Check Your Heart

If there’s one thing that needs a constant check up, it’s the heart. Jeremiah 17:9 describes the heart as being deceitful and desperately wicked. Perhaps this explains why David cried out, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). There’s so much the Bible cautions and says about the heart, however, I would like to briefly talk about the heart in relation to ones prayer life. Let’s look at this Biblically in James 4:1-3 for insight: What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. James 4:1-3 reveals the importance of praying with right motives. Motives are clear indicators of what’s in the heart. Although scripture tells us that if we pray and have faith we’ll receive what we’ve prayed for (Matthew 21:22), James 4:1-3 shows us there’s a prerequisite to praying and receiving – your motives must be pure. It’s a matter of the heart. It’s important to assess why you’re asking God what you’re asking Him for. Are you seeking self-pleasure or the will of the Father? Don’t allow flesh, self-centeredness or an unclean heart to become hindrances to your prayer life. Prayer God I pray that you cleanse the heart of the brother or sister reading this. Father, I ask that you would remove every unclean spirit and ungodliness lurking around in their heart. Just like David, I pray God that you would create within them a clean heart and renew within them a right spirit Oh God! Lead them by your Holy Spirit to pray prayers that stem from pure godly motives in Jesus name! Lord I thank you for the blood of Jesus that cleanses away all our debts and sins! I thank you for the Blood of Jesus that cleanses away the filth in our hearts! We receive you’re cleansing oh Lord! Help us Lord to pray your will and not our own will in Jesus name! Keep the Faith Elder Bertrina