Will God Surprise in Missions: With the Whole Heart
Will God Surprise in Missions • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
Last week, we lightly talked about turning to the Lord with our Whole heart, which we discovered is actually the way we live our life. We said that out of the abundance of the heart a man speaks. Well, it actually goes even deeper than that. We can easily say that out of the abundance of the heart we live and breathe and have our being, which is an adaptation of what Paul said on Mars Hill. We can live no other way. Our mind may be in turmoil over a decision we are making but whatever action we take is with whole heart.
This week I want to talk about phase a little more, “with the whole heart.”
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Pray
Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (13)
Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (13)
Paul quotes this verse from the Joel to help us understand what he means when he says, “the heart” in verses :9 and :10 and “the heart” is understood in verse :11 and :12.
Paul quotes this from Joel 2:32 and Peter quotes a greater portion of these verses in Acts 2:21
Joel talks about the Day of the Lord coming and the army coming will be be like a fire consuming everything in its path. Leaving only destruction in their path. The hoard will be so great that it seems like those slain by the sword are not hurt by it. The wounds did not diminish the number of them. Notice Joel 2:11
11 And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: For his camp is very great: For he is strong that executeth his word: For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; And who can abide it?
The word of the Lord, Joel is talking about is the promise the Lord gave Israel from the beginning. Blessings I will bless you and cursing I will curse you. But in the middle of all that destruction and darkness, notice what has to say redemption in verse 12.
12 Therefore also now, saith the Lord, Turn ye even to me with all your heart, And with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, And turn unto the Lord your God: For he is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness, And repenteth him of the evil.
14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, And leave a blessing behind him; Even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God?
These are words of repentance and faith. Notice Joel’s uses the word heart in the same way as Paul. It is not a superficial use. It is the whole heart. The heart is the manifestation of our life.
These are words of repentance and faith. Notice Joel’s uses the word heart in the same way as Paul. It is not a superficial use. It is the whole heart. The heart is the manifestation of our life.
10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
One of the things we see here is that we must command our hearts to seek the Lord.
One of the things we see here is that we must command our hearts to seek the Lord.
This is where Israel got to where they in Joel’s day. Israel wandered from the Lord’s commandments.
What is Joel teaching us in these verses? What did Peter and Paul want us to learn from these verses? I think they wanted us to learn what it means to turn with your whole heart to the Lord. (12-14)
What is Joel teaching us in these verses? What did Peter and Paul want us to learn from these verses? I think they wanted us to learn what it means to turn with your whole heart to the Lord. (12-14)
Turn ye even with all your heart, saith the Lord. (12)
Turn ye even with all your heart, saith the Lord. (12)
12 Therefore also now, saith the Lord, Turn ye even to me with all your heart, And with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
What do we do about this? Rend your heart, and not your garments and turn to the Lord (13)
What do we do about this? Rend your heart, and not your garments and turn to the Lord (13)
The work of repentance is done on the inside first and is later manifest on the outside.
Joel tell us the places to work, the heart and a list of three important place to work on in our heart, fasting, weeping, and mourning. (13)
Joel tell us the places to work, the heart and a list of three important place to work on in our heart, fasting, weeping, and mourning. (13)
The general place to work is in our heart. There are probably more areas in our to heart to work but these are a good model for us to understand the work.
Let’s replace heart with fasting.
Turn ye even to me with all your fasting, saith the Lord. (12)
Turn ye even to me with all your fasting, saith the Lord. (12)
Why do we fast? We fast most times to seek God’s will for an important decision.
Sometimes we seek the Lord’s favor for whom we seeking out life’s vocation, or should we go in this direction or that, marriage.
Most times we do not even know how to frame our fasting with the right question. What does mean Pastor Jim? We do not know how to ask the right question? Good question.
What does the prospective bride or groom usually ask? Is this the right person to marry? the Real question should be, “am I the right person to marry?” Why, because we have no control over the other person and what they should be.
You see or you will see that the easy part of marriage is getting married. Difficult part or the part we should fast for, is the part that comes after marriage.
Each person in a marriage should be willing to say two things, but one has a much greater weight than the other. First the easy, stand in front of a mirror and say I am the best part of this marriage. You easily see that is easy to do. Do not get stuck there.
Second the hard, stand in front of the same mirror and say I am the bad part of this marriage. You easily see, this is not so easy to do. because we do not like to see ourself as the problem.
What do we do about that? Rend your heart and not your garments before the Lord. (13)
What do we do about that? Rend your heart and not your garments before the Lord. (13)
The fasting work of marriage is done on the inside of you first and is then manifest on the outside second.
The fasting work of marriage is done on the inside of you first and is then manifest on the outside second.
Turn ye even to me with all your weeping, saith the Lord (12)
Turn ye even to me with all your weeping, saith the Lord (12)
What are things that make us weep? Our children. Our friends
How do you do that? Rend your heart and not your garments before the Lord (13)
How do you do that? Rend your heart and not your garments before the Lord (13)
Pour out your heart before the Lord for your children and your friends.
Pour out your heart before the Lord for your children and your friends.
Apply Psalm 126:5-6 to your children and friends and you fill-in the blank.
Apply Psalm 126:5-6 to your children and friends and you fill-in the blank.
5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
Pray the word for your children or friend. Repent and have that hard conversation with your children.
Pray the word for your children or friend. Repent and have that hard conversation with your children.
Turn ye even to me with all your mourning, saith the Lord. (12)
Turn ye even to me with all your mourning, saith the Lord. (12)
What causes us to mourn? Sin, loss of a loved one.
What do we do about mourning about our sin? Rend your heart and not your garments before the Lord. (13)
What do we do about mourning about our sin? Rend your heart and not your garments before the Lord. (13)
We should definitely fast, weep, and mourning over our sin before the Lord on the inside first and it will manifest itself on the outside later.
We should definitely fast, weep, and mourning over our sin before the Lord on the inside first and it will manifest itself on the outside later.
This is another way of describing repentance or what repentance looks like.
This is another way of describing repentance or what repentance looks like.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
What do we do about mourning loss? Rend your heart, and not your garments before the Lord. (13)
What do we do about mourning loss? Rend your heart, and not your garments before the Lord. (13)
Mourning loss is definitely do on the inside and often in many different situations. “Before the Lord” is the only solace I have found for the feelings of loss. For many of you as well.
Mourning loss is definitely do on the inside and often in many different situations. “Before the Lord” is the only solace I have found for the feelings of loss. For many of you as well.
Sometimes we do not realize that we need to mourn until it hits you often in the oddest places and times but where ever/whenever it occur, do it before the Lord.
Sometimes we do not realize that we need to mourn until it hits you often in the oddest places and times but where ever/whenever it occur, do it before the Lord.
The resounding truth found in Psalm 136 and in many other passages of Scriptures, “For His mercy endures forever” or in the ESV, “His stedfast love endures forever.”
The resounding truth found in Psalm 136 and in many other passages of Scriptures, “For His mercy endures forever” or in the ESV, “His stedfast love endures forever.”
13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, And turn unto the Lord your God: For he is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness, And repenteth him of the evil.
14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, And leave a blessing behind him; Even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God?
The wording of verse 14 is going in faith.
Joel and Israel, Knew that it was the Lord that brought the destruction to them in the land. Repenting, they did not know if God would give them another crop so that they could have a offering of flour or grain or grapes for a drink offering. But Joel’s call for repentance and faith was the part that Joel and Israel had to do and do so in faith.
When we “turn even to me with all our heart, with all our fasting, with all our weeping, with all our mourning,” we do so in faith. We do not know which way the Lord will go with it.
