Look Upon Your Heart
Útlínur: Compares God's Word to a mirror which reveals the heart. Where there is sin, confession is needed. Quote Scriptures dealing with sinful practices. God sees all; nothing hidden.
Handritsnúmer: 081
Tungumál: English
Þema: Living as a Christian (Faith, trust, believe in Jesus); Eternal life (Salvation); Character of God (Word of God (the Bible)); Problems (Alcohol); Sin and Satan (Sin, disobedience, Heart, soul of man)
Áhorfendur: Muslim; General
Stíll: Monolog
Tegund: Messages and Fiction
Tilgangur: Evangelism
Biblíutilvitnun: Extensive
Staða: Approved
Forskriftir eru grunnleiðbeiningar fyrir þýðingar og upptökur á önnur tungumál. Þau ættu að vera aðlöguð eftir þörfum til að gera þau skiljanleg og viðeigandi fyrir hverja menningu og tungumál. Sum hugtök og hugtök sem notuð eru gætu þurft frekari skýringar eða jafnvel skipt út eða sleppt alveg.
Handritstexti
Come close, my people, and see yourselves! But you may say, "How can we see ourselves? Do you have a large mirror which we may stand before to see ourselves from head to foot?"
No, I do not have a big mirror which will show you yourselves from head to foot. But I do have another kind of mirror. If you have courage, come close and look. It is a heart-mirror. This mirror that can show a person his own heart is the Word of God. Hear carefully, and I will read words from God's Book the Bible. Sit still before the mirror. Listen and you will be able to behold your own heart as God sees it. Remember, God does not look on the outward appearance, but He looks upon our hearts.
Let your heart be searched by these words. See the real condition of it. If you find that your heart is bad and sinful, do not deny or hide this fact, but admit your sins and confess them to God. He says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His Word is not in us."
Hear, as God speaks these words, saying, "Who has woe? Who has redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine, they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not upon the wine when it is red. At last it biteth as a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes behold strange women and thine heart shall utter perverse things." "Woe to him that giveth his neighbor drink, that putteth thy bottle to him and makest him drunken." "Be not deceived, no fornicator, nor idolater, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God." God says, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?"
Look upon your own heart, my brother. Remember, nothing in it is hid from God's sight. He sees all. He knows all. You have no words to cover up the sin that lives there. You are standing before the Holy God Himself. He knows all your secrets and hidden deeds - every thought. He sees the flower on the pole at the side of the road. (Use appropriate custom) He knows its evil meaning. He sees that house in the village where blossoms in the roof tell of the sinful deeds within it. No village hides from God - no man- no woman. No child can cover himself in darkness and be unseen by Him. God says, "He that planted the ear, shall He not hear? He that formed the eye, shall He not see?"
The eye of God is everywhere and sees everything that is in the heart. Whether you commit your deeds in the darkest night, in the thickest forest, in the deepest ditch, or wherever it may be, God sees. Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may forgive your sins and cleanse you by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Call upon Him and confess your need. He will hear and answer you.
References: I John 1:8-10; Prov. 23:29-32; Hab. 2:15; I Cor. 6:9, 10; Jer. 17:9; Ps. 94:9