A heart that finds Christ more precious than anything else
AN honest and good heart is the heart that loves Christ. We find Christ so precious that we would not give Him up for anything. We may have to suffer for Christ's sake in this world, but no suffering can take away any of the blessings that we have in Him.
We have all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor anything can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
They who received the seed on the stony ground did not have an honest and good heart, for they gave up Christ in the time of persecution and affliction. They who received the seed among thorns did not have an honest and good heart, for they tried to keep the love of money and of pleasure in their hearts together with the love of Christ, but this cannot be. The love of money and of pleasure will prevail over the love of Christ if we try to keep them both in our hearts at the same time. Neither money nor pleasure can get for us what Christ has for us; therefore, they should never be allowed to have a place together in the same heart.
We could not by pleasure or money get pardon and life, but we have them through Christ. We could not by money or pleasure get a treasure in heaven, but we have it through Christ. He is the Word, which is the seed of life to us. No man can have an honest and good heart who does not keep Christ in his heart as the Word of life. But if he keeps Christ in his heart, then he will bring forth fruit.
Fruit is everything we do that shows that Christ is precious to us.
To confess His name is fruit.
To give thanks to Him is fruit.
To suffer for His sake is fruit.
To show kindness to one of His disciples for His sake is fruit.
To forgive for His name's sake is fruit.
This fruit is brought forth with patience, because we have to bear His cross and endure many things.
T. T.