Dily Wisdom

“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…” 2 Chron 16:9

The Father is looking for those whose heart is perfect (H/W-shâlêm) meaning complete, ready… and who will trust the Father for all He desires to do. The clock of the centuries points clearly to the eleventh hour. The world needs God’s love and deliverance, and it’s only revealed through a consecrated soul. The Father calls for such a man whose heart is in surrender to His will. God is an infinitely loving Being; be not satisfied until in you own inner most soul you can say, God is that infinitely loving Being. Doing so one’s heart is perfected, and God can show Himself in it!

There is no limit to what God can do with a man, providing the man doesn’t limit himself towards God… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

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

I’ve often wonder, do you think Jesus enjoyed the beatific vision through His whole life? I ponder because the Lord was able to see things that our sins keep us from seeing. Remember that the promise of the “vision of God” in the beatitudes is a promise made to whom? To the pure of heart! WE fail to see the continual beauty of God and His promises, not because there’s a problem with our optic nerve, but our heart and the impurity within. So yes, Jesus was able to maintain the beauty of the Father within His vision because he maintained a pure heart. The magnitude of this is exemplified by the cross and seldom fully grasped. (Gal 3:13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”). This is why the Father and Holy Spirit turned their back to Jesus, He was cursed by God for us, and separated from the Father! And yet during His forsakenness on our behalf, Jesus prevented us from drawing every breath under the curse due us. And yet Jesus was able to see and maintain the purpose and beauty within it all… YOU!

A pure heart resembles a mirror in which the beauty of Christ is reflected for others to see… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Heb 5:11 “Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.”

There can be a difficulty in doctrine and the effectiveness of transferring its truths by way of man (ministers) to man. The gospel can be lost in pulpits who can be focused on religion, movements, or attendance rather than the souls of man and the apologetics of the gospel truth.  Yet generally, were shown in the scriptures, the fault is in the hearers. Dull hearers make the preaching of the gospel a difficult thing, and even many who have some faith are but dull hearers, dull of understanding and slow to believe. (Jas 1:22-25 “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves…”).

He who is wise listens (Pro 12:15)… be sure to keep your spiritual hearing aids on and tuned in; what you miss may be what you’re missing the most… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Zec 7:7 “Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity…”

Be careful what you wish or even pray for, personal prosperity often brings about personal problems. The Israelites had lost their sincerity in worship. Zechariah told them that they had been fasting without a proper attitude of repentance or worship. When we go to church, pray, fellowship are we doing these things from habit or personal gain? God says that such an attitude of worship will lead to ruin. Verse 12 states Jerusalem’s allowed their hearts to become an “adamant stone.” Any sin seems more natural the second time—as we become hardened, each repetition is easier; ignoring or refusing God's warning hardens our hearts more so each time we do wrong.

Are there parts of our heart  and worship which are hardened? We must acknowledge a hard head and a hard heart are often synonymous… HSAY  

Daily Wisdom

 2 Kgs 23:25 ‘And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all is soul, and with all his might…’

It’s not what was done before you or after you, but what is being done within you that matters. Josiah, the son of wicked Manasseh, simply returned to what was right and renewed Israel’s covenant with the Lord. No matter what events occur in your life, you can turn it for good if you turn towards the Lord with all your heart, soul and might. In life’s challenges it matters not which way you turn, if you turn to face the Lord.

How satisfying to turn from our worrisome limitations to the God who has none… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

2Ki 21:4 ‘And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.’

Manasseh rebuilt altars of idols in temple that his father Hezekiah had torn down. This poses a question we must ask ourselves, if according to (1 Cor 6:19) that our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit, do we have altars built up within the temple of our heart that replace the name of the Lord? Athletes can’t wear competing merchandise when they are provided for by another brand. How often do we wear and/or display an opposing brand to the Lord’s truth in our life?

What price are you willing to pay for the label you choose to wear; nothing is free… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Ezra 6:22 ‘… for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.’ 

It shouldn’t be surprising that our Father is able and willing to do that which we’re often unwilling to do, change of heart to His will.  The Lord changed the very heart of Assyria, their enemy, to help strengthen their own hands. (Pro 16:7) ‘When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.’ When we learn to joyfully change our own heart to His will, then we don’t have to worry about our enemies/obstacles, because our Father will change the rest. 

Being a Christian doesn’t change what you deal with, it changes how you deal with it… HSAY  

Daily Wisdom

‘so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.’ Mt 6:4; 6

Red-Letter truth…

It's easier to do what's right when we gain recognition and praise. To ensure that our motives are not selfish, our good deeds should be done quietly or in secret, with no thought of reward. Jesus says we should check our motives in three areas: generosity (Mat 6:4), prayer (Mat 6:6), and fasting (Mat 6:18). These acts of faith should not be self-motivated but God-glorifying, done not to make us look good but to seek the Father and His perfect will.

