A Man After God's Own Heart

sermonindex Jan 18, 2009

This thought just came to my mind, aren't there only two types of people, one after God's heart and one who is not? The reason I brought this up is I think about those who profess to be christians and never have a problem with compromising. This type of person cannot say I am after God's heart. I enjoy reading 2 Kings. It's interesting to see how the kings didn't always follow after their fathers before them but some chose to please God and others did not. Just one example. I've been reading Kings. :-)

L

Lysa Jan 18, 2009

Rebecca,

I think a topic like this can be divisive. I don't know, I'm not trying to be a stick in the mud... I'm just trying to say that when we talk about things like this, our fleshly pride ALWAYS puts us on the side of being "a man or woman after God's own heart;" I've caught myself doing it, that is why I can bring it up and talk about it!! :-P

The reason I brought this up is I think about those who profess to be christians and never have a problem with compromising. This type of person cannot say I am after God's heart.

We cannot judge these folks. I had a beloved Pastor years ago who had a saying, ~~[b]~~~~[i]~~"Give them as much time as God gave you."[/i][/b]

We all are at different places in our walks. You might be in full bloom when I was just planted and am trying to learn to poke my head above ground without someone stepping all over me!

Maybe I'm wrong but this is the way I see it. The only way for those to find out that they are possibly wrong is to see MORE of those walking around ~~[b]~~who are[/b] after God's own heart. I don't think there are enough of those walking around, including me!

God bless,

sermonindex Jan 18, 2009

Lysa wrote:
Rebecca,
I think a topic like this can be divisive. I don't know, I'm not trying to be a stick in the mud... I'm just trying to say that when we talk about things like this, our fleshly pride ALWAYS puts us on the side of being "a man or woman after God's own heart;" I've caught myself doing it, that is why I can bring it up and talk about it!! :-P

The reason I brought this up is I think about those who profess to be christians and never have a problem with compromising. This type of person cannot say I am after God's heart.

We cannot judge these folks. I had a beloved Pastor years ago who had a saying, ~~[b]~~~~[i]~~"Give them as much time as God gave you."[/i][/b]
We all are at different places in our walks. You might be in full bloom when I was just planted and am trying to learn to poke my head above ground without someone stepping all over me!
Maybe I'm wrong but this is the way I see it. The only way for those to find out that they are possibly wrong is to see MORE of those walking around ~~[b]~~who are[/b] after God's own heart. I don't think there are enough of those walking around, including me!
God bless,

Oh, I'm sure it came across that way. Sorry about that, it wasn't my intent at all. I'm not always good about making myself clear on this forum so I apologize. :-)

What my intent was in posting this thread was that I am simply learning that when we are disppointed by others that even though we cannot judge them or even our own selves that we must realize that not all have their focus on pleasing God.

I guess I am just simply declaring a truth. We have been hurt alot lately by professing christians. Were basically in the midst of some very angry wolves right now and their all in leadership.

I'm just trying to remind myself I guess that not all are after God's heart. It's something that I struggle with. We all know this in the back of our mind but it's sometimes hard to comprehend especially when those who are over you decide to go after the world.

sermonindex Jan 18, 2009

RebeccaF wrote:
I guess I am just simply declaring a truth. We have been hurt alot lately by professing christians. Were basically in the midst of some very angry wolves right now and their all in leadership.

This is what a Christian is to expect from leaders in the church. The forms have changed, but it has gone on through time that the visible church always persecuted the invisible. When one is a genuine Christian they must learn to expect this.

One hasn't lived as a Christian if they haven't been kicked out of a church.

Old Joe

L

Lysa Jan 18, 2009

RebeccaF wrote:
What my intent was in posting this thread was that I am simply learning that when we are disppointed by others that even though we cannot judge them or even our own selves that we must realize that not all have their focus on pleasing God.
I guess I am just simply declaring a truth. We have been hurt alot lately by professing christians. Were basically in the midst of some very angry wolves right now and their all in leadership.
I'm just trying to remind myself I guess that not all are after God's heart. It's something that I struggle with. We all know this in the back of our mind but it's sometimes hard to comprehend especially when those who are over you decide to go after the world.

