People Look At The Outward Appearance, But The Lord Looks At The Heart
Going Through The Fire Of Purity
1 SAMUEL 16:7
“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
”I Samuel 16:7 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/1sa.16.7.NKJ
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Samuel may have been looking for someone to be Israel’s next king, and Soul was an impressive looking man, tall and handsome. But God warned him against judging by appearance or physical stature.
Many people judge a person by outward appearance, but the truth is, it is far to easy to overlook quality individuals who lack the physical qualities society currently tends to admire.
Just as you cannot judge a book by its cover, appearances do not reveal what a person is really like or what their true value is.
Fortunately, God does not judge by outward appearance, He judges by faith and character. Only God can see into our hearts; He sees who we really are from the inside and only He is qualified to bring judgement.
Since it is impossible for us to fully judge people, we must be wise, testing everything we see and hear.
Jesus said, “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.”
Matthew 24:11 NKJV
We see them and hear them on major media platforms-YouTube, Facebook, and on your TV screen. They come through books and even manage to get into our churches.
Don’t be sucked in by the false prophets of today, “but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.””
Acts 5:39 NKJV
Therefore, in everything, test and approve in the Spirit; mans opinion counts for nothing, it’s God’s opinion that counts.
Therefore, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”
I John 4:1-3 NKJV
Jesus is the only One we can fully believe and the Holy Bible is the only book you can fully trust.
The devil puts a lot of effort into infiltrating your mind; he wants to confuse and control you, and fill you with fear. He wants to damage your character fill you with his army and use you for his purposes.
The truth is, he came to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (JOHN 10:10), and he’s good at it. He wants to destroy you, your marriage, your career, your health, your finances, your life; he wants to steal your peace, your joy, and even your giftings, and ultimately he wants to bring about eternal death to you and yours.
Today we see so much division in our churches, indeed, many have closed their doors worldwide.
He has, with his invisible enemy of unclean spirits and demons, brought fear, depression, and suicides; he has broken the world financial systems, corrupted our governments, destroyed businesses and closed or corrupted many churches. He is influencing our children through what is taught in schools and through the media and the brain washing games that twist people’s minds.
Thank God for Jesus, He came to give us life, that we may have it abundantly (JOHN 10:10).
If we are going to remain right with God and not be sucked in by the world and it’s evil things we must look deeply at ourselves.
Many people spend hours every week maintaining their outward appearance, but the truth is, we should spend even more time developing our inner character and heart felt attitudes.
God sees our every thought, nothing gets past Him, not good nor evil and we shall all face the consequences of that. But God uses our failings to shape and mould us into the people He wants us to be, and at times, the process can be painful and even traumatic.
“But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”
Romans 8:25-30 NKJV
Like David in PSALM 139:23-24, we must ask God to search our hearts to try us and know our anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in us; that He will cleanse us from the inside, take us through the fire of purification and lead us to life everlasting.
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
