Thursday: State of the Heart
Daily Lesson for Thursday 23rd of April 2026
Our ability to receive instruction from God’s Word (Job 22:22) depends largely on what the state of our heart is like when we come to the Bible. How does 1 Corinthians 2:14 explain this?
To have spiritual discernment means to have spiritual insight and understanding. It makes sense, then, that a spiritually open-minded person will have very different takeaways when reading the Bible than a spiritually closed-minded person. Someone who thinks the Bible is foolish won’t look for truth in its pages.
So, both our attitude toward the Bible and the way we approach reading it are very important when it comes to growing in a relationship with God. How does Paul explain this in 1 Thessalonians 2:13?
Image © Kevin Carden at Goodsalt.com
God’s Word works in us when we believe. When you open your Bible and believe that God has something to say to you through the words on the pages, He will indeed speak to you and work in your life. But so much depends on your faith and your expectations. The good news is that if your faith is small, God can help it to grow (Mark 9:24), even if it’s tiny like a mustard seed (Luke 17:6).
One of the great purposes of the Bible is to speak truth into our lives about the condition of our relationship with God and how to strengthen it. If your heart is open to the Holy Spirit and if you approach the Word with humility, you will always come away changed, even though you might not immediately recognize it day by day. Such change and growth are often incremental. But if we cling to our apathy and sin and are not willing to change, Bible reading can avail us little good. The Holy Spirit prompts us to move closer to Jesus Christ. Do we want to step closer? If so, we become “wise unto salvation” (2 Timothy 3:15), and we’ll see things we never even imagined.
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What is the state of my heart and mind as I approach the Bible? Am I just bringing my opinions to the Bible with the goal of trying to justify them, or am I coming with an open mind and heart, ready with childlike faith to see what God wants to tell me today? Why is that answer so important? |
One of the biggest issues we Bible-believing Christians face is that there are so many interpretations about what of what the Bible says. The journey of the Seventh-day Adventist church on the doctrine about the nature of the Godhead is a case in point. Some of the early pioneers held Arian views and still others were considered to be pantheistic. I don’t want to argue the case for these views, except to say they believed these views were Biblically based. They all made noises about being led by the Holy Spirit and therefore their view was the one the church should follow. I have had people disagree with me and tell me that when I am led by the Holy Spirit and not by my own reasoning, I will come around to their point of view (they don’t say it that way, but I know what they mean)
It is complicated, and I have seen more than one person give up because they see the forest of so-called spirit-led contrasting interpretations thrown at them and they cannot see the Gospel through the dust storm.
How do we face the issue of multiple interpretations? I think we sometimes make too big a deal out of the rightness of some doctrines (don’t extrapolate this statement. I did not say all.) I learned my most valuable lesson about sin from a Christadelphian who did not believe Satan was real. He told me that Satan was a metaphor for self. Now I disagree with his idea that Satan is not real, but I understand the role of self a lot more in the sin problem as a result of our conversation. That understanding has been both helpful and humbling. My point is that while we disagree on the interpretation of the Bible, the conversation gave me a better understanding of the problem of sin and my role.
We have with the notion of truth that it is static, like a set of statements. In fact, truth is a growing experience – a dynamic relationship. I have been reading the Bible for most of my life and my viewpoint about some of the things I have read has changed over the years. The words are still the same, but the viewpoint has changed and I see things differently. I have a different relationship with Jesus. I have not learned new statements; Some of the things I thought were important are less important now, and vice versa. It is not for me to predicate that all this change is the work of the Holy Spirit (Statements like that are often used as leverage to make others believe what we believe) I am aware that others have taken different journeys to me in their relationship to the Bible and being different does not make them wrong. Their growing process is just different to mine.
I think the big picture lesson is to share more of ourselves with one another, not with the view that we have a better understanding of truth but recognising that the exchange of ideas develops our relationship and is partly the way the Holy Spirit works.
Not matter how smart our heads are, until our hearts are under the influence of the Holy Spirit, our spiritual growth will be irreparably damaged. We need a need a new heart to kick start an honest spiritual life. Spiritual life starts from the heart. “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” (Ezekiel 36:26,NLT).We need a new desire and orientation to start loving the Word of God. Without a change of heart, our intellectual knowledge (book knowledge) about the Word of God will never have any impact in our lives. We can have the “best” or “right” perspective about the Bible but will never bring any tangible spiritual change. It is only God (Holy Spirit) who can bring the deep change required to make us love the things of God. Once our hearts have been changed, then our mind (our thinking) will be renewed and enthused towards spiritual things.
David knew where his spiritual problem was, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalms 51:10). He also cried out to God to redirect his inner desires, “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.” (119:36). If the power of the Bible (Scripture) is to be manifested in our lives, we need a new heart that is responsive to spiritual things.
The Scripture teaches that the heart is the seat of all emotions, thoughts, and intentions. Therefore, there is a need to make it pure, humble, and fully surrendered to God’s will. Matthew 5:8 declares, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” The Bible also reveals that transformation begins within the heart through God’s love and grace. In Ezekiel 36:26, God promises, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you,” and Psalm 51:10 expresses the believer’s desire: “Create in me a pure heart, O God.” By examining the state of one’s heart, believers can assess their spiritual health and strive for a deeper and more authentic faith.
This relationship with Christ is more than intellectual understanding as it deals with the state of our hearts. As Alfred North Whitehead noted, “A merely well-informed man is the most useless bore on God’s earth.” Knowledge alone is not enough; we need a transformation of the state of our hearts that we may truly see Christ. When our hearts are renewed, we recognize Him as our hope in a hopeless world. He is the owner of the resources for our spiritual poverty and the source of the power we need to overcome the power of the devil. All these blessings are found in Christ, and they become real in our lives when our hearts are surrendered to Him. Thus, the state of the heart determines the depth of our faith, our obedience, and our experience of God’s transforming grace.
There are several questions and thoughts that jump out after reading today’s lesson. Primarily, the lesson appears to be concentrating on what could be described as “Progressive Assimilation” relating to our ability to incorporate revealed truth into our experience (which I mentioned in a comment on Monday’s lesson).
I will concentrate on two points that really speak to me that could be interesting to discuss in a lesson group (for those who may be taking a lesson). I will break the points into two separate posts if that’s OK.
Firstly, who is the “Spiritual man”, or if you prefer, the “Spiritual person” (1 Corinthians 2:14)? Is it me? Of course, I am a Spiritual man, which obviously means I not only receive the “things of God” I actually “know them” because I have spiritual discernment. Do I though? To what extent? How much “Spiritual Discernment” do I need, and where do I place my confidence, in my “spiritual” discernment or something else?
Is it possible for me to draw spiritual conclusions on my own, or do I need others to help me out? Is it possible that “spiritual discernment 101” commences with that list from Romans 1 culminating in Paul’s Spirit Inspired description of us all in Romans 3:10-12? Is it possible that moving forward is dependent on understanding to some extent our real condition? Is it possible, that good Laodiceans might consider themselves to be spiritually discerning and in need of nothing? Is it possible that the temptation for the Spiritual Man is Spiritual Pride?
Additionally, it might be interesting to explore the relationship between the spiritual discernment of the individual and the spiritual discernment of the group. Who surrenders to whom, and under what circumstances? Or, what spiritual conclusions are personal, and which ones are corporate (or “churchy”)?
While the context of the lesson is more toward the individual, individuals develop in a group.
The second point that stands out to me relates to the comment in the lesson, “God’s Word works in us when we believe.”
Obviously, unless we recognise that the Bible is more than a mere book, any conclusions we draw downstream from that realisation may be somewhat “spiritually faulty”. But does that mean God does not work with those who haven’t drawn that conclusion? Is accepting the Bible as the Word of God a stumbling block to understanding God, or His Word? Is the Word of God (Logos) limited to what we find in the Bible, or is it broader – after all, John 1 tells us that the “Word was God” (John 1:1), and this same “Word was made flesh” (John 1:14).
I’d like to suggest that the “Word” works in us whether we believe or not!
Jeremiah tells us, “I have loved you with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jeremiah 31:3). While the immediate context is Israel, we are told that “Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6), and God is “not willing that any should perish” (2 Peter 3:9).
Steps to Christ beautifully illustrates this point on page 28 inviting us to recognise the longing in our hearts as the voice of God (Logos), in your heart. Interestingly, that voice is there regardless of whether we believe. Thank God for that…
I recognise that the Lesson is dealing with the Bible, so I’m not being critical. At the very least, it provides us with an opportunity to clarify and expand which can be helpful.
I agree with you. I think attitude has value and if someone comes to the Bible expecting to prove it wrong, it will be difficult for God to convey truth to that person. (But note I don’t say impossible – Paul was dead set against truth when Jesus reached him)
But if our state of heart was the condition for receiving truth from the Bible, many of us would never have become believers. After all, it’s through the Bible we learn about salvation, so if we have to have salvation to understand the Bible, we will be in a hopeless loop.
Many people read the Bible for the first time without a respect for it as the Word of God. Some pick it up out of curiousity. Some are sincerely searching. Perhaps some are reading to increase their knowledge and know that the Bible is a culturaly important book. Does God speak to them in these situations? I think He most certainly does. Also, people do need to test the Bible to some extent to be convinced of its truth. This looks different for different people – for some the test is more of its historical accuracy, for others more testing its ability to transform.
I like what Isaiah 55:11 says – God’s word will not return void. It has power. Yes, it has more power in the lives of those surrendered to Him, but it still has power.
We must always come to the Bible with humility knowing that it is the teacher, and an anvil that has worn out many hammers. We must lay aside our preconceived ideas and opinions and pray that the ancient words would speak to our contemporary life and situations, and change our perspectives of them. When we come to the Bible like a prospector searching for gold, we will discover the source of true riches, and leave with nuggets which will deepen our relationships with both God and man. It will make us wiser than our teachers. The ancient words can still impart wisdom to our heart if we will allow them to do so.
