GLORYING IN HEART
(week 30/15)
OLUBI JOHNSON
2Corinthians 5:12 KJV: For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.
Jeremiah 9:23-24 NIV: This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, (24) but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.
Luke 12:15 KJV: and he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things, which he possesseth.
Luke 12:15 NIV: Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
In these scriptures, we are instructed to glory or boast in the riches of our hearts: the humility of our wills; the revelation knowledge of God through His Word in our minds; and the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, kindness and patience in our emotions.
Luke 16:11 AMP: Therefore if you have not been faithful in the [case of] unrighteous mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions), who will entrust to you the TRUE RICHES?
These are the TRUE RICHES that we should glory or boast in: not in financial and material wealth ALONE!
Why?
These riches of the heart make us Godly: GOD-LIKE OR MORE LIKE GOD and so give us GREAT GAIN AND CONTENTMENT!
1Timothy 4:8 KJV: For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto ALL things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
1Timothy 6:5-6 KJV: Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. (6) But godliness with contentment is GREAT gain.
So, the more humble you are; the more revelation knowledge you have; the more joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, kindness and patience you have; then the RICHER YOU TRULY ARE!
This is how you should measure yourself and others: NOT BY MATERIAL WEALTH ALONE BUT ALSO AND MORE IMPORTANTLY BY THE RICHES OF THE HEART!
3John 1:2 NKJV: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
Financial and material wealth WITHOUT the CORRESPONDING RICHES OF THE HEART will lead to destruction!
Psalms 73:12-19 KJV: Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. (13) Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. (14) For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. (15) If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. (16) When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; (17) Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. (18) Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. (19) How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
Psalms 52:5-7 KJV: God shall likewise destroy thee forever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah. (6) The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: (7) Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.
How do we INCREASE THE RICHES OF OUR HEARTS?
Seeking God with ALL OF OUR HEARTS and so developing and maintaining David’s kind of heart:
Jeremiah 29:13 AMP: Then you will seek me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with ALL your heart. [Deut. 4:29-30.]
Acts 13:22 AMP: And when He had deposed him, He raised up David to be their king; of him He bore witness and said, I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart, who will do ALL My will and carry out My program fully. [I Sam. 13:14; Ps. 89:20; Isa. 44:28.]
We do this by practicing:
1. Honesty of heart by FREQUENTLY confessing our sins and so receiving the cleansing by the blood of Jesus (1 Jn. 1.7-10), because even something as small as the thought of foolishness is sin (Pr.24.9); whatsoever is not of faith is sin (Rom.14.23) and ‘he that knows to do good and does it not, to him it is sin’ (Jam. 4.17). This will cause the FREQUENCY AND GRAVITY of our sins to GRADUALLY drop to zero!
2. Humility of heart – by personal daily declaration of God’s Word to become more humble (Dt.30.14), fasting (Ps.35.13) and practicing simple acts of humility by taking lower positions in interactions with men (Lk.14.7-11).
3. Submitting to God’s counsel through the written Word, instead of what we feel or perceive in our own hearts (Ps.119.24, 1 Jn.3.20, Pr.28.26).
4. Strengthening our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit through praying in the Spirit (Eph.3.16, Jude.1.20).
So let us now increase the riches of our hearts, so we will truly glory in heart and not in appearance!
