Establish Your Heart
To establish is to make stable, to make good, to build up. The heart is especially
important in discussing the spiritual. The mystery of the hidden self is fully known
to God and to Jesus Christ (Jeremiah 17:10, Luke 9:47). The heart is the seat of
our knowledge of God (II Corinthians 4:6) “for God, who commanded the light to
shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”.
The state of one’s heart governs the vision of God (Mathew 5:8) “blessed are the
pure in heart for they shall see God”.. From the heart one speaks to God
(Psalms 27:8). The heart is the place of divine indwelling (II Corinthians 1:22,
Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 3:17).
When one’s heart is turned toward God, he promises to make it sensitive to divine
things, renewed and purified (I John 1:9) “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”.
David after he was confronted of his sin concerning Bathsheba, he repented and
he prayed to God for forgiveness (Psalms 51:1-4, 7-17), “have mercy upon me, O
God, according to the multitude of Your tender mercies blot out my
transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my
sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against
You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight; that You might be
justified, when You speak, and be clear when You judge. Purge me with hyssop,
and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear
joy and gladness, that the bones which You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your
face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O
God and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence,
and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation ;
and uphold me with Your free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors Your ways;
and sinners shall be converted to You. Deliver me from blood-quiltiness, O God,
You of my salvation; and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
Lord, open You my lips; and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You
desire not sacrifice; else would I give it; You delight not in burned offering. The
sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You
will not despise”.
Establishing our heart is our responsibility (Proverbs 4:20-27) shows us how, it
says “My son, attend to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not
depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to
those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all
diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from you a forward mouth,
and perverse lips put far from you. Let your eyes look right on, and let your
eyelids look straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your
ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove your foot
from evil”.
We have to guard what gets into our heart; and we do this by watching what we
let go into our eyes, and our ears. Remember that faith comes by hearing and
hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17), that means that fear comes by hearing
and hearing the word contrary to God.
As we feed our hearts on the word of God our heart is established (Proverbs 16:
3) “commit your works to the Lord Yahweh, and your thoughts shall be
established”. We have to establish that the Bible is the final authority in our life
and commit to believe and comply with what it says.
We are told to love the Lord Yahweh with all our heart (Deuteronomy 4:29) “but if
from there you shall seek the Lord Yahweh your God, you shall find Him, if you
seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul”; when Jesus was asked which
was the great commandment, He answered (Matthew 22:37-40) “Jesus said to
him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second
is like to it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two
commandments hang all the law and the prophets”.
God so wants our hearts to be established, He has written His law on our heart to
be the inward guide and motivation (Jeremiah 31:33) “but this shall be the
covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days, says the Lord
Yahweh, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will
be their God, and they shall be My people”.
Such transformation involves believing the gospel from the “honest and good
heart” that provides fruitful soil for the word of God (Luke 8:15) “but that on good
ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word,
keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience”. Romans 10:8-11 says “the word is
near you, even in your mouth, and in your heart; that is the word of faith, which
we preach. That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall
believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.
For with the heart man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made to salvation. For the scripture says, whosoever believes on Him shall not
be ashamed”.
The true heart draws near to God, and loves Him with all it intellect, feeling, and
will (Hebrews 10:22) “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with
pure water”. Then God gives strength, reward, grace, peace, and joy to the
heart; Paul prayed for the church of Colosse (Colossians 1:23,2:6-7) “If you
continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope
of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature
which is under heaven, whereof I Paul am made a minister. As you have
therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in Him. Rooted and built up
in Him, and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding therein
with thanksgiving”.
Paul prayed for the Thessalonians (I Thessalonians 3:12-13, II Thessalonians 2:
13-17, 3:3) “and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward
another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you. To the end, He may
establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at
the coming of our Lord Christ with all His saints. But we are bound to give thanks
always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God has from the
beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of
the truth. Whereto He called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions
which you have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord
Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father which has loved us, and has
given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace. Comfort your
hearts, and establish you in every good word and work. But the Lord is faithful,
who shall establish you, and keep you from evil”.
James tells us “be you also patient, establish your hearts for the coming of the
Lord draws near” (James 5:8). Our heart is established when our heart goes
after God’s own heart (I Samuel 13:14), Samuel tells Saul after he had disobeyed
God “but now your kingdom shall not continue; the Lord Yahweh has sought Him
a man after His own heart and the Lord Yahweh has commanded him to be
captain over His people, because you have not kept that which the Lord Yahweh
commanded you”, and Acts 13:22 says “and when He had removed him, He
raised up to them David to be their king, to whom also He gave testimony and
said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, which shall
fulfill all My will”.
Let us strive to have this testimony from God, it is possible, and great reward is
promised to those whose heart is fixed, steadfast in Psalms 112:1-3; 7-8 “Praise
you the Lord Yahweh, blessed is the man that fears (reverence) the Lord
Yahweh, that delights greatly in His commandments. His seed shall be mighty
upon earth; the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Wealth and riches
shall be in his house; and his righteousness endures for ever. He shall not be
afraid of evil tidings; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord Yahweh. His heart is
established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies”.
