An Established Heart

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And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

1Thessalonians 3:12,13

... Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:17-19

Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

2Corinthians 1:21,22

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An established heart is a heart that is secure and flourishing in life. Nothing can trouble a firmly established heart that is fully persuaded by truth. A sign of Christian maturity is a heart that is unmoved by fear and trouble. Such maturity comes only as we grow in God, strengthened by the revelation of the love of God. This is why the Holy Spirit was given to us - to lead us in truth and establish us in the love of God. The very love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). Therefore we have all the help we need within us to produce spiritual growth and Christian maturity.

The Bible writes that we are now fathered by God and Our God is a good Heavenly Father. Jesus tells us we have not been left as orphans - left to grow up and figure things out by ourselves. We have been given the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to lead us into full maturity.

Christian maturity looks like a heart established and flourishing in the love of God - fully knowing and believing His love for us. God's love for us was demonstrated through the cross of Christ - while we were still sinners He died for us and loved us before we even knew and loved Him. This is why the Apostle John writes that in love there is no fear. God is love and in Him is no fear! Jesus did not fear the death on a sinner's cross to show us the immensity of God's divine love. God did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all.

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (1John 3:16)

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. (1John 4:17-19)

Like any good Earthly father, our Heavenly Father does not want us living life afraid. He made provision that through the demonstration of His love on the cross and the pouring out of His Holy Spirit in us, His love will keep us safe and protect us from the clutches of fear.

Today you may be of good cheer knowing that you are not alone in this spiritual journey of Christian growth. You have the indwelled Holy Spirit in your heart, rooting you and grounding you in the love of God. Know that you are kept strong by His power through faith as you believe (1Peter 1:5).

... He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!” So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently say,

“The Lord is my Helper [in time of need], I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5,6 AMP)