Rewire Your Heart Day #5

[Mayflower]

Rewire Your Heart: 10 Days To Fight Sin • Devotional
https://bible.com/reading-plans/12779/day/5?segment=0

Scriptures:

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?" Matthew 6:25‭-‬30 NLT

Belief Changes Hearts
What lies at the bottom of our sins? Throughout this study, we have seen that the heart plays a central role in leading us into sin or holiness. But what affects the heart?

Jesus showed us in the Sermon on the Mount that unbelief lies at the bottom of all our sins.

Jesus commanded his followers not to be anxious about what they would eat, drink, or wear. How is that possible? To this day people have to toil and scrape to get by, living paycheck to paycheck. How will I feed my family, pay my mortgage, fix the car? Jesus’ answer is to have faith in God’s provision (Matt. 6:25–30). What we believe changes our hearts.

Jesus teaches us an important truth about how our hearts work. In a sense he says, “Since God does the little stuff, surely he’ll do the big stuff too.” God feeds birds and clothes grass. That is evidence that he will feed you and clothe your children. Believe that God is a provider and anxiety will be removed from your heart. What you believe changes your heart.

However, unbelief says the opposite to our hearts. As Jesus pointed out, the sin of worry reveals the underlying disbelief in God’s provision. We worry because we do not believe God will provide. Disbelief of all kinds regularly fills our hearts and produces its corresponding and inevitable sin.

God’s power is not able to provide. God’s love is not enough to satisfy. God’s law is not aligned with my joy. Jesus’ blood is not sufficient for my sin. The Holy Spirit’s operation is not adequate for my sanctification. The Gospel can’t heal my marriage, pull me from my addiction, or silence the bitterness in my heart. We doubt that God is enough.

If we can’t trust God, who can we trust? By our actions all of us have answered this question with a resounding, “Myself!” I will meet my needs. I will fulfill my desires. When we try to fulfill our wants by our own devices, the only solution we will ever contrive is sin. When our hearts are filled with unbelief, everything our hands lay hold of will be fashioned into idols of our own making for our own satisfaction. O we of little faith!

So how can you fight sin? Change your heart. How can you change your heart? Change your beliefs.

Believe that Jesus has provided everything you need in the Gospel and your heart will begin to run from sin and toward God.

Simple thought: I got, "you cannot add a single hour to your life" by worrying. This is true. Wisdom is sure important, but even then, not worldly wisdom. It is hard for me to just get out of my head sometimes.

 

[Mayflower]

. can you change your heart? Change your beliefs.

Believe that Jesus has provided everything you need in the Gospel and your heart will begin to run from sin and toward God.

I guess worry/anxiety is unbelief. I didn't realize how little I activated my faith in some areas until going to a church that believes in healings and miracles for today. Dreams/visions too. I read "Jehovah Rapha", but now I believe more in "Jehovah Rapha."

The more the words of God has gone from my head to my heart, trusting Him has been transforming my fears. I'll go a long time before having a bad bout of it.

 

[Hidden In Him]

I guess worry/anxiety is unbelief. I didn't realize how little I activated my faith in some areas until going to a church that believes in healings and miracles for today. Dreams/visions too. I read "Jehovah Rapha", but now I believe more in "Jehovah Rapha."

The more the words of God has gone from my head to my heart, trusting Him has been transforming my fears. I'll go a long time before having a bad bout of it.

Praise God for that, sister!

About this study, I will again take a different tack than the writer. What I believe is happening here (and anyone is free to disagree if they feel differently), is that he may be searching for a certain message in passages where it doesn't always exist. I think the message he gave in Study #4 was very good, and very solid. Only I don't think the way he is using this text fits so much.

But that's ok, it's still food for thought. And it also gets us talking and thinking, which is I think the real purpose in a good Bible study.

