Heart, 3of5

~ An Example of a Heart Drawing Nearer to God ~

Daniel Had a Prayerful Heart  ~  “Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.  And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession” (Daniel 9:3-4a). 

Daniel Purposed in Heart  ~  “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself” (Daniel 1:8).  

Daniel Had a Pure Heart  ~  “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself” (Daniel 1:8). 

Daniel Had a Praising Heart  ~  Daniel prayed, “I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You, for You have made known to us the king's demand” (Daniel 2:23).  

Daniel Prospered In His Heart  ~  “So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian” (Daniel 6:28).   

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Heart, 2of5

~ Examples of Hearts Withdrawing from God ~

Prolog  ~  On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.  And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.  Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: ‘Behold, a sower went out to sow’” (Matthew 13:1-3). …

Deceived Hearts  ~  … “And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them” (Matthew 13:4). … 

(Jesus explained this passage this way:  “Therefore hear the parable of the sower:  When anyone hears the Word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.  This is he who received seed by the wayside.” ~ Matthew 13:18-19)  

Demonstrative Hearts  ~  … “Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away” (Matthew 13:5-6). …

(Jesus explained this passage this way:  “But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the Word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while.  For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the Word, immediately he stumbles.” ~ Matthew 13:20-21).

Distracted Hearts  ~  … “And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them” (Matthew 13:7). …

(Jesus explained this passage this way:  “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the Word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word, and he becomes unfruitful.” ~ Matthew 13:22)

Discerning Hearts  ~  … “But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matthew 13:8).  …                                           

(Jesus explained this passage this way:  “But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the Word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." ~ Matthew 13:23) 

Epilog  ~  …  “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Matthew 13:9).  This is Jesus’ concluding statement.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Heart, 1of5

~ Two Very Different Kinds of Hearts ~

A True Heart (draws near to God)  ~  “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, 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” (Hebrews 10:19-22). 

An Evil Heart (withdraws from God)  ~  “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:12-13).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .