Topical Bible: The Heart: God: Prepares

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In the biblical context, the heart is often seen as the center of human will, emotions, and intellect. It is the seat of moral and spiritual life, where decisions are made and intentions are formed. The Bible frequently speaks of God's role in preparing and influencing the human heart, emphasizing His sovereignty and intimate involvement in the lives of His people.

God's Sovereignty in Preparing the Heart

The Scriptures affirm that God has the power to prepare and direct the hearts of individuals according to His divine purposes. In Proverbs 16:1, it is written, "The plans of the heart belong to man, but the reply of the tongue is from the LORD" . This verse highlights the interplay between human intention and divine intervention, suggesting that while humans may devise plans, it is ultimately God who guides the outcome.

God's Work in the Hearts of His People

Throughout the Bible, there are numerous instances where God prepares the hearts of His people to fulfill His will. In the Old Testament, God prepared the heart of King David to lead Israel with integrity and devotion. In 1 Samuel 13:14, God declares, "The LORD has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler over His people" . This demonstrates God's active role in shaping David's heart to align with His purposes.

Similarly, in the New Testament, God prepares the hearts of believers to receive the message of the Gospel. In Acts 16:14, we read about Lydia, a woman whose heart the Lord opened to respond to Paul's message: "One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message" . This passage illustrates God's initiative in preparing hearts to embrace faith and salvation.

God's Preparation for Obedience and Service

God not only prepares hearts for belief but also for obedience and service. In the book of Ezra, we see an example of God preparing the heart of Ezra for a specific mission. Ezra 7:10 states, "For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel" . Here, God's preparation of Ezra's heart is evident in his dedication to studying, practicing, and teaching God's law.

The Role of Prayer in Heart Preparation

Prayer is a vital means through which believers seek God's preparation of their hearts. In Psalm 51:10, David prays, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me" . This plea reflects a desire for God to purify and prepare the heart for righteous living. Through prayer, believers invite God to mold their hearts, aligning them with His will and purposes.

God's Promise to Transform Hearts

The Bible also contains promises of God's transformative work in the hearts of His people. In Ezekiel 36:26, God promises, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh" . This prophetic promise points to the New Covenant, where God prepares and transforms hearts through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, enabling believers to live in obedience and relationship with Him.

In summary, the Bible presents a comprehensive view of God's active role in preparing the human heart. Whether through direct intervention, the influence of His Word, or the work of the Holy Spirit, God prepares hearts for faith, obedience, and service, demonstrating His sovereignty and love for His people.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Chronicles 29:18
O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of your people, and prepare their heart to you:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Proverbs 16:1
The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Whether Grace is Necessarily Given to Whoever Prepares Himself for ...
... Hence, however much a man prepares himself, he does ... is most certainly liberated."
Hence if God intends, while moving, that the one whose heart He moves ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether grace is necessarily given.htm

Spiritual Hunger Shall be Satisfied
... As in the case of prayer, when God prepares the heart to pray, he prepares his ear
to hear (Psalm 10:17); so in the case of spiritual hunger, when God prepares ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/14 spiritual hunger shall be.htm

Whether Grace is Bound to be Given to one who Prepares Himself for ...
... then, is grace bound to be given to one who prepares himself for ... Hence if a man whose
heart is moved receives grace by the intention of God who moves ...
/.../aquinas/nature and grace/article three whether grace is 3.htm

Letter xvii. --Remorse and Rebellion.
... formal acts constantly reiterated; they are acts straight from the heart, stronger
and ... still better sign, because it is in this way that God prepares the soul ...
/.../abandonment to divine providence/letter xvii remorse and rebellion.htm

Twenty-Second Lesson. My Words in You. '
... our heart, we shall learn to speak in the voice and the language that God hears.
It is the ear of the learner, wakened morning by morning, that prepares for ...
/.../murray/with christ in the school of prayer/twenty-second lesson my words in.htm

He Interprets the Scriptures which the Pelagians Make Ill Use Of.
... of the tongue is from the Lord," it is that man prepares his heart, not, however,
without the aid of God, who so touches the heart that man prepares the heart. ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 19 ix he interprets the.htm

The Two Covenants: the Transition
... of the transition, as seen in Christ, prepares us for ... of day, the light of God has
risen upon the heart. God's offer of entrance into the enjoyment of our New ...
/.../murray/the two covenants/chapter viii the two covenants .htm

Love in the Triune Being of God.
... It thus prepares the way for the highest love, that directs ... The Word declares that
God is Love, and the Spirit's testimony says in every heart: "Amen, not ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xviii love in the triune.htm

The Soil and the Seed
... Culture prepares the soil; and then in sacred moments ... in the busiest moments of your
day, God, the sower ... His minute influences for good over the heart, and what ...
/.../peabody/mornings in the college chapel/lxxix the soil and the.htm

The Thesis to be Proved
... the law, and has the work of the law written in his heart, whose thoughts ... himself:
"It is one thing to inquire by what methods God prepares for repentance or ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 2/i the thesis to be.htm