Here is an excellent sermon by Carter Conlon ~~[url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?lid=2158&commentView=itemComments]~~Wolves[/url]. It helped me after a pack of wolves got after me!

The devil knows that the unsaved can't hurt us so he will use our brothers and sisters in Christ. And we must pray to forgive them; it took me years to learn that. But flesh and blood we are not against.

God bless, I hope the sermon blesses you,

K

Koheleth Jan 18, 2009

Old_Joe wrote:
One hasn't lived as a Christian if they haven't been kicked out of a church.

This statement is too extreme, although I think I understand and appreciate what was meant. We should keep in mind that while a number of fine Christians have found it necessary to leave churches, there are many exemplary Christians who have spent their entire lives in the same church. I believe some of the preachers on SI fit this mold. Just a thought to add in.

sermonindex Jan 19, 2009

Koheleth wrote:

Old_Joe wrote:
One hasn't lived as a Christian if they haven't been kicked out of a church.
This statement is too extreme, although I think I understand and appreciate what was meant. We should keep in mind that while a number of fine Christians have found it necessary to leave churches, there are many exemplary Christians who have spent their entire lives in the same church. I believe some of the preachers on SI fit this mold. Just a thought to add in.

I suppose if one believed that churches were led by, and full of, Christians, it would be considered as extreme. History and practice however have shown quite a different story.

Old Joe

S

sojourner7 Jan 19, 2009

It should be noted that it was GOD Himself who
gave this testimony concerning David. HE found
David to be "a man after His own heart. Still,
I believe this is something to greatly desire
and aspire to be !!

T

TracyInMD Jan 20, 2009

That's interesting you say that, because I myself thought the same thing yesterday morning. Here were my thoughts: there are only some people where I am who seem to look for ways to obey God or have any consciousness to obeying ALL of what God wrote. There are many who "do all they can do for Jesus" who work and work, and then over time I've seen them chuckle over their sin. "Hee hee, I know--we all do it." There appears to be no attempt to overcome sin but to excuse it. Of COURSE we all sin, but are we not to work toward overcoming it? That is my point.

I was so discouraged Sunday at some conversation going on, and to me it was apparent that people are friends with the world. So I mentioned something, asking the wisdom of it, and I was reminded that I couldn't shut myself away in a monastery. It really made me mad and in fact, I spoke too harshly back, which did NOT help. :-(

But if I ever HOPE to be encouraged in the righteous ways of God, I know very few people where I am who will encourage me. I have to go way beyond our "Sunday gathering" to get the encouragement; in fact, I only seem to be encouraged to have a happy life and fit in with everyone else in the world on Sundays. It's like Jesus Christ should be the cherry on top of my life or something. (Thankfully, the pastor is not really like that.)

Then I had my thoughts yesterday which were like yours, Rebecca. I know of almost nobody who will encourage me to deliberately TRY to obey God in all things. I thought: you are either trying to do obey all the Word or not. Not some of it, but all. Understanding that yes, you sin, but I am deliberate about working toward overcoming the sin.

Somehow I made it to Jude, not looking for any scriptures regarding this, and this below looked like my Sunday experience: "In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts. These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit."

I mean, when I suggested they refrain from a certain activity, I saw no mechanism that said "Hm...might this not be pleasing to God?" That's what I mean. I don't EVER see some people speaking any testimony at all that they take the Word and measure it against their lives, but others are deliberate TO do that, and I hear their testimony. Two kinds of people and you are either doing this or not.

Some will say, "you cannot judge" and I agree that it is not my bench, but I see nothing in their speech that they take the word and try to deliberately obey ALL of it, not just some. Where I am you'd think the ONLY thing God has ever said was "tell others about Jesus" and they have blinders on regarding the holiness that He desires of us.

