So It Came

“So it came to pass, through her casual harlotry, that she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees. And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense,” says the LORD.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭3:9-10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

"has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense" is what kept off the page, this morning!

I would love to have a dollar for every time I've heard "God knows my heart!"

The Bible says:  ““The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” Jeremiah‬ ‭17:9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

He surely does. 

We try so hard to be good. 

We try to live right. 

“As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.””

‭‭Romans‬ ‭3:10-12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.”  ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭64:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

We can't do it on our own!

We have to turn with our whole heart!

"has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense"

Turning with your whole heart, is what's missing today (just like then); we do it in pretense! 

We are not told about the sins lurking in our heart, that must be confessed and repented of; sins of unforgiveness, bitterness, fear, anger, resentment, and such. For you see, the sleeping church accepts those things and doesn't require you to turn from them. The turning away from sin is not required as long as you walk the aisle and pay your tithe. It's about "numbers, nickels and noses!" (Milton Green)

See, a real change, according to scripture IS required! And that change occurs when we obey His Word! It's not a pretense; it truly happens.

“Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.””  Matthew‬ ‭22:37-40‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

““If you love Me, keep My commandments.” ‭‭John‬ ‭14:15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

When you love the LORD; when you keep His commandments, you don't love the world and the things of the world. You actually look different and act differently. The things of the world hold no attraction, for you. You know - "this is not your home!"

Don't be fooled! 

Ask God to open your eyes, open your ears, and change your heart! Ask Him to expose the hidden sins in your heart so that you may confess and repent! 

Seek Him first, in all things! 

Make Him your principle purpose! Pray for a hunger and thirst for righteousness! 

Desire to burn for Him!

Repent while there is still time!

Even so - MARANATHA!