All the days of the afflicted are bad, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast. Proverbs 15:15.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
I speak often about your heart.
God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7.
I am looking at your heart. It may be good for you to take a look too. Let us do a heart examination today.
When I speak of your heart I am talking about who you really are in your spirit and soul. I am speaking of what your innermost thoughts are, what your intentions are, what you are seeking, what you delight in, how you regard other people, how you regard yourself, and, above all, what your thoughts are towards Me. And what you say comes from what is abundant in your heart.
I know what My thoughts are towards you, plans for your shalom (goodness overflowing in all aspects of your life, spirit, soul, and body) and not evil to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11. And what is in My heart flows out to you in My Words and in the showers of blessing I send down on you to receive. My thoughts of you are precious and lovely.
Your eyes have seen my embryo; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You. Psalm 139:16-18.
I desire above all things that you prosper and be in good health, even as your soul prospers. And your soul prospers by walking in the truth. My Word is truth. So for everything to be prospering in your spirit, soul, and body, you must be walking in the truth. And I think this gives you a good idea of how you examine your heart. Yes, with My Word.
For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12.
My Word is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of your heart. My Word will ultimately be what examines you for your reward when your years upon the earth are done.
If anyone hears My Words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My Words, has one who judges him; the Word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. John 8:47-48.
I am looking for hearts that keep My Word for in keeping My Word there is great reward and I love to reward you. My Will is in My Word. And I tell you that My Will for you in Christ Jesus is to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and to give constant thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. And this is about what you are doing in your heart. Not just lip service but in the heart itself.
I only tell you to do that which benefits you, and what benefits you benefits Me because a good father loves to see his children prospering and in good health in every aspect of their lives. And a good shepherd wants his sheep healthy, well fed, secure, safe, and happy.
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22.
A heart filled with joy is a heart at peace without stress, and that is good medicine for all your body because a joyful heart strengthens your immune system. It also strengthens your bones.
Bright eyes gladden the heart; Good News makes your bones strong. Proverbs 15:30.
A tranquil, peaceful heart is life to the body, but jealousy is rottenness to the bones. Proverbs 14:30.
So let us start the exam, not you alone, but together with Me, for I sent Jesus to heal the broken hearted. I am interested in you having a joyful, healthy, pure heart. And to have that you must feed your heart a heart healthy diet which is all set out on the table I set before you of My Word.
All the days of the afflicted are bad, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast. Proverbs 15:15.
And that is key right there. Are you feasting continually on the joy of My Word? For My Kingdom is not a matter of eating and drinking physical food and rituals regarding that, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. And that is a matter of your heart.
Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.” Matthew 15:17-20.
And there you see some of the things you want to examine your heart for and eliminate as undesirable of your attention. If you are harboring evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders, or the like, you are eating from the wrong table, the table of demons. And you cannot mix that food with Mine and get a good result. Cursing, jealousy, envy all not only stay in your heart but go down to your very bones and these things rot your bones.
David wanted Me to examine his heart, “Examine me, O LORD, and try me; test my mind and my heart for Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth.” Psalm 26:2-3.
He knew I was loving, compassionate, and kind. So he asked Me to do a thorough exam and, not only to examine his heart but to cleanse it as well, sort of like a dental exam with full x-rays as well as a deep cleaning, “Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not rule over me; then I will be blameless, and I shall be acquitted of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:12-14.
David was concerned to have his every word and thought acceptable before Me. Are you concerned about that? Or do you just let your mind wander and create scenarios of you telling other people about the faults of those who are close to you? Even if you don’t discuss it with others fault-finding inner conversations are not acceptable before Me. Telling people off in your thoughts is not acceptable to Me or wishing them harm or death. And certainly not bitter roots and angry resentful thoughts.
And when David fell into a sin of the flesh and thoughts of lust, what he had done broke his heart. Psalm 51:17. But he knew where to run to get cleaned up. To Me, the lover of souls. I hate no one I made. I am there to cleanse you by the blood of My Son and the water of My Word. But you must acknowledge what you have done, repent and confess it to Me and I will cleanse you of all unrighteousness.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9.
