Prepare Your Heart II

1 Samuel 7:1-6      

Is there any hope for those who have wandered far way from God? They were once so committed to the Lord, but now.... 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? 

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!

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

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

   II.   By Unreservedly Embracing Intimacy with God (7:3-6).

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, KJV)

The question has been asked, “Can God forgive and restore people who have turned their backs on Him? Is He willing to forgive those who ran off into gross and deep sin?” The answer is absolutely yes! Like the Prodigal Son we can come back home (Luke 15:11-24)! What must we do? Prepare your hearts unto the Lord!

Israel repented of idolatry and devoted herself to serve God exclusively (v. 3-6). Real intimacy is born in a relationship of commitment and trust. It can never exist in a mere association or semi-acquaintance with a near stranger.  In Christianity intimacy is closeness and likeness to God. How can we prepare our hearts for this?

Through Contrition: Return to the Lord thru self-examination, confession, repentance, and obedience (1 Sam. 7:3, 6).

Take a good look at Samuel’s counsel to the nation, “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….” Again in verse six the Scriptures record, “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.” Finally, in this hour of grave danger and fear, Israel wisely chooses to get right with the Lord God.

With heavy hearts she confesses her sins against the Lord in genuine contrition and sincerity (v. 6). According to Wiersbe, “Samuel poured out water before the Lord as a symbol of the nation’s repentance, their hearts poured out in sorrow for their sins…” in Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testament. Likewise, we all must agree with God about our sinful failures to honor and glorify Him (See 1Jn. 1:9). This is how prodigals come home to God!

Yes, such confession and brokenness over sin must characterize our return to the Lord and rejection of sin. I say this because we typically confess our sins so casually and insincerely. However, contrition is brokenness over sinfulness against a good and holy God!  It is not feeling bad just because we got caught, or have messed up our lives, or have ruined our favorable opportunities. It is actually feeling affliction in the soul because our conscious toward sins against God rendered us so wounded that we cry out to God for forgiveness and mercy. There is desperation, urgency, and qualified hurt in the heart for having offended God so egregiously and violently.

The Prophet Isaiah precisely communicates the mind and disposition of God when we humble our broken lives before Him seeking forgiveness and restoration saying, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isaiah 57:15). What hope and promise in that wonderful passage! Again in Isaiah 66:2, the great prophet says, “For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” Even though we may have wandered far away from our heavenly Father into dark forms of sin, God says, when we humble ourselves in confession and contrition that He will pay attention and meet our incredible need for forgiveness and restoration.

Beloved, do not allow pride and arrogance to prevent you from humbling yourself before the Lord God. Choose to be more like the contrite Publican the Lord Jesus referred to and never approach God like the proud Pharisee (Luke 18:11-14). God consistently resists and refuses the person who is too proud to honestly acknowledge their wrongs against Him to Him.

It was John Nelson who told the account of the “Revival At Fort Wayne”. At Fort Wayne Bible College, Fort Wayne, Indiana, when the chapel speaker canceled at the last minute, President Wesley Gerig called for student testimonies. They lasted till 5:00 that afternoon. Some students waited in line two hours to confess cheating, hatefulness, indulging in worldly practices, and criticism of campus food. One student confirmed: “I’ve been here three years, and it’s about time I got straightened out.”

Asked why young people are getting “straightened out” now, Fort Wayne’s Grant Hoatson replied, “They’re tired of sham.” Many churches, he added, offer them “little to cling to in a world falling apart spiritually when they are looking for something.”

At Fort Wayne, students are accepted on the basis of their profession of faith, administration officials noted.

Beloved, if we are to truly prepare our hearts unto the Lord God, we too must approach God in utter contrition and confession of sins.

Through Aspiration: Desire and pursue a genuine heart for fellowship with the Lord (1 Sam. 7:3).

