The Heart of the Matter
The matters of the heart are the heart of the matter. Joy is not the absence of pain but the presence of God. The bible says, “in everything give thanks.” Nine out of the ten lepers whom Jesus healed were ungrateful. Most people don’t think about being thankful. It’s difficult to maintain a heart of awe and gratitude unless we focus on God’s goodness, grace and mercy. It’s only hard when we harden our hearts. Grumbling and complaining is the language of the World… However, it’s not the language of heaven. Sarcasm, and complaining will kill a heart of awe and gratitude. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. What’s the condition of your heart?
It’s easy to remember words that hurt us…when we’re scolded, reprimanded and humiliated. However, God expects extreme obedience with no complaining or questioning on our part and no explanation on His. Our challenge is to “keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of the heart are the issues of life.” It’s not how we endure hard times that matters, but rather how we react to the trials of life. When we’re wronged, forgiveness means to forgive the unforgivable. Love means to love the unloveable…. This is the example of Jesus Christ himself, for in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly.
Whenever we sin, God will give the world permission to rebuke us. These are difficult lessons to learn in life. According to Philippians 2:12-15, “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”
As men of God, through the journey of life we need “adjustments.” This is why we go to church and fellowship with likeminded believers. In the presence of other men of God, “if the reproof fits, wear it.” In order to be blessed, we must humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God.
How do we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling? First we must humble ourselves under the Lord. We were not designed to fight the troubles of this world and the spiritual power of the adversary. Our strength is only in Him. According to Isaiah 40, they that wait upon the lord shall renew their strength; they shall rise up on wings as Eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
It’s easy to be consumed by so-called “righteous indignation.” However, righteousness is only in him. To make progress in our salvation we must work out the spirit of Christ in us. Working out the spirit means to walk according to the Word of truth. Work means that we must make a deliberate, purposeful, and intentional effort to walk in proximity with our Lord Jesus Christ. “Blessing those who persecute you” is working out our salvation.
There’s a lesson from the scene in the movie, “The Pink Panther.” Inspector Crusoe asked the man at the hotel, “does your dog bite?” The man answered, “no.” When Crusoe reached down to pet the dog, the dog growled and bit his hand. “I thought you said your dog didn’t bite,” said Crusoe. The man replied, “He’s not my dog.”
The adversary uses this same ploy. He says, “go ahead and find pleasure in sin.” He won’t tell you that Sin always bites back. The devil will promise the world and everything in it. However, what doth it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul.
God loves to help us to be patient, kind, and merciful. Our heart will be restless until we find our rest in him. We cannot begin to seek him until he’s already found us. He’s the hound of heaven who will pursue us until we’re ready to turn to him. He will cultivate in our heart a hunger for the fruit of the spirit. The beginning of working it out is “I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live I live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Jesus said, there is none good, no not one. However, Jesus Christ himself who was without sin became the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may become the righteousness of God in him.
Do all things without grumbling and complaining. The language of heaven is encouragement. According to Ephesians 4, Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
An attitude of gratitude is the secret to living the abundant life. All God requires is that we fill our hearts with awe and gratitude… That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world. May our prayer be according to Psalm 19: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable unto thee O Lord my strength and my redeemer.”
May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael