BEING
A PERSON AFTER GOD’S ON HEART
I Samuel 16:4-7; Acts 13:22
The heart of a person is the place of the
true self (Prov. 23:7). It is the place where sin develops (Mk. 7:14-23), and
it is the place where we become like God (I Pet. 3:15). How is a good heart
made? How do we, like David, become a person after God’s on heart?
WE NEED TO DEAL HONESTLY WITH SIN
1. No
matter how we dress up sin by calling it a disorder, a dysfunction, or an
addiction—it remains the great destroyer of men and women (Ps. 51:1-4).
2. God
most certainly does not want us to be ruined by sin (II Pet. 3:9).
3. What
is it that keeps so many of us from seeing the truth about our failings and
about the willingness of God to save us?
ROADBLOCKS AGAINST DEVELOPING A GOOD HEART
1. We
do not understand the nature of God.
a. We
often incorrectly think Him to be either indulgent or oppressive (Matt. 5:48;
cf. Ps. 9:16; 86:4-5).
b. We
settle for far too little of what He offers (Eph. 3:20).
c. We
do not know what to pack up for our journey with God or what to leave behind
(Eph. 4:17-32).
2. We
do not deal successfully with the fact that God wants us to be truly human.
a. It
was God’s idea to make us human (Gen. 1:26-27, 31; Ps. 139:13-16).
b. Our
flesh is not evil—evil comes when it rules over us, not just because we are
made of it.
c. We
are not angels who operate only in the realm of the spirit or animals that live
only in the flesh—we are of both elements (Jas. 2:26a; Ps. 8:3-9).
3. We
tend to cling to religious stereotypes.
a. We
are fearful of launching out, lest we make a mistake (Matt. 25:24-30; cf. II
Sam. 7:1-11).
b. We
are guarded and protective of our “image” rather than being transparent about
our needs (Ps. 51:1-4).
c. We
rely on our religiosity rather than on God (Ps. 51:14-17).
KEYS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GOOD HEART
1. Faith
(Heb. 11:6).
a. Modern
man considers self the great “I Am.”
b. A
good heart glories in God (Ps. 8:1).
2. Knowledge
a. Modern
man believes there are no absolutes.
b. A
good heart looks to God for answers (Ps. 86:11)
3. Love
a. Modern
man has found self-love both compelling and disappointing.
b. A
good heart is both compelled and satisfied by the love of God (Ps. 31:23-24).
DAVID: A MAN AFTER
GOD’S OWN HEART
1. He
understood how awful sin was.
2. He
knew God well.
3. He
was always transparent before God.
4. He
was comfortable with being human.
5. He
dared to do great things.
6. He
appreciated God’s forgiving nature.
7. He
had great faith.
8. He
delighted in God’s word.
9. He
loved God above all else.
10. In
observing David, we learn how to be a person after God’s own heart.
Edwin
5/13/01
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