Not only through contrition, but now we note preparation through the right kind of aspirations. Not only must we deal honestly with the sin, but God desires to cultivate in each of us a heart for Himself alone. You see, in verse three, Samuel says, “prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only….” Think about this, what or who is better for us than God? When God demands exclusive rights to our hearts, He is prescribing the absolute very best for us all! In this light, there are four points of valuable counsel we must take note of and adopt as our own personal aspirations.

First, pursue a heart with a singular focus—God. In Matthew 5:8, the Lord Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Certainly Christ advocated having a heart that is concentrated on God…a heart that is unequivocally loyal to God. We are extraordinarily blessed when this is true of us! Furthermore, the Psalmist says in Psalm 42:1-2, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. [2] My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” Obviously the Psalmist views God as the most fantastic satisfaction and for Him there is no substitute (See also Rev. 3:20). He wants and yearns for the true and living God refusing cheap substitutes of this world. Honestly, Beloved, we live with too many competing priorities and we categorically need a simplified focus—note God’s priority. Consider the counsel of Christ Jesus in Matthew 6:33, where He says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” What is MOST important to you? Make the Lord Jesus your preeminent and singular focus.

Secondly, pursue a heart with the Savior’s focus—Christ’s comfortable home. In Ephesians 3:17, Paul says, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love”. We should aspire for Christ to be comfortable and at home in our inner most being. You see, believers are strengthened that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith. That He might dwelling is our hearts like He owns the place! The point is not that he lives there, but that He feeling at home there! He is a permanent Resident in every saved person, but Paul was praying that Christ might have full access to every room and closet; that He might not be grieved by sinful words, thoughts, motives, and deeds; that He might enjoy unbroken fellowship with the Believer. The Christian’s heart thus becomes the home of Christ, the place where He loves to be—like the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in Bethany. The heart, of course, means the center of the spiritual life; it controls every aspect of our behavior. In effect, the apostle prays that the lordship of Christ might extend to the books we read, the work we do, the food we eat, the money we spend, the words we speak—in short, the minutest details of our lives. Why? That Christ may be at home in His home!

I believe it was MacDonald who said, “We enter into the enjoyment of His indwelling through faith. This involves constant dependence on Him, constant surrender to Him, and constant recognition of His “at home-ness.” It is through faith that we “practice His presence,” as Brother Lawrence quaintly put it” (Believer's Bible Commentary).

Thirdly, pursue a heart with a sanitized focus—cleansing fellowship. In First John 1:7, the aged apostles says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Beloved, keeping company with Christ has a life cleansing impact. It is true, we will become like those we hang around with. If we intentionally ‘hang around’ with the Lord Jesus it will purge our lives of filth, sin, immoral, irreverent, and carnal motives and aspirations. In the light of His fellowship we will always see our sinfulness clearly, but we will constantly experience the joy of forgiveness and cleansing! Keep walking with the Lord Jesus; desire to be with Him that you may become like Him. Beloved, if we have a heart with a singular, simplified, Savor-friendly, and sanitized focus then we have all the requisite aspirations of a prepared heart!

Through Dedication: Remove all idols from your heart to serve God exclusively (1 Sam. 7:3, 4).

Thus far we have seen the need to prepare our hearts through contrition and aspiration. Now we come to the idea of dedication. We have rejected sin, craved godly desires and goals, and now we are faced with the need to devote ourselves to the Lord and His plan. If we have wandered away from the Lord into sin, then it is time to return to the Lord through complete rededication. Consider what 1 Samuel 7:3, says, “If ye do return unto the LORD with all your heart, then put away the strange gods….” God desires a total commitment to Himself as we decisively forsake all forms of idolatry. What will require of us to obey this principle? Well, quite frankly we must cast out our other ‘Lovers!’ Many times love of traditions, love of pride, love of power, love of money, love of prestige, love of recognition, and love of property comes before the Lord. We cling too ferociously to material things as if they actually define meaning and purpose in life. Remember, we have been warned to “Love not the World” (1Jn. 2:15-17; Col. 2:6-12).

