Sincere Hearts

I was reading from Bob Jones website last night, THE SHEPERDS ROD 2009, a prophetic insight for this year we are about to enter into and one very profound statement that he made was this..."America has lost her innocence testing shall be this year to see who is sincere and who is not. And your faith will fail you this year if it’s not in Jesus Christ."

Daniel 11:34-35 Now when they fall, they shall receive a little help. Many shall join themselves to them with flatteries and hypocrisies. 35 And some of those who are wise, prudent, and understanding shall be weakened and fall, [thus, then, the insincere among the people will lose courage and become deserters. It will be a test] to refine, to purify, and to make those among [God's people] white, even to the time of the end, because it is yet for the time [God] appointed.

This year, our hearts are going to be tested. I can say that the testing has already begun. If I could just be transparent for a moment...(it's good practice for eternity)...God has been dealing with me greatly in this area. God wants to know if I am sincere in every area, from being a wife, to a mother...to being a minister of helps and so on... The question God has been asking is who are you doing this for? If I am being a wife only for John...it's for the wrong reason. He's a wonderful husband and he deserves a good wife but utimately...he doesn't belong to me. He's God's, so my actions as a wife should reveal that to him! If I am a trying to be a good parent because I want to be and my kids need one...again, it's only half effective. My parenthood should reveal God as father to them...and His love! If I am helping because I want to...you guessed it...wrong reason! God wants to help and that should always be apparent! In all of these instances and whatever may apply to you, God is always willing and sincere in His motive. And that's what He is looking for in us! That same heart...carried out so beautifully in what He has made each of us to be and called us to do!

Here's the symptom that tells me, by the way, that my sincerity is being tested...it's found right in the word we have just read. It's the urge to desert...jump ship...bail....run...to not have to face it! Any time I recognize that tendency to want to do that...God is asking, "Are you sincere?"

Let me just encourage you...look to the ONE who is sincere in every way...and acknowledge every good and perfect gift that is in you in Christ Jesus. Sincerity will be communicated through your faith in Him!