As we come to the mid point of the year, it is a good time to reflect on where we are in our walk with God.
Our perception may not be Gods perception of where we are at.
To some the year may have been a disaster
To others your year may have been filled with blessings!
To others it may seem to be just another year!
Those looking into your life from the outside may have made their assumptions of where you are at.
But they don’t know your heart. The truth is you don’t even know your own heart!
God says: 1 Cor 2:9-10 “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
God searches the secret things of the heart.
Jesus judges not after the flesh but after the heart.
We dont always know how we will react in any given situation!
How would you react if:
1) The Children of Israel with the Egyptians bearing down on us and the Red sea in front of us. What’s in our heart?
2) David exiled in the cave of Adulum how would we react?
3) Peter when he denied the Lord 3 times what would our response be?
We can’t really answer any of these questions because until we are in the situation we don’t really know what our response would be.
Recently I have had a battle with Cancer, 7 months of treatment and a belief that God would he me. He has! But to be honest I had no idea what my response would be before the event. I thought I did, but the truth of an event reveals our heart. One thing is certain, God knows our heart! And God wants the reigns of our heart!
Prov 21:1 “The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord; and he can turn it whatsoever way he desires”KJV
Psalm 139:13 “Thou hast possessed my reins” KJV
God must first possess the reins to turn the heart!
A few years ago I had a vision of an old wagon, going along a straight and seemingly good road; there was a city in the distance which the wagon was heading toward. Suddenly there was another who came and sat next to me on the wagon and he asked for the reins! I realised it was the Holy Spirit who was asking for the reins so I gave them over. He turned the wagon another way and the road seemed to become rough and bumpy, but he assured me it was the best way to go! Although the way seemed tougher and the city was no longer in view, he knew a better way. Because my heart is in the Lords hand he turned the wagon around!
If God has the heart he can turn it!
Matt 6:21 Jesus said; “wherever your treasure is; there will you find your heart”
What is our treasure? He must become our treasure then it will be easy to find your heart! (Expound)
Psalm 7:9 “The righteousness of God tries the heart and reins”KJV
Jer 11:20 “The Lord judges righteously and trieth the heart and reins” KJV
Rev 3:23 All the Churches know that I am he who searches the reins and heart and give to each according to his acts”KJV
The Hebrew for reins in these instances is Kil Yaw which means the deep inward parts of man or our Spirit man.
The Greek is Nefros meaning the inmost mind or again our Spirit man.
God wants the reins today
The way may be foreign to us but if he wants to turn us into a new way, let him he knows the best way!
David Livingstone first saw the Victoria falls and said “This sight is so beautiful it must have been gazed upon by Angels in flight and it makes my heart want to melt into his will”
A strong horse is a wonderful creation, Although it has great strength and power, it yields to the reins and allows itself to be directed toward its masters desires, as the horse becomes more used to his maters will and desires the master can indeed keep a relaxed grasp on the reins and there is a measure of trust between master and servant! The Lords desire for us all is that we yield to the reins.
Remember the Lords power to turn your heart is in the measure to which we allow him to possess us! This is the wonder of God’s creation man! He has given him a free will! He has made him a wild stallion! But even a wild stallion realises that in order to accomplish his dreams he must yield to the reins!
Ian Johnson www.papelim.org.nz
