May 29, 2016
Scripture:
Scripture:
Hymn 358 - Tell me the story of Jesus
Prayer
Our heart is an organ that pumps blood. It is very important, and we can’t live without it. We’re dead if our heart isn’t pumping. But our heart can also be an expression of who we are, which is the way the Bible refers to it. The Lord said that what we say comes from our heart. Whether it is unkind or kind words they all come from what is in the heart. This is why we are told to guard and keep it diligently.
In Luke, we find that wherever our treasure is that is where our heart will be. So now the question is, what is important to us? where is our affection? what do we find enjoyment in? Our heart is who we are.
We also believe with our heart. Our heart is a treasure. A treasure is something that is very valuable. It is important to guard and keep it. When you have something valuable you put it in a safe place. We should want to protect our heart for the Lord, and there are different ways we can do this.
Since we talked about things we are attracted to, we should ask the question are we attracted to the Word of God? One way to guard our heart is to put truth (God’s Word) into it. We were told here to listen, incline our ears, and keep them in the midst of our heart. If we have truth in our heart we will know how important it actually is, and guard it carefully. We must keep our heart for Christ and honour Him.
Another command is to remove our feet from evil. If there is anything in our heart that does not honour the Lord it must come out. It’s trash. It’s garbage. It has no value, and it more of a hindrance than a help. There are big things that are wrong, but there are also many small things that are wrong. Wrong feelings, lying, and jealousy are just a couple of examples of things that need to come out when we are still young. Sin is trash and must come out.
Having a relationship with God is another way to guard and keep our heart. Praying and reading from His Word. Talk with God.
I’ve read about a certain submarine that is nuclear-powered. Because of this it can stay underneath the water for much longer periods than regular submarines. While it is underwater, its uses a navigation system that is aligned with the North Star. It can stay underwater for ninety days, but then it must resurface so it can realign the navigation system and make sure it is still going in the right direction. We navigate with our heart. Our path through life must be aligned with Jesus. This path honours the Lord, and we will be keeping our heart. As we make choices along the way, we must be like the submarine, and make sure we are still in line.
Keeping our heart for the truth is important. We need to make sure we get rid of the trash, and talk with the Lord. Our heart is very important, and we are told to keep and guard it diligently.
Philippians 4:4-23
Joy and rejoicing are a main theme in Philippians. They should characterize us as Christians; they are part of normal Christian experience. They are something we do, something we have to turn on and work at. God is the author of joy, and it’s the second fruit of the Spirit.
Does joy come from our experiences? Naturally, yes, it can; but if we are to have joy always it must come from more than that. We can have joy in our families, homes, and businesses; but that’s pretty shallow joy if that’s all you’ve got. There is a joy that is in the Lord, and that is the joy we should strive after. It’s precious to have a portion that is above every circumstance; to know that we can have joy in spite of anything we go through. A child of God should be characterized by joy, and it’s a matter of focus. Are we focused on ourselves or the Lord? Years ago, two men attended the meeting in Montreal; one was melancholy and glum about everything, while the other was focused on the Lord and could break into singing at any moment. Where are we looking?
The the story is told of a young man who went to encourage an older Christian who was sick. When he arrived, he found the older Christian so full of the joy of the Lord that he was the one who ended up encouraged. As he left, the older Christian gave him our verse, “Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say, rejoice.” We need to rejoice at all times. How can that happen? By occupying with the Lord through His word, and keeping our hearts from sin. As we had with the children, we need to get the truth into our hearts, and the trash out. We must learn to say that anointed word, “No!” to temptation.
The Lord came to bring us out of our sorrows and into the joys of eternity. It was once the prodigal son returned home that he and his father began to be merry; that’s when the joy started. Sinners repenting also makes God happy!
If we truly start rejoicing, we won’t need material things in order to be happy. We won’t have to buy stuff in order to be glad. We can be sick in bed and still rejoice. And there’s so much to rejoice in! In John’s gospel Jesus keeps saying, “That your joy may be full,” he told us to, “Be of good cheer,” and gave us His joy. He wants us to rejoice! Psalm 16 tells us that there is perfect joy in God’s presence. That’s where Jesus is now, and once we’re there we will always rejoice.
Rejoicing always doesn’t mean that we’ll never be sad. In II Corinthians 6:10 Paul claims he was, “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.” He didn’t overlook the realities of life. We’ll never be on a continual Christian “high”; there are sad situations in life. Even within the meeting we won’t always agree with each other, but we must seek to rise above our differences and live in the joy that the Lord can give. That joy should characterize us. We have reasons to be happy, above the reasons the world offers, for our God is the author of joy.
Things like joy, peace, and loving kindness make evolution look foolish. How could they evolve? They were given to us by the Creator. God Himself is joyful, and we can enter into the joy of the Lord. It’s so easy to have down days, but it’s so important to seek to be rejoicing in the Lord.
Verse 3 gives us a good reason to rejoice: our names are written in the book of life. That’s what Jesus told the 70 that He sent out, too. They rejoiced that the devils were subject to them in Christ’s name, but He told them to rejoice that their names were written in heaven. We can rejoice in eternal security, and what the Lord has done for us.
In the meantime, we should let our gentleness be known unto all men. This is a day of asserting ones rights (some of which don’t even make sense). We do have rights, but our attitude should be gentle and yielding, not stubborn. We should do this because the Lord is near. Not only is His presence near us at all times, but His coming is also near.
Hymn 215 - Happy they who trust in Jesus
Prayer