After God’s Own Heart

After God’s Own Heart:

There are many times I question myself to see if I am a man of God and if I really am a man after God’s own Heart.

A Man of God: a minister or priest; a prophet; any godly man

A Man after God’s own Heart: (ex. King David) one who displays faith, courage, mercy, humility obedience and love for God.

There are a few things I should consider before I judge myself in this area.

·        Do I flee from sin?

·        Do I pursue Holiness and follow after God?

·        Do I live a life of repentance and faithfulness?

·        Do I live to love and please God?

·        Do I stand firm in my Faith?

·        Do I have a biblical worldview?

·        Does my life reflect the Fruit of the Spirit? (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control)

·        Do I live a life in surrender to God?

·        Do I Worship God on a daily basis?

·        Do I obey God’s Word?

We all must face the reality of our sin nature:

Romans 3:10 NIV  
As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;

When I take to heart the above verse form Romans I am reassured that I am a man in desperate need of a Savior who will cover my sin before God. None of my works can accomplish what Jesus did on the cross. So whatever work or service I do for God has to always be in light of what Jesus did to save me from my sin and rebellion against God. Therefore, as unrighteous as I am, I can rejoice in the way I am clothed in Christ’s righteousness. My faith in Jesus opens the door to my reconciliation with God. I always get this image of God seeing me differently by the way Jesus, my lawyer, stands before the God the judge, pleading my case. Jesus’ final argument proves my sin has been paid for and I am now free from the charges that the prosecutor, the enemy, the accuser, has put upon me.

Before Christ: The Old Self - a sinner separated from God

After Christ: The New Self - a sinner turned saint, saved by grace

The God Filter: (God > Jesus > Me)

God is Holy > We are separated from God due to our sin > God loves the sinner but not the sin > God has a plan to save us > Through Christ we will be saved > God approves of Jesus work on the cross > Jesus covers my sin > God sees > me as a new creation in Christ because of my belief in Him as Lord and Savior > Because I have received His saving grace > I am free from the penalty of sin >

I am adopted into God’s family and receive the gift of eternal life.

Truth: The filter that God sees me through is Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV  
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Ephesians 2:8 NIV  
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

Romans 3:22 NIV  
This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference

Here are some steps I can take to move toward being a man of God.

My relationship with Christ must be real and go beyond knowledge and must include action based on my beliefs.

James 1:22 NIV 
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

I must live and be inspired by the principles of God’s Word. God’s Word reveals truth that guides me through life in a fallen world.

Psalm 119:105 NIV

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

We must live daily filled with the Holy Spirit. We need a conscience that will provide wisdom and discernment as we face daily, tough issues and decisions. The Bible also says that the Holy Spirit will teach us the true meaning of God’s Word as well as comfort us during the most difficult of times.

John 14:26 AMP

But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.

1 Corinthians 2:12-13 NIV

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.

John 16:7-8 AMP

However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you]. And when He comes, He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God) and about judgment:

I must choose to live for God.  There will always be tension on whether I daily choose to live for God or live for myself (Self –centered VS. God-centered).  I know that in order to live the abundant life, I must choose to live the life God has prepared for me. 

Joshua 24:15 NIV 
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

If I were to come up with one word that speaks to the quality of a man after God's own heart I would use the word obedience.

Luke 11:28 NIV 
He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

John 14:15 NIV

If you love me, you will obey what I command.

John 8:31 NIV

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

Romans 2:13 NIV 
For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is

those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.

1 John 2:5 NIV 
But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him.

This is how we know we are in him:

1 John 5:3 NIV  
This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

My greatest struggle and test of faith is whether or not I am going to listen to God. Take my marriage for example. God has convicted me many times to restrain my anger. If you struggle with anger you know what I am talking about. I have said many things in my mind that I am so glad I never spoke through my mouth. This ability to hold my tongue could only be attributed to my relationship with God. My bent in the past was to display my anger for all to see. Now I know God desires me to use restraint in areas where anger crosses over into sin.

There are also many other areas in my life that I must turn over to God. Through my obedience to God’s Word I now have the knowledge and desire to live a Holy Life before God. Even though this will never be done perfectly in this life, it is still my desire to please God with my obedience and desire to be Christ-like. God has given us His Holy Spirit to help us become set apart to Him in every area. His purpose is to purify us and cleanse of those things that separate us from Himself. The Holy Spirit is the change agent that continually adjusts our character and our heart.

Galatians 5:16-18 New Living Translation (NLT)

Living by the Spirit’s Power

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.  But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

2 Timothy 1:7 New International Version (NIV)

 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

Philippians 2:1-5 NIV

Imitating Christ's Humility

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus

A great example of a man of God, a man after God’s own heart, is David.

The life David lived as well as the psalms David wrote reflected His relationship with God.

