Three Aspects Of The Heart (Part 3)

The Wealth Given To The Heart
Ezekiel 36:26 NIV
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:3-4 NKJV
Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man.

Proverb 15:13-15 NKJV
A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance,
But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.
All the days of the afflicted are evil,
But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.

Matthew 5:8 NIV
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

As spiritual children of God and as joint-heirs with Christ we are promised to receive as an inheritance all that is contained in His Kingdom (see Romans 8:16-17 and Hebrews 9:15-17). This specifically  applies to the heart as well. If we look at the earlier scriptures given we could pick out some of God’s wealth given to our hearts. They are:
1. A new heart (in-line with God’s will)
2. A heart of flesh (sensitive to the Holy Spirit)
3. A merry heart (joyful, hopeful)
4. A pure heart (righteous)

The result of this wealth gives us even further blessings from God. They are:
1. A removal of a heart of stone
2. Direction for our paths
3. Favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man
4. Cheerful countenance
5. A continual feast (of knowledge and wisdom)
6. An ability to see God
-JSS

Three Aspects Of The Heart (Part 2)

The Warnings For The Heart
Proverbs 4:23 NIV
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Luke 5:45 NKJV
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Proverbs 15:28 NKJV
The heart of the righteous studies how to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.

It would be one thing if everything in our heart whether good or bad stayed in there, but as we know all too well, that’s not possible. God created us with the capacity to express ourselves and society helps in nurturing self-expression as we grow. Ever since infancy we have learned the value of self-expression to gratify our needs and wants. This self-expression takes many forms; crying, smiling, begging, lying, pleasing, sulking, praising, and so on. Some good, some bad, but all from within.
God warns us to “guard our heart” and to “study how to answer” because too often we just spew out whatever’s on our heart and mind. This “spewing” takes many forms but often it finds its way to that precarious instrument called the mouth. If the heart is wicked and vile, the mouth will produce wicked and vile speech. If the heart is pure and good, then in turn the mouth will produce pure and good speech. This is very important because the bible further states that, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” (Proverbs 18:21 NKJV). James 3 refers to the tongue, despite its size, as an incredible force that governs the rest of the body. He compares it to a bit in a horse’s mouth (v. 3), a rudder of a ship (v. 4) And a kindling fire that ignites a whole forest (vs. 5-6). So, we are warned to guard our tongue and our actions that represent our inner self. They definitely have an impact on the outcome of our life and the lives of others. We must consciously and consistently ask God to examine our hearts and place them under His will and purpose. - JSS

Psalm 139: 23-24 NKJV
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

Freedom Is Not Free (A Poem)

I watched the flag pass by one day,
It fluttered in the breeze;
A young Marine saluted it,
And then he stood at ease.

I looked at him in uniform,
So young, so tall, so proud;
With hair cut square and eyes alert,
He’d stand out in any crowd.

I thought… how many men like him
Had fallen through the years?
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers’ tears?

How many pilots’ planes shot down
How many died at sea
How many foxholes were soldiers’ graves
No, Freedom is not Free.

I heard the sound of Taps one night,
When everything was still;
I listened to the bugler play,
And felt a sudden chill;

I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant “Amen”
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend;

I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea,
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No. Freedom is not Free!

©Copyright 1981 by Kelly Strong
Email: kellystrong@aol.com
Used with permission.

Three Aspects Of The Heart (Part 1)

The Wickedness Of The Heart
Mark 7:20-24 NKJV
And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

Mark makes it clear that the evil within the heart is what defiles a man. Evil or sin is manifested in all of the above examples, but of course it doesn’t stop there. Mark could have used other examples such as gossip or lying. Also, Mark seems to imply that all have equal value. This is true. In fact, in God’s eyes, sin is sin and all sin is abhorred by God. Last thing, we must keep in mind, as we’ll see in the scriptures that follow, evil that is acted upon or manifested is a choice. We choose to obey the flesh rather than overcome it in the spirit. We must make a conscious effort to triumph over the comfortable evil in our hearts and reach out for a higher plane of holiness. - JSS

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

Ezekiel 3:6-7 NKJV
Surely, had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you. But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted.