Be sure in knowing, that the Father sees past our spiritual actions and into our heart, “sees in secret.”  Meaning the Father sees past the accolades, praise, promotion, and applause of man and looks solely on the motive of the heart.  In (Mt 6:2) Jesus tells us there are to be no trumpets involved, just a secret heart that is motivated in Jesus getting all the attention. 

Be sure not to shine so bright that others can’t see Jesus because of you… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

‘… turn ye even to me with all your heart…’ Joel 2:12

Ever been prone to put-off till tomorrow what you should’ve done today? Joel’s prophetic cry was of the Lord seeking after the hearts of man, while man was putting it off till another time. Often ‘not now’ becomes ‘never’ allowing for life to take root in our hearts and inviting anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, hate and fear to come along. 

There’s a degree of arrogance that comes with spiritual procrastination, assuming God owes us another chance to do tomorrow what He provided today. We must be stronger in our faith than we are with our excuses. Spiritual procrastination is the assassin of our faith and fosters fear and doubt instead.

Never use prayer as an excuse to procrastinate in doing what you already know to be true… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Ezra 7:10 “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and teach…”

God is preparing you for the thing He has prepared for you. Our job is to prepare our hearts as a fertile field ready to receive the seed of His Word so that it brings forth a crop that allows us to obediently feed others. May God’s Word be ever constant on our hearts and lips. Are you hungry for the things of God or the things of the world?

Know that what you plant today will be what you have to offer others tomorrow… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

“Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.”  Psa 26:2

David’s desire was for God to examine his heart, though he was not sinless he was declaring innocence in his heart. The health of the heart determines the depth of our devotion. And when the Lord is searching for servants, like Isaiah we can then say, “here I am; send me.”  Allow God to continually examine your heart so that it beats in rhythm with His heart – for people.

A heart with the Word of God hidden in it is a stubborn voice to suppress… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Gen 6:5 “And God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

There are “66” books, “31,102” verses and starting with the first book Genesis and ending in the last book Revelation the Word of God references the heart (833) times. And tucked within the middle (Psalms, Proverbs) alone there are (206) references. The social issues in our society are not an external instrument of any shape, size or origin, it’s an internal problem – the heart! Man cannot legislate morality into another man, nor will a confiscation of rights correct a wrong. Pro 6:14 “Frowards (perversity) is in the heart, he deviseth mischief continually…” showing man’s heart is a continual issue.  Thus, if or when the heart ever separates itself from wisdom and influence to control it (Pro 2:10; 3:1; 3:3), it will become destructive. Pro 4:23 “Keep thy heart will all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” The most dangerous thing man can do is act in his own wisdom and impulse as an absolute source of truth for others. It will become self-serving and manipulative against others. The only viable source that is corrective and sustaining is man’s ability to subject his heart in humility to the only One who is capable of controlling it.

Morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be modified when humbled in the Master.

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity…” Col 3:12-14

This devotion may be a little late, some of you have already dressed and left the house. But, if so there’s still time to change if need be!  Paul directs you to make sure you put more emphasis on what clothes your heart compared to your body. Calling you put on the attributes that show you in Christ-likeness, and making sure your strongest appearance is love.  Man is challenged to put more emphasis on the appearance of the heart than the body… Pro 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” You can look good, and yet appear bad… know that you can create a visual image, but it’s what proceeds out of your heart that defines you. What others see in you depends on what is emphasized about you; it’s either how you look or how you love?

There is no amount of physical beauty that will ever be as valuable as a beautiful heart!

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Go tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, shalt thou build me a house for me to dwell in?” 2 Sam 7:5

Unfortunately, Nathan spoke out of turn in (vs 3) when David was concerned about where the Ark/Spirit of God would dwell in comparison to a house of cedar like his, Nathan told David to do as his heart felt. That job was going to be left to his son Solomon (vss 12-13). The Lord clarified in (vs 7) that in all his doings for Israel, He never asked for a physical house to be built for Him. God is more worried about you preparing an inner-dwelling in your heart for Him than a physical dwelling for Him. The creator of the universe, life and the human soul is not in need of man’s provisions, but man is desperately in need of His. If you’re concerned about the conditions God must dwell, man would be better off starting with his own heart and whether its conditions are suitable.  He that understands the evil of his own heart is prepared to become a useful, fruitful servant. When it comes to God’s indwelling, He’s more concerned about the shape of the heart than the appearance of a house.

God’s plans are bigger than your past, He just needs a place to plow… is your heart a fruitful place?

