Agree with the LORD in your Heart

Recently I had a conversation about how our team of three at the office may disagree on actions, yet once we decide to take an action, we are behind it fully. Where I carry out the actions fully in expectation of success, I admit to having doubts and look for moments when I can come back and indicate that I thought there was another way when thing do not go as planned.

“²¹Agree with God, and be at peace;

thereby good will come to you.

²²Receive instruction from his mouth,

and lay up his words in your heart.”

— Job 22:21-22 (ESV)

When it comes to the LORD, our agreement cannot be on the surface. We may go along with God’s required actions of us, but there is no room for us to doubt. It is imperative that we lay His words on our heart and not just on our minds.

“²⁷You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you,

and you will pay your vows.

²⁸You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you,

and light will shine on your ways.”

— Job 22:27-28 (ESV)

Expecting success is different than knowing of success. With the LORD, we can know of success and not just expect it. When we have His words on our heart, He will hear when we call. He will make success happen. No, maybe not the way we wanted things to go, but He will make success. It is in our trust of Him from our Heart that makes it so.

With the LORD, there is no room for doubt. When we are looking for the way out, we will surely find the way to failure. Maybe not in the moment, but in the end. I have to remember to be all in with the LORD. I have to hear His words. I have to agree with Him. I have to take His words and place them on my heart to ensure that I am fully on board with Him. Here I will know that success is imminent. I cannot fail with the LORD. I will not look back and have those what if thoughts. I must agree and will succeed.

How do you agree with the Word of God? Are you expecting success but holding out for the what if? “What if” you were agree with the LORD and place His words on your heart to know He will lead to success?

The LORD Will Come and Stay

What does it take for the LORD to come?

“¹³When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, ¹⁴if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 (ESV)

We have to earnestly “pray and seek” Him and His Face and “turn from their wicked ways” and then the LORD will come. So it is on us to get the LORD here. It is up to me and my full dependence on Him regardless of the circumstances. I am in charge of turning to the LORD and away from that which is evil. The LORD is always within earshot of me, and will come when I need Him, I only need to call on Him.

I think that we understand that part. Call on the LORD and He will come. But what is it that gets Him to stay with us. Well, it is the humbling of ourselves and surrendering to Him.I can and should call on Him when I need Him, yet it is up to me to reach out to Him and surrender to His glory for Him to come and stay.

“¹⁵Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. ¹⁶For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time” – 2 Chronicles 7:15-16 (ESV)

When I have devoted myself to the LORD, He will come and stay with me. Not just in earshot, but will be there walking with me for my entire journey in this world. I will have Him there to fend off the evil. He will comfort me and guide me and carry me and provide for me and bless me and fully ensure that I am taken care of in this world. It is up to me to turn to Him and away from evil and surrender to Him and he will come and stay with me.

What are you doing to get the LORD to come and stay? Are you keeping Him just within earshot? What if you were to surrender to Him so that He comes and walks with you, comforting you, guiding you, carrying you, providing for you, and blessing you?

Let Known to Serve the LORD with Your Heart

This morning I was reminded of a pretty big deal, let others know to serve the LORD with the whole heart. The context came from “David’s Charge to Solomon” (title of the passage in my ESV Bible).

“⁹And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. ¹⁰Be careful now for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it.” – 1 Chronicles 28:9-10 (ESV)

Here we see David speaking to Solomon in front of all the officials of Israel. He had been announcing to them that a house for the LORD was to be built, but not by him but that Solomon had been chosen by God to do so. And here David is charging Solomon to that which the LORD has chosen him to do. Yet, he is also charging Solomon to do so with full service to the LORD from the heart.

I was reminded strongly that it is important to physically tell others to love and serve the LORD from the heart and not just expect that they will pick it up on their own somewhere. As a parent, when we want something accomplished a certain way or in a certain time, it is important to speak it plainly so there is no questions as to what to do. This is also important with service and love of the LORD. We should be speaking it plainly. Love the LORD with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.

David announced to Solomon that he should proceed with the building of the Temple from his heart. He should work to serve the LORD and not his own agenda. And, David is speaking this command in front of many witnesses. He is not shying away from speaking it, he is deliberate and pointed in the delivery to ensure that Solomon is aware and understands the assignment.