Jeremiah 7:22-24 NIV
For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices, but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you. But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.

Three Aspects Of The Heart (Introduction)

Proverbs 27:19 NKJV
As in water face reflects face,
So a man’s heart reveals the man.

Our heart exposes the true essence of who we are. In other words, it sharply reveals our character. It’s interesting to note that the writer of Proverbs used an example, “as in water face reflects face” to express how the heart reveals the man. There seems to be one problem with his example when we observe it more closely. The face is an outside image and it looks upon the water and then naturally reflects the exact same face. So, the reflected face does not originally reside in the water. The face is not an internal characteristic or the essence of the water. Did the writer use this example haphazardly or because he lacked a better example. I don’t think so. I think he was very intentional.
As  Christians, we are called to reveal God’s heart and not our own. In other words,  our heart must be so transformed that His heart must reflect/reveal from us and be exposed for all the world to see. No longer will the world see our carnal heart. They will see a brand new heart. To use the words of Max Lucado, we must have “a heart like Jesus”.
But before this can happen we must be aware of at least three aspects of the heart according to scripture. They are: the wickedness of the heart, the warnings for the heart, and the wealth given to the heart. - JSS

Jesus Prays For Himself

John 17:1-5 NKJV
Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.  And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for glorifying Your Son and making Him known throughout the world. It is in first knowing Your Son, that we would even begin to know You. Thank you for His example but more importantly for His obedience that led Him to the cross of Calvary. His redemption glorified Your mercy and grace. Thank you for allowing us to choose salvation that can only come through our Savior, Jesus Christ. His sacrifice frees us from the bondage of sin, death and an eternal Hell. His love bridges our broken relationship from us to You. Lord, please help us to share in and fulfill Your redemptive purpose. May Your glory be truly known. It’s in Jesus’ name, I pray, amen! - JSS

The Baptist Speaks Of Jesus

Matthew 3:11-12 NKJV
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Mark 1:6-8 NKJV
Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

John 1:26-27 NKJV
John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

John 1:35 NKJV
Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”

Father, Hear Thy Children's Call (Lyrics)

V. 1
Father, hear Thy children’s call;
Humbly at Thy feet we fall,
Prodigals, confessing all:
We beseech Thee, hear us.
Christ, beneath Thy cross we blame
All our life of sin and shame;
Penitent, we breathe Thy name:
We beseech Thee, hear us.

V. 2
Sick, we come to Thee for cure,
Guilty, seek Thy mercy sure,
Evil, long to be made pure:
We beseech Thee, hear us.
Blind, we pray that we may see,
Bound, we pray to be made free,
Stained, we pray for sanctity:
We beseech Thee, hear us.

V. 3
By Thy love that bids Thee spare,
By the heav’n Thou dost prepare,
By Thy promises to pray’r,
We beseech Thee, hear us.
Amen.

Words by Thomas B. Pollock. Music by J. H. Gower. This hymn is in the Public Domain.

Is Peace Within You? (Part 2)

Peace is a gift from God. It is through our Savior Jesus Christ that we receive this gift. Those who don’t have Christ’s peace are characterized by restlessness, fear, discontentment, pleasure-seeking, a lack of joy, anger, dishonesty with themselves/others and hopelessness.
A few years back I could say that I didn’t have peace in my heart; the internal and eternal peace that is spoken of in the Bible. The result: I was angry most of the time. It affected my attitude, my relationship with God and my relationship with others. I realized that I couldn’t continue in the same way. So, one day I made a conscious and deliberate effort to seek peace in my life. I started working on the internal struggles and unrest I felt. At one point I remember even telling myself (as well as others) that I was going to be at peace. Additionally, I said that I wasn’t going to dwell on my past and the many mistakes I had made. I would certainly learn from my mistakes, but dwelling on them would only keep me unsettled. I pushed myself to look toward the future. I chose to mend the brokenness within myself, my relationship with God and my relationships with  people I hurt the most. This wasn’t easy and I still consider myself on a journey to recovery.
Presently I feel I have a solid and lasting peace in my heart. My relationship with God and others is stronger but it is certainly on-going. The old nature is not dead yet. I still feel restless or angry from time to time, but these are mostly situational. I can honestly say that I couldn’t have achieved some success without God’s help. I hope to be an example of God’s life-changing power for others to follow. - JSS

Job 22:21 NKJV
Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace;
Thereby good will come to you.

