
God is looking for the humble, believing heart. The one that will acknowledge what is being said, not puff up in anger at it. The one that will submit to His direction and change accordingly.
Isaiah 66:1-2- Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
God isn't obligated to make you believe. He isn't even required to answer you directly or honestly. He's going to respond to you with the exact same attitude as how you approach Him.
Psalm 14:2- The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. But woe to the man that is looking to use the Word of the Lord deceitfully!
