the heart of man ,

THE HEART OF GOD

The NATURAL heart of man responds like this:

For GOOD done to him, he responds with GOOD,

For EVIL done to him, he responds with EVIL

The heart of man that is DEMONICALLY influenced:

For GOOD done to him, he responds with EVIL

The heart of man that is influenced by GOD:

For EVIL done to him, he responds with GOOD

(This can ONLY be done through the help, grace, and HEART of God :)

JOSEPH

The heart of man: Joseph (when he saw his brothers) he could have had them killed...

The heart of God: but he saw God’s hand and his heart forgave his brothers.

Gen 45:1-8 (NIV)

1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, "Have everyone leave my presence!" So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers.

2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's household heard about it.

3 Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.

4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!

5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.

6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping.

7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

8 "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.

THE GOLDEN RULE NOT THE GOLDEN SUGGESTION:

Matt 7:12 (NIV)

12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

DAVID

The heart of man: It was the practice of new kings to destroy all the descendants of the former king so that they will not challenge him for the throne.

The heart of God: David found Mephibosheth, the last descendent of Saul (son of Jonathan) ... instead of killing him ... well .. read this ...

2 Sam 9:1-11 (NIV)

1 David asked, "Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?"

2 Now there was a servant of Saul's household named Ziba. They called him to appear before David, and the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" "Your servant," he replied.

3 The king asked, "Is there no one still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show God's kindness?" Ziba answered the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in both feet."

4 "Where is he?" the king asked. Ziba answered, "He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar."

5 So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.

6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, "Mephibosheth!" "Your servant," he replied.

7 "Don't be afraid," David said to him, "for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table."

8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?"

9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family.

10 You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master's grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table." (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

11 Then Ziba said to the king, "Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do." So Mephibosheth ate at David's table like one of the king's sons.

ANOTHER ONE OF GOD’S COMMANDS

James 1:19-20 (KJV)

19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

20 For the wrath of man (the heart of man) worketh not the righteousness of God.

HOW DID JESUS RESPOND TO BEING BEATEN, WHIPPED, KILLED?

Luke 23:32-34 (KJV)

32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.

33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

34 Then said Jesus, FATHER, FORGIVE THEM; FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO (THE HEART OF GOD). And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

· LOVE BECAUSE YOU CHOOSE TO .. NOT ONLY WHEN YOU WANT TO - we are COMMANDED to love one another.

· LOVE . . . BELIEVES the BEST of every person . . . 1 Cor 13:7 AMP

· KEEP THY HEART with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Prov 4:23 (KJV)

FINALLY, hear this poem that I heard as a child, and was able to find on the web this morning :)

Outwitted

Edwin Markham

He drew a circle that shut me out --

Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.

But Love and I had the wit to win:

We drew a circle that took him in.

In closing, pray with me, “Father, remove from me this heart of man, and give me Your heart... in Jesus name.”