Is Peace Within You? (Part 1)

2 Thessalonians 3:16 NIV
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

Psalm 46:10 AMP
Let be and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God.

Psalm 122:8 NKJV
For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.”

I like that “within” is used. Intimacy is emphasized. Jesus, the “Prince of Peace”, isn’t just with us but He dwells within us. So, along with greeting others with, “Peace be with you.”, we may also say, “Peace be within you.” - JSS

John 14:27 NIV
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

To My Mother (A Poem)

I do not build a monument
Of carved white marble for your sake,
That only those who pass may read,
And only those memorial make.

My life must be the monument
I consecrate in your behalf;
My charity must carve your name,
My gentleness your epitaph.

Above this record I engrave,
No drooping figure there must be;
Straight-shouldered courage, starry eyed,
Must mark this scroll of destiny.

And may some fragments of your strength
By God’s great mystery fall on me,
That through this monument of mine,
May shine your immortality.
- Claudia Cranston

Taken from Public School Methods, Volume 5, pg. 515, Methods Company, 1921. This work is in the Public Domain.

Jesus Cleanses A Leper (Part 4)

And Jesus saith unto him, see thou tell no man,
Not that this fact could be concealed, if it was done publicly, before the multitude; nor was it Christ's design that it should be; only it was his counsel to this man, that whilst he was on the road to Jerusalem, and when he was come there, that he would speak of it to no man, before he came to the priest, or priests: lest out of ill will to Christ, they should refuse to pronounce him clean:

but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that
Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
The man was now in one of the cities of Galilee; from hence Christ orders him to make the best of his way, directly to Jerusalem; and present himself to one of the priests, by him to be examined, whether he was free of his leprosy; and then offer what was ordered by the law of Moses in such cases: for as yet the ceremonial law was not abolished: and therefore, as Christ was subject to it himself, so he enjoins others the observance of it. There was a two fold offering, according to the law of Moses, on account of the cleansing of the leper; ( Leviticus 14:1-14:57 ) the one was on the first day of his cleansing, when he first showed himself to the priest, and consisted of two birds, alive and clean, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop; the other, and which was properly the offering on the eighth day, was, if the man was able, two he lambs and one ewe lamb, with a meat offering; but if poor, one lamb, with a meat offering, and two turtle doves, or two young pigeons.
Now these were the things which, as the other evangelists say, this leper was ordered to offer for his cleansing, "for a testimony unto them"; meaning either to the priests; for the Syriac and Persic versions read the former clause, "show thyself to the priests", in ( Luke 17:14 ) that they being satisfied of the healing and cleansing of this man, and accordingly pronouncing him clean, and accepting his offerings, this might be either a convincing testimony to them, that Jesus was the Son of God, and true Messiah, and that he did not deny or oppose the law given by Moses; or might be a standing testimony against them, should they continue in unbelief; or else to the Jews, who saw the miracle, and heard the orders Christ gave to the man after he had healed him; or to the lepers that they were cleansed; or this law of Moses was for a testimony or statute to be always observed by them in such cases.

An excerpt taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible. This work is in the Public Domain.
Note: the publisher of this site applied slight modifications to provide clarity and to maintain brevity.

