Prepare Your Heart I

Text: 1 Samuel 7:1-6     

Theme:  God forgives and restores His people to fellowship with Himself even after extended periods in deep dark sin.

Are you often frustrated about your inability to make life work?  How would you rate your heart’s devotion to God? Burning hot with passion?  Is it as cold as Antarctica?  Or maybe it’s a half-hearted lukewarm?  Would you say that God is very close to you, deployed far away, or just around the corner?  Have you learned to live with guilt feelings because your relationship with God is not quite right?  Do you view yourself as somewhere between completely sinful and totally devoted?  Is it hard for you to give control of your life to God?  Does the subject of full surrender to God make you uneasy and anxious?

Many Christians’ relationship with God is like a lazy man’s work ethic—half-hearted. They try to manage their relationship with God instead of living with God at the center of their lives. The heart of their problem is their heart is divided with too many priorities, devotions, desires, and demands. This leaves them with a crowded life unprepared to receive all that God wills for them through fellowship with Him. The result is they are overtaxed, guilt ridden, frustrated, anxious, and empty because God seems so far away. Toleration for a certain level of sin has become normal and they have no intentions of addressing their issues.

Unfortunately many fail to realize that there is another possibility. Their future could be much brighter than their murky past. Like the prodigal son, they can come back home to the Father! When we wander far away from God, He graciously awaits our return. He will restore, renew, and revive us again!

Thesis Statement: Prepare your heart for the God who restores the wayward and revives the backslidder to renewed fellowship with Himself. But, how can we prepare ourselves to come back to Him?

Lesson:

And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD. 2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD. 3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. 4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only. 5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD. 6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh. (1 Sam. 7:1-6)

By Strenuously Avoiding any Attempts to Manage God (1 Sam. 7:1-3)

To manage something is to control it for your own goals (6:19-21). The Ark of the Lord was situated in Kirjathjearim for twenty years (7:1, 2). Instead of rebuilding the Tabernacle and putting the Ark in its proper place in the Holy of holies, Israel decided to improvise and innovate. This temporary fix illustrates the way many people try to interact with God without getting right with God.  They attempt to manage Him on the fringe of their lives instead of live with Him at the very center of their lives.

Are we attempting to ‘manage God’?  Some Christians endeavor to exercise executive, administrative, and supervisory direction over God. Much like someone would manage their money, a child, or a baseball team. They generally try to keep God pacified and in His place so that they can use Him when they need Him. Afterwards they want to put Him away again when they are done with His usefulness. They really don’t want to get too carried away with the God thing. They have their own purposes for which God is useful to them. But are we guilty of attempting to manage God? How can we detect this same mistake today?

By an Examination of our Past: How did Israel get to this place? (Chapters 3-6)

Do I Have a High Tolerance for Sin?—A past of high tolerance for sinfulness had transpired in Israel (chapters 3-6). What characterized their willingness to live with sin?  First, weak spiritual leadership and low spiritual initiative (4:4) stand out. Secondly, corruption in high places (2:12, 17, 22-32). Presidents, politicians, and preachers who fall and/or wallow into sin, send a discouraging message to the culture. Thirdly, presumptions upon God’s grace (4:1-11). Fourthly, sensual idolatry was a serious and pervasive problem throughout the land (7:3, 4). Fifthly, their blatant disregards for the clear commandments and laws of God is evidence of their toleration for sin (1Sam. 6:19). Sixth, the consequences of their sinful choices were cascading down upon them (1 Sam. 7:1-3). Israel was living under harsh Philistine dominance and oppression. They were a defeated and depressed people suffering under the cruelty of the Philistines. Sin may be pleasurable for a season, but we will live with the awful consequences and painful memories of our shameful decisions. We must constantly remind ourselves that sinful living has grave consequences. We must heed this most solemn warning! My bicycle accident that left me scarred on my knees and big toe constantly preaches to me. The scares warn me not to do that again!

Do I Have Great Apathy Towards God?—A period had passed of twenty years and the Ark of God remained in this home instead of at the center of the Nation (v. 2). The Ark would continue there, out of its proper place, for a total of 100 years! Israel knew they had serious spiritual problems, gross idolatry and sin was common and seems no one cared enough to correct the problems and make things right with God. They were indifferent to God and felt no obligations to actually get right or do right! They could not care less what God said, thought, wanted, or felt! They did not want to be bothered or inconvenienced, not even for God.  Zechariah 7:11-12, thunders, "But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. 12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts." Is this an accurate description of us?

When We No Longer Care

Dr. Laurence M. Gould, president emeritus of Carleton College, said “I do not believe the greatest threat to our future is from bombs or guided missiles. I don’t think our civilization will end that way. I think it will die when we no longer care.

Arnold Toynbee who pointed out that nineteen of twenty-one civilizations have died from within and not by conquest from without. There were no bands playing and flags waving when these civilizations decayed. It happened slowly, in the quiet and in the dark when no one was aware.” –Tan: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations

Present Civilization’s Epitaph

The editor of American Opinion quotes the statement that William Schlamm has said should be the epitaph of our society: “This civilization died because it didn’t want to be bothered.” –Tan: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations

Even today we care about nothing but ourselves…our comfort and entertainment. Second Timothy 3:2-3, warns, "For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,". Many Christians are also apathetic about sin, the downward spiral of society, the lack of zeal and commitment among Christians, the churches in decline and failure, the lost around the world perishing and filling up the hotels of Hell, the lost in our own neighborhood dying without the Gospel, the lack of missionaries, and the lack of missions’ resources. Christians really do not care anymore—spiritual apathy!