Let’s take a glimpse at what was written in some the psalms that reflected the author’s relationship with God and models how we too can live in greater intimacy with the creator of all things.  

We are to love God’s Word.

Psalm 119:97 NIV

Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.

Psalm 119:47-48 NIV

for I delight in your commands because I love them. I lift up my hands to your commands,

which I love, and I meditate on your decrees.

God’s Word is extremely important in helping to protect us from sin.

Psalm 119:11 NIV

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

God’s Word will sustain in time of suffering

Psalm 119:50 NIV

My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.

God’s Word is comforting to those who love it.

Psalm 119:165 NIV

Great peace has they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.

The psalmists love for prayer was based upon the fact that God listened to him and answered him.

Psalm 116:1-2 NIV

I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.

Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.

Prayer brings us closer to God.

Psalm 145:18 NIV

The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

There is great blessing from having a close relationship with God.

Psalm 116:12-13 NIV

How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?

I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.

There is great joy in the hearts of those who live a life of praise and worship to God.

Psalm 119:164 NIV

Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws.

Psalm 95:1-7 NIV

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.

For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.

In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.

The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;

for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice,

Psalm 104:33 NIV

I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

There is a desire to stand against falsehood and sin.

Psalm 119:104 NIV

I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.

Psalm 101:3-4 NIV

I will set before my eyes no vile thing. The deeds of faithless men I hate;
they will not cling to me. Men of perverse heart shall be far from me;
I will have nothing to do with evil.

Psalm 101:6-7 NIV

My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me;
he whose walk is blameless will minister to me.

No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house;
no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence.

We can also learn from Jesus about how we too can be a person after God’s own heart. Jesus loved God’s Word, He was a man of great prayer, and He loved to praise God and hated falsehood and sin. Jesus is our model for intimacy and community with God.

What we need to remember about Jesus is that He loves us and was willing to suffer and die to pay for our sin. By receiving His work on the cross we are saved from God’s wrath and the Holy Spirit is given to us to take charge of our lives. By letting the Holy Spirit lead we become obedient to God’s calling and desire for our lives.  This puts us in a position to be that person who seeks after God and is set apart to the desires of God’s own heart.

We need to constantly evaluate the state of our own heart. Is it set apart to God?

God is more interested in the condition of our heart than the works we do to try to please Him with.

1 Samuel 16:7 NIV

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

There is no standardized test for being a man or woman of God. God knows what is going on in the heart of each of us.  We can choose to live for God each and every day, and we can choose the level of devotion and obedience we have for Him. For me, It is easy to get distracted and avoid being a Godly man, but in my heart is still that true desire is to be a good and faithful servant. I am thankful God is forgiving and gracious

because there are many times I fail to practice what I preach.

By looking at David’s life, we have a great example of a man of God, a man after God’s own heart. (take time to read 1 Samuel 17 thru 2 Samuel, as well as the psalms of David)

David demonstrated his faith in God regularly which pleased God

David’s faith was tested throughout His life and even though he sometimes sinned against God, His confession and repentance restored Him back to God. David also loved God’s law and he desired to follow it to the best of his abilities. David meditated on God’s principles and laws and sought to apply them to his own life. He knew that God’s law was powerful and life changing if abided in. David regularly communicated thanks God no matter what the circumstance.  

 

My prayer is that we can all be a person after God’s own heart. There are many examples in the Bible like Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David just to name a few, that God had close relationships with. Each is known for their great faith and trust in God.

I love this Bible verse below because it inspires me to live a God-centered life:

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight

I hope and pray God will see me as a man after His own heart.

Just Sayin………………..Dave   

Confession – Forgiveness – Repentance

Confession – Forgiveness – Repentance

Confession:

a written or spoken statement in which you say that you have done something wrong or committed a crime. To declare ones sin the presence of God.

Forgiveness:

An act of God's grace to forget forever and not hold people of faith accountable for sins they confess; to a lesser degree the gracious human act of not holding wrong acts against a person. Forgiveness has both divine and human dimensions. In the divine relationship, it is, first of all, the gracious act of God by which believers are put into a right relationship to God and transferred from spiritual death to spiritual life through the sacrifice of Jesus. It is also, in this divine dimension, the ongoing gift of God without which our lives as Christians would be “out of joint” and full of guilt. In terms of a human dimension, forgiveness is that act and attitude toward those who have wronged us which restores relationships and fellowship.

Repentance:

A profound change of mind from sin-centeredness to God-centeredness.

Confession to God, ceasing sin against God, and resolving to live according to religious law. Repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of action.

Repent:

To consciously turn from sin to God, to be sorry for what you have done and to resolve not to do it again.