Let me give you the fuller context of what Jesus was saying in this particular passage, to show I think He was actually talking about something else. It starts with the verses just ahead of where he began:

22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?' 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:25-34)

What He was teaching them was this: Your focus needs to be entirely on the Lord, and on receiving revelation from Him. The enemy will use the anxieties of this life to distract you, so that you cannot focus on Him and thus seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first and foremost, no matter what is going on with your material needs. He wanted their "eye," i.e. what they were focused on, to be singular, focusing upon God alone in life, because He knew they could never successfully serve two masters. If they trusted Him, they could count on their material needs being met. But if their spiritual eyesight went bad, the darkness within them would become truly great.

As for the writer's application, I've personally always had a problem with receiving holiness "by faith." I've always thought it was more of something that needed to be appropriated by action; by a lifestyle one adopted and put into daily practice.

But that's just me. I believe Marks is a strong adherent to the teaching of receiving holiness by faith, so I will tag him. Maybe he has a different perspective to share.

God bless, and enjoying discussing the scriptures with you.

@marks

 

[Mayflower]

Hidden:

. What He was teaching them was this: Your focus needs to be entirely on the Lord, and on receiving revelation from Him. The enemy will use the anxieties of this life to distract you, so that you cannot focus on Him and thus seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first and foremost, no matter what is going on with your material needs. He wanted their "eye," i.e. what they were focused on, to be singular, focusing upon God alone in life, because He knew they could never successfully serve two masters. If they trusted Him, they could count on their material needs being met. But if their spiritual eyesight went bad, the darkness within them would become truly great.

Writer:

. How will I feed my family, pay my mortgage, fix the car? Jesus’ answer is to have faith in God’s provision (Matt. 6:25–30). What we believe changes our hearts.

-
However, unbelief says the opposite to our hearts. As Jesus pointed out, the sin of worry reveals the underlying disbelief in God’s provision. We worry because we do not believe God will provide

I think both you and the author have a similar view, he just puts things differently and focuses on a slightly different layer of the passage. Because I do see where God commands to us in scripture over and over not to fear, "Do not worry" etc. Because it is repeated over and over in scripture. About 365 times. But that part where he talks about unbelief, I believe that is just about saying the same thing you are saying about the eye and having our focus completely on Him.

As unbelief and distrust leave our lives, our eyes become more focused on God, and anxiety/worry does leave.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Hidden:


Writer:


I think both you and the author have a similar view, he just puts things differently and focuses on a slightly different layer of the passage. Because I do see where God commands to us in scripture over and over not to fear, "Do not worry" etc. Because it is repeated over and over in scripture. About 365 times. But that part where he talks about unbelief, I believe that is just about saying the same thing you are saying about the eye and having our focus completely on Him.

As unbelief and distrust leave our lives, our eyes become more focused on God, and anxiety/worry does leave.

Yes, in that much we agree.

 

[marks]

He wanted their "eye," i.e. what they were focused on, to be singular, focusing upon God alone in life, because He knew they could never successfully serve two masters. If they trusted Him, they could count on their material needs being met. But if their spiritual eyesight went bad, the darkness within them would become truly great.

What lies at the bottom of our sins? Throughout this study, we have seen that the heart plays a central role in leading us into sin or holiness. But what affects the heart?

Deuteronomy 15:7-11 KJV
7) If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
8) But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.
9) Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.
10) Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.
11) For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

The "evil eye" is shut your eyes to the needs of others, to be stingy.

Here it is again,

Deuteronomy 28:53-55 KJV
53) And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee:
54) So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave:
55) So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates.

So when we come to Matthew,

Matthew 6:19-24 KJV
19) Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20) But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21) For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22) The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23) But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24) No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Deuteronomy 15:7-11 KJV
7) If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
8) But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.
9) Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.
10) Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.
11) For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

"IF thy eye be single", that is, without folds, or, fully open.

The "evil eye" refuses to see the needs of others, to give to them. The single eye is the one who gives to others with open hands.

The context is about giving. If you are generous, you are filled with light. But if you are not, even the light in you is darkness, because God intends us to be generous.

