God’s Measure Of Your Thoughts Series

GOD’S MEASURE OF YOUR THOUGHTS

The message for this morning is a topic that you most likely have not heard before. However, I assure you this topic describes how God will one day measure our lives. In this series, I have shown you how God will measure our obedience, our prayers, our sacrifice and how we glorify God. Each of these factors are important, and they will each have an impact on eternity. But perhaps, one of the most interesting ways God will measure your life is by your thoughts. Not only will God measure our lives by what we do, but He will also measure our lives by the deep secrets of our hearts. God who is all-powerful and all-knowing, knows our every thought, and what we think is very important to Him. With that thought in mind, let’s open our Bible and hear what God has to say about the thoughts of our heart…

1 Corinthians 4:4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. (Your thoughts) At that time each will receive his praise from God. NIV

JESUS KNOWS EVERY THOUGHT

Throughout His entire ministry Jesus knew the heart and thoughts of every person He encountered.

He knew when their words did not match the thoughts of their hearts. For example;

Matthew 9:4 … knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? NKJV

Jesus instantly knew that what the Pharisees said with their mouths, was very different from the hypocritical thoughts of their heart. He knows the hidden thoughts of our hearts.

In Luke 7, Jesus knew the thoughts of Simon the Pharisee and at the same time, He also knew the thoughts of the woman’s heart that kissed his feet. Again… Jesus knows our every thought.

Romans 2:16 …God will judge the secrets (thoughts) of men by Jesus Christ… NKJV

God who created every heart, knows every thought and He will measure our lives by our thoughts, because our thoughts reveal who we truly are.

THE SECRET THOUGHTS OF YOUR HEART

The Bible says in Psalm 44:21 …God knows the secrets of the heart. NKJV

There is no greater measure of God’s ability to judge our lives, than His ability to know your thoughts. By your thoughts God knows your prayers, your dreams, your joys, and what you truly love. By your thoughts, God sees your faith, your determination, and the true motives of your heart. Your thoughts reveal the true motive of what you do and why you do it, and one day, God will measure your true character and motives by your thoughts.

This is so important that David asked God to search the secret places of His heart.

Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24See if there is any offensive (wicked) way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. NIV

David knew that His thoughts revealed the true condition of his heart and he wanted more than anything for the thoughts of His heart to be right with God. Anyone can say nice words, but it is the thoughts of your heart that reveals your true character.

Proverbs 23:7 For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. NKJV

How true that really is. Your thoughts are so important, that God will measure what you truly

treasure in your heart by your thoughts… Why? Because God knows whatever it is that consumes your thoughts, that is what you truly treasure in your heart… and that’s why Jesus said…

Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. NKJV

Does God really know our thoughts…? Will He really judge us by our thoughts…?

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4:5… He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts…

Hebrews 4:13 there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. NKJV

Jesus said… Mark 4:22 For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. NKJV

God will one day expose and lay bare the true secrets of every heart. However, here’s a vital point that I want you to understand because I know this sounds scary, and it should…

God will search the depths of every thought in your heart, not to condemn you, but for the sole purpose of finding something for which He can reward you. This is not about being condemned. He is not looking for bad stuff. He is looking for the good stuff with the hopes of rewarding you with great rewards for how the thoughts of your heart were focused on Him and His kingdom. That’s why Paul warns us to focus the thoughts of our heart on things above and not on earthly treasures. The big question is, what will God find when He looks at the thoughts of your heart?