This whole idea of repentance from sin is important if one truly cares about their relationship with God and others.  Sin separates us from God and causes pain to our loved ones, ourselves and others. Sometimes we may be unaware of some sinful behavior we have engaged in. Gossip, misinterpretation of God’s Word, ignoring God’s will and anger can fall into this category. For this reason we must always ask God to make us aware of the things that we do that either violate His principles, moral code, transgress His will or cause hurt to others. Once we become aware of our sin we must confess, acknowledging the violation there of, ask for forgiveness, and then repent so as not to fall prey to the same sin again. This is a somewhat simplistic approach. There is much pain, struggle and wrestling with God that sometimes goes along with the process.

The question I ask myself is, why would God bless me if I refuse to repent from a known sinful behavior that I am currently engaged in? The bigger question is why God wouldn’t discipline me in order to help me become aware that there are consequences to my sin. God’s discipline has helped lead me on that road to repentance. For this reason I believe God loves me and cares about me enough to use discipline to get my attention which I believe always leads to the greater good no matter how painful it is at the time. The Bible helps us understand God’s intent in this area:

Hebrews 12:4-11 NIV

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Romans 8:28 NIV

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I believe we need to trust God to lead us down the right path no matter how painful it may be. It is for our own good in light of eternity. Scripture tells us it is wise to trust God’s leadership:

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.  

Once we acknowledge our sin and ask for forgiveness, it important for us to repent.

Good reasons to repent from our sin?

The Bible tells us:

That our sin separates us from God:

Isaiah 59:2-3 NIV

But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

With repentance comes restoration:

Jeremiah 15:19 NIV 
Therefore this is what the LORD says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them.

Acts 3:19 NIV 
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

Sin is destructive:

Ezekiel 18:30 NIV 
"Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.

Romans 1:21-25 NIV

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Jesus rebuked those who continued on with their sinful ways:

Matthew 11:20 NIV 
Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed,

because they did not repent.

Luke 11:42 NIV 
"Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.

Luke 11:52 NIV  
"Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."

Mark 3:29 NIV 
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."

Repent in light of eternity:

Ezekiel 18:32 NIV 
For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!

Luke 13:3 NIV 
I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.

We are commanded to Repent:

Mark 1:15 NIV 
"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

Acts 17:30 NIV 
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.

Acts 20:21 NIV

I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

Acts 26:20 NIV

First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also,

I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds

When becoming a follower of Christ - receiving the Holy Spirit:

Acts 2:38 NIV 
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Unrepentant sin leads to death:

Romans 6:23 NIV 
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

James 1:14-15 NIV

but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Because we live in a fallen world, and because every day there are temptations to sin, we must have help to steer us away from sin. The importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit cannot be emphasized enough in helping us turn away from sin.

The Holy Spirit helps us become aware of our sin:

John 16:8 NIV

When he (Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:

The Holy Spirit helps us avoid acting on our temptation to sin:

Romans 8:12-14 NIV

Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Galatians 5:16 NIV

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Romans 8:5-8 NIV

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

To live a life set apart to God we must take to heart the work of Jesus which helps us put everything in perspective:

Hebrews 12:2 NIV

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

John 3:16-17 NIV

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

God really does want us to live a holy and pleasing life before Him. In essence, our spiritual condition, when controlled by the Holy Spirit, is a pleasing offering to God:

1 Peter 1:15 NIV 
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;

Ephesians 1:4 NIV 
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

Romans 12:1 NIV

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

Romans 8:6 NIV

The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;

Romans 14:17-18 NIV

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.

Repentance, properly defined, is necessary for salvation. Biblical repentance is changing your mind about Jesus Christ and turning to God in faith for salvation:

Romans 10:13 NIV

for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." 

Romans 6:22 NIV

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

God is gracious in His offering to save us from our sin. He even provides the help necessary to keep us from acting on the temptation to do so. We in turn need to seek God for the strength and desire to live a life set apart to Him. We cannot do this in our own strength. We need help from the Holy Spirit. There are however, steps we must take to reconcile with God. When it comes to sin we must confess it, ask for forgiveness, and then repent. This way God, who knows our heart, receives us in the way that pleases Him.  Because we live in a fallen world we will always struggle

with our own sin and the effects of sin coming from others. But when we focus back on the Christ who paid the price for our sin, we are reminded that we have a gracious, loving and merciful God who cares about our spiritual condition. With this in mind there is a lot to be thankful for. God leads us to repentance for very good reasons. This is so we can live the abundant life He desires and calls for His children to live, restore our broken relationship with Him and others, honoring Him by putting Him in His rightful place as Lord over our life. Our hope is in God for all these R’s: reconciliation, rebirth, restoration, renewal and righteousness.

Titus 3:4-5 NIV

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

Romans 5:17 NLT
For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:10 AMP

 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more [certain], now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved (daily delivered from sin’s dominion) through His [resurrection] life.

God has a great plan for our lives:

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Some really Good News about God’s desire for us:

2 Peter 3:9 NIV

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Just Sayin………………..Dave