The Father's Heart

Sunday, July 18th,  2010

Today's Passage: Psalm 50
Memory Verses: Ps. 50: 14-15; 23

Blessings, Friends and Lifers!  Today is another opportunity to go into the house of God with praise on our lips.  After all He is and does, this is our reasonable service to Him.  But there are some things we must be mindful of as we enter His house that I believe we all need to hear.

This passage seems to be admonishing us to be aware that no other sacrifice except genuine worship will be acceptable to Him.  Remember that He sees into our hearts, not just the outside like everyone else does.  We cannot bribe God to accept physical things in exchange for our lack of devotion.  Remember what happened between Cain and Abel?  God knew that it was Abel's desire to offer Him his best, while Cain was content to give God what was left over.  In other words, God is painfully aware of how much time we were willing to spend with Him this week. While bringing our tithes and offering into the storehouse is good, be careful about using it as a replacement of the true worship God desires from us.

Notice also the attitude God has towards those who come to church, but no transformation is made.  It's almost as if He sees us sitting on our pews with our fingers spiritually stuck in our ears while the word is being preached going:"La,la,la,la,la,la.  I don't hear You.  You're not talking to me..." God says to us today, be mindful not to be hearers of His word only.  Rather than walking away and immediately forgetting what He said, let's heed His word and hide it deep in our hearts so that in the evil day, we'll be able to stand against the evil one.

It all comes down to what He says in verses 14, 15, and 23.  When we come into His house with reverence and humility, knowing that only He can change us, God is able to reveal to us the places in our lives that need to be changed so they can reflect Him.  So let's enter the Father's house with our walls down and all our pretenses destroyed. Let's bow in true praise and worship, accepting His judgment.  In return, He promises us that He will show us His salvation.  I believe this means He will give us the clean hearts we need to have a real relationship with Him, so that He can show Himself faithful in and through our lives.

Prayer: Father, prepare me through Your Holy Spirit to enter Your Presence with true thanksgiving and a heart that's ready to turn from the things that break Your heart.  Create in me a clean heart, and renew the right spirit within me.  Show me Your salvation as I praise You with everything in me.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.