I may have missed the mark on this. Where I was not young when I became a father, and I had been a follower of Christ for a good number of years, I was not mature in Christ by any means. I may have not spoken to my boys as David does to Solomon here.

But, I did have brothers in Christ who were examples of David in this sense and over the past 15 years I have grown in my Christlike maturity to more of an example. I still have a long way to go, but I am more bold today and heed the actions of David with Solomon and lead more deliberately and vocally to ensure that others (including but not limited to my sons) should know and love and serve the LORD with all their heart.

What are you speaking out about loving and serving the LORD? Are you expecting others to learn on their own somehow? What if you were to speak plainly with others as David does with Solomon to love and serve the LORD with all their heart?

It is Not To Late to Turn Back to God

It is not to late to repent and turn to the LORD. This morning I was reminded of this as I read how Josiah returned to the LORD when his predecessors had drifted away.

“¹³Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.” – 2 Kings 22:13 (ESV)

“³And the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people joined in the covenant.” – 2 Kings 23:3 (ESV)

Josiah found his moment to return to the LORD and he did not take it lightly. He boldly stated the drift and then just as boldly committed to the LORD in front of all to see.

But Josiah did not just make statements, he took action as well. He torn down alters and burned bones to remove the remnants of the turning away. He was not like the politicians that say one thing then do another. He was true to his word and returned fully to the LORD.

The drift away from the LORD is slow and almost unnoticeable. It happens with little things that we compromise on and then drift into the larger things that begin leading us. But there is time to turn it all around despite the time it took to get there and those who were involved. We have to just commit ourselves to the LORD and then carry out His Word in our daily actions dedicated to bringing Him glory.

What is your thoughts on the drift and coming back to the LORD? Are you of the belief that we may be too far gone to turn back to Him? What if you took the LORD into your heart and devoted to Him and again put your trust in Him and took action to bring Him glory?

The LORD Chooses Based on the Heart

I have a coach friend who confided in me that he does indeed have favorite players. He told me one time that his favorite players are those who give every thing they have at all times. Now, he admits that these players may not be the most talented and may not get a lot of playing time, because their heart may not translate into talent, but they are indeed his favorites.

“⁶When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.’ ⁷But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’” – 1 Samuel 16:6-7 (ESV)

Samuel had gone to Bethlehem to find and anoint the new king. Jesse was the father of the men God sent Samuel to and of course he paraded his sons one by one before Samuel. Where Samuel was impressed by the first and then the second all through the line of sons, the LORD made it clear that they were not His choice. Until David was brought forward. He was a good looking very young man (or boy actually). This is the choice of God.

Who would choose a boy to be the next king, God would. David was chosen not because he had a beautiful appearance, but because he had a beautiful heart. David was exactly what God wanted the world to see. He was a hard worker, and gave everything he had in whatever the task. We learn in just the next chapter of 1 Samuel that David was willing to go to war against giants (and he won). Not because he was a skilled warrior, but because he knew to give everything for the LORD and the LORD would give him victory.

I have to remember that my appearance is not what the LORD is looking for. He chose me to receive his gift of salvation, not because I am powerful and striking, but because I have a heart that receives him. I am no David, but I do love the LORD. He knows my heart and will lead me where He knows I will battle for Him. I may not be the visible figure that people will see as a leader in His Church, but I am here to do the work for the LORD and will give Him all. The LORD does have favorites and those are the ones that give it all for Him.

What is your view of who God chooses? Do you believe that God’s choice is those who are seen as lovely by the world? What if you saw the real choice of God to be those who will devote themselves to Him and give Him all from the heart?

Follow the Word of the LORD Fully

Guys, I know that we are prone to looking at the pictures found in instructions as opposed to reading the instructions themselves (Haha, just kidding, but not really). Where this is adequate for getting things started, there may be things that are missed or that we do not fully complete in the process of working through those things. Well, Saul was one of us in that he did not fully follow the instructions given to him.

