Whose heart are you after?

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What makes us so different from King David? Why don’t we have the title also of “a great man/woman of God”? Remember, David was a sinner just like us. He committed what we call the “biggies”, adultery and murder but, the Scripture says, And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. Acts 13:22 (KJV) Why is that so? It is so partly because when confronted with his sin he ACKNOWLEDGED (admission of guilt) and REPENTED (to turn away from sin). Are we ready to say and pen words as powerful as these: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar. Psalms 51 (KJV) Let’s be honest, God is listening, when did we ever fall on faces and pour of our spirit with such anguish for sinning against the Almighty God! As so many preachers say “if you can’t say Amen say OUCH”!

In each of our lives we have to ACT (Acknowledge, Confess and Turn) from the sins that beset (harass: annoy continually or chronically) us. Then and only then are we able to move completely into what God has for each of us. That is where the church often times misses the boat. When someone has committed a sin, (whichever one is the “biggie” in our eyesight, the one that is preached from the pulpit regularly because the “preacher/teacher is guilty of said sin) we kick the person(s) out of the church. Doing so is akin to being sick and stricken with a debilitating disease, worthy of hospitalization and round the clock care only to be forcibly removed from the hospital or care facility to heal thyself. Is that true Christianity? We have become the judge of our peers, there is none righteous no not one. That is what the Book says, not the preacher, teacher, leader or pew warmer. Jesus, not I said “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. “Matthew 7:1-6 (NKJV) When will we walk in love, one for another?

There are 66 Books in the Bible all pointing to Jesus and not to us. God will stand and pronounce judgment, not man nor woman. Paul wrote, Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,^” says the Lord. Romans 12:19 (NKJV) Now here we stand, pointing our crooked little finger at the faults of our brothers, not lovingly helping them to see their error but we become judge, juror and executioner, neither of which God commanded us to be. The scripture said but the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.1 Peter 4:8-11 (NKJV) Can we say that forgiveness, true forgiveness resides in us and is being exercised (not exorcised) in the church today? Where are the Saints of God who are willing to say enough is enough!

Healing begins with Godly forgiveness. If church folks would stop keeping score and treating this Christian life like a game, then the world would see that the church is in order. They would see true love for the brethren, not personal agendas and selfish game plans. Who wants to come to a stream, to partake of cool, refreshing drink of water and see body parts and human waste floating on the surface? People in and out of church are peeping in to see if this truly a place of sanctuary, where a weary sojourner can find comfort and rest and be spiritually fed. Then, they may say I see true love with no strings attached, the Word of God being lived out before their very eyes. Then, they may hear the heavenly choir and musicians praising God. Then, they may hear a Word from the Lord that is uplifting and power-filled in which the Holy Spirit not the preacher is doing the drawing. Finally, when they approach the altar they will see Christ and not the preacher or the deacon or the steward, standing with arms stretched wide open. It won’t just be a wonderful, fleeting moment, but a truly life altering experience down in their souls. All the time hearing the humble, loving, and empathizing Saints of God around them possibly singing this old familiar hymn:

I Surrender All

All to Jesus, I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

Refrain

I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

Refrain

All to Jesus, I surrender;
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

Refrain

All to Jesus, I surrender;
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power;
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

Refrain

All to Jesus I surrender;
Now I feel the sacred flame.
O the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to His Name!

Refrain

Words: Judson Van Deventer, 1896

Music: Winfield S. Weeden, 1896

Then it seems well with their soul and the saints are fervently praying for these persons, unselfishly; they will have taken the first step toward an awesome relationship with the Almighty God because of the LOVE that was manifested in that place of sanctuary.

As Blood bought, complete Bible believing servants of the Most High God; we church folks must ACT(Acknowledge, Confess and Turn) from our sins to begin the healing through the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, so that we may be a blessing and not a hindrance within the body of Christ.

Our responsibility as the body of Christ is to be PRIME (Pray unceasingly one for another daily, Remember we are sinners too, Invest our time, treasures and talents in being a blessing to others, Ministering to the needs our fellow sinners even those of us who are saved by His marvelous grace, Encourage each other often).

It is incumbent to each of us not to be led astray by every wind (selfish desires that do not line up with the Word of God or satan) and doctrine (all of the stuff “we” add to God’s Word to control the people). It our responsibility to set the record straight like the Saints of old, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Deborah, Ruth, David, John the Baptist, Peter, Stephen and Paul, etc. Remembering always God’s Word, Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)