HOW IS YOUR HEART TODAY?
Many of us would have heard a Preacher pray before he begins preaching the words of King David in Psalm 19:14 NKJV Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord my strength and my Redeemer. The Passion Bible expresses it this way: So may the words of my mouth, my meditation-thoughts, and every movement of my heart be always pure and pleasing before your eyes, my only Redeemer, my Protector God.
David prayed that the words (language) of His heart and the words of his mouth would be the same, and therefore acceptable to God. David did not want to be a hypocrite, saying one thing but thinking another. The Word of God, and particularly David and his son Solomon has so much to say about the heart. (the real you on the inside). Jeremiah 17:9-10 NKJV tells us that that The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I. the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according ro his ways, according to the fruit of things.
When we are born again God gives us a new heart Ezekiel 36:26 NKJV I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. We now have a heart that is open to respond to God, but we know and experience teaches us that even when we are born again we bring with us many of the habits and attitudes and mindsets we had prior to our conversion.
Jesus has much to say about the heart (and the mouth).
Matthew 12:34 NKJV For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Matthew 15:19 NKJV For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
Then this challenging verse Matthew 6:21 NKJV For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. We must make Jesus and the Kingdom of God the treasure we love.
This is why Solomon tells us to:Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 2:23 AMP.
My readers know that what I call Biblical Discipleship is ESSENTIAL if we are to see quality disciples, that must have a one on one component in their spiritual development. I major of course on:
Having assurance of sins forgiven
Developing a daily quality Prayer & Bible Reading/Meditation Quiet Time.
Learning how to protect our mind and learn to put on the whole armour of God
Experiencing our inheritance in Christ NOW.
There is one aspect of one on one that I have not written about much, although it is the basis of Biblical Discipleship.
In John 21:15_17 NKJV So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “FEED My lambs.”
He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “FEED My sheep.
Here Jesus speaks three times about caring for and discipling the Lambs and the Sheep. the word tend in verse 16 is the Greek word Poimen which can be translated SHEPHERD, but the word FEED iv verse 15 & 17 is the Greek word Bosko, and the etymology of the word is the picture of the shepherd going through the wool looking for the cuts and scratches and wounds and the rubbish that is in the wool (see the one on one component?) It also includes the picture of the smell of the sheep is on the shepherd (thus suggesting closeness). The Discipler/Mentor needs often to bring to the attention of the new believer those attitudes habits and mindsets that were in the person’s life before they came to Christ. It is interesting that Jesus highlights both the Lambs and the Sheep, suggesting to me, this is an ongoing ministry of the Mentor. The Apostle Paul picks up this same thought in when he wrote to the Church in Colosse. in 3:8-9 NKJV But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
The Mentor needs to not only bring to the attention of the new believer those things, but teach him to LIVE A LIFE OF PUTTING OFF, but also a life of PUTTING ON:
Colossians 3:10 NKJV and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.
Ephesians 4:24 NKJV And that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Unless, you are different to me, this is an ongoing process, not a one off decision, we believe the Bible teaches PROGRESSIVE SANCTIFICATION, and we need to work on this constantly.
The thought came to me that we need to teach a new Believer to be a GARDENER. I love looking at gardens (but don’t particularly like gardenin, when my wife and I are out in our garden, she doesn’t just appreciate all the beautiful roses and other plants she has, but constantly is PULLING OUT WEEDS, which I hardy even see. As a mentor, I have to be aware of the “weeds” in a new Believer’s life, and of course my own) and help him pull out the weeds, and to teach and train him that the moment he discerns a “weed” in his life with God’s help seeks to remove it.
If these thought have helped you, I would love to hear from you, with your comments please ?
