LEARNING DAILY

John 5:39, “You search the Scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the scriptures point to Me!” Jesus  (The New Living Translation)

 

I am writing this on Saturday morning; I have been thinking about the decision handed down by the Supreme Court regarding Roe v Wade. My thoughts have gone to the heart of God and what His thoughts are regarding the world you and I live in. I have tried to think about what walking with Him in the Garden of Eden must have been like before sin occurred. I have been trying to grasp what it means to have a heart after God’s. And, I have been thinking about Jesus’s words telling us that those with a pure heart will see God. No wonder Jesus said walking on the narrow way would be a difficult task.

 

In John 5:39, Jesus told the Pharisees that they read and studied the Scriptures (the Old Testament) to find eternal life. Yet, when the way, the Life, and the Truth stood before them, they did not recognize Him and were not willing to come to Him for eternal life.  The Pharisees knew the Old Testament better than anyone else; they knew the prophesies of the coming Messiah. I find it interesting when our leaders quote the Bible in order to make their particular views seem valid. It tells me that even some knowledge of the Bible is dangerous and misleading when the one speaking does not know nor understand the heart of God.

 

How does one come to know the heart of God? It comes from time spent in God’s living and active Word. How does one get to know and understand another person? I don’t believe it comes from any other way than spending time with that person listening and discussing issues face to face. In that way there will not be misunderstanding of words or voice inflection or body language. Reading, studying, meditating, praying is the only way to come to know and understand God’s heart. There is another need because the Pharisees did that, yet, they did not know the Savior. To get the full understanding of God’s Word, one must be born again and diligently seek God’s heart through His Word. When one gives their life to Christ, the Helper, the Holy Spirit helps us understand who God is and desire to be like Him. He helps us navigate the difficulties we face on the narrow way.

 

The heart of God is the very essence of who He is, His characteristics, His purpose and His desires for all who believe in Him. 2 Timothy 3:16 is important because it states that all Scripture is divinely breathed out. That means that every word of the Bible was given to men to record. It is a record revealing who God is and what He is like. Anyone who reads the Bible to gain facts about God will not grow closer to Him. Bible reading should bring the reader to worship and love God with a tremendous sense of awe for who He is.  

 

Colossians 1:15 tells us, “Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation.” Jesus and God the Father are one. He represents the visible representation of God’s heart. In John 10:30, Jesus said, “I and My Father are one.” Jesus is the essence of His Father.

 

James 4:8, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” Do you want to know the heart of God? Do you want to have a pure heart? Then spend time with Him. Do so by reading and studying His Word and by spending time in prayer. How else can you know anyone except by spending time with him/her? The only way to enjoy a deeper relationship with Him and cause our desires to come into alignment with His? I am talking about a lifetime here. The more one learns and knows about the Lord, the more he/she will long to be with Him. It is life changing!