There are activities in our lives in which we all are involved that we do with our whole heart.

The question is - Do they involve the Lord Jesus Christ or are they in pursuit of the world and its goods?

"Half heart is no heart." - Charles Spurgeon

"The way which the whole heart goes the whole man goes..." - Matthew Henry

"He whose whole heart cries to God will never rise from the throne of grace without a blessing." - Adam Clarke

Let's be real here!

Just how many Christians are "following hard" after God with all of their hearts? Are you one of them?

The Scriptures repeatedly mention the words - "with my whole heart" - in the context of going after God.

In your Christian walk, is this the manner in which you approach Him on a daily basis?

Are believers worldwide showing Him that He is their one and only pursuit and affection?

We are admonished in the Word to praise Him with our whole heart...seek Him with the whole heart...obey Him with the whole heart...entreat His presence with the whole heart...cry unto Him with the whole heart...and - if need be - return unto Him with the whole heart.

Psalm 9:1 says - "I will praise Thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will show forth all Thy marvelous works."
Psalm 111:1 says - "Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart..."
Psalm 138:1 adds - "I will praise Thee with my whole heart..."

How do we "praise the LORD with the whole heart"? How do we know when we are doing such?

Whenever we are praising Him with undivided affection ... holding nothing back ... with all the powers of our soul and mind employed ... allowing nothing to interfere with our fullness of praise...having no coldness in our hearts, love for other things that would steal our love for Him, or unbelief to drag us down... without distraction and division...not being drawn away from Him...being hearty in worship...with enthusiastic eagerness... being wholly occupied with Him... with a fervency of affection... and reserving nothing to offer to any idols or other gods in our lives - that is when we are truly praising God with our whole heart!

Psalm 119:10 says - "With my whole heart have I sought Thee..."

In other words, the Psalmist's heart had gone after God Himself - seeking Him only and diligently. He sought after His glory, presence, grace, communion, and daily supply for his needs - both sincerely and genuinely.

Psalm 119:34 says - "Give me understanding, and I shall keep Thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart."
Psalm 119:69 says - "The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep Thy precepts with my whole heart."

With great pleasure, delight, vigor, and resolution, the Psalmist kept God's commands. With a constancy - he obeyed entirely, sincerely, heartily, and affectionately all that the Lord commanded him to do.

Psalm 119:58 says - "I entreated Thy favor with my whole heart..."

Here, he was determined in his heart to set his affection on the Lord's presence. With all sincerity, heartiness, an undivided affection, and great importunity, he sought after it to have it evident in his life.

Psalm 119:145 says - "I cried with my whole heart..."

With all the powers and faculties of his soul in use, he pleaded unto the Lord. He had no divided wishes. Earnestly, fervently, and intensely, he went after God.

Lastly, Jeremiah 24:7 says - "And I will give them an heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto Me with their whole heart."

Here we see a people who were truly and wholeheartedly converted to God. How do we know this? Because they gave themselves affectionately, sincerely, and unfeignedly to Him. They made His will their rule...His service their business...and His glory their end.

As we look upon the Body of Christ today, do we see this wholehearted affection toward the Lord Jesus being displayed? We can certainly see such "zeal" at the sports events, but how about in our church services?

Why is it that out of the sports arena can be heard such thunderous roars of praise for men, yet in our churches on Sunday morning, the Praise for God is silent and the worship is dead?

"with my whole heart"

These words seem to serve as an indictment against a generation of people who have so much, yet show so little gratitude and affection toward God for it. Oh, don't misunderstand us here. There is much activity that is done "with my whole heart" - it is just not directed toward the Lord Jesus Christ.

Has the Church lost her focus?

How is it that she can seek after the wealth of this world with all of her heart, yet cannot muster up the same heart affection when in prayer or in the study of the Scriptures?

God is looking for a people who will go after Him - "with my whole heart."

Are you one of them?

Remember what Pastor Henry said - "The way which the whole heart goes the whole man goes..."

What does that say about the present-day Church?
What does that say about you?

Which way is your whole heart taking your whole man?

May God Bless His Word,
Connie

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