While we are discarding idolatrous implements, do not forget to cast out your other idols! False concepts of God must be forsaken because they hinder our full devotion to the True and Living Lord. Our God is not a Narcissistic Egotist, Divine Santa Claus, Cosmic Killjoy, Passive Grandfather, the Man Upstairs, nor a Divine Tyrant. This is not the God our Bible presents (Ex. 20:3-4; 34:4-9, 14)! The worship of God must be according to spirit and truth. There is no tolerance for gross mischaracterizations of Him. We are called upon to repent of and reject the gods of our imaginations and turn to The God and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Positive compliance with this requirement solicits devoting ourselves to the True and Living God alone (1Sam. 7:3, 4)! Look at what Moses said in Deuteronomy 6:5, “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Simply stated God made all of us and He requires entire devotion. It is He who redeemed us comprehensively and this solicits a complete dedication to Him. It is as if God is speaking through the wise Solomon saying “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways” (Proverbs 23:26). God desires each of our hearts; again this is the absolute best for us. The Lord Jesus, God the Son, required unparalleled devotion and commitment from His disciples. In Matthew 10:37-38, Christ stipulated, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸ And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.” That is correct; the Lord Jesus requires the most complete devotion of His genuine followers. This has always been the case with God. See other biblical examples of entire and comprehensive devotions (Josh. 24:14, 15; Ps. 31:5; Isa. 6:8). This is legitimately a spiritual standard for true believers.

This reminds me of an account I read by Walter B. Knight years ago entitled, “Take All The Keys, Lord.” Dr. F. B. Meyer came to a crucial, transitional time in his ministry. He sat dejectedly in his study. “My ministry is unfruitful, and I lack spiritual power,” he said to himself.

Suddenly Christ seemed to stand beside him. “Let me have the keys to your life,” Christ said. The experience was so realistic that he reached into his pocket and took out a bunch of keys! “Are all the keys here?” “Yes, Lord, all except the key to one small room in my life.” Christ said: “If you cannot trust me in all rooms of your life, I cannot accept any of the keys.”

Dr. Meyer was so overwhelmed with the feeling that Christ was moving out of his life because he was excluding Him from one interest in his life that he cried out, “Come back, Lord, and take the keys to all the rooms of my life!”

Through Submission: Submit to the authority of God’s Word, His judgments, and the leadership He has placed in your life (1 Sam. 7:6). The last portion of verse six says “And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh” (1Sam. 7:6). Herein lays this principle of submission. It is rebellion that leads us into sin, but submission to God’s authority in our lives is partly how we come home.

Consider how the nation of Israel gathers in Mizpeh for rededication and to submit themselves to God afresh (v. 5, 6). Samuel judges Israel here attempting to help them correct and straighten out the mess they had made of their lives. His work is corrective and formative! The people are listening to Samuel and following his guidance humbly. Submission is essential to having a heart prepared for the Lord.

Following Christ as Lord requires full submission to Him and His Word. Each of us must recognize His authority in our lives. Christ is Lord of all. Superficial, convenient, enthusiastic, and shallow commitment will never do for a life of real discipleship (Luke 14:25-35). Following Christ means submitting ourselves to God-given authorities in our lives as well. This refers to parents, husbands, proper leaders, godly pastors, and properly elected officials. Christians should follow the leadership of our faithful Pastors as he follows Christ Jesus the Lord. Notice the clarity Hebrews 13:7, 8, brings to this statement saying “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. [8] Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Again the writer of Hebrews says in chapter 13:17, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” It is true not everyone who calls himself ‘pastor’ deserves to be followed because they do not point people to Christ. There are; however, godly men who labor in the Word and sound doctrine, they are solid Gospel preachers, men who are faithful and fervent in prayer, they love the Lord deeply and truly, and they serve God’s churches in the power of God. Such men should be submitted to as they follow Christ; the pretenders should be forsaken as counterfeits who condemn men’s souls to hell. Flee from them…it does not matter how popular they are…they are extremely dangerous wolves.