The only way for our heart to be fully established is to do what is listed in
Proverbs 23:26, which says “My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes
observe My ways”. So we have to surrender our heart to the Lord.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: July 21, 2009
To establish is to make stable, to make good, to build up. The heart is especially
important in discussing the spiritual. The mystery of the hidden self is fully known
to God and to Jesus Christ (Jeremiah 17:10, Luke 9:47). The heart is the seat of
our knowledge of God (II Corinthians 4:6) “for God, who commanded the light to
shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”.
The state of one’s heart governs the vision of God (Mathew 5:8) “blessed are the
pure in heart for they shall see God”.. From the heart one speaks to God
(Psalms 27:8). The heart is the place of divine indwelling (II Corinthians 1:22,
Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 3:17).
When one’s heart is turned toward God, he promises to make it sensitive to divine
things, renewed and purified (I John 1:9) “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”.
David after he was confronted of his sin concerning Bathsheba, he repented and
he prayed to God for forgiveness (Psalms 51:1-4, 7-17), “have mercy upon me, O
God, according to the multitude of Your tender mercies blot out my
transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my
sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against
You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight; that You might be
justified, when You speak, and be clear when You judge. Purge me with hyssop,
and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear
joy and gladness, that the bones which You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your
face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O
God and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence,
and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation ;
and uphold me with Your free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors Your ways;
and sinners shall be converted to You. Deliver me from blood-quiltiness, O God,
You of my salvation; and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
Lord, open You my lips; and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You
desire not sacrifice; else would I give it; You delight not in burned offering. The
sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You
will not despise”.
Establishing our heart is our responsibility (Proverbs 4:20-27) shows us how, it
says “My son, attend to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not
depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to
those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all
diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from you a forward mouth,
and perverse lips put far from you. Let your eyes look right on, and let your
eyelids look straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your
ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove your foot
from evil”.
We have to guard what gets into our heart; and we do this by watching what we
let go into our eyes, and our ears. Remember that faith comes by hearing and
hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17), that means that fear comes by hearing
and hearing the word contrary to God.
As we feed our hearts on the word of God our heart is established (Proverbs 16:
3) “commit your works to the Lord Yahweh, and your thoughts shall be
established”. We have to establish that the Bible is the final authority in our life
and commit to believe and comply with what it says.
We are told to love the Lord Yahweh with all our heart (Deuteronomy 4:29) “but if
from there you shall seek the Lord Yahweh your God, you shall find Him, if you
seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul”; when Jesus was asked which
was the great commandment, He answered (Matthew 22:37-40) “Jesus said to
him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second
is like to it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two
commandments hang all the law and the prophets”.
God so wants our hearts to be established, He has written His law on our heart to
be the inward guide and motivation (Jeremiah 31:33) “but this shall be the
covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days, says the Lord
Yahweh, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will
be their God, and they shall be My people”.
Such transformation involves believing the gospel from the “honest and good
heart” that provides fruitful soil for the word of God (Luke 8:15) “but that on good
ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word,
keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience”. Romans 10:8-11 says “the word is
near you, even in your mouth, and in your heart; that is the word of faith, which
we preach. That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall
believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.
For with the heart man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made to salvation. For the scripture says, whosoever believes on Him shall not
be ashamed”.
The true heart draws near to God, and loves Him with all it intellect, feeling, and
will (Hebrews 10:22) “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with
pure water”. Then God gives strength, reward, grace, peace, and joy to the
heart; Paul prayed for the church of Colosse (Colossians 1:23,2:6-7) “If you
continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope
of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature
which is under heaven, whereof I Paul am made a minister. As you have
therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in Him. Rooted and built up
in Him, and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding therein
with thanksgiving”.
Paul prayed for the Thessalonians (I Thessalonians 3:12-13, II Thessalonians 2:
13-17, 3:3) “and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward
another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you. To the end, He may
establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at
the coming of our Lord Christ with all His saints. But we are bound to give thanks
always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God has from the
beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of
the truth. Whereto He called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions
which you have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord
Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father which has loved us, and has
given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace. Comfort your
hearts, and establish you in every good word and work. But the Lord is faithful,
who shall establish you, and keep you from evil”.
James tells us “be you also patient, establish your hearts for the coming of the
Lord draws near” (James 5:8). Our heart is established when our heart goes
after God’s own heart (I Samuel 13:14), Samuel tells Saul after he had disobeyed
God “but now your kingdom shall not continue; the Lord Yahweh has sought Him
a man after His own heart and the Lord Yahweh has commanded him to be
captain over His people, because you have not kept that which the Lord Yahweh
commanded you”, and Acts 13:22 says “and when He had removed him, He
raised up to them David to be their king, to whom also He gave testimony and
said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, which shall
fulfill all My will”.
Let us strive to have this testimony from God, it is possible, and great reward is
promised to those whose heart is fixed, steadfast in Psalms 112:1-3; 7-8 “Praise
you the Lord Yahweh, blessed is the man that fears (reverence) the Lord
Yahweh, that delights greatly in His commandments. His seed shall be mighty
upon earth; the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Wealth and riches
shall be in his house; and his righteousness endures for ever. He shall not be
afraid of evil tidings; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord Yahweh. His heart is
established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies”.
The only way for our heart to be fully established is to do what is listed in
Proverbs 23:26, which says “My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes
observe My ways”. So we have to surrender our heart to the Lord.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: July 21, 2009
