HE SEARCHES AND JUDGES THE DEEP THINGS
Many have become frustrated after several sessions of praying and fasting for something from God. They have the engaged the forces of faith prayer, fasting, positive confession and what you have but yet it seems Luke God is far away from them let alone hear their cry. It seems to them that God isn't interested in their situations. To them, they tried all they know to do but it is all to no avail.
While I believe that the first thing some of us will say is that the person in question should check their lives and see if they have not committed sins that needs to be confessed and confess same and represent their case to God, I also know that the scriptures has said that "The Lord is not too weak to save and He isn't getting deaf! He can hear when we call but the trouble is that your sins have cut you off from God". (Isaiah 59:1-2). I believe that sins committed are great barriers between our souls and God. They cause God to turn His face away from us and not to listen to us.
However, while we place much emphasis on the acts of sins committed, I see the Lord pointing at a more fundamental and critical issue. The Psalmist said " If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me" (Psalms 66:18). This issue becomes crucial because of what God Himself said in 1Sam 16:7 " ....... People judge others by what they look like, but I judge people by a what is in their hearts."
God is not confused about the looks of men. While our words, actions and deeds are basis for human judgment; the heart (thoughts, intentions, motives and imagination) is what God judges. He knows the heart of all men since we all naked before His light and Hr judges us according to same what He finds there.
At this juncture, it is good for us to highlight and clarify some words here for better understanding: Sin, sins and iniquity. Sin is the nature of the earth and evil in man. Sins are the actions of sins committed (lying, stealing etc) which is what most of us see and judge. It is in the plural because the acts are much. Iniquity is the thoughts of sins, the thoughts that the nature of sin produces and the desires stirred up by the sinful nature in us.
While we quickly and often judge the acts because that is in the realm of what we can see, know that God judges the heart. It is not just committing sins that offends God but indulging in impure thoughts, pernicious curiosity and inordinate affection are also more annoying to God because in God's sight, you are your thoughts. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.
It is therefore time for us to check out lives and hearts and see if it aligns with God's standards. It is high time we started our evaluation from the inside out and not just outside in. If we must receive from God in this season, we must be ready to check and purify our hearts and make it fitting for God.
I wish you the best of the season and May the good Lord give you a pure and clean heart as a gift for the season. We shall continue from there.
Solarin T. David