The bible passage I was led to this morning is titled, “Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice” in my ESV Bible. You see, Saul’s son, Jonathan had defeated a garrison of the Philistines and they regrouped and were preparing a fight. Saul was looking for direction and protection from the LORD. He was instructed to wait seven days for Samuel to come and lead the interaction with the LORD. And this is where Saul skips to the end and missed a piece of the instructions. He waited seven days, and then took things into his own hands, only as he was wrapping up, Samuel arrived. You cannot unburn a sacrifice and therefore Samuel would not be able to fully lead the interaction with the LORD.

“¹³And Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.’” – 1 Samuel 13:13-14 (ESV)

This was the beginning of the end of Saul’s reign as king. He did not follow the LORD fully and missed out. Saul was impatient and thought that he knew the way. He was going to get what was his and did not want to miss out because Samuel did not make it on time (at least what he thought was on time). He moved to the end of the instructions, skipping the important part of following the Word of the LORD as given to him by Samuel.

I have learned in my over 50 years that you better follow the instructions to the letter. I have learned that having the right tool for the job is important. I have learned not to cut corners as there is a reason for the way things are done. I have learned to follow the LORD fully, even when it may not make sense or seems to be taking too long.

God knows the full story and we just know what is right now. Yes, we are to concern ourselves with the now as the past cannot be fixed and the future is not known, but, we also have to understand that there are things we do not and will not know until the LORD reveals them. God’s instructions to us may seem incomplete, but are they. Maybe, just maybe, we should read His Word and follow Him fully to make sure that we do not miss anything and get to the result that He has for this instance and for us.

What is you view of instructions? Are you a rush to the end kind of person that feels as they know what the outcome is supposed to be? What if you followed the LORD fully and allowed Him to reveal the truth and outcome as it is and not as we want it to be?

Keep the LORD on Your Heart

When in the work, it is easier to keep the work in focus and we will remain on task. But, when the work is “done” we will find ourselves drifting away from the work and onto/into things that are not of a productive nature.

“⁴And now the Lord your God has given rest to your brothers, as he promised them. Therefore turn and go to your tents in the land where your possession lies, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side of the Jordan. ⁵Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” – Joshua 22:4-5 (ESV)

Joshua is advising those that have come to be with and help out their fellow Israelite people that their work is done and they are free to return to their homes and live out their lives. Joshua is indeed thanking the people for their help and advising them that they have done that which God had asked of them. Now they can return home and get back to their own, caring for themselves.

But, Joshua also charges them to keep the LORD on their heart. They are to return home and get back to life, and they are not to forget what they have done and how they have done it. The LORD had given them victory as they had obeyed Him and now they should remain in the LORD and continue to receive victory.

As I mentioned in the first paragraph, it is easy to remain on task while doing the work, but when the work slows, we tend to wander off task. Joshua is warning the people of this as he sends them home. He wants them to know that they are free to return home, only not to forget the LORD who provided for them and the victory they achieved.

I have to remember to keep the LORD on my heart at all time. I have to not give in to the distractions of the world. I have to love and serve the LORD, “with all your heart and with all your soul”. It is okay and encouraged to get back to the life that I have been given by the LORD, only I have to remember that He gave it to me. I have to remember Him in all that I am and do.

Where is the LORD in your life? Once you have completed the work, have you drifted off, away from the LORD? What if you were to stay on task with the LORD, remembering Him on your heart as you traverse this life in this world regardless of where you are?

Abundance and Prosperity From the Heart

“¹⁰when you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, when you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” and “⁹The Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground. For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you, as he took delight in your fathers,” — Deuteronomy 30:10 & 9 (ESV)

I know that I have captured the two verses above in reverse order. I do that as it is now in the cause and effect order. The LORD will make us prosperous and will provide abundance when we are obeying Him fully, not just in action, but with our hearts.

I wrote recently of the over abundance that God will provide when everything comes from the heart. The people gave for the building of the temple from their hearts and there was so much given that Moses had to tell them to stop giving. When we are going about our lives with Christ from our heart He will not only make sure there is more than enough for His work, but He will also provide abundance for you and me.

