1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're glad to 2 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:17,960 Speaker 1: have you listening with us. Today's topic is an Undivided Heart. 3 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 1: We'll return with the devotional after a brief message from 4 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:39,240 Speaker 1: our sponsors. An Undivided Heart written and read by Megan J. Connor. 5 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:42,839 Speaker 1: Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on 6 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:46,480 Speaker 1: your faithfulness. Give me an undivided heart that I may 7 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:52,320 Speaker 1: fear your name, Psalm eighty six eleven NIV. How many 8 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 1: of us can relate to the scripture? I don't know 9 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 1: about you, but sadly I have wrestled with divided affections 10 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: more times than I can count. In the deepest places 11 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 1: of my heart, I long for the Lord, truly, I 12 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:09,039 Speaker 1: ache for him in a way that defies comprehension, Like 13 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: the chief musician in Psalm forty two. My soul pants 14 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,399 Speaker 1: and thirsts for the Living God as dear pants for 15 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 1: the water brooks. And yet these innate yearnings can be 16 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 1: so easily superseded by the things of this world and 17 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 1: the cravings of my flesh. With such a strong inward 18 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: draw towards my Creator, how is it possible to wonder 19 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: and depart from the one whom I so desperately desire. 20 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 1: The Bible tells us the heart is deceitful above all things, 21 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Jeremiah seventeen nine, 22 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:44,959 Speaker 1: New King James version. We are all aware that the 23 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: Bible contains hard truths, but this one cuts straight to 24 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 1: the core. To many, this bold statement may sound harsh, 25 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: even offensive. However, that does not negate its truth. Our 26 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: hearts lie to us, our emotions betrays There is an 27 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: age old battle that rages within every single one of us, 28 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: a conflict that has played humanity since the fall of 29 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 1: man in the Garden of Eden. This war boils down 30 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: to one single word choice, a choice between God and self, 31 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: our own desires and his Selfishness and selflessness, prideful independence 32 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 1: and dependent surrender. When these comparisons are listed side by side, 33 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: it seems completely irrational that we would choose selfishness over selflessness, 34 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 1: our will over God's. Yet that is the struggle each 35 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 1: of us faces day in and day out. Our human 36 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: nature is so flawed, so imperfect, that we actually need 37 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 1: God's help to even choose him. Our hearts are so divided, 38 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: are bent towards sins, so strong that without the aid 39 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:54,079 Speaker 1: of his spirit, all of us would remain on paths 40 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: of self destruction. But God, in his goodness, does not 41 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 1: leave us there. He proacts actively pursues each one of 42 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:05,080 Speaker 1: us because of his great love for us. The Lord 43 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:09,919 Speaker 1: himself searches our hearts and tests our minds Jeremiah seventeen ten, 44 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: so that we may recognize our deviations. For it is 45 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 1: his kindness that leads us to repentance Romans two four. 46 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 1: Like the shepherd that left the ninety nine defind the 47 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 1: single sheep who had wondered, So the Lord passionately pursues 48 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 1: each and every one of us. Once we have been 49 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: returned to the fold, our heavenly father instructs us how 50 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 1: to remain tethered to him. He withholds no good gift 51 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: from his children. All we have to do is ask, 52 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and 53 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 1: you will find. Knock and the door will be open 54 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 1: to you. For everyone who asks receives, the one who 55 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: seeks finds, and the one who knocks the door will 56 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: be opened. Matthew seven seven through eight, NIV. It's that simple. 57 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: If you are wrestling with divided affections, today, may encourage 58 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: you to call upon the Lord, just like the Psalmist 59 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: of old, Let us declare together our heart felt flee. 60 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 1: Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on 61 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: your faithfulness. Give me an undivided heart, that I may 62 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 1: fear your name. I will praise you, Lord, my God, 63 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 1: with all my heart. I will glorify your name forever, 64 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:22,280 Speaker 1: For great is your love towards me Psal'm eighty six 65 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:29,160 Speaker 1: eleven through thirteen and IV. Intersecting faith and life. Where 66 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:32,280 Speaker 1: is your heart today? Do you feel rooted and grounded 67 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: in Christ? Or are you wondering, lost or disconnected. Perhaps 68 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:39,359 Speaker 1: you're somewhere in the middle where it literally feels like 69 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 1: you have one foot on each side of the dividing 70 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 1: line that separates surrender and self reliance. Wherever you find 71 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: yourself today, takes some time to examine your heart. I 72 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 1: know how hard it is for many of us to 73 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,559 Speaker 1: sit in silence and patiently wait for that still small 74 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: voice of God's spirit within each of us. But I'd 75 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 1: pray that you will push past the discomfort a beanstill 76 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: and truly allow the Lord to reveal the state of 77 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 1: your heart. He longs to heal any division found there 78 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 1: so that you may truly rest, and he has love 79 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:12,839 Speaker 1: and presence. For further reading, take a look at Psalm 80 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 1: eighty six and Matthew Chapter eighteen, verses twelve through fourteen. 81 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to today's devotional. 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