"...God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the appearance but the Lord looks at the heart."
1 Samuel 16:7
The Heart and Knowledge:
"If I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
Love... bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but prophecy, they will be done away; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part... but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.
For now we see in a mirror in a riddle, but then face to face; now in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known."
1 Corinthians 13:2-12
The Highways to Zion:
"How blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee;
In whose heart are the highways to Zion!
Passing through the valley of weeping, they make it a spring,
The early rain also covers it with blessings.
They go from strength to strength,
Every one of them appears before God in Zion."
Psalm 84:5-7
"And a highway will be there, a roadway,
And it will be called 'the highway of holiness.'
The unclean will not travel on it,
But it will be for him who walks that way,
And fools will not wander on it...
But the redeemed will walk there.
And the ransomed of the Lord will return,
And come with joyful shouting to Zion,
With everlasting joy upon their heads.
They will overtake gladness and joy,
And sorrow and sighing will flee away."
Isaiah 35:8-10
This highway to Zion was in Abraham's heart. Also in the hearts of Noah, Isaac, Jacob...
"...he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth... they desired a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be their God; for He has prepared a city for them."
Hebrews 11:10-16
Are the highways to Zion in my heart? I don't hear myself doing any shouting!
"And they shall come and shout for joy on the height of Zion..."
Jeremiah 31:12
Or any singing!
"How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts!
My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God...
How blessed are those who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee."
Psalm 84:1-4
A New Covenant:
"I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart."
Jeremiah 24:7
I will gather you from the peoples... and I shall give them one heart, and shall put a new spirit within them. And I shall take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statues and keep My ordinances and do them.
Ezekiel 11:17, 19
GAINING KNOWLEDGE OF THE MATTERS OF GOD'S HEART
David, a Man After God's Heart:
"...He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He testified and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My wills."
Acts 13:22, 23
"As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with the same heart and a willing soul; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be courageous and act."
1 Chronicles 28:9, 10
Priests in the kingdom are also to serve Him with the same heart and willing soul as David.
"I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed always."
1 Samuel 2:35