A Heart After God

It is the duty of every God-called minister of the Gospel to rail vehemently against sin; to proclaim passionately salvation; and to extol eloquently the grace of God. Why? Because perilous pitfalls are lurking in the world, and sneaking subtly into the church. Satan sets snares and traps and pitfalls that entangle careless souls.

You would think we’d know better. Every one of us has been tempted by sin, and resisted sin, many times. But even those considered to have been great Christians have fallen prey to sins that they should have resisted and overcome. It is sad when the name of Christ is drug through the mud because someone who should have known better fell into diverse lusts, temptations and sins.

Preachers can wax almost poetic in calling sinners to repentance. The God of mercy can extend forgiveness to those who have fallen into failure and shame. But do not wait until then to call on God. We need to be prepared today to resist the temptations that will come to us. The time to defeat sin is before you fall into sin.

You need to constantly renew your zeal and commitment to serving God. Every great saint of God has had one thing in common. Whether you talk of Abraham, David, Elijah, Peter, Paul or William Sowders, they all had one key ingredient in their lives: They all were intoxicated with the holiness of God, and were consumed with a desire to know Him. Paul expressed his longing in Philippians 3:10, “that I may know Him.” (He said he wanted to win Him in verse 8; be found in Him in verse 9; and know Him in verse 10.) Our only hope of spiritual success is to re-kindle and to maintain our passionate zeal for God. Our heart must pant for God. See Psalms 42:1-2.

Just because you are God’s purchased child, and have the baptism of the Holy Ghost, does not mean you will make the right decisions and wise choices. We do not naturally gravitate to that which is godly and holy. There is still a sinful nature in us, and we are still tempted by our adversary to choose wickedness and evil.

We make choices daily. Those choices will either lead us closer to the Lord or they will lead us further away from Him. We choose whether to attend church services. We choose whether to yield to temptation. We are not immune. You have made many wonderful and right choices in your life, and declared your commitment to the Lord repeatedly. Those decisions are the reason you are serving God today. They have brought you to where you are in the Lord. But tomorrow, you could make a foolish choice that would wreck all that has been, and all that might have been.

That is why I Corinthians 10:12 warns us that even if you stand, take heed lest you fall. We must not only fix our heart on God, Psalms 108:1, but we also need to daily maintain that godly fixation. Remember that David had a heart fixed on God, but still yielded to temptation in the matter of Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba. A false sense of security fosters an inviting vulnerability to temptation and sin. Don’t rest in the fact that you have served God for years, that you know the doctrines, or that you are a pretty good person. You need daily convictions about living right, doing right, and being right with God.

As ministers, we strive to see to it that each member of this body develops a close relationship with God. As our world grows more wicked and perverse, the task is increasingly difficult. Temptation is pervasive. Today, even the radio spews lewd, suggestive and filthy music and words. The telephone is now used for obscenity, such as datelines, and even sexting. Television and movies are reaching new lows in their promotion of immorality and sin. The computer, which nearly all of us have, is a channel by which hearts and minds can be influenced by sin.

James 1:14 declares how easy it is to be drawn away, and enticed into sin. In today’s world, sin can be done so easily and so privately. We are tempted to believe no one knows, and no one will ever find out. Sin can be done anonymously and secretly. But God knows. And you cannot cover your sins and prosper. The Bible says in Numbers 32:23, be sure your sin will find you out.

Yet there is a remedy. God has a way to help us cleanse our hearts of the sin that resides there; and can give us strength to resist temptations for the sins of today and tomorrow. But remember, you got into those sins because of your choices. And I am telling God’s people today not to make those choices in the first place. It is better to prevent sin, than to repent from committed sin.

You can ruin your life, ruin the lives of your loved ones, and wreck your relationship with God by “choosing” sin in a moment of weakness. You can give in to the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life, and open your mind to sin. Jesus said in Luke 9:23 that we are to take up the cross – daily. That word, “daily,” is very significant. Taking up the cross is a constant, ongoing action. It is not something done once at the altar. It is a present duty. You are to take up the cross today. You may have borne it yesterday, and for months and years; but you must pick it up again today! Strive against sin, again and again, continually and constantly.

So how can we get our heart right? How can we develop this relationship with the Lord? How can we be consistent and constant in our vigilance and determination to be God’s holy people? The answer is in Colossians 3:1-3. We must seek a closer relationship with the Lord.

These verses are very important. We seek this relationship in many ways. You cannot have a relationship with someone if you never communicate with them. We talk to the Lord in prayer. I can cite you a hundred scriptures on this point, but you already know that you need a strong, frequent prayer life. Personal prayer is perhaps more important than the public prayer. Pray; pray more.

Next, you need to hear the Lord talk to you. This is most common in times of meditation. When the radio or TV is blaring, when you have the IPod on, when you are busy bustling about from here to there, you probably couldn’t hear the Lord if He shouted. In quiet meditation, thinking about your life, and the things of God, you might learn how to hear His voice. It isn’t always in the storm, or the earthquake, but it is often a still small voice.

Then, you need to read the Bible. God is revealed in His Word. If you want to know Him, read His book! You can better understand the Lord when you learn how He thinks. That is all in the Bible.

Finally, make right choices. Note that Paul said to the Colossians to “set” your affection on things above. It means that this is a deliberate choice you make. You can set your affection on the Lord, or on things of this world. You choose. God doesn’t make that choice for you. You have to direct your mind in the right way. Decisions are not to be made based on feelings or emotions. Decisions are made according to principles and the emotions follow.

We learn in Romans 12:1-2 that it is by the renewing of your mind that you can prove what is God’s good and acceptable and perfect will. This only happens after you present your body as a holy sacrifice. As we yield to Him, choosing to be committed to His will and way, we change our thoughts. Our minds can be radically changed – transformed – to understand and know God’s will.

This will only happen if we crucify the flesh, and die daily. It will only happen if we set our affection on things above. This transformation does not happen in a cocoon like a sleeping caterpillar; we must be conscious throughout the entire process. Our minds are transformed by a series of choices, made daily, to serve the Lord and to resist the devil. If you are struggling; if temptation beckons; call on the Lord today. He will give you strength. In Him, you will find perfect rest and peace. He will satisfy your longings, and will banish your desires for wickedness.