Then I continued only to see two vile pornographic photos included in my search for landscape quilts. As soon as I reported them, they were removed. These incidents made me wonder about the human mind. What motivates a person who steals a photo and lies about it? What motivates someone to put explicit pictures out there for others to see? The Bible answers:
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds. (Jeremiah 17:9–10)
Only God fully understands what goes on in our hearts, even when we don’t understand ourselves. OT King David wrote this, a psalm with an ending that I often pray:
O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? . . . . Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:1-7; 23–24)
How many times have I said, “Why did I say that?” or “Why did I do that?” I don’t know my own self, but I do know the One who can not only show me what I’m thinking and why, but can renew my mind and put His thoughts in there to transform it!
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
For these truths, MacArthur says in today’s devotional that Christians are able to give godly counsel. We might feel inadequate, and in ourselves we are, but the Spirit of God makes a difference. He can give the wisdom needed to help one another with problems, and if not that, He can motivate me to pray for others so that the solutions needed are given to them directly.
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge — even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you — so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Corinthians 1:4–7)
For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:8)
I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. (Romans 15:14)
PRAY: Jesus, in my education and Bible study, You have shown me the difference between human psychology and Your understanding of the human heart. I agree with this devotional writer’s statement that professional psychologists are no substitute for spiritually gifted people who know the Word, possess godly wisdom, and are full of goodness. I thank You for the wise and all-sufficient counsel of Your Word. Enable me to share it as You give me opportunity, but also to apply it always to my own life.
PONDER: Read Psalm 119 and note what the psalmist relied on for his counsel and the reasons he went there for the help he needed.
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