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.