Trusting that God will meet our needs allows us to be generous to others.

Choosing to trust God, and choosing to be generous, these are great ways to "rewire the heart"!

Much love!

 

[Hidden In Him]

Deuteronomy 15:7-11 KJV
7) If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
8) But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.
9) Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.
10) Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.
11) For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

The "evil eye" is shut your eyes to the needs of others, to be stingy.

Here it is again,

Deuteronomy 28:53-55 KJV
53) And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee:
54) So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave:
55) So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates.

This is an interesting take, Mark, only the context of Matthew 6 doesn't really fit in with treating our neighbors in any certain way. It has to do with keeping anxiety out of our lives, and making sure they don't keep us from "seeking first the kingdom of God." (Matthew 6:33)

 

[marks]

This is an interesting take, Mark, only the context of Matthew 6 doesn't really fit in with treating our neighbors in any certain way. It has to do with keeping anxiety out of our lives, and making sure they don't keep us from "seeking first the kingdom of God." (Matthew 6:33)

Matthew 6:19-34 KJV

19) Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20) But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21) For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22) The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23) But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24) No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25) Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26) Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27) Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28) And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29) And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30) Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31) Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34) Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

You may want to take another look.

Much love!

 

[marks]

This is an interesting take, Mark, only the context of Matthew 6 doesn't really fit in with treating our neighbors in any certain way. It has to do with keeping anxiety out of our lives, and making sure they don't keep us from "seeking first the kingdom of God." (Matthew 6:33)

"Evil Eye" ^ as used in Scripture . . .

Much love!

 

[Hidden In Him]

Matthew 6:19-34 KJV

19) Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20) But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21) For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22) The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23) But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24) No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25) Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26) Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27) Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28) And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29) And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30) Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31) Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34) Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

You may want to take another look.

Much love!

Well I did. If you are referring to v.19-20 (the only ones I haven't addressed yet), they are again referring to anxiety, in this case over earthy possessions.

Not sure I get what you are saying.

 

[marks]

Well I did. If you are referring to v.19-20 (the only ones I haven't addressed yet), they are again referring to anxiety, in this case over earthy possessions.

Not sure I get what you are saying.

Verses 19 and 20? Jesus' instructions on giving. " . . . then go and sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven".

Now THOSE are treasures you can't lose!

I think in terms of investment, if you buy stock in IBM, you'll start watching the stock price.

Give to the poor, you are investing in heaven, and your heart will be towards heavenly things. Hold on to your things to be rich in this world, and your heart will be toward the things of this world..

Light comes into you by what you choose to see, how you choose to respond to what is in front of you, is how I see this passage speaking.

If your desire is to hold onto earthy things, your eye is evil, you don't want to give, your treasures will be earthy, and what you think is light will be darkness, the mind darkened by attachment to earthy things, and failing to see and respond to those in need.

If your desire is to give, all you see is light, because that's how God is, always giving.

You can't at the same time be serving God by giving to others, while holding tightly to your things, trying to be rich here.

So don't worry about yourself! Free yourself to be a giving person. Life is so much more than meeting your own needs, and besides, what could you ever accomplish by all your worry anyway?

So instead, seek God's kingdom, Don't worry about yourself, seek His righteousness, and He will give you everything you need! He is generous from the heart!

Much love!

 

[Hidden In Him]

Verses 19 and 20? Jesus' instructions on giving. " . . . then go and sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven".

Now THOSE are treasures you can't lose!

Ok. Only those words aren't part of our present text is all. They have to be read into it : )

Now THOSE are treasures you can't lose!

I think in terms of investment, if you buy stock in IBM, you'll start watching the stock price.

Give to the poor, you are investing in heaven, and your heart will be towards heavenly things. Hold on to your things to be rich in this world, and your heart will be toward the things of this world..

Light comes into you by what you choose to see, how you choose to respond to what is in front of you, is how I see this passage speaking.

