MY SINS"O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and MY SINS are not hid from thee." Psalms 69:5 <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
God knows the wickedness of my heart. He sees all the thoughts that I allow to occupy my mind that are not holy, but sinful (evil concupiscence). He sees where the enemy or my own sinful nature feeds thoughts to my mind and that I sometimes don't guard my heart by casting them down (2 Corinthians 10:5; Proverbs 4:23).
"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence (secret desire for that which is forbidden by God), and covetousness, which is idolatry:" Colossians 3:5
"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Romans 8:6
According to the above verses, God doesn't separate who we are from what we think/meditate upon. Scary huh? We can fool men with our true state, but not the Almighty. We can smile and seem to be rejoicing and even ministering in the love of the Lord, and at the same time, allow iniquities to make a nest in our hearts and minds. The big question is; What am I entertaining in my mind and heart?
"If I regard (approve; consider; enjoy; experience, gaze upon) iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." Psalms 66:18
The Hebrew word for "regard" is RAAH. According to the definition of this Hebrew word used here, the word "regard" means to: presently approve, consider, enjoy, experience, gaze upon in one's heart.
"The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself." Proverbs 14:14
The "backslider in heart" is one who is not fixed upon the Lord and His kingdom in his heart. He has allowed his heart to wander by not taking his thoughts captive. The "cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things" has entered in to "choke the word" because he has not tilled (cultivated) the soil of his heart through regular communion with His Creator along with denial of the self life (John 3:30; Luke 9:23-26).
Take notice in Proverbs 14:14 that backsliding is a matter of the heart.
"The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself." Proverbs 14:14
A person could be perfect in his attendance of services, do many wonderful works and still be in a backslidden state, because "the Lord looketh upon the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)
"Keep (guard) thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23
If we do not take control of our thoughts, our thoughts will take control of us and lead to our eternal ruin. A pure heart is a requirement for eternal life in Heaven:
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8
Who is going to "see God"? The "pure in heart."
See Philippians 4:8 & 1 Peter 1:13 for the divine prescription for the thought life.
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8
"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he...." Proverbs 23:7
Remember how the Lord forewarned us that on the Day of Judgment, there would be those who called Him "Lord, Lord" and then they will say things like "have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?" And yet, they will hear the horrific words of termination to their brutally eternal destination:
"And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (lawlessness of heart)." Matthew 7:23
God have mercy upon me/us!
"Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known."  Matthew 10:26
God doesn't separate who we are in His sight from what we think upon. This is a critical issue to the Lord.
Here's more of His truth that reveals that the Lord sees us according to what we entertain in our hearts:
"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he...."  Proverbs 23:7
Note that "as he thinketh - so is he...." Wow!
"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."  Genesis 6:5
Did you catch that!? "God SAW the WICKEDNESS...that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart..." Here the Lord defines to us that "wickedness" is based upon "the thoughts of the heart." So, we see that one must not separate what he chooses to meditate upon in his heart, from what God sees and determines his state to be. He is either carnal/wicked, or "spiritual (Christlike)." Am I "carnally minded" or "spiritually minded"? (Romans 8:6) Such determines whether I am living in a spiritual state of "death" or "life".
"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Romans 8:6
(For more on this truth, see the brief commentary from a profoundly accurate Bible commentator at: Romans 1:32 )
We will eventually perform the things we give place to in our minds. What should be realized is that although we will eventually perform the things we think upon, it doesn't take the physical act to offend the one true God (James 1:14-15; Matt. 5:28). Note in the verse above, that to be "carnally minded" is "death" (separation from fellowship with God). Note the word, "minded" and the importance of this truth - it says nothing of physical performance (the act of sin/a transgression).
"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness (lawlessness), to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Ephesians 4:17-24
If I do not walk in the Spirit (will of God; see <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Rom. 8:1-14), then my heart will 'revert back to type', which is revealed in many places in Scripture to be a state of wickedness before the LORD who is holy. Again, here is but one example:
"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Genesis 6:5
We must first realize that our hearts, without God's present presence, are wicked above all things and desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9). Then, we must realize that this state of heart is condemned by the Almighty (Rom. 8:6).
Where are God's eyes pointed?