Jesus Cleanses A Leper (Part 3)

And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him
This is a wonderful instance both of the grace, and goodness of Christ, in touching this loathsome creature; and of his unspotted purity and holiness, which could not be defiled by it; and of his mighty power in healing by a touch, and with a word of his mouth,

saying, I will, be thou clean:
in which he expresses at once his willingness, "I will", of which the leper before was not certain; and his power by a word of command, "be thou clean"; and in which also is shown the readiness of Christ to do it: he did not stand parleying with the man, or making any further trial of his faith, or objecting to him his uncleanness; but at once stretches out his hand, touches his filthy flesh, and commands off the disorder. A great encouragement this, for poor sensible sinners to betake themselves to Christ, under a sense of their guilt and filth; who readily receives such, in no wise casts them out, but gives immediate discoveries of his power and grace unto them:

And immediately his leprosy was cleansed,
or he was cleansed from it; he was not only pronounced clean, but was made so; he was thoroughly healed of the disease of leprosy. The Jews, themselves acknowledge this fact; for so they tell us in their wicked and blasphemous book, that Jesus should say,
"bring me a leper, and I will heal him; and they brought him a leper, and he healed him also by Shemhamphorash,'' i.e. by the ineffable name Jehovah. Though they greatly misrepresent the matter; for this man was not brought by others, at the request of Christ, but came of his own accord; nor was he healed by the use of any name, as if it was done by a sort of magic, but by a touch of his hand, and the word of his mouth. Whether this was the same man with Simon the leper, (Matthew 26:6) as some have thought, is not certain.


An excerpt taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible. This work is in the Public Domain.
Note: the publisher of this site applied slight modifications to provide clarity and to maintain brevity.

Jesus Cleanses A Leper (Part 2)

This man came of his own accord, having heard of the fame of Christ;

and worshipped him
in a civil and respectful way, showing great reverence to him as a man; which he did by falling down on his knees, and on his face; prostrating himself before him, in a very humble and submissive manner, as the other evangelists relate: for that he worshipped him as God, is not so manifest; though it is certain he had an high opinion of him, and great faith in him; which he very modestly expresses,

saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean:
he was fully assured of his power, that he could make him clean, entirely rid him of his leprosy, which the priest could not do; who could only, according to the law, pronounce him clean, so that he might be admitted to company, but could not heal him of his disease: this the poor man was persuaded Christ could do for him, and humbly submits it to his will; of which, as yet, he had no intimation from him. And thus it is with poor sensible sinners under first awakenings; they can believe in the ability of Christ to justify them by his righteousness, cleanse them by his blood; and save them by his grace to the uttermost: but they stick at, and hesitate about his willingness, by reason of their own vileness and unworthiness.


An excerpt taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible. This work is in the Public Domain.
Note: the publisher of this site applied slight modifications to provide clarity and to maintain brevity.

Jesus Cleanses A Leper (Part 1)

Matthew 8:1-4 KJV
When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

And behold there came a leper
As soon as he came down from the mountain, and whilst he was in the way; though Luke says, ( Luke 5:12 ) "when he was in a certain city"; in one of the cities of Galilee; one of their large towns, or unwalled cities, into which a leper might come: he might not come into walled towns, at least they might turn him out, though without punishment: for the canon runs thus,
"a leper that enters into Jerusalem is to be beaten; but if he enters into any of the other walled towns, though he has no right, as it is said, "he sitteth alone", he is not to be beaten.''
Besides, this leper, as Luke says, was "full of leprosy", ( Luke 5:12 ) see the note there; and he might be pronounced clean by the priest, though not healed, and so might go into any city or synagogue: the law concerning such an one, in ( Leviticus 13:1-13:59 ) is a very surprising one; that if only there were some risings and appearances of the leprosy here and there, the man was unclean; but if "the leprosy covered all his flesh", then he was pronounced clean; and such was this man: he was a very lively emblem of a poor vile sinner, full of sin and iniquity, who is brought to see himself all over covered with sin, when he comes to Christ for pardon and cleansing; and is so considered by Christ the high priest, when he applies his justifying righteousness and sin purging blood to his conscience. A leper, by the Jews, is called, "a wicked" man; for they suppose leprosy comes upon him for evil speaking. This account is ushered in with a "behold", as a note of admiration and attention, expressing the wonderfulness of the miracle wrought, and the seasonableness of it to confirm the doctrines Christ had been preaching to the multitude.


