The Heart of the Matter:
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But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
Intro: Clearly in the Scriptures, there is the understanding that God is concerned with the inward workings of those that call Him Lord. The Lord sees through what we cannot, He sees past the outward and all of the the things that hold us back. He looks into the depths of a man, and from there He can see the very heart beat of the believer. What it is that motivates and drives them to serve Him. Used 925 times in our Bible...
A man’s heart deviseth his way:
But the Lord directeth his steps.
The Bible gives us a warning concerning our heart, so that we discern that way, as my way, or the way of the Lord.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Using Bible discernment is key, to interpreting the matters of the heart… Let’s consider Michal, the wife of David and daughter to Saul...
And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.
Was she justified? Before we answer, let’s consider another passage of Scripture concerning these events.
Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord remaineth under curtains. Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.
Now, lets ask the question… Was she justified in despising the man after God’s own heart, by what she saw him doing before the LORD?
Can any good come from the heart? Yes, but only when it is directed by the Lord!
Revelation 3:14-22 The church of Laodicea:
You already all know that I see Solomon as a type of Christ. Let us consider another passage to where that is the case.
Song of Solomon 5:1-6 Do we see the connection?
Of course, Ruth is a picture of the church, just as Boaz her Jewish kinsman redeemer is a picture of Christ. Here the Shulamite women pictures the Gentile bride,(Church) and Solomon, Christ.
What I would like us to do tonight, is consider the rebuke given to the Church of Laodicea and the similarity, to the one asleep in SOS.
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
SOS 5:2-3
We see here that her duty was to rise, and open the door for her lord… The state of the church of Laodicea was asleep, yet, their heart was awake… I see this as a warning for us to heed and give careful consideration too. The Lord is gracious because He is still knocking, but what if our procrastination leads to His departure? The place to where, we not longer hear the voice of our beloved? Imagine being in the place, where we prefer ourselves over a visit from Christ.
SOS 5:6 Wearied with waiting so long, grieved by the discovery of her self absorption and wounded by her carelessness. He withdraws himself and in doing so he left her with the consequences of his sad departure.
The Lord never withdraws Himself from a people with a willingness of heart! He delights in them, His love is on display towards them, they are His joy, and He blesses the fellowship and walk with them in the light of His glorious countenance.
On the flip side, when He is no where to be found, we can understand it to be the lukewarmness of our heart and a resistance to His love.
This is not because He isn’t gracious, but it is in fact very loving and fatherly. Revelation 3:21 “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne...
I will go and return to my place,
Till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face:
In their affliction they will seek me early.
I am so very thankful for the Lords dealing with our hearts and the closeness of His presence. My greatest concern is that I mess it up…
Here is SOS 5:1 We see that she is enjoying the bounty of their relationship. This is so like us, we come through a period of wonderful communion with our Lord, only to depart for a season...
We find ourselves with a spirit of complacency, and without great vigilance over the heart, self takes the glory and praise away from the gracious visit of our loving Lord…
Whenever the Lord imparts a special gift of blessing, we must take diligent heed for we are not ignorant of our hearts habits. It is not the time to relax, but to shield up and stay on guard.
So, how do we do this? Knowing already that our heart is...
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
We must then..
Keep thy heart with all diligence;
For out of it are the issues of life.
How do we do that?
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
We do this by...
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee:
Bind them about thy neck;
Write them upon the table of thine heart:
Did you know, that Simeon, spoke of what I believe is Heb. 4:12...
(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.