March 6, 2023
Melissa Valerio
Romans 9:10-11
The Altar Call. It’s when the preacher on the platform asks if there’s anyone in the audience that wants to be saved. If so, you’re invited to come up to the front of the church, or to raise your hand right where you’re sitting. It’s an invitation to publicly profess your faith in Jesus and ask Him into your heart. You’re led into prayer by the pastor, confessing that you’re a sinner and asking Jesus into your heart. These are great, but do you ever wonder why so many Christians fall away afterward? I think it has a lot to do with the heart. Because if you confess, everyone can see from the outside (those that are witnesses). But only God knows if you truly believe in your heart, on the inside.
The Lord says in Isaiah 29:13 “These people worship me with their mouths, and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” (NCV) God can see straight into the heart. He can see motives, desires, truths (or lies), and intentions. He sees the things we cannot see in others and even in ourselves. A good example is in 1 Samuel 16:7 when the prophet Samuel was sent to anoint the next king of Israel, under God’s command. Samuel went to the family that God directed him to and one by one he saw each son, ready to anoint the one God chose. But each one, starting with the eldest, Eliab, was rejected by God. “Don’t look at how handsome Eliab is or how tall he is, because I have not chosen him. God does not see the same way people see. People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (NCV)
The truth about us is found in the heart. And only God can see it. It’s in the heart that faith begins. It’s in the heart that seeds get planted. It’s in the heart that truth blooms. And it’s in the heart that Jesus wants to live. Once we truly give our hearts to Him, giving Him access to every part of our lives and loving Him for all He is, we’ll start seeing God’s saving power working in us. He not only saves from spiritual death (eternity in Hell), but He’s also able to save us from sin, self, and the world. Over time, by continuing to submit to the Holy Spirit, we start to see changes in our lives that prove He’s the one in control. We begin to lose those sinful desires, we begin to want to please Him rather than ourselves, and we begin to want more and more of Him and less and less of the world. God has an altar call too! It’s His Spirit calling to ours. “Please”, He’s saying, “open up and let Me in!” ❤️
Prayer: Faither in Heaven, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die in our place. We know we are sinners in need of a Savior, and You provided that in Jesus Christ. You know our hearts. You know where they need to be softened. Till our hearts and make them fertile for You. Please come live and rule in our hearts for eternity. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Action: Think about your life. Are there any areas that are off-limits to Jesus? Are there any areas of your life that you don’t want Jesus to be a part of? Identify one or two and ask Him to take control of that area. Release the outcome to Him.