October 9, 2022 -- Psalm 119:112 & Hebrews 3:12-13 -- A heart inclined to the LORD

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I incline my heart to perform your statutes
forever, to the end.
Psalm 119:112 ESV

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today”, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 3:12-13 ESV

There are two readings today, the first is a vow dedicating oneself to the LORD and the second is a strong warning. You may know Psalm 119 is 176 verses long and it celebrates the Law of God. Through-out the psalm writer declares himself bound to the Law, submitted to the Living God through his obedience to the decrees and statutes of the LORD. In verse 112 he vows he will constantly incline his heart, willingly submitting his heart to do what the commandments of the LORD require. He will continually guard his heart and his attitude so that he will not falter in this obedience.

The passage from Hebrews is part of a longer warning. The writer of Hebrews recognizes how easy it is for the heart of a believer to become hard and a place where evil will take up residence. The stark evidence of how easy it is to harden one's heart is drawn from the Book of Exodus. Therein the people of God, who after experiencing God’s deliverance from Egypt, His mercies in giving mana and water and meat, hardened their hearts against Him. An entire generation died in the wilderness and that generation was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. That is a severe warning indeed.

It is Sunday. Get to a Bible-believing and preaching church. Get connected with other believers and talk about the things of God. Keep your heart tender towards the LORD of Glory. Do not let evil thoughts or desires choke out your love for Jesus Christ. In Him your sins have been conquered and the punishment against them has been poured out. Later in this same chapter of Hebrews it is noted that the Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword. Reading the Word of God helps you to identify sin and by the power of the Spirit to cut it out.

Faithful Father, You are worthy of all praise and honour. Believers whose lives have been redeemed from the grave incline their hearts to You in grateful devotion. This Sunday, by the power of Your Spirit, renew in Your people a depth of worship and more dedicated obedience. King Jesus, rule the hearts and lives of Your people so that evil cannot gain a foothold. Jesus, Captain of Salvation, give such a vision to Your people that their eyes and imagination are filled with the prospect of Your glory that will lead believers to the Everlasting City where God the Triune lives with His people. Bless Your preachers and evangelists, missionaries and Bible teachers so that the Word will go out with power this day. Amen.

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