The great commission- The Heart

After a person accepts Christ and is saved what changes and drives that person to hunger to be with the Lord, read the word of God, and find and do God’s will in their life. What drives that person to obey Jesus and the word of God, love others, forgive others, go after the one lost sheep Luke 15:1-7, and want to help the lost find Jesus. What drives a person is found deep in the inner parts of man in a very intimate place. Men will choose and do what drives them, what they are passionate about. At times men work hard long hours for way more earthly treasure then they need that has no eternal value. They train long hours to compete in games to be first or number one for a medal trophy or recognition which has no eternal value. Men will travel long distances and sacrifice much to obtain what they want or drives them. The flesh of man can be driven to hunger for many things when influenced by the enemy, satan. James 4:1-3 “What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.  And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.”

When a person accepts Christ they are reborn spiritually and given many wonderful blessings. Eternal life with God, the Holy Spirit that is inside a person which no one can fully explain this miracle, and a new heart, a regenerated heart. John 1:12-13 ^“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” God’s nature, understanding, desires and will is birthed inside a person. But men still have free will and a human nature. What dives a man and choices he makes is found deep inside a man’s heart.

 

A great example of how God changes people and what drives them His Word is the 12 disciples. I think Jesus birthed in them over time a solid foundation in Him. A faith in Jesus that I think is hard for us to fully grasp just reading about it. And I think Jesus changed and renewed them by getting God’s understanding and will for their lives in the most important place the heart. The disciples where given the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 and Jesus told them in Acts 1:8 they would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you to be my witnesses. The Holy Spirit gave them the ability to understand the foundation and faith in Jesus that was birthed in their hearts.

 

God has really been speaking to me for a period of time more about the heart. I didn’t look for it or study it. God just got my attention and kept speaking to me fanning it in many different ways. At the very center of man is the heart. The heart affects everything in our life, you could say it acts like a filter. It affects the way we perceive everything, love, discern things, the way we think about ourselves, the way we see and understand God and His Word, the way we view other people and our circumstances. Much more than I can list, everything. Our commitments, choices, decisions, how we accept the blessings and promises of God love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and pass them on to others. There is close to a 1000 scripture in God’s Word and how He looks at the heart of man not the way we have been taught to look at man. The heart is a very special intimate place where God speaks to a man. Jesus said in John 7:38 “Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.” Proverbs 23:7 speaks of truly how a man thinks or views his self from his heart. He may say one thing but the commitment is not in his heart or he has the wrong motive. “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.” We can say one thing and intellectually even in our mind understand scripture but that’s why God looks at the heart. Matthew 15:8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.

 

Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. A wellspring is defined as the origin, beginning, root, or where there is a new start. The source, fountainhead, a continual flow or abundant supply.  An inexhaustible spring of affections and ideas. Where the issues of life are at inside a man. If you want to find out who someone is or what God is doing in there life set and listen to their heart and it will flow out. That’s why Jesus command The great Commission making disciples and deeper relationships is so important. Discipleship is very important for the growth and health of every believer and the church. Jesus knew what He was doing when he gave the command. It’s every believers call to obey despite their circumstances. In John 4:2 in the very beginning of Jesus ministry the Word says that Jesus didn’t baptize His disciples did. That speaks to me that every believer is to be equipped to disciple others.

 

If you want to find out the will of God or purpose for a man it will be birthed and found deep in a mans heart. Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” I think as we journey and walk with God He is faithful and very patient in giving us His grace to understand Him and his will for our lives.

 

What drives every man’s passions and desires is found in His heart. Is Jesus the Lord or King of our life. Does He rule in every area of our heart and Is He the treasure inside our heart. Even though we all struggle with this and are born with a deceitful heart God says in His Word that we are reborn and given a new heart. A heart that will listen understand and worship Him. What strongholds and areas of darkness are still in our hearts for the enemy to use. What is there in our heart that competes with Jesus fully ruling in our heart.  

 

They say the battle is in the mind which is true but I think there is a bigger battle in every man’s heart. God looks at the heart and said I will plow up the hard soil and soften the heart so they will understand me. I think to continue to grow and get deeply rooted in Jesus men need to look at the battle inside our hearts.

 

In Exodus 28:15-30 A Ephod was made for the priest Aaron when he entered the Holy Place and came before God to represent all of Israel. A chestpiece was made with 12 stones to represent the 12 sons or tribes of Israel to be worn over his heart. Urim and Thummim was also entered onto the chestpiece and to be worn over his heart going before the Lord to make a decision or to understand God’s will. Urim and Thummin is suppose to represent perfection, truth and light. When we are reborn and receive a new heart we have Jesus inside our hearts. A constant flow of living water pouring truth and light in our hearts to help us understand God and His will for our lives. We are also given a piece of armor from God to protect our heart in every battle the breastplate of righteousness.  

 

I think the heart is a very special place to God and where he is very intimate with each person. In Genesis 6:5-6 Moses wrote that God seen the condition of man and it broke His heart.

