Practical Apologetics – Prepare Your Heart

Scripture God has emotions and desires, He, too, can be said to have a “heart.” We have a heart because God does. David was a man “after God’s own heart” - Acts13:22 And God blesses His people with leaders who know and follow His heart - 1 Samuel 2:35; Jeremiah 3:15 “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” – Jeremiah 17:9 He “knows the secrets of the heart” – Psalm 44:21; see also 1 Corinthians 14:25 Jesus “knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man” – John 2:24-25 Based on His knowledge of the heart, God can judge righteously: “I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings” - Jeremiah 17:10 “From within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean.” – Mark 7:21-2 “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” – Psalm 51:10 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” – Ezekiel 36:26 He promises to “revive the heart of the contrite ones” – Isaiah 57:1 “Though you probe my heart, though you examine me at night and test me, you will find that I have planned no evil, my mouth has not transgressed.” – Psalm 17:3;  “…to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.” – Deuteronomy 8:2b “So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families.” – Nehemiah 7:5a “The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.” – 1 Kings 10:24 “Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you.” – 2 Corinthians 8:16 “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” – Proverbs 4:23 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Luke 10:27 "…to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands" - Deuteronomy 8:2 “Does Job fear God for nothing?”Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” – Job 1:9-11 Sometime later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied. 
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” 
– Genesis 22:1-2 In the Gospels, Jesus’ command to "follow me" appears repeatedly, e.g., Matthew 8:22; 9:9, Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27; John 1:43 “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” – 1 Corinthians 10:31 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? -Psalm 91:7-8 
 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. - Psalm 91:7