An excerpt taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible. This work is in the Public Domain.
Note: the publisher of this site applied slight modifications to provide clarity and to maintain brevity.

How Is Your Heart?

1 Samuel 16:7 NKJV
For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

If people will neither be awakened by the greatest things, not allured by the sweetest things, not startled by the most terrible things, nor be made aware by the plainest things; if they will listen to the voice neither of scripture, nor reason, nor experience, nor providence, nor conscience, nor interest, what more can be done? - Matthew Henry

Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?

Has your heart become so hard, so bitter, so protective, so calloused, so injured, so indifferent, so locked shut, that you’ve hindered God from entering in? - JSS

Psalm 51:17 NKJV
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.

You Will Not Die But Live! (Lyrics)

V.1 
I was pushed back, bruised
And about to fall,
And tryin’ to make sense
Of it all.
I was filled with doubt
And incredible fear,
But then I called on Jesus,
And He came near,
"You will not die
But live!
You will not die
But live!"

V.2 
I was taken to places
I should never have been.
Where loneliness and heartaches
Became my best friends.
And then I remembered
Those words of hope,
“Fear not, for I’m always with you,
No matter where you go.
You will not die
But live!
You will not die
But live!
You will not die
But live!
You will not die
But live!"

Bridge:
I no longer live,
But He lives in me.
In my pain I cried,
And He set me free!

Ending:
You will not die
But live!
You will not die
But live!
You will not die
But live!
You will not die
But live!

Inspired by Psalm 118
- JSS

The Matchless Pearl (Part 2)

Inside the hut Morse was seated in the very chair Rambhau had specially built for him - where on so many occasions he had read to him the Bible.
Rambhau left the room to return soon with a small but heavy English strongbox. "I have had this box for years," said he, "and I keep only one thing in it. Now I will tell you about it, Sahib Morse. I once had a son..."
"A son! Why, Rambhau, you have never before said a word about him!"
"No, Sahib, I couldn't." Even as he spoke the diver's eyes were moistened.
"Now I must tell you, for soon I will leave, and who knows whether I shall ever return? My son was a diver too. He was the best pearl diver on the coasts of India. He had the swiftest dive, the keenest eye, the strongest arm, the longest breath of any man who ever sought for pearls.
What joy he brought to me! Most pearls, as you know, have some defect or blemish only the expert can discern, but my boy always dreamed of finding the 'perfect' pearl - one beyond all that was ever found. One day he found it! But even when he saw it - he had been under water too long... That pearl cost him his life, for he died soon after."
The old pearl diver bowed his head. For a moment his whole body shook, but there was no sound. "All these years," he continued, "I have kept this pearl - but now I am going, not to return, and to you, my best friend - I am giving my pearl."
The old man worked the combination on the strongbox and drew from it a carefully wrapped package. Gently opening the cotton, he picked up a mammoth pearl and placed it in the hand of the missionary.
It was one of the largest pearls ever found off the coast of India, and glowed with a luster and brilliance never seen in cultured pearls. It would have brought a fabulous sum in any market.
For a moment the missionary was speechless and gazed with awe. "Rambhau! What a pearl!"
"That pearl, Sahib, is perfect," replied the Indian quietly. The missionary looked up quickly with a new thought: Was not this the very opportunity and occasion he had prayed for - to make Rambhau understand the value of Christ's sacrifice? So he said, designedly, "Rambhau, this is a wonderful pearl, an amazing pearl. Let me buy it. I would give you ten thousand dollars for it."
"Sahib! What do you mean?"
"Well, I will give you fifteen thousand dollars for it, or if it takes more - I will work for it."
"Sahib," said Rambhau, stiffening his whole body, "this pearl is beyond price. No man in all the world has money enough to pay what this pearl is worth to me. On the market a million dollars could not buy it. I will not sell it to you. You may only have it as a gift."
"No, Rambhau, I cannot accept that. As much as I want the pearl, I cannot accept it that way. Perhaps I am proud, but that is too easy. I must pay for it, or work for it..."
The old pearl-diver was stunned. "You don't understand at all, Sahib. Don't you see. My only son gave his life to get this pearl, and I wouldn't sell it for any money. Its worth is in the life-blood of my son. I cannot sell this - but I can give it to you. Just accept it in token of the love I bear you."
The missionary was choked, and for a moment could not speak. Then he gripped the hand of the old man. "Rambhau," he said in a low voice, "don't you see? My words are just what you have been saying to God all the time."
The diver looked long and searchingly at the missionary, and slowly, slowly he began to understand. "God is offering you salvation as a free gift," said the missionary. "It is so great and priceless that no man on earth can buy it. Millions of dollars are too little. No man on earth could earn it. His life would be millions of years too short. No man is good enough to deserve it. It cost God the life-blood of His only Son to make the entrance for you into heaven. In a million years, in a hundred pilgrimages, you could not earn that entrance. All you can do is to accept it as a token of God's love for you - a sinner.
"Rambhau, of course I will accept the pearl in deep humility, praying God that I may be worthy of your love. Rambhau, won't you accept God's great gift of heaven, too, in deep humility, knowing it cost Him the death of His Son to offer it to you?"
Great tears were now rolling down the cheeks of the old man. The veil was beginning to lift. "Sahib, I see it now. I have believed in the doctrine of Jesus for the last two years, but I could not believe that His salvation was free. Now I understand. Some things are too priceless to be bought or earned. Sahib, I will accept His salvation!"
- Author Unknown

