August 14, 2020
GOD knows the heart and gives the Holy Spirit-Acts 15:8
Sometimes I have to chuckle when people say to others, “GOD knows my heart.” What they are speaking is true but, they have no concept of what it is that they are saying. GOD indeed knows our heart but, it is also true that we do not. Made you pause there just for a moment, did I not? The human heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse, corrupt, and severely mortally sick. Who can know/be acquainted/perceive/or understand his own heart and mind? No one but GOD who knows all sees all and hears all. It is because GOD knows our heart intimately that HE will give us HIS promise, the Holy Spirit.
The authentic children of the Living GOD must have an intimate and personal relationship with the FATHER through CHRIST JESUS. We must not only be acquainted with HIM but, we must appreciate, cherish, take heed, and understand HIM with a blameless heart and a willing mind. The only person you can fool is yourself and others, but we can never fool GOD because the LORD actively searches our heart and our soul, and HE knows with understanding our intent/motive and the inclinations that we have. It is up to us personally; it is not the responsibility for others to ask for and of HIM to be our first and vital necessity. Religious and non-believers rely on others to skate them through to heaven, but authentic believers know that our relationship to the FATHER has to be personal in CHRIST JESUS. When we actively look for the FATHER through JESUS, HE can be found. Not in the same sense of HIS being lost, because HE is not. The only person who is lost is us, and we are the ones who need finding. The LORD is the ONE who knows the hearts of all.
When the FATHER searches the heart and finds JESUS living their then upon our request, HE will send HIS Holy Spirit to take up residency as well. The pleasant way to know that we have been accepted, called/chosen by the FATHER, is to have the Holy Spirit living on the inside of us, this is the real confirmation of GOD’s acceptance. Today, water baptism should follow the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But if we do it in reverse, the action will not be null and void.
If anyone has been christened or baptized before being saved by grace, do it again correctly. A dipped sinner is no different than a sinner taking a bath, you may be wet and clean outwardly, but inwardly you are still dirty. According to the Word of GOD, the correct manner is this; salvation, baptism in the Holy Spirit, and then water baptism.
AMFBeM ®