DAY 03 - CONSIDER THE HEART
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FOOD CALENDAR:
Daniel Fruits, Veggies, Legumes, Grains
DEVO - CONSIDER THE HEART:
What do you want God to do in your heart? The heart of a person represents their entire personality. Theologically, it is where the spirit (where we connect organically with God) and soul (mind, will, and emotions) intersect. Everything we do in life comes from the energy of the heart, whether good or evil.
The prophet Jeremiah revealed that the heart is fundamentally corrupted by the original sin of Adam:
JEREMIAH 17:9 (AMP) The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]?
We learn the expansive expressions from the heart in the following examples:
Calloused (Matthew 13:15) / Tender
Hard (Mark 6:52) / Soft
Distant (Mark 7:6) / Close
Doubt in (Mark 11:23) / Faith in
Unbelief (Mark 16:14) / Believing
Slow (Luke 24:25) / Quick
Troubled (John 14:1) / Restful or Peaceful
Sorrow filled (John 16:6) / Joy filled
Foolish (Romans 1:21) / Wise
Darkened (Romans 1:21) / Clear or Light Filled
Unrepentant (Romans 2:5) / Changed and Submitted
Secrets (1 Corinthians 14:25) / Transparent
Blindness (Ephesians 4:18) / Sight or Clarity
Straying (Hebrews 3:10) / Unmoving and Uncompromising
Pure (Matthew 5:8) / Impure or Toxic
Gentle/Humble/Lowly (Matthew 11:29) / Arrogant or Resistant
Love with (Mark 12:33) / Uncaring or Devaluing
Honest (Luke 8:15) / Deceptive or Giving Margins
Good (Luke 8:15) / Evil
Understanding (John 12:40) / Dull or Not Understanding
Burning (Luke 24:32) / No feeling
Rejoicing (John 16:32) / Still or Silent or Unmoved
Single (Acts 2:46) / Multiple Loyalties and Priorities
Filled (Acts 5:3) / Empty
Purpose in (2 Corinthians 9:7) / No Purpose
Open (Acts 16:14) / Closed
Obedience (Romans 6:17) / Disobedient
Worshipful Music (Ephesians 5:19) / No Song and No Worship
Jeremiah later prophecies again about God GIVING us a new heart. The implication is that it is impossible for a person to change their heart without Divine intervention.
Jeremiah 24:7 (NIV) I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.
A new heart comes by God’s grace. When we spend time surrendered to God, soaking in time and proximity, the grace of God overcomes and transforms our hearts. One way to soak in grace is to dedicate ourselves to a Biblical fast.
JOEL 2:12-13 (AMP) Therefore also now, says the Lord, turn and keep on coming to Me with all your heart, with fasting…
Even “old” followers of Christ need “new” hearts from time to time. Take time today to treat your heart as your greatest commodity. Surrender the heart to God. Read Scripture, soak in worship, be authentic, and with time and proximity to God, let Him give you a new heart!
PRAYER:
Lord God, give me a new heart!! I know this is more of a process than a gift. Give me the courage and intensity to spend time with You in Scripture, worship, and bonding. I receive your grace today to have a NEW heart, a heart that is fully given to you!
PRAYER PLAN:
Church Faith Community to Spiritual Hunger - That EVERYONE at my local church faith community receive an intensified spiritual hunger.
SUGGESTED READING: Galatians 3 (NIV)
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? 4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. 8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
15 Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.
19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.
21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
23 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
DECLARATION:
God is giving me a new heart and putting a new spirit within me. He is removing the heart of stone and has put His Spirit within me, moving me to follow His decrees and to carefully keep His laws (Ezekiel 36:26-32). Today my heart is being infused and possessed by the Holy Spirit as God gives me the “will” and the ability to perform His will (Philippians 2:13). I delight myself in the Lord and He is giving me new desires in my heart (Proverbs 37:4).
WORKSHOP SATURATION:
Workshop saturation is taking spiritual topics and listening to them until they change the way you think, believe, and live. During the Awakening fast, we encourage you to binge-listen or binge-watch our Workshops the way you would binge-watch a show on Netflix. See Workshop Saturation for more information and instructions for accessing the Workshops.
COMMENTS:
Throughout your 21 days, please leave comments of how these Daily Devos have encouraged, inspired and comforted your heart and faith. Read other people's comments and respond. Let's have a conversation!
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