Thankfully, whenever I come to SI, I am encouraged in ALL of the word. "Do all of God's ways" is the message here, knowing that we all sin.

sermonindex Jan 20, 2009

TracyInMD wrote:
That's interesting you say that, because I myself thought the same thing yesterday morning. Here were my thoughts: there are only some people where I am who seem to look for ways to obey God or have any consciousness to obeying ALL of what God wrote. There are many who "do all they can do for Jesus" who work and work, and then over time I've seen them chuckle over their sin. "Hee hee, I know--we all do it." There appears to be no attempt to overcome sin but to excuse it. Of COURSE we all sin, but are we not to work toward overcoming it? That is my point.
I was so discouraged Sunday at some conversation going on, and to me it was apparent that people are friends with the world. So I mentioned something, asking the wisdom of it, and I was reminded that I couldn't shut myself away in a monastery. It really made me mad and in fact, I spoke too harshly back, which did NOT help. :-(
But if I ever HOPE to be encouraged in the righteous ways of God, I know very few people where I am who will encourage me. I have to go way beyond our "Sunday gathering" to get the encouragement; in fact, I only seem to be encouraged to have a happy life and fit in with everyone else in the world on Sundays. It's like Jesus Christ should be the cherry on top of my life or something. (Thankfully, the pastor is not really like that.)
Then I had my thoughts yesterday which were like yours, Rebecca. I know of almost nobody who will encourage me to deliberately TRY to obey God in all things. I thought: you are either trying to do obey all the Word or not. Not some of it, but all. Understanding that yes, you sin, but I am deliberate about working toward overcoming the sin.
Somehow I made it to Jude, not looking for any scriptures regarding this, and this below looked like my Sunday experience: "In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts. These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit."
I mean, when I suggested they refrain from a certain activity, I saw no mechanism that said "Hm...might this not be pleasing to God?" That's what I mean. I don't EVER see some people speaking any testimony at all that they take the Word and measure it against their lives, but others are deliberate TO do that, and I hear their testimony. Two kinds of people and you are either doing this or not.
Some will say, "you cannot judge" and I agree that it is not my bench, but I see nothing in their speech that they take the word and try to deliberately obey ALL of it, not just some. Where I am you'd think the ONLY thing God has ever said was "tell others about Jesus" and they have blinders on regarding the holiness that He desires of us.
Thankfully, whenever I come to SI, I am encouraged in ALL of the word. "Do all of God's ways" is the message here, knowing that we all sin.

That's excactly what I have been experiencing.

[url=http://www.cfcindia.com/web/mainpages/video_message.php?issue=179&date=09_01&title=The+Last+Days+And+The+Lord%26rsquo%3Bs+Coming+%26nbsp%3B+%3A%26nbsp%3B3.+%26nbsp%3BLike+The+Days+Of+Noah+And+Lot+]This is a great sermon by Zac Poonen called "Like In the Days of Noah and Lot"[/url]

He talks about how men will be lovers of their own selves more than lovers of God. They will be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God and this is what we see in the church today, they love pleasure more than they love God. If they had to choose it would be pleasure before they would choose God and that is what we are witnessing. What you described is exactly what I am talking about.

~~[b]~~Here is where I believe the deception is in the church. They appear to themsleves and the rest of us that they are lovers of God but if they dig deeper they will find that they love pleasure MORE! And their going to hell plain and simple![/b]

It's so decieving to all of us. They really do APPEAR to love God but if you sit down and try to talk with them you can sense that something is not right and their is no fellowship with these people like we have here on SI.

T

TracyInMD Jan 20, 2009

I downloaded it and have just now started watching, Rebecca. Thank you for this...I saw you posted it on FB, too. Immediately I hear him talking about a tremendous amount of deception. That's the thing, especially, since October when we had Broken Before the Throne with some of us I know, and then there was the Paul Washer sermon. All of us who heard it are believing that God is making His people aware of deception. We ourselves see how we've believed some deceptions.

People do not know they are being deceived. That sounds silly to write, but the practicality of this is that it never seems to make sense to some people that there are major differences between what the Bible says and what we do. It's like some don't think there is ANYTHING wrong at all, and you wonder to yourself, perhaps I am wrong.

Some might wonder our conversation here--why would we feel we need to discuss this? People who desire righteousness are plagued with self-doubt in this carnal environment. They feel like there is something wrong with them. Now, I'll give you this...I always pray that I will not be SELF-righteous, but I almost get attacked for suggesting that we be righteous at all. It's like I said something wrong or something. I have in the past thought, "okay, I must be wrong, they are right..."

