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Day 96

Luke 8 : 4-18 "A NOBLE AND GOOD HEART..." Luke 8:15"

Day 96 – Luke 8

Text: Luke 8 : 4-18

“A NOBLE AND GOOD HEART…” Luke 8:15

How would you describe your own heart? Let’s be very candid and open before the Lord! Can the Lord describe our hearts with these words? Can He say that we do have “a noble and good heart”?

How do we know what kind of heart we have? We can end up being quite subjective in our assessment of ourselves.

Let’s consider what the Lord Jesus said further, as He clarified what it means to have a “noble and good heart”. He wasn’t referring to how we view ourselves. He had in mind how this “noble and good heart” expresses itself when it is given God’s Word. The person with the “noble and good heart” will do the following,

He will “keep it (that is, “the word of God”)
And bear fruit with patience (that is, “perseverance”) .”
Luke 8:15

When you read God’s Word, do you keep it in your heart? Do you seek to practise what the Scriptures teach? You may falter and fail from time to time, but do you believe that when you persevere in your faith, you will indeed bear fruit… a hundredfold… in due time?

It is important that we check our hearts carefully. If we were to merely read God’s Word as we would an ordinary book, we would have failed to appreciate the Scriptures! Let us teach our hearts how to treasure the Word of God!

ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE PSALMS

Lest we forget how precious the Word of God really is, let us take a bit of time to read how the Psalmists described the Scriptures,

“The words of the LORD are pure words,
Like silver tried in a furnace of earth,
Purified seven times.
You shall keep them, O LORD,
You shall preserve them from this generation forever.”
Psalm 12:6-7

We need to check our regard for God’s Word from time to time. Let us always make sure that we have the healthiest regard for the Scriptures. The noble-hearted will agree with the Psalmist when he penned these words concerning the Scriptures,


“The Law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul;
The Testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
The Statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
The Commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The Fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The Judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.>

More to be desired are they then gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.”
Psalm 19:7-11

Let us desire to keep God’s Word as we would treasures! Let’s learn how to appreciate God’s Word so that our hearts will desire the Scriptures more than much fine gold! May our constant reading of the Lord’s Word cause us to appreciate the beauty and the depth of wisdom that are to be found therein!

“NOTHING IS SECRET THAT WILL NOT BE REVEALED…” Luke 8:17

The multitude may pretend interest in the Word of God taught by the Lord Jesus, waiting as patiently as possible for Him to finish preaching, before they came to ask for healing. The Pharisees and Scribes may attempt to hide themselves under the cloak of scholarship, but their spiritual barrenness was all too obvious to the observant. They may have fooled many, but they cannot deceive the Lord.

The Word of God has tremendous penetrating power. We read about this aspect of God’s Word in the Book of Hebrews,

“For the Word of God is living and powerful,
And sharper than any two-edged sword,
Piercing even to the division of soul and spirit,
And of joints and marrow,
And is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

And there is no creature hidden from His sight,
But all things are naked and open
To the eyes of Him to whom
We must give account.”
Hebrews 4:12-13

“THEREFORE TAKE HEED HOW YOU HEAR…” Luke 8:18

There is a basic principle that Jesus taught that is all-important! We must indeed watch the way we hear God’s Word.

Do we need to come to the Lord in repentance? Do we need to ask Him to cleanse us from a poor attitude and regard for God’s Word? Let us come quickly to the throne of grace and plead for mercy.

Let us ask for a cleansed heart. Let us seek a new heart that has been touched by the Lord. Let us ask for a noble and good heart that will keep His Word. Let us persevere in our faith and in our determination to hide His Word in our heart.