FB link: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.linhart/videos/1124283621636616/?d=n
I would like to bring your focus to the fact that: we are in a spiritual warfare today. There is a war, that we cannot see, going on around us. This is a war for our souls. Spiritual conflict forces us to see our need, and God’s gracious care and protection in the battle lead us to love Him more. Prayer is the right response in the battle.
Let us pray the following words together: I lift up the shield of faith against all the fiery darts of the enemy, and take in my hand the sword of the spirit, the Word of God, and use Your Word against all the forces of evil in my life; and I put on this armor and live and pray in complete dependence upon You, blessed Holy Spirit. Lord, teach us and load us. Let the words of this study change our hearts to incline more toward you and your will for us. Amen!
One way to win the score is to have a heart focused on unity. Peter tells us the following: 1 Peter 3:8 (King James Version) “8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:”.
We learn from this text that there are three types of conditions of the heart. A sanctified Christian must possess a healthy heart. Our healthy heart tribes in the body of Christ, because it brings about unity. Healthy conditions of the heart include the following:
1. We should have love for another.
2. We should have fashion one ourselves everyone else.
3. We should also be humble in action and in deed.
Musical.ly, good heart health is vital to our survival. Our heart must be able to function properly. you could lose a part of your body and function. For example, we could lose a kidney, you can lose a spleen, you can lose the bladder, you can lose part of your lungs, or you can lose part of your leg and still live a long life. However, you cannot lose part of your heart, Because you will die. We simply must maintain healthy heart physically and spiritually. Without a spiritual healthy heart you cannot have unity in your life and Unity in the church that God desires for you to have.
Today, we are going to study about the spiritual heart God desires for each one of us to have. We are going to talk about three heart we need to avoid these heart dangers in order to have a healthy heart. They voiding these dangers will allow us to have the heart unity God desires for us to hail; so, we can hell over the war that we are in.
We actually do need this lesson! We need to have a constant check on how our heart is functioning physically. For example, when you go to the doctor he or she tells you to have a good diet and to exercise regularly.
In Luke chapter 24 verses 13 through 25 we see a little story four are happening. God has included it in his word for us today. Jesus has already died and rose again. (in church we sing praises to this fact. I am glad that Jesus is alive and well, because that means one day when this body dies our souls will be alive and well with Jesus.) so in this event, two me and we’re walking down the road at the may and they were very upset, because they’re Messiah Jesus Christ had died and was crucified on the cross. However, Jesus shows up on their walk. So Jesus starts up a conversation with them. He asked them, “why are you so sad.” The man replied, “haven’t you heard about Jesus are you from here?” They are so sad, because the women report that there is nobody in the tomb. I think that they have been defeated. But Jesus tarried with them a little while and reveals to them that he is alive and well.
But, let’s look at following scripture:
Luke 24:25 (King James Version) “25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:”
Jesus was telling them that you cannot have a slow spiritual heart; just like, you cannot have a slow physical heart. because you cannot have a unified soul, you cannot have a unified church, and you cannot be pleasing to God with a slow spiritual heart. God desires for each one of his children to have a heart that is in tip top shape. So, here in this event, this is what Jesus was trying to tell them.
Today, I would like to impress upon you, three dangers to avoid.three things you don’t do; in order to keep a healthy heart running. When you go to your earthly doctor he or she will tell you to cut back on salt, worry less, and exercise more. Today, we are focusing on studying are Bible more,
1. The first danger, that we must avoid, in order to have a healthy heart; is avoid pre-conceived notions.
We can call this the “closed minded condition,” because this is where we feel that we can no longer be taught anything. We are set in our ways. We believe that we have studied and we are right. some have told me the following: “ I have been a Christian a lot longer than you have. In fact, I’ve been a Christian for 40 years. It is worked for four years and I’m not changing it.” The Bible also warns us, at this condition will kill the heart. In scripture this condition is also known as: the stiff-necked or carnal minded person.
Preconceived notions will affect your study of the Bible. Reading your Bible is great! However, there is a big difference in reading your Bible and studying your Bible. I am for reading your Bible, but if you do not understand what you are reading you do not apply it to your life you’re wasting your time. We study the Scriptures to get more closer to God. Look, I can read an excellent book, but If I don’t gleam anything from that book; it’s a total waste of my time. Scripture tells us that we should not have adult time. Jesus is coming back and we don’t have any time to waste. Every time you open the scriptures, you should do so with an open mind, because you should be seeking the Lord. Through the words that scripture God speaks to us; therefore, we should have open ears to hear from him.
Pre-conceived notions we all inhibit you’re learning especially if you know the text. We study a living. It is a living word, because each time reading it with an open heart God. For example, everyone has heard about the death Angel. He was sent down to Egypt. Every home that had the blood of the lamb painted on the door post and the lentils were spared, but the ones that did not their oldest child was killed. You’ll find this in Exodus chapter 12. I fine, that most of us would agree with that. However, if you would get your Bible out and turn to Exodus chapter 12 it says no such thing. Our pre-conceived notions inhibited our understanding of the event. Scripture records that there is no death angel! It says that the Lord came down to Egypt and did that. So, every time you open your Bible, I want you to: open your heart and your mind; so that, you can hear the word of God.
I have witnessed churches being divided, because of these pre-conceived notions. What they have learned or what they have remembered is wrong, but they think it is gospel. churches have divided, for simple reason. God has called us to be unified and if begins in the heart with love. Finally, we can find numerous things to do bad ourselves, but God desires that we find things to unify the church. Because we have a greater commission; then, arguing over what are grandma used to do. We need to be focused on what Jesus can do or wants us to do do that.