Am I Trying to Manage God and My Sin? King David is an example of a believer who failed God and fell into gross sin (2Sam. 11 & 12). God in grace did forgive him and He restored David and used him greatly again. But before David was restored, he was confronted by the Prophet Nathan with his sin. For months David tried to sweep his sin under the rug, to pretend it did not happen and did not matter. He tried to go on with his life as if everything was normal. But God would not be managed by David. No, God pressed him sore with conviction and finally sent Nathan to confront him with His sins so that David could make things right with the Lord. David could not manage God, and nor can we!

By Noting Adaptations in our Present: How did Israel cope in compromise? (7:1)  

It is amazing what lengths people will go to in order to live in compromise when complete devotion to God would be so much simpler. What are some adjustments people make to help themselves feel better about their compromised commitment to Christ?

Adjustments Through Representatives—A person was prepared to keep the Ark (v. 1). Some cope by supporting other red-hot passionate Christians, or pastors. Even some churches attempt to do this with their missions program. They do not win souls themselves, but they want to support missionaries who do! Some cope by joining an on fire for God church, youth group, or Bible study. They feel the association will lend credibility to their profession of faith in Christ. Some cope by belonging to a movement or fellowship that is orthodox in teaching, and known for soul-winning for the same reasons.

These folks typically feel like they are better than those who are grossly backslidden and far from the will of God. They fail to realize that mere association with righteousness does not make one’s behavior acceptable to God. Through their representatives’ devotion they feel they are good enough; but God is not interested in being our associate or affiliate.

Adjustments Through Relegations—A place was prepared for the Ark of the Lord (v. 1).  They relegated God to a certain place and time in their lives and fixed Him in a box of their own definition and expectations. This was preferable to them.  They gave God a Sunday morning when it’s convenient and when they are in town and if they have nothing else to do. Then they’ll come to church. Going to church regularly and faithfully is a low priority on their list. They feel like a sermon is something to criticize and not Bible instructions for living. One sermon a week seems to be all they will tolerate.

They regulate God’s influence in their lives by defining some things as sacred and others as secular.  They conveniently compartmentalize their lives to soothe their conscience about shady behavior. This frees them to lie, manipulate, cheat, steal, falsify, and excuse questionable practices because those matters have nothing to do with God or church. Such individuals make some decisions based on purely worldly values and others on Christian values. They are as mixed up as vegetable soup and as complicated as brain surgery.

By Noting Frustrations with our Present: Did half-hearted devotion satisfy Israel? (7:2, 3)

The obvious answer is No! The amazing thing is we also continue to do the same things hoping for better results and outcomes! This is the definition of insanity! We are frustrated with life and still trying to live it with God on the fringes of it. It does not work. Is not it time to surrender fully to God?

Will half-hearted devotion satisfy us? No, half-hearted devotion does not meet our needs! You see all Israel mourns after the Lord (v. 2). They “lamented,” wailed out loud, mourned and made motions and gestures of sorrow as in repentance. Compromise and half-hearted devotion does not result in joy, peace, contentment, and progress in the Lord (Ps. 63:1-8).

Israel indulged in gross idolatry trying to fill the emptiness inside their souls (v. 3, 4). But there is no satisfaction for the soul that attempts to mix God into their lives, without giving Him the very central place in our hearts. In 1 Sam. 7:2, 3, the people “lamented” after Jehovah, but they had not repented of their idolatry. They were practicing some form of syncretism—a blend of idolatry with the worship of Yahweh. They actually hoped to continue to practice this. We must also guard against making this same mistake.

God wanted them exclusively to Himself—a relationship that would satisfy all their needs (Matt. 6:33). God will not be manipulated and used for our benefit and blessing—He will not be ‘managed’ by you and me! Any attempts to ‘manage God’ and use Him strictly for our own purposes will certainly result in frustration! We cannot spend our lives ignoring God and then whip Him out like a magic wand when we have a great need or an emergency. This is the formula for frustration with God!

So, are we trying to ‘manage God?’  Is there a high tolerance for sin? Are we apathetic about spiritual matters? Have we embraced a certain ‘label’ instead of embracing God? Do we attempt to keep God in His place to avoid the complications that come with open devotion to Him? Have we attempted to sustain a personalized free-style association with God that frees us of many demanding obligations? Is not it time to turn your life over to God so that He can manage you, instead of you failing at trying to manage Him?

Did you honestly examine yourself according to the questions I submitted? We can begin to prepare our hearts for the Lord if we first take the time to examine ourselves. Am I tolerating sin? Am I apathetic towards God? Am I attempting to manage God instead of repenting of my sins? Do I cling to certain associations because they make me appear more spiritual? Beloved, there is a far more simple approach. Why not give God His proper place in your heart? What He really wants is you!

Beloved, our text portrays God as a Restorer and Reviver! Even after extended periods in deep dark sin, He remains our hope and help for restoration and revival. He can revitalize us after periods of deadness, unfruitfulness, and barrenness. When we humble ourselves in confession, repentance and rededication, He will forgive and restore. He will graciously receive us into fellowship, even after we have been wallowing in the grossest sin. He will even use us again for His purposes. Yes, it is true we will have to live with the scares and natural consequences of our sins, but God will restore us and help us with it all. Listen, it is time to prepare our hearts for the Lord.