“How’s your heart spiritually?” This question is even more serious than questions about our physical heart. For if the physical heart fails, the spiritual heart better be ready.
Solomon wrote, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov.23:7). If the heart of an individual is chained to the things of the world, then he is worldly. Paul had a companion who loved the world more than God. “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world …” (2 Tim 4:10). His desires got the best of him.
E.A. Hoffman wrote a song entitled, “Is Thy Heart Right with God?” in which he asked several pointed questions concerning the individual’s relationship with God. “Have thine affections been nailed to the cross?”
Paul wrote, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:1-4).
Our heart’s desire should be to serve and worship God, seeking to put Him first in all that we do. From one of John’s letters we see the folly of loving the world. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:15-17). We must “nail our affections” to the cross.
Mr. Hoffman also asked, “Hast thou dominion o’er self and o’er sin?” We either control sin or sin controls us. Some would try and ride the fence, but it simply cannot be done. We must choose God or Satan. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other” (Matt. 6:24).
Sin comes about when we fail to control our lusts. “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:14,15).
We face temptation each and every day, and it is important that we work to overcome each temptation. God’s word tells us a way of escape is always there, but we have to look for it, and then take it. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13).
Paul gives us an example of how everyone has to work to have dominion over sin. He explained how he had to daily work at task. “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Cor. 9:27). There are those who seem to believe they are above sin. Paul warned against this idea, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12).
The spiritual heart needs constant guarding. Even those who are “spiritual” must guard their hearts. “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself” (Gal. 6:1-3).
The question “How’s your heart?” needs to be considered on both fronts, physically and spiritually. If our heart is not right, let’s make some changes.
Solomon wrote, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov.23:7). If the heart of an individual is chained to the things of the world, then he is worldly. Paul had a companion who loved the world more than God. “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world …” (2 Tim 4:10). His desires got the best of him.
E.A. Hoffman wrote a song entitled, “Is Thy Heart Right with God?” in which he asked several pointed questions concerning the individual’s relationship with God. “Have thine affections been nailed to the cross?”
Paul wrote, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:1-4).
Our heart’s desire should be to serve and worship God, seeking to put Him first in all that we do. From one of John’s letters we see the folly of loving the world. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:15-17). We must “nail our affections” to the cross.
Mr. Hoffman also asked, “Hast thou dominion o’er self and o’er sin?” We either control sin or sin controls us. Some would try and ride the fence, but it simply cannot be done. We must choose God or Satan. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other” (Matt. 6:24).
Sin comes about when we fail to control our lusts. “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:14,15).
We face temptation each and every day, and it is important that we work to overcome each temptation. God’s word tells us a way of escape is always there, but we have to look for it, and then take it. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13).
Paul gives us an example of how everyone has to work to have dominion over sin. He explained how he had to daily work at task. “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Cor. 9:27). There are those who seem to believe they are above sin. Paul warned against this idea, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12).
The spiritual heart needs constant guarding. Even those who are “spiritual” must guard their hearts. “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself” (Gal. 6:1-3).
The question “How’s your heart?” needs to be considered on both fronts, physically and spiritually. If our heart is not right, let’s make some changes.