A person after God's own heart.

the thought came to me after considering the topic of communication. i'm reading a couple of books on how to speak and interact with people and i am trying to incorporate the knowledge given as an experiment to see the outcome. all this in an aid to try and be the most understanding as i can be to people i have

a) never met before and

b) i wouldn't have the first clue about who they are and what they are like.

i'm for the most part, trying to learn compassion for people the best way i know how and then incorporate it so that people who dont know God come face to face with compassion for their life and all they are. i find it a truly effective way to reach people as everyone responds to that in one way or another.

this boils down to the point of one of the men in the bible was said to be a man after God's own heart -was it solomon or david that this was said of? or perhaps it was another.

if so, and in light of the way they were about God in that point in time... i want that! though when you think about it, God's heart is after as many to be saved as possible.

what i am asking for first is the reference as i cannot seem to find it

then i will pose another question, one i have the context around it.

It is said of king David that he was a man after God's own heart.

I Sam 16v7 says, '...for man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart.

Also, in 1 Kings 8v39, ...whose heart You know for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men.

As for the actual phrase 'a man after God's own heart', I don't know where the scripture is, if it does exist.

But there are some brilliant minds who visit this forum, I'm sure they will be only too happy to help.

God bless.

Arbustum,
The scripture you are looking for is found in Acts 13:22: "And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will."

I have heard the interpretation of this phrase"a man after my own heart" to mean that what God said, David agreed with willingly. This was so evident when he fell into sin, in pursuing his lust, which I call rape, with Bathsheba. God had the prophet Nathan confront David about his sin, and he did not defend himself, cast blame, took responcibility for his own actions. Now that is the mark of a man after God's own heart.

i'm for the most part, trying to learn compassion for people the best way i know how and then incorporate it so that people who dont know God come face to face with compassion for their life and all they are. i find it a truly effective way to reach people as everyone responds to that in one way or another.

Brother, when I started working at CPC, I knew I would be confronted with people who were in the depths of sin, they were from the gutter, if you please. And how am I going to demonstrate the Love of Jesus to them when in my nature I think they are disgusting? Brother, what I did (now you must understand I was there because the LORD led me there - could not do it on my own strength) was look at these people as Jesus did: I looked at them as being potential saints and as such as a possible sister or brother in the LORD! And sir! that makes all the difference in the world. It does take the empowering of the Holy Spirit to accomplish it. And you want to know what else I found? I loved those people! Really! Actually, I found their honesty really refreshing, something that you do not find common among religious people, like Christians -who are not a 'man' after God's own heart!

Have a blessed day! I must get to work!
ginnyrose

yep, definately what i needed to hear. thanks so much guys!

the trial to clarify is in myself, learning to speak with other people. for waaay too long i've been speaking out of the hurt. but words like that are helping me grow out of that, ginny! and yeah, i tend to look at people around me for their potential.

i rarely focus on the bad in my non christian friends. I live out the call on my life as best i know how and i do and challenge them every now and again, which they take into consideration. their hearts are usually very open to me, and they voice their concerns about me ever falling away. things just wouldnt be right-you know? they're the bunch that in year ten (i'd only just recently and officially given my life to christ) went out and combined money to buy me a cross on a chain, stirling silver and all. cos they saw how passionate i was back then.

it's great, becuase they dont consider me 'biblebashing'either, it's more: posing another side to the story that they could consider for themselves. hey, if i'm only a link in the chain for some people then it's a blessing that i'm that at all.

anyway thanks for your help.

God Bless

-Holly.

Holly,
Excuse ME! but are you a female? I referred to you as 'sir' in my earlier post! I reckon your nickname had me confused! Sorry.... :-?

ginnyrose