When we think someone is wrong about something before branding them as a heretic, we need to go back and re-study. We need to study again with our open Manzon of hearts. We need to receive a fresh anointing for ourselves! Rethink what you think is right. Restudy and prove that you were practicing the correct responsibilities of a Christian. Sometimes, when we look back we can dive deeper in the word, and learn something. I believe the Holy Spirit Windsor out what is wrong; so that, we study The word of God again. So you see, our preconceived notions are standing in the way of progress. Thus, let The Word tell you what you should and not people.
2. The second heart danger, that we must avoid, in order to have a healthy heart; is avoid selfish desires.
If we have a selfish desire we put ourselves above everything else. Selfish desires make you defend what you want instead of defending what God wants. Soon we depend what we think. Selfish desire and ambition is everywhere from the world. If you don’t believe me just open up Facebook, TikTok or Snapchat. Does the world really need one more picture of you? No! What the world really needs is a little bit more of Jesus every day. The world does not revolve around your face.
Let’s think about selfish desires in the home. If a father is selfish everything suffers. Households where the man is self centered operates incorrectly, because the man feels like he needs control. He often goes against what the family wants. He often dictates where the money is spent. Where they want to go, what they want to eat, and what they want to do; if it does not meet his criteria he tries to put his foot down. A wife that is self-centered grows to hate her role. She feels tired of being the maid and trapped in the relationship. Often times this stretches to the purse strings, because she goes out and spends to cope with how she’s feeling. Sometimes it leads to depression. Sometimes it is more drastic! Either way being selfish causes problems with in the family unit. These things happen when people focus on themselves. Children that are self-centered never learned the joys of sharing. Everything is all about me. selfish desires make a home function improperly. God desires for the family unit to be intact. Families are a divine part of God’s plan. They are the fundamental building block of strong societies. Families are where we can feel love and learn how to love others. Life is tough, and we need people we can lean on.
The problems of a family unit spread over into the church. Sometimes, disciples in the church fight for stupid reasons. They’re fighting because of self instead of biblical principles. They argue over the choice of paint color or carpet color. The church divides over a glass front door or a solid door. God wants us to be unified. He is not satisfied with selfish ambition.
Paul said this in Philippians 2:3:
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
To have a heart of unity we must possess a care for others. We are to look at interests of others. This is just the opposite of selfishness. Folks, we need to get rid of that in order to have a heart of unity.
Remember, in the end times, the world will be lovers of themselves. Paul said the following: 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NewInternational Version) “3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.(A) 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,(B) boastful, proud,(C) abusive,(D)disobedient to their parents,(E) ungrateful, unholy,3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,4 treacherous,(F) rash, conceited,(G) lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness(H) but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.(I)”
We should not allow these people to be in our inner circle, but we should seek to witness to them. They are like a cancer or a clogged artery. To be like them make our heart would have a heart attack. They would destroy a church in the unity that must exist. So, let’s put an end to selfish desires, put the needs of others first, and seek peace within the church.
This brings me to the word fellowship. Have you ever thought about the literal meaning? Well, imagine two or more fellas on the ship. Now, you have a fellowship.They are working together to keep that boat afloat. This means they are all rowing. They are all rowing the same direction. Sometimes, one disciple needs a break. That doesn’t stop them. They don’t cease, they don’t change directions, they all don’t stop rowing, and they don’t try to sink the boatboat. They just keep all in going the same. They stay the course. Selfish desires have no place in the house of God. There is no room for me, myself, and I. We are all a part of the same fellowship. The fellowship of God. We are all rowing together. We are all on a course, set my God, and let us not falter.
3. The third heart danger, that we must avoid, in order to have a healthy heart; is a lack of discipline.
Do I have a Physically Healthy Court we must to eat healthy, exercise daily, and get enough sleep. so, how do you know if you have an unhealthy spiritual heart? There are at least three symptoms that you could be having today. The first symptom of an unhealthy heart is that there is no personal Bible studying. This goes back to what we were saying earlier; Bible study is different than Bible reading. Reading and studying the Scriptures is our spiritual food and exercise. You know, we are supposed to mimic what Jesus did. So, as a young child even Jesus read the Torah. I know Jesus authored the word. I know Jesus is the word, but Jesus also read the word. We are also supposed to live by the word. He also came as a baby and and grew up to the fuel of calling God had on his life. This is the reason he was able to astonish the priest, converse with the Pharisees, and convict the sinners. Today, we need to be deeply rooted in the word, because there are too many wolves in sheep clothing. Because there are too many false teachings. If we are not deeply rooted in the word of God we can be deceived. The deception could even take us to hell.
Since, Jesus is the example, we need to read and study scriptures. Second Timothy 2:15 says the following: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Now, I want to give you a graphic image, hopefully that will stay with you, about how we digest God’s word. I want you to imagine that you are seated in your favorite steakhouse. You are going to order your steak. The waitress or waiter ask you: “how do you want it well done, medium well, medium rare, or rare?” Then, you shuffle your plate, you shuffle your napkins, and you take a big drink of your water. Then, you reply the following: “ I would like my steak well done, but could you chew it up for me and put it back on my plate?” You’re not Al all being sarcastic, but you are being belatedly truthful. you’re not at all being sarcastic, but you are being blately truthful. I do recall, that in some Third World countries they do not have blenders; therefore, mothers chew up their food and then give it to their babies. But I can’t imagine any of us wanting or asking for that at a restaurant or any place for that matter. So, why do we wait till church time to come and get what the Preacher or teacher has already chew up and swallowed?