One of the women I know who strongly desires to follow God (whose presence I'm extremely thankful for) told me that she needed to tone herself down some..."I come on too strong", she said. To that I want to ask if the 24 elders in heaven should tone themselves down. Is the problem that people of the world love God TOO MUCH?

It's healthy to both find and gather with people who also desire holiness to encourage each other as much as possible. Heb 3:13. I also am finding it freeing to suspect that some are not even sheep; at the very least, they are not walking in the Spirit.

It's not that I WANT it to be this way, but it's like there's a sickness and you keep going to the doctor to be told that nothing's wrong. But you know there IS something wrong. In such cases, it's not uncommon for doctors to diagnose YOU with a problem in your head. This is not uncommon at all w/ people who do not have a diagnosis but have symptoms. Eventually you are diagnosed with a grave illness, but there is this sense of relief, "Ah, I'm not crazy. There really was something wrong."

sermonindex Jan 20, 2009

TracyInMD wrote:
I downloaded it and have just now started watching, Rebecca. Thank you for this...I saw you posted it on FB, too. Immediately I hear him talking about a tremendous amount of deception. That's the thing, especially, since October when we had Broken Before the Throne with some of us I know, and then there was the Paul Washer sermon. All of us who heard it are believing that God is making His people aware of deception. We ourselves see how we've believed some deceptions.
People do not know they are being deceived. That sounds silly to write, but the practicality of this is that it never seems to make sense to some people that there are major differences between what the Bible says and what we do. It's like some don't think there is ANYTHING wrong at all, and you wonder to yourself, perhaps I am wrong.
Some might wonder our conversation here--why would we feel we need to discuss this? People who desire righteousness are plagued with self-doubt in this carnal environment. They feel like there is something wrong with them. Now, I'll give you this...I always pray that I will not be SELF-righteous, but I almost get attacked for suggesting that we be righteous at all. It's like I said something wrong or something. I have in the past thought, "okay, I must be wrong, they are right..."
One of the women I know who strongly desires to follow God (whose presence I'm extremely thankful for) told me that she needed to tone herself down some..."I come on too strong", she said. To that I want to ask if the 24 elders in heaven should tone themselves down. Is the problem that people of the world love God TOO MUCH?
It's healthy to both find and gather with people who also desire holiness to encourage each other as much as possible. Heb 3:13. I also am finding it freeing to suspect that some are not even sheep; at the very least, they are not walking in the Spirit.
It's not that I WANT it to be this way, but it's like there's a sickness and you keep going to the doctor to be told that nothing's wrong. But you know there IS something wrong. In such cases, it's not uncommon for doctors to diagnose YOU with a problem in your head. This is not uncommon at all w/ people who do not have a diagnosis but have symptoms. Eventually you are diagnosed with a grave illness, but there is this sense of relief, "Ah, I'm not crazy. There really was something wrong."

Exactly, this is the problem we are facing in the church right now. I am glad you got a chance to watch the video.

It is so decieving for someone to think that they are saved not realizing they love pleasure more. Because they love pleasure more it's not even something that crosses their mind. It's simply not their concern so they go on their merry way thinking they are right with God, justifying their behavior while condemning yours. Zac Poonen, also mentions how these demonic forces take over and it is very frightening to think about. Once you agree to follow through with your lust your walking into deception.

He also mentions that this is why times like these are so perilous for christians. We are really in a major spiritual battle against the forces of hell and they will try to convince you that it is you that has the problem and if we buy into that we could end up going after worldly pleasures and falling into deception ourselves.

I see it in our church. Leaders full of lust and teaching our young people to go after things like money, sex and material things, promoting promiscuity, dressing sensual, being sexy, dancing, partying and just having a good time. Most movies to them are ok, most music is ok, it's ok to go to Broadway, expensive jewelry is ok...This is all they talk about on my FB..I'm bored.. let's go out and do something...like their going to die if they don't have some fun ASAP!

I posted the link again straight from Zac Poonen's websight because I was not able to get it off youtube, it said something about being discontinued. It could just be my computer.