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing?” 2 Kg 8:13

Elisha the prophet had just informed Hazael that he would be the next king of Syria, but that he would also perform barbarous acts against the man, women and children of Israel. Hence, Hazael reply that one would have to be a dog to do such.  No, I’m not going to call you a dog. But, we do need to consider our contempt towards wisdom sometimes. While Hazael had the opinion of the sin to be a great wickedness, he was also entrapped by his inability to be convicted by Elisha wisdom. It’s difficult for one to be convicted or restrained in their natural conscience, because humility is not natural it requires a willingness to admit to their flawed nature and seek spiritual wisdom. Another struggle Hazael had, he garnered a good opinion of himself, much better than he deserved. He thought it impossible he should do such barbarous acts that Elisha foresaw. Man is apt to think himself sufficiently armed against sins that so easily beset him. Peter was apt to think he would never perform such acts of betrayal even though Jesus gave him wisdom to consider, and yet he refused… Mat 26:35 “Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee….” You know how that turned out for Peter! But sadly, Hazael fell in his pride. He was more focused on the thought of himself becoming king than the warning and wisdom of Elisha.  Honor changes man’s tempers and manners and seldom for the better… “thou knowest not what thou wilt do when thou comest king…”
The bible says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jere 17:9)  If we can't know it we better listen to HIM who can, and seek HIS wisdom!

IF you follow your heart, take your brain with you and make sure that's where God sent you!

HSAY ... Todd

Daily Wisdom

“... for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” 1 Sam 16:7

Self-destruction occurs when measuring your worth using the world’s ruler. Samuel himself fell into the trap of measuring the potential worth of Eliab by worldly standards. Prompting God to remind Samuel it’s the heart that matters, and the heart can’t be measured by man (Jere 17:9).  God always works from the inside out, don’t be distracted by the appearance one wraps himself in; charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting (Pro 31:30). While the world says show me something worth measuring, God says trust me and I’ll show you something you can’t measure. The value of a God filled heart is not the stature it’s wrapped in, but in the love and beauty it reveals in Christ. When you learn to start looking at the heart rather than the face, you’ll start seeing with more clarity what God sees. Unfortunately the heart is self-possessive thus God can’t do anything with it until you chose to give it to him, and not the world.

The only measuring you should do is your heart to God’s, seeing if it beats after the same thing.

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Pro 4:23

God references the heart 833 times in scripture, thus drawing great attention to its importance in our spiritual success.  In one case God warns us to the “forwardness” of the heart (Pro 6:14), meaning the perversity or fraud it devises. We are further warned towards our careless or naive guardianship of our heart: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it.” (Jere 17:10).  The foolishness inside our hearts is much more dangerous than the foolish temptations outside of the heart; it’s the foolishness within the heart that latches onto the the temptations before it. Thus we don’t protect the heart by avoiding the world, but rather by humbling the heart to seek God: “The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.” (Psa 69:32; Psa 10:17). Humility is our responsibility, not God’s. Know this, forced humility is humiliation, self humility is dependence on God.  We are called to humble ourselves (Mt 18:4) in order for our hearts to see God, and not the foolishness of this life.

True humility allows you to grow no matter how much you already know.

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.” 1 Sam 18:9

Spurgeon said, “All the preaching in the world cannot make a man to see the truth as long as their eyes are closed.” Sadly too many Christians live their lives with their eyes wide shut.  They are so focused on that around them they are blinded to the truth before them. Saul was more focused on what angered him, rather than what would help him. Psa 121 “I will lift up mine eyes into the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord…” What our eyes (mind) focus on our heart will ponder thus creating a will to act. We’re vulnerable to anything catching our eye thus our heart; we must guard our heart by focusing our eye on the Lord.  David was not Saul’s problem, but the distraction satan had him set his eye on, and kept it there (from that day and forward). Oh the beauty and blessings we’ve missed in this life, which God has passed before us, all because we were missed focused. Know direction comes from the eye; where are you headed?

Our eyes need to learn to listen before they look.

HSAY…Todd 

Daily Wisdom

“And he (Saul) went thither to Naioth, and the Spirit of God was upon him also and he prophesied (praised)…before Samuel in like manner.” 1 Sam 19:23 & 22

Saul was more apt to hold onto his emotions than he was the truth.  Twice he was caught up in praising God, the first time was (ch. 10) right after he was anointed king and didn’t want to accept the responsibility. This time he was consumed with jealousy to kill over David's favor with the people, when God consumes his heart in order to hinder his actions. If what you feel, and what God’s word/will says are two different things, change your thinking!  Praise without God’s purpose is like singing to the music but missing the lyrics. Know that the power and purpose in praising God is for what He has done for you, not how you feel about it; what you emotionally fall into, you’ll emotionally fall out of.  Your life in Christ is to be purposefully powerful, not emotionally easy.

Emotions are like waves; you can’t keep them from coming but you can decide which ones to surf.

HSAY…Todd 

Daily Wisdom

“…present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…” Rom 12:1-2

Life does not get better by chance, but by change. Yet, don’t expect another to change in ways you’re not willing to change yourself. Rare is the ability to change that around you, but you can always change what’s in you; understanding that your prayers for change are often accomplished by God changing your heart.  It’s in prayer, God’s word and living in His wisdom your thinking begins to change from seeing what is wrong about something to seeing what’s good in it; from focusing on what you don’t have to what you’ve been given; to seeing the love of Christ instead of hate in the world. God changes broken pieces into master pieces if you’re willing to allow Him.  

Faith in Christ does not change what you face, just how you face it.

HSAY…Todd