But what is even better is not sinning in the first place. And how do you avoid that? By walking in the Light, that is, examining your heart and keeping it in the Light of My Word. If you store My Word and treasure it in your heart, controlling your thoughts with My Word, you will not sin.
Your Word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. Psalm 119:11.
Mary, the mother of Jesus according to the flesh treasured and pondered everything about Jesus in her heart. And she never sinned against Me. She stayed at the banquet of My Word and never left it. And she told you how to do the same: “whatever He tells you, do that.” That makes it very simple for your thought life and your life in general. And I tell you not to judge others, not to gossip or tell lies, and to meditate on My Word day and night not swerving from it to the right or the left.
How blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments . . . He will not fear evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is upheld, he will not fear. Psalm 112:1,7-8.
Obedience to My Word makes the soil of your heart produce.
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:1-3.
Look at your heart now. Before you plant seed in your heart you have to do a soil inspection. Make sure you are not harboring evil thoughts such as hatred, jealousy, wrath, anxieties, worry, fear, depression, grumbling, complaining, lust, strife, and the like. When you begin to harbor any of these things in your heart, think whether it is worth it to lose your blessings, to lose your harvest, over these things. Pull out the bitter roots. Get rid of the thorns of worry and anxiety. Let Me help you to soften up the ground of your heart so that you produce a harvest for the banquet.
You visit the earth and cause it to overflow; You greatly enrich it; the stream of God is full of water; You prepare their grain, for thus You prepare the earth. You water its furrows abundantly, You settle its ridges, You soften it with showers, You bless its growth. You have crowned the year with Your bounty, and Your paths drip with fatness. The pastures of the wilderness drip, and the hills gird themselves with rejoicing. The meadows are clothed with flocks and the valleys are covered with grain; they shout for joy, yes, they sing. Psalm 65:9-13.
It is all about what you do with My Word, whether you choose to make My Word the thought and meditation of your heart, whether you make it the seed you plant and grow in the soil of your heart or whether you choose to grow the weeds and thistles, the thorns and briars that choke off the harvest of My Word.
How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You to dwell in Your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple. Psalm 65:4
Look back over you day today, what were you thinking about? Would you want it broadcast from the housetops or do you need to hide it in the dark? Is it suitable for the marriage feast of My Son? But most importantly, did it give you joy and a sweet day or are you feeling unhappy and bitter? Can you say that your mouth is all sweetness and your thoughts were altogether lovely? Song of Songs 5:16. Such is your lover and such is your friend, why not you? Imitate Me as My dear children and think, talk, and walk in love. Come share My joy. You will be blessed.
Now it shall be, if you diligently listen to and obey the LORD your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you listen to and obey the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 28:1-2.
If you need to repent and change your thoughts, join in David’s song: “Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge. Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, let the bones which You have broken rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will be converted to You. Psalm 51:1-13.
That is working through sin and wrong thinking with Me, acknowledging the evil in repentance with trust in My help to take the sin away, opening up your heart to Me so I can purify you and cleanse you with the blood of your true Passover Lamb applied with hyssop as I had Moses and the Israelites do at the first Passover, and washed as white as snow though your sins were as crimson, as white as the wool of the unblemished Lamb. Giving you again My joy and gladness, My peace and clean heart and a renewed spirit. Filling you with My Spirit and drawing close to you as you draw close to Me. And giving you Salvation, Jesus, Yeshuah. And David’s return of thanksgiving? To witness to all My goodness to him so other sinners would repent as well.
Come to the banquet with joy! You have repented, been cleansed, forgiven, and blest. You are ready to produce your harvest that you have been waiting too long to put in the sickle and gather. All those bitter roots and idle inner conversations have been blocking the growth of the seed I planted in your heart.
Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. James 1:21-22.
I love you, remember a cheerful heart has a continual feast. Stop letting your evil, idle, unfruitful thoughts keep you out of the banquet hall.