John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

The Matchless Pearl (Part 1)

David Morse - American missionary to India - became great friends there with the pearl-diver, Rambhau. Many an evening he spent in Rambhau's cabin reading to him from the Bible, and explaining to him God's way of salvation.
Rambhau enjoyed listening to the Word of God, but whenever the missionary tried to get Rambhau to accept Christ as his Savior - he would shake his head and reply, "Your Christian way to heaven is too easy for me! I cannot accept it. If ever I should find admittance to heaven in that manner - I would feel like a pauper there...like a beggar who has been let in out of pity. I may be proud - but I want to deserve, I want to earn my place in heaven -- and so I am going to work for it."
Nothing the missionary could say seemed to have any effect on Rambhau's decision, and so quite a few years slipped by. One evening, however, the missionary heard a knock on his door, and on going to open it he found Rambhau there.
"Come in, dear friend," said Morse.
"No," said the pearl-diver. "I want you to come with me to my house, Sahib, for a short time -- I have something to show you. Please do not say 'No'."
"Of course I'll come," replied the missionary. As they neared his house, Rambhau said: "In a week's time I start working for my place in heaven; I am leaving for Delhi -- and I am going there on my knees."
"Man, you are crazy! It's nine hundred miles to Delhi, and the skin will break on your knees, and you will have blood-poisoning or leprosy before you get to Bombay."
"No, I must get to Delhi," affirmed Rambhau, "and the immortals will reward me for it! The suffering will be sweet - for it will purchase heaven for me!"
"Rambhau, my friend - you can't. How can I bear you to do it - when Jesus Christ has suffered and died to purchase heaven for you!"
But the old man could not be moved. "You are my dearest friend on earth, Sahib Morse. Through all these years you have stood by me in sickness, in want - you have been sometimes my only friend. But even you cannot turn me from my desire to purchase eternal bliss...I must go to Delhi!"

Well Done!

Matthew 25:21 NKJV
His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

I won’t be held down!
I won’t be Hell-bound!
I have eluded the hounds once more…
I fly,
Heaven’s light glistens my wings! - JSS

Romans 12:12 NIV
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

David's Prayer Of Forgiveness

2 Samuel 12:7
Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!"

Psalm 51 NKJV
Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may 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 uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.
Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.
Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,
With burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.