What steps can you take to ensure your heart is aligned with God? Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 12:14 “And he did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the LORD.” The Problem Illustrated: Rehoboam’s Heart • Rehoboam’s downfall began long before outward sin appeared. • His failure was internal: he never made a deliberate decision to pursue the LORD. • The lesson is simple—if the heart is not intentionally aimed at God, it drifts toward evil. Why Alignment Matters • Proverbs 4:23—“Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.” • Jeremiah 17:9–10 shows the heart’s natural deceit and our need for God’s searching. • A heart set on God shapes thoughts, choices, relationships, and eternal destiny. Step 1: Recognize the Condition of Your Heart • Admit its natural bent toward self (Jeremiah 17:9). • Invite God’s diagnosis (Psalm 139:23–24). • Refuse to trust feelings as the final authority; rely on Scripture instead. Step 2: Purposefully Set Your Heart to Seek the LORD • Decide, like Ezra (Ezra 7:10), to “set [your] heart to study the Law of the LORD.” • Make seeking God your top priority (Matthew 6:33). • Aim mind and affections heavenward (Colossians 3:1–2). Step 3: Feed Daily on God’s Word • Meditate “day and night” (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2–3). • Let Scripture judge thoughts and motives (Hebrews 4:12). • Keep a reading plan and memorize key verses. Step 4: Live in Continual Prayer and Dependence • “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). • Cast anxieties on Him (Philippians 4:6–7). • Talk with God throughout the day, not just in set moments. Step 5: Translate Desire into Obedient Action • “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) • Be a “doer” of the Word (James 1:22). • Obedience keeps the heart soft; delayed obedience hardens it. Step 6: Stay Accountable in Gospel Community • Meet regularly with believers (Hebrews 10:24–25). • Invite iron-sharpens-iron relationships (Proverbs 27:17). • Follow the early church pattern of fellowship, teaching, breaking bread, and prayer (Acts 2:42). Step 7: Practice Ongoing Examination and Repentance • Ask God to expose hidden faults (Psalm 19:12). • Confess sin promptly (1 John 1:9). • Turn back quickly; repentance realigns the heart. Step 8: Guard Against Subtle Drift • Pay “closer attention” lest you drift (Hebrews 2:1). • Watch for pride (1 Corinthians 10:12). • Remember your first love and do the works you did at first (Revelation 2:4–5). A Picture of a Heart Aligned with God • Strength renewed in weakness (Psalm 73:26). • Growing desire “to know Him” (Philippians 3:10). • The LORD’s eyes roam “to show Himself strong” for those whose hearts are wholly His (2 Chronicles 16:9). Keep setting your heart—intentionally, daily, wholeheartedly—on seeking the LORD, and He will faithfully align it to His own. |
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