 

The Great Commission Discipleship 2

Today at a meeting with wonderful Godly men I was reminded by the Lord it is time to send this out. I want to continue with discipleship and I don’t know how far until I’m done. I don’t have it all figured out and everyone would explain it differently. The last writing was about the process we go through to become like Christ or growing in our maturity in Christ. I was reminded that this process is referred to as sanctification in God’s word. Sometimes my use of words could be better in writing what God is telling me. A believer will be tested or refined in many ways, trials, temptations, afflictions to become like Jesus. It says in Romans 8:28-29 that every believer is chosen or predestined to this process. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” So God lets us know this in His word so we won’t be in the dark about this, shocked or surprised.

I want to try to explain something God done in my life 6 years ago that changed my life and walk with the Lord in many ways. At that time in my life and walk I was growing, reading, praying and listening to sermons. From what I was reading in God’s word and hearing about in sermons was far from where I was in my life, marriage, and walk with the Lord. As time went on this really bothered me and this went on day by day for over 3 years. I really had no relationships and wasn’t connected in any way much where I went to church which was my shortcoming certainly not the church I went to. I can say this it was a timing thing from God in His plan for my life and part of the journey that continues. So finally, I went to the Lord day and night in prayer about this and I want to talk about what the Lord put in my life to help me.  The very next day He led a person to me that I meet in a conversation that was meeting with a guy who was starting to grow his ministry here in Arizona. I was introduced to this guy and he offered to disciple or mentor me. His name is Roy Comstock and the ministry is called Christian Mentors Network. Roy was an older man and more mature and when he shared his life experiences with me and took me through his material it really helped me grow in many ways. I’m in the ministry at CMN and have meet with Roy consistently from the beginning and continue to grow. But the difference in my life also happened right away and within 4 months I was given an opportunity to step out in faith from the Lord and start to disciple other men. Or what I should say is, we disciple each other which helped me continue to grow and learn from others. This process of discipleship has and continues to be a very big part of my life that opens up many opportunities and helps me grow. These relationships with others have really helped me grow and come closer to the Lord. So I want to mention a few things about this teaching or example that was put in my life.

I think the best way to learn about this teaching we try to pass on to each other when we disciple each other is to study how Jesus taught the 12 disciples in the gospels. During Jesus mission or ministry for 3 years He chose 12 disciples to walk with Him in all He done. Where or who can we have a better example than Jesus. The way He taught the 12 can be taught and applied in so many different ways. But one of the most important observations to me is that He done the example he taught and expected the 12 to do the same. When Jesus left to be with the Father in Acts 1:9 all the disciples where filled with the Holy Spirit. At that point, Jesus didn’t walk beside them He was inside them and they passed this teaching on to the other believers. This was the church at its purest form. I like to listen to sermons and the word of God preached from people who are very gifted in this area. I like to set and listen to what God is telling me its one of my favorite things to do. I like to go to conferences and listen to people gifted in different areas talk on many subjects but I have a different view than I did. I go and listen sometimes and make a few notes and listen to what God is telling me. Then I go and try to apply them to my life which is a great thing and an interesting process. But I also go and I see a room filled with 50 to 20,000 men or people and ask myself who do these men have in there life to help them apply this to their life. I think this is where this example from Jesus can be applied. I think this can be a very difficult place for the church and body of Christ.

 Another way to explain it would be say Jesus is fishing and He would feed everyone that came by. But some, if they are willing, he would feed them then he would show them how to fish, then he would give them the tools to fish and walk beside them till they were able to fish on their own. Jesus always taught the 12 in parables and set the example. Jesus taught them in a way they would see then understand then do and apply. In Luke 5:10-11, Jesus didn’t give Peter, James and John a quick 30 minute message on how to fish for men and leave them. They followed Him for 3 years as He taught them. I think as I walk with Jesus and read the Word there will be times where I need more alone time with Jesus and the Word and there will be times when He will put someone in my life to walk beside me and help me for a time. I think these relationships we have are a gift from God and for a reason in our walk. God has a reason for His timing.

To disciple each other takes great humility and is a great way to grow in our relationship with Christ. I think it is important to remember that discipleship is a process to sharpen and strengthen not only your self but to help the other person become closer to their Lord. Remember the 12 did walk and follow Jesus not any man but God. In John 3:22-26, John the Baptist helped in a humble way to grow disciples for Christ not himself. If we want a deeper understanding of the Lord and who he made us to be a disciple has to look to Christ not man. Jesus has a plan for every disciple and no other person will ever sustain, love or understand you like Jesus. What’s great is when we help other each other look to Jesus and find Him in a deeper way. To grow to become like Him we have to look to Him and His examples in the Word of God.

There is no perfect man, only Jesus. But when a believer humbly receives the grace of God and steps out in faith in obedience to obey the command of Jesus The Great Commission. That’s when the Holy Spirit does wonderful things through common people.

The body of Christ is a very special, beautiful, powerful, and living work of Jesus. Jesus has given every believer special gifts and experiences to help each other and the body of Christ. I call these treasures but some are hidden in all of us. God will put others in our lives to walk beside us to learn who we are in Christ as the Holy Spirit reveals and draws them out of us.

Proverbs 20:5 “The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.” This teaching and example from Jesus is very needed and important for the church and body of Christ. Since I have been in this ministry I am amazed at what great treasure from Christ that is in the heart of every man.