01/02/05
– “DO WE HAVE
THE RIGHT HEART?”
Are
we reluctant to serve? – “Watch over your heart with all diligence,
for from it flow the springs of life.” - Proverbs 4:23
The
heart is the seat of our affections – Jesus said, “… where your
treasure is, there will your heart be also.” – Matthew 6:21
If
our hearts are just about our family or our personal issues we will fall short
of God’s purpose
Unbelievers
love their families and it does not take the power of the Holy Spirit –
Familial love is a common grace given to men
It
takes the power of Holy Spirit and obedience to make disciples of Jesus Christ
– By His grace we can obey the Great Commission
JONAH…CALLED,
GIFTED AND ORDAINED
Christians
often seem mesmerized with their calling and infatuated by their gifting,
sometimes motivated more by validation than obedience
Can
be “caught up” with ourselves and not focus our heart on God - Our calling
is not about us, it’s about Him
Ministry
is about losing our lives and picking up our crosses, denying ourselves and
following Him…Ministry is obedient service
Jonah
was a priest “with position and influence,” considered wise, knew his
theology, but wouldn’t obey the Lord’s direction
Jonah
didn’t like the Ninevites – The Assyrians were ungodly and severe enemies of
Jonah
knew his calling but refused to obey and he went as far away from his calling as
he could humanly do so
Jonah’s
ship in violent storm, he is thrown overboard and swallowed by a great fish – A
fish appointed by the Lord
Have
you ever resisted God? Have you gone through a difficult time and been restored
back? Why did God restore you?
Is it possible for God to rescue us and then “do Christianity” (like go to church) and still not have learned what God was doing?
Have you known someone who went through tough times and you know they didn’t learn a thing?
What
did Jonah learn? God’s discipline, God’s salvation…but not God’s love
for lost and dying world
The
Reluctant Prophet
Jonah
had a 70 mile walk to pagan
The
amazing thing is that for the 40 days Jonah was in
Jonah’s
preaching does not reveal any compassion toward the people –He hates the
Ninevites but he’s “doing God’s work”
Is
it possible to be a Christian doing “God’s will” and not really
love the very people God is trying to reach?
We can actually resent the people God has called us to help and restore…God’s ministry without God’s heart a bad combo!
The
people of
God
uses Jonah - After being saved and severely disciplined in the fish, he still
becomes angry at God’s mercy to the Ninevites
Jonah
was upset because he knew God was gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and
abounding in lovingkindness and did not have God’s heart
Jonah
so far from the heart of God yet God used him - Being used of God is
no authentication of our goodness and blessing to the Lord
Sometimes
God uses anything - A reluctant prophet He’ll use, a backslider, Balaam,
He’ll use anybody He wants to
Jonah
wants to die, doesn’t even want to be alive because of God’s goodness…How
far can you be from God’s heart?
We
can be severely disciplined by the Lord, and yet remain the same person
with hearts not yielded to God’s Purpose
The
reason Jonah is upset in chapter 4 is that he never had the heart of God
– That’s why he left in the first place…Had his own agenda
Jonah
is not easy to deal with and despite the greatest revival in the Old Testament
Jonah is angry…What do we do with all of this?
God’s
love is not circumstantial, His love is eternal – God so loved the world that He gave His only
Son…
2005
1.
God’s heart in all that we do –Need the right heart - A heart for
God’s purpose and a heart to please God
2.
Be committed – Talk is cheap…Be committed to God, to your family, to
your church body and the Great Commission
3. Read
and study – “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching,
for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God
may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” – 2Timothy
4.
Prayer – We need solitary prayer when we are absolutely alone with God
– Pray for others, and God’s purpose
5.
A heart of love – Remember…love is harder and also greater than faith
and hope…Love is eternal
“This is My commandment, that you love one another,
just as I have loved you.” – John 15:12
“By this all men will know that you are My
disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:35
Do you want to be loved more than you want to love
others? - You and I can choose – Love will never fail – God is love
When the gifts are finished love remains - Love is
the bridge between Corinthians 12 and 14 – the gifts of the Holy Spirit
Love is the perfect bond of unity - The key to a
successful family and marriage and is our primary witness to the world!