GOD LOOKS AT THE HEART

GOD LOOKS AT THE HEART!

1 Sam 16:6-12

6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before him.

7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.

11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

           When the sons of Jesse passed in parade there were some pretty boys in the company. Eliab, the eldest was probably presented not only first but privately, ahead of the others. He must have been quite a specimen because Samuel concluded he must be the very chosen of God. But God doesn’t see as men.

           Dr. Mark Wessel observes this about God’s choices for His twelve apostles: “It was a strange group of men our Lord chose to be his disciples. Four of them were fishermen, one a hated tax collector, another a member of a radical and violent political party … all were laymen … Yet it was with these men that Jesus … disseminated his good news to the end of the earth.” (The Expositors Bible Commentary, volume 8, page 643)

Tradition says that Paul was a short man with an oozing eye disease. Paul comments on his own appearance in the following verse in which the word tapeinos is rendered base and signifies lowly or short of stature.

2 Cor 10:1

10:1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

           Little, red faced, David was the last son that Jesse considered to be of kingly quality but God did not look on his outward appearance. His heart was ready for a crown!

Dear Lord, I am neither tall nor handsome by most appraisals. Let me instead have a courageous heart and a beautiful spirit. Let me be pleasing in your sight. AMEN

WHO MAY ABIDE

WHO MAY ABIDE?

Ps 15:1

15 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

           You may be aware that you are a traveler in life. The landscape is constantly changing as you move steadily toward your destination. You are also surely aware that travel is a wearying thing. There are hills to climb and valleys to descend and more potholes than anyone needs. We long for a place to camp.

           The Psalmist asked, “O LORD, who may stay in your tent?” The image here is describing a traveler who turns aside from the road to seek hospitality; like at a roadside rest stop. “Lord, who may rest in Your presence?”

The next question is: “Who may dwell in thy holy hill?” This speaks of permanent residence. Note that the first question is about abiding while the next question is about dwelling. One asks “can I spend the night” while the other asks permission to move in. The rest of the Psalm lists the qualifications.

Personal integrity -- “The one who walks with integrity, does what is righteous, and speaks the truth within his heart.”

Relational Faithfulness – “The one who does not slander with his tongue, do evil to a friend, or bring disgrace on his neighbor.”

Moral Strength – “The one who despises those rejected by God but honors those who fear the LORD.”

Sacrificial Dedication – “The one who makes a promise and does not break it, even though he is hurt by it.”

Financial Honesty – “The one who does not collect interest on a loan or take a bribe against an innocent person.”

Dear Lord, I am weary of traveling and need a place to stop and rest in your presence. Though I am unworthy, open your tent flap and allow me to enter. Change my destination so that my journey ends at your Holy Hill. AMEN

WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD SIN

WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD SIN?

Prov 30:20

20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

Rom 7:22-25

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

           Paul gives a tormented explanation of the inner struggle of the two natures of the saved man. On the one hand, he is still a fallen creature and the old sinful nature wars for dominance. On the other hand, he now has a new nature given to him by the infusion of the Holy Spirit at the time of his conversion. These two natures, or attitudes, remain in conflict throughout life.

           Paul uses the Greek word talaiporos, which literally means “miserable,” to describe the wretchedness of his struggle. He delights to do what is right. He enjoys agreeing with God in principle and in daily practice but he is constantly being challenged by the law of sin. One law seeks to liberate him and the other seeks his captivity.

           Many people use the device used by the adulterous woman in Proverbs 30:20. They sin and then simply claim that nothing wicked has been done. That is called denial and eventually it makes one’s conscience insensitive. “Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Tim 4:2). In this case the sin remains but the sorrow because of it has departed.

           Sin is self-centeredness! Bill Temple puts it this way in his little book, Christianity in the Social Order, He says, "I am the center of the world I see. And where the horizon is depends on where I stand. Education may make my self-centeredness less disastrous by broadening my horizon of vision. It's like a man climbing a tower who sees further in terms of physical vision while remaining himself the center and the standard of reference. I am the center of the world I see." But God's order is that we love him with all our being, and then that we love our neighbor and put ourselves last. Sin is the reversal of that order.

           You are a sinner and so am I. How we “feel” about our sin reveals our relationship to God. Be very careful that you do not lose the “wretchedness” that sin produces.

Dear Lord, every day I struggle with sin. I can never lessen my vigilance against it. It is troublesome. It grieves me. May I always agree with You regarding sin. Cleanse me. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. AMEN