Preferring The Nickel

A little girl approached her father and said, “Father, I want a nickel.” The father drew out his wallet and offered her a neat five-dollar bill. But the little girl, not knowing what it was, would not take it. “I don’t want that,” she said, “I want a nickel.” Are there times when we deal with our Heavenly Father as this little girl dealt with her earthly father? Do we sometimes ask for some small favor and refuse his offer of a blessing a hundred times more valuable? (Tan: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations)

Through Supplication: Restore prayer as a spiritual discipline to connect with God both individually and corporately (1 Sam. 7:5, 6). Samuel summoned the nation of Israel to Mizpeh for a prayer meeting! This solid prophet of the Lord must always be associated with prayer; see 12:23. He was born in answer to his mother’s prayers (chap. 1); he prayed for his nation and defeated the enemy (7:13); he prayed when Israel defied the Lord and asked for a king (8:6); and he prayed for King Saul (15:11) even after God had rejected him. (Wiersbe: Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testament)

Perhaps prayerlessness or a weak and inconsistent prayer life is a problem (1Sam. 7:5). Maybe you struggle with irregular prayer habits, no real prayer time. Perhaps prayer is not a passionate experience; it has become a dull and routine. Regardless, you can make communion with God a normal part of your day. Connect with Him early on and stay in contact throughout each day. Build an intimate life with God through prayer; cultivate a heart that is always prepared for Him.

Conclusion:

There is no limit to what God could do through our lives if we would simply give ourselves to Him without reservations. Yes, we must immediately stop trying to manage God, and invite Him to live with us most intimately. Let each of us prepare our hearts for the Lord through contrition, aspiration, dedication, submission, and supplication. Go ahead and start today…now is the perfect time. Prepare your heart...prepare your heart for the Lord Jesus. 

 Stomping On The Violin

It was advertised in one of the large cities of the USA that a great violinist would play on a violin worth $1,000. The theater was packed. Many were curious and wanted to hear such an expensive instrument being played. The violinist went on stage and played very beautifully.

Suddenly, he threw the violin on the floor and then began to stomp on it, crushing it to pieces, then walked off the stage. The people were shocked. But then the manager came on stage and said that the violinist did not really use the $1,000 violin but a $20 one. He would now play on the $1,000 one. And so he did. But few people could tell the difference. He simply wanted to show that it was the violinist rather than the violin that makes the music.

In the Master’s hands, even a $20 fiddle would make good music. (Tan: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations)

Whatever you assess the value of your life to be, it is time to place it in the hands of the Master. He can do far more with it than you or I can. Why not trust Him with you? Give Him all of you….

So, how can we prepare our hearts for the Lord? According to First Samuel 7:1-6, it is by:

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

·        By Unreservedly Embracing Intimacy with God (1 Sam. 7:3-6).

Is there any hope for those who have wandered far way from God? They were once so committed to the Lord, but now.... God is the great Restorer and Reviver! Even after extended periods in deep dark sin, He remains our only hope and help for restoration and revival. He is merciful and gracious and full of loving-kindness...why not return to Him? He is able to revitalize our fellowship and life with Him even after long periods of deadness, unfruitfulness, and barrenness--after all of those wasted years. When we return to Him... humble ourselves to confess our sins, repent deep within, and re-dedicate ourselves to Him, He will forgive and receive us unto Himself. He will graciously receive us, even after we have wallowed in the grossest forms of sins.

Will God restore fallen and half-hearted believers who have been trying to "manage" Him instead of embracing a life with Him at the controls? The answer is absolutely, yes! 

 It is time to give God your life! It is time for Him to have control of you: all of you. Revival is possible when we prepare our hearts for the Lord Jesus' rule.