“Ancient words ever true, changing me and changing you. We have come with open hearts, oh let the ancient words impart.”
Ancient Words, Michael W. Smith
I’ve had to stay silent for a while after reading through today’s topic and ask myself hard questions: “How have I been reading or studying the Bible? Have I been reading/studying the Bible or has the Bible been talking to me?” Think of it! Scripture is God’s Word from God’s mouth (Isaiah 55:11). Words are heard but not read. The same Word that was in the beginning, that began creation with “Let there be light”. The Word that was alive then and is alive now, and will be alive tomorrow; living Word that moves, that functions, that has purpose. Living things are not read, they are watched, observed and listened to.
And that’s where the “state of the heart” is so important, because once again when we hear the “heart” we know we are not talking about a blood-pumping machine but more about a
Sorry, reading the Word is not like reading/studying a math textbook; it’s not like reading/studying but No words you read/study from books today can state that “It will not return empty, but will accomplish the desire and achieve the purpose of who sent it” (Isaiah 55:11) except the Word of God.
And, that’s why we need to sincerely answer the question – from the heart. It’s not about coming into our Sabbath School action units with statements and answers but more about experiencing the Word and the testament that should arise after being in contact with the Word – the Bible is present, it’s felt, but our “heart’s state” will either allow us to be sensitive or numb to the power of Scripture.
We can or must approach the Bible with something on our hearts and minds to talk to God about. I mentioned in yesterday’s post that in my moments of distress some verses in the Bible have been so meaningful to me. This happened because I had something to present to God and He responded to my pleas through those verses.
Just like physical food needs a healthy digestive system to benefit the body, the Word of God needs a receptive heart and a willing mind to truly nourish the soul. If pride, unbelief, distraction, or resistance block the “spiritual digestion,” the truth may be heard but not transformed into life.
This is why Scripture often speaks not only about hearing the Word, but also about receiving it, meditating on it, and letting it take root. The issue is rarely the quality of the “food”—it’s the condition of the heart that determines whether it produces growth.
I believe as we read the Bible and contemplate, meditate, or dwell if you prefer. on the Bible as the word of God we are drawn closer to Christ because we are seeking with an open mind, committing to Him our souls. We need not worry whether or not we have that relationship(that leads to salvation)of which today’s lesson is talking about, because we have by now relied on the gift of faith in God. Do I have the walk with God that is required of me to make my relationship with God solid. Micah 6:8. Yes, by faith in God gifted to me by God, because He is dear and near to me, with Paul I can say: I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I can rest in God because I have put my trust in Him. Proverbs 3:5-6.
I will add because of our relationship with God(willing obedience, and gifting ourselves to God, and accepting His Love and Holiness) we avoid Arian beliefs(Arianism is a 4th-century Christological doctrine, founded by Arius of Alexandria, which teaches that Jesus Christ is not fully divine nor co-eternal with God the Father, but is instead a created being.) A mind full of the righteousness of Christ, Galatians 2:21, gives us the ability to avoid Pantheism(we need to know that God is not the universe(Pantheism), rather God created the universe. Genesis 1:2, and John 1:3.
“The gospel of Christ is a blessing that all may possess. The poorest are as well able as the richest to purchase salvation; for no amount of worldly wealth can secure it. It is obtained by willing obedience, by giving ourselves to Christ as His own purchased possession. Education, even of the highest class, cannot of itself bring a man nearer to God. The Pharisees were favored with every temporal and every spiritual advantage, and they said with boastful pride, We are “rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing”; yet they were “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:17. Christ offered them the pearl of great price(salvation is a gift, obtained by willing obedience, by giving ourselves to Christ as His own purchased possession); but they disdained(refused or rejected salvation through Christ because of pride) to accept it, and He said to them, “The publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” Matthew 21:31.” Christ Object Lessons page 117.1.
I think they missed the most important way to read the Bible. Read it as a love letter from God and just be in His presence.
2 Tim.3:16-17 –
”All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
1 Cor.2:14 –
The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
James 1:23-25 –
”For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so – not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer – he will be blessed in what he does…
What was the response of the heart when reading these ‘Words of Truth? The state of the believer’s heart represents ‘ground zero’. It is the ground on which the seed – the Word of God – falls. What is the spiritual condition of this ground?
Matt.13:1-9 – – – Did the seed fall ‘along the path and the birds ate them? Did they fall on rocky places and the sun dried them up? Did they fall among thorns which choked them out? Did they fall on good soil producing a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown?’
‘Words’, conveying spiritual Truth are but the Spirit of Truth’s vehicle to impact the reader’s heart directly. They call the reader or hearer to apply the Truth contained in them to their life. God’s ‘living Word’ conveys His sacred knowledge and wisdom to our heart leading us into eternal life.
The Bible is not a magical book. It is not a book for one to gain superpowers or extraordinary abilities. But it is a rational story of a God Who loves His creatures and left them a directive of how to restore perfection in their lives.
Yes, the Bible is story, but it is more than that.
It is living, because the Holy Spirit meets with us, as we study.