THURSDAY March 30, 2023

How Is Your Heart Before God?

But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”
Acts 8:20-23

Peter outright rebuked Simon, “You are in sin!” Peter discerned that Simon did not want to forsake his sorcery or count the cost of accepting and following Jesus. Sin and bitterness held him back. In his heart, he never wanted anything to do with God. There was no true repentance. His only interest was in money.

How many people are just like Simon? There is no true evidence of their Christianity because they remain the same. There is nothing wrong with having money, but when money possesses you, then there is a problem. Consider the warning in 1 Timothy 6:10 KJV: For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

There are ways to discern if a person’s conversion is genuine. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “You will know them by their fruits.” Simply watch a person’s life. What do you see? Jesus strongly rebuked the self-righteous Pharisees; He knew their wicked hearts:

“Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. . . . for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:34-37).

Examine the things you are saying; those words come from your heart. Before God, do you stand justified or condemned?

...those who chose to reject God during their lifetime on earth will be separated from him for eternity. This is not God's desire, but man's own choice. God holds every man accountable for his rejection of Christ.
~Billy Graham~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!