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What Do Our Hearts Know?

By: Tekoa Manning

“If our hearts know nothing against us, we have confidence in approaching God” 1 John 3:21.

What do our hearts know? “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9 KJV. Yahweh searches the hearts of men to see whats inside them. He knows.

Simple. Short. To the point. Can you remember a time in childhood when you were uneasy about approaching a parent, or teacher or another authority figure due to some promises you failed to keep or something secretive you were doing? Let’s say you failed to wash the dishes, mow the yard, and take out the trash. You are in trouble for failing to do your chores, but your friends want you to go to a concert and even have free tickets. All you have to do is ask your parents. The problem comes when it’s time to approach them knowing that you failed to do what they asked you to. You do not have that boldness you need.

Perhaps they discovered that you have been secretly doing a number of things behind their backs that they don’t approve of. You are certain they are very disappointed over this but you need new gym shoes or money for a car repair and you have to approach them for help. Picture the same scenario only it’s our Heavenly Father. We need Him to smooth out a relationship with a parent, sibling or dear friend. We need a healing or a financial situation is in dire consequences and we are desperate for our Father to come and help us.

“Here is how we will know that we are from the truth and will set our hearts at rest in his presence: if our hearts know something against us, God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts know nothing against us, we have confidence in approaching God; then, whatever we ask for, we receive from him; because we are obeying his commands and doing the things that please him.” 1 John 3:19-22 CJB.

Hopefully, this is making more sense. The examples I used above may seem elementary, but our issues at times with the flesh are very elementary. We indulge in too much of something good. Food can be good but too much is gluttony. Grapes on the vine can make for a good Chianti but too much of anything good is an indulgence. We all know the things we need to stop doing because our conscious tells us. If we gossip, spend money recklessly, lust after things with our eyes, or seek revenge, and harbor unforgiveness, we get an alert from the Holy Spirit of Truth. But if our hearts know nothing against us we can come boldly before the Father. We also have a High Priest who has compassion and is interceding for us.

“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:15-16 NASB.

Ephesians 3:12 says, “Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.” NLT. What a great feeling it is to have a parent you know is proud of you–one you can boldly meet with. And if perhaps you never had that relationship with your parents, know that you can have one with HIM.

 

about the authorTekoa Manning is the author of two fiction works, Polishing Jade & Walter the Homeless Man. After a neurological illness left her disabled and eventually homeless, Tekoa began to channel her creativity into writing and devouring the Word of Yahweh. She is the wife of a retired police chief and the mother of three sons. Tekoa and her husband reside in a small town in KY. The pen name Tekoa means Trumpet, the instrument that unites people at a sudden impulse.

You can find out more about Tekoa and her writing endeavors at tekoamanning.com

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