You see, it is not just about loving the LORD with all your heart. It is also about obeying His every command. Our pastor, Jared Patrick just did a message on bad days and what to do about it. One of the points in the sermon was that we may be obeying perfectly to God’s plans and commandments, yet the outcome was not what we expected to come. God does not always reveal to us the outcome, He may only reveal the work and our role is to obey. Our obedience is from the heart and not just on the surface of things. We have to fully believe and trust that God will use us as He needs and that we will be rewarded for the work, in the way that He sees fitting. So, as Jared pointed out in his sermon, what do we do on a bad day:

1. Remember who God is

2. Recall What God Has Promised

3. Trust What God Will Do

4. Stay Faithful Even When You Feel Empty

5. (this one is from me) Obey God From The Heart

I want to be clear, we do not do the work for some sort of reward. We do the work for the LORD and to spread His message to all around. But, we will be rewarded and that reward will be abundance and prosperity that we can only imagine today.

Where does your obeying come from? Are you doing things specifically to receive some sort of reward a, quid quo pro kind of thing? What if you were to just obey the LORD with all your heart and know that you will be rewarded in some way at some time in abundance and prosperity?

Give Freely From the Heart

“⁹Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin. ¹⁰You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.” – Deuteronomy 15:9-10 (ESV)

This passage is from that titled in my ESV Bible as “The Sabbatical Year”. The instruction in the full passage is to give freely to your brothers and neighbors. Whether lending or full on gifting, you are to be sure to provide for the needs of your poor brothers and sisters. In this Sabbatical year, there is a moratorium in the collection of the lent resources. That can be fully forgiven or simply paused for the year. But no matter where you are in relation to the Sabbatical year, you are to continue to give freely to your poor brothers and sisters.

The part of the verse that I was led to this morning is that of giving freely from the heart. We are to want to support our neighbors and brothers. We are to almost go out of our way to provide for their needs, and do so from a deep sense of love and compassion without concern for payback. We are to be heartfelt in providing and not do so with any animosity in our heart.

I admit to being cynical and have a hard time with supporting others that have opportunity to support themselves. I have seen too often, those who take advantage of the generosity of others and wonder if there really is need based on the actions of those receiving. But, I have to remember the second part of verse 10 above, “because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.”

You see, it is not about what my brother, sister, and neighbor has going on in their heart, when the need is identified, it is my role to work to fill that need. Yes, their may be ill intent on the part of the receiver, and they will be dealt with by the LORD just as I will be dealt with based on my actions to provide. There should be no grudgingly giving. I have to give freely from the heart to meet the needs of my brother, sister, and neighbor. In that I will find my reward in heaven.

What is your view of giving? Are you reluctant based on the actions of those who you provide? What if you were to give freely from the heart and allow God to provide judgment?

Remove the Distractions Preventing Your Heart from Proper Love of God

“¹⁶Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.” – Deuteronomy 10:16 (ESV)

I spent some time working to reconcile the passage of study this morning. I was led to the passage through verse 12 that again reiterates the need to love and serve the LORD with all your heart and soul. But as is common with God and His plan for me, I was struck by other verses within the passage.

Verse 16 above is speaking of removing that which causes difficulty in getting to the right that is there. In the commentary of my ESV Bible it says, “Here, circumcision symbolizes removing the stubbornness that prevents the heart from properly loving God (cf Ex. 6:12, where ‘uncircumcised lips’ do not speak week; Jer. 6:10, where ‘uncircumcised ears’ do not hear clearly).” We have too much in our lives that get in the way of us just loving God.

I know that there are things that I struggle with daily that prevent me from devoting myself to God. One of the biggest is my cell phone. That thing is such a time suck and filled will useless and distracting items. There is the world wide web of searches. There is social media. There is the pictures that have been taken and the regret that comes with missing a photo. There is the endless apps to keep us from truly experiencing. I get caught in a moment of break from work each day, checking my phone for updates that I “need” to know.

Removing the distracting thing would help so much in my relationship with the LORD. Instead of the phone distraction, reading God’s Word. Instead of watching television, praying to the LORD. Instead of working in the garage, sitting and reflecting all that God has provided. The thing is to remove that which makes it more challenging and in a lot of cases impossible to properly love God with all my heart, soul, and mind.

What are the things in your life making it harder to love God? Are you telling yourself that you can manage them all just fine? What if you were to consciously remove the distracting stubborn things that are getting in the way of you properly loving God?