"The LORD looketh on the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7
Can God look upon this type of heart and be pleased?
"Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity..."  Habakkuk 1:13
We cannot live in a wicked state of heart and be in fellowship with God who is holy. I cannot be dwelling upon hate, sexual fantasies, immorality, getting drunk, etc., and expect to maintain the fellowship of the One who is holy by nature, holiness personified (holiest of all - no one else as He is in His holy state of existence). "The LORD looketh on the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7), so there is no way of fooling Him, even when we look good on the outward in the sight of men.
"Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD." Jeremiah 23:23-24
"The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." Proverbs 15:3
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Galatians 6:7
"Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." Hebrews 4:13
I must become transparent in my heart toward God - realizing that He sees all. All who don't will face severe and eternal consequences on that final Day. God will not permit any person to remain in His kingdom who continues to allow that which He condemns to permeate their minds (Ps 101:4,7; Rev. 21:27, etc.). What we think upon is a serious matter with the Most High. Meditating and burning inside with that which the Lord condemns is sin, and Jesus came and died and "condemned sin in the flesh." (Romans 8:3) We should decide not to fool ourselves, God is watching every thought and deed that we allow and perform, and He will judge us accordingly (2 Cor. 5:10; Heb. 4:12-13). O LORD help us. Have mercy upon us.
THE CANDLE OF THE LORD
The Lord looks upon the inward part of us - the heart. He constantly examines our inwards to see where we are. He judges such by what or who we are choosing to dwell upon.
"The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly." Proverbs 20:27
Remember that after Adam sinned, the Lord asked Him "Where art thou?" (Genesis 3:9) Did the Creator of all that is, whose eyes are in every existing place, not know where Adam was physically? Of course He did. Was He not attempting to get Adam to realize where he was in his spiritual state now that he had sinned? This was so that Adam could have a repentant heart and be restored to Him.
The Lord was apparently searching Adam's inwards to see if he realized his fallen state and need for restoration.
Here are a few more verses which illustrate the truth that God is viewing and searching out our inwards:
"For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness..." Psalms 5:9
"Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names." Psalms 49:11
"Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom." Psalms 51:6
"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalms 139:23-24
"The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly." Proverbs 20:30
"But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people." Jeremiah 31:33
"And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness." Luke 11:39
"For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:" Romans 7:22
"For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." 2 Corinthians 4:16
"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Psalms 51:10
The LORD sees all and if we perform sin in our mind/heart we are guilty before God of such (Matt. 5:28). He reads our hearts.
"But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."  Matt 5:28
I venture to say that each of us have sins that tempt us and that we have even stumbled into at times, or willfully pursued them. Instead of covering those sins with denial or false doctrines, let us be "honest" and admit, confess and forsake these things and grow into a deeper life of worship to our Creator. (see Proverbs 28:13; Luke 8:15)
"He that covereth (hides) his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh (turn away from entirely) them shall have mercy." Proverbs 28:13
The way we appropriate His "mercy" is by confessing and forsaking our sins. The LORD wants us to "prosper" and this is only possible through confessing and forsaking our sins daily. You can be free, beloved, by confessing to God and forsaking. Also, to have a close friend in Christ who is of the same sex whom you can confess to is powerful. Bringing sinful darkness into the light by sharing your sin and struggles with another (who is sound in the faith), disarms the evil one who can only work in darkness (1 John 1:6; 2:9,11, etc.). Get your sins into the light! God's liberty (freedom) will follow the confession of your sins to Him and one of His (if the situation warrants your confession to a Christian growth partner). Live James 5:16.
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7
We can live in His love and joy when we "walk in the light", confessing and forsaking our sins. To "walk in the light" is to continually admit and confess all shortcomings/sins and iniquities to the Savior. You have an Advocate with the Father!
"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:" 1 John 2:1
Rejoice! He will restore unto us the joy of His salvation, which is our strength, when we cry out to Him in repentance for a pure heart (Ps 51). The Lord will give you beauty for your ashes, you are His beloved (Isaiah 61:3).
"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion (God's people), to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified." Isaiah 61:3
"Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom." Psalms 51:6
Sin is not added up or treasured up to the righteous who get in and stay in God's light (Isaiah 30:1; Rom. 2:5-11; 1 John 1:7).
"Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." Romans 4:7-8
The LORD will not impute (add up; keep count of) the sins of those who "walk in the light" by admitting, confessing and forsaking their sins.
What vanity to imagine that the LORD sees not and that we are okay in our sin. We must be honest and cease to attempt making the Word of God conform to our sins (justifying ourselves in them). This is wrong and is adding to and taking away from God's holy Word. We are found to be liars if we do such (Proverbs 30:5-6). Lord help us.
We should ask a sobering question: Is the sin I am allowing myself to be lured into by meditation, worth spending eternity in hell for? Is the momentary pleasure worth a trip to forever torment?
"Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren." James 1:13-16
Look at 2 Timothy 4:3-5:
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions..."
According to JESUS, Judgment Day will hold a great surprise for "many" (Matt. 7:21-23). "Many" who were once saved will hear the eternally devastating verdict from the Judge of all the earth - "depart from me, ye that worker iniquity (lawlessness)." Like Judas, who was sent by JESUS Christ to "preach...Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give", these people accomplished great things for the LORD in their earthly lives, but neglected to continue in the grace of God and "by transgression fell." (Matthew 10:7-8; Acts 1:25).
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (lawlessness)." Matthew 7:21-23
I must deal with my sins and not justify myself in them or attempt to change God's Word to make myself feel better temporarily while violating His holy law (Rom. 7:12-14). This is a form of witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:22-23).
"O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee." Psalms 69:5
Is it not cowardly to change the clear teachings of Scripture to conform to our own desires? This is what we are being taught by many of our leaders who manipulate, dance around and purposely dodge certain Scriptures and texts in order to keep their little game going. Excuse me, there is only one eternal kingdom and it is not mine or yours.
Those who teach the unconditional eternal security message are a perfect example of those teachers whom God warned us to stay clear of who "turn[ing] the grace of our God into lasciviousness (a license for sin)." Beloved, you must acknowledge your faults and refuse to find temporary "comfort" in this deceitful message which has no reconciliation with the fear of the LORD found in the Scriptures (see Ps 2:11-12). This grace-no-matter-what message is the very myth Satan designed to successfully disengage Adam and Eve from fellowship with God (See Gen. 2:17 & 3:4). It worked. It still works. Those who espouse the unbiblical OSAS (once saved always saved) message forsake the fear of the LORD and have invited the evil one into their lives, whether they realize it or not. The price we must pay when embracing a false doctrine is weighty and can ultimately result in denying the Lord (Jonah 2:8; Hosea 4:6, etc.).
"For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness (a license for sin), and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." Jude 4
One might ask, how are these deceivers who teach this license to sin doctrine, "denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ"??? The answer is simple; they are teaching people an unconditional eternal security which JESUS never taught. This is causing those who are misled to offend God by living in sin. This is the doctrine of lawlessness - antinomianism. This is the doctrine of Balaam which causes God's people to sin and therefore lose His favor (Rev. 2:14). Restraint is removed where this doctrine is taught. This was and is Satan's desire - that's why he started this message to the first man and woman and still uses it. Remember that "There is no new thing under the sun." (Eccl. 1:9) In teaching this no-fear-of-God doctrine of demons, they deny the Lord. To the contrary, the Son of God taught a conditional eternal security. See Matt. 7:21, 10:22; Luke 8:13; Rev. 2:26; 3:14-15....).
"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalms 139:23-24
REPENTING OF UNRIGHTEOUS THOUGHTS
"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD (repent - turn back to the LORD), and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:7-9
Repenting of our thoughts is realizing with a heart of humility that God's ways and thoughts are superior to ours and making an exchange by replacing our thinking with His. His thinking is His logos, His written Word to us, the Bible.
PRAYER: LORD, please make my heart pliable and teachable to You. Help me to become transparent and confess and forsake my sins to You and to those around me who are mature whom You have placed in my life (James 5:16; Gal. 6:1-2; 2 Tim. 2:24-26). Quicken me to cast down all thoughts of wickedness that enter my mind through my own heart or the evil one. I love You LORD Jesus.
Blessings of Grace and Peace through Jesus Christ,
Todd Tomasella - "less than the least of all saints" (Eph. 3:8)
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