If your desire is to hold onto earthy things, your eye is evil, you don't want to give, your treasures will be earthy, and what you think is light will be darkness, the mind darkened by attachment to earthy things, and failing to see and respond to those in need.

If your desire is to give, all you see is light, because that's how God is, always giving.

You can't at the same time be serving God by giving to others, while holding tightly to your things, trying to be rich here.

I agree with most of this. I just don't think they are the subject matter being dealt with in Matthew 6:19-34.

 

[marks]

Ok. Only those words aren't part of our present text is all. They have to be read into it : )

Read into it? Or used to illuminate it?

Much love!

 

[Mayflower]

Verses 19 and 20? Jesus' instructions on giving. " . . . then go and sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven".

Now THOSE are treasures you can't lose!

I think in terms of investment, if you buy stock in IBM, you'll start watching the stock price.

Give to the poor, you are investing in heaven, and your heart will be towards heavenly things. Hold on to your things to be rich in this world, and your heart will be toward the things of this world..

Light comes into you by what you choose to see, how you choose to respond to what is in front of you, is how I see this passage speaking.

If your desire is to hold onto earthy things, your eye is evil, you don't want to give, your treasures will be earthy, and what you think is light will be darkness, the mind darkened by attachment to earthy things, and failing to see and respond to those in need.

If your desire is to give, all you see is light, because that's how God is, always giving.

You can't at the same time be serving God by giving to others, while holding tightly to your things, trying to be rich here.

So don't worry about yourself! Free yourself to be a giving person. Life is so much more than meeting your own needs, and besides, what could you ever accomplish by all your worry anyway?

So instead, seek God's kingdom, Don't worry about yourself, seek His righteousness, and He will give you everything you need! He is generous from the heart!

Much love!

WOW!!!!! Interesting thoughts. I have to read this passage when I get home. (Fixing to wake the sleepers up here, and have active work, but thanks for the discussion y'all)

I realize how easy it is to pull scriptures out of context. They can speak on the subject, but so important to understand what the passage actually is talking about on every layer.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Read into it? Or used to illuminate it?

Much love!

Read into it.

I'm all for receiving revelation from God that illuminates a text, Mark, only when the matter at hand (anxiety over the affairs of this life) is already implicit in the text, one can be making a grave mistake that leads to misinterpreting it if he transposes something foreign to the text itself onto it.

I think that's what you are doing in this case.

 

[Mayflower]

Read into it.

I'm all for receiving revelation from God that illuminates a text, Mark, only when the matter at hand (anxiety over the affairs of this life) is already implicit in the text, one can can be making a grave mistake that leads to misinterpreting it if he transposes something foreign to the text itself onto it.

I think that's what you are doing in this case.

Personally speaking, I want to read this passage again, but getting out of myself and concerning myself in ministering to others... Not worrying about ears and demons and finances, whatever... Giving to others... It helps me with the struggles of fighting sin. But my leaving thought. Y'all have a blessed day!

 

[Hidden In Him]

Not worrying about fears and demons and finances, whatever... Giving to others... It helps me with the struggles of fighting sin.

It does! Anxiety is fear, and as John said, "Fear has torment."

This is why Paul said to "rejoice always," and "think on that which is of good report." We "guard our hearts with all diligence," for out of it flows the issues of Life (not death, fear, or worry, but true spiritual LIFE that can be given to others, and enjoyed ourselves).

 

[marks]

Read into it.

I'm all for receiving revelation from God that illuminates a text, Mark, only when the matter at hand (anxiety over the affairs of this life) is already implicit in the text, one can can be making a grave mistake that leads to misinterpreting it if he transposes something foreign to the text itself onto it.

I think that's what you are doing in this case.

I know that.

There is a bigger message here then just being worried about things.

All in the Lord's hands!

Much love!

 

[marks]

Giving to others... It helps me with the struggles of fighting sin.

Me too!

Much love!

 

[thelord's_pearl]

great study! I just wish I could really absorb it one day all of a sudden, I'll see