From: Beverly French [frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us]
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2003 7:34 PM
To: Ted & Laura Enke
Subject: Fw: Greetings to All

Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2003 6:28 AM
Subject: Greetings to All

 "But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart,  who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."  Luke 8:15

 "For with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the  mouth confesses, resulting in salvation."  Romans 10:10

 The heart!
 "I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind..."  Jeremiah 17:10  Nothing is hid from God!  "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him  with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and  understands every intent of the thoughts..."  1 Chronicles 28:9

 "'Can a man hide himself in hiding places,
  So I do not see him?' declares the Lord.
  "'Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?' declares the Lord  Jeremiah 23:24

 "Death and Destruction lie open before the Lord--
  How much more the hearts of men!"  Proverbs 15:11

 Jesus knew the hearts of men as we see in the Gospels: (I'll leave it to you  to finish each verse.)  "And Jesus knew their thoughts..."  Matthew 12:25  "But Jesus perceived their wickedness..."Matthew 22:18  "Immediately Jesus knew in His spirit that this was what they were thinking  in their hearts..."  Mark 2:8  "But He know what they were thinking..."  Luke 6:8

 The Lord knows the believing hearts and He knows those who profess to  be His, but do not believe in their hearts nor keep His word.  Scripture has  much to say of the heart and admonishes His owns to keep a guard on this  place that only God can truly and fully know.  For He says in Proverbs 4:23,  "Keep your heart with all diligence,
  For out of it spring the issues of life."

 The heart determines character as we see in Proverbs 23:7,  "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he..."

 Jesus tells us that evil comes from the heart, Matthew 15:18-19,  "But the things that proceed out to the mouth come from the heart, and  those defile the man.  For out of the heart come evil thought, murders,  adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders."

 And the heart controls speech as He tells us in Luke 6:45,  "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is  good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil;  for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart."

 And we saw in one of our opening Scriptures that the heart is the source of  faith,  read Romans 10:10 again.

  What then of the heart of the Believer?  We are to give our heart wholly to
 God:
 In love:
 "'...You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your  soul, and with all your mind.'  This is the greatest and foremost  commandment."  Matthew 22:37-38

 In obedience:
 "How blessed are those who observe His testimonies
  Who seek Him with all their heart
  They also do no unrighteousness;
  They walk in His ways."  Psalms 119:2-3

 In trust:
 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
  And do not lean on your own understanding."  Proverbs 3:5

 In prayer:
 "And you shall seek Me, and you shall find Me, when you shall search for  me with all your heart."  Jeremiah 29:13

 So with believing, responding and obedient hearts let us humbly do just  that, as we come before Almighty God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit giving  Him all glory, honor, and praise.  Thank you Father for loving us!  Thank you Christ Jesus for redeeming us! Thank you Holy Spirit for Your  mighty work daily in us.  What an awesome thing it is to belong to God!  Amen!