A KINGDOM HEART - XXIII

WBS.053

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

A KINGDOM HEART – XXIII

Proverb 4:23  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Last week's post ended with this comment:

If we seek to know Elohim's will with the preemptive decision already in place that we will DO it when we discover it, He WILL make us to know His will. However, as long as we have our own will in place as an option, our own preferences as to what we want to do, the certainty of the counsel of Elohim will forever remain a mystery to us; and we are NOT his disciple.  A disciple wants to do his Master’s will no matter what it is.

 

This is where the proverbial rubber meets the road.  It is decision time.  If we embrace the will of IAUE for our life, it mandates that we align our own will always to prefer and to obey the will of IAUE in every circumstance. To the novice, that means a life of constant sacrifice; always giving up what he wants to do; never able to satisfy his own self-interests…a condition of virtual slavery.  Such a mindset will produce resentment instead of loyal service to the Master.  To the experienced disciple, this is merely the doorway to his chief joy---participation with IAUE in the things He is doing in the earth; reveling in the fellowship and friendship it produces with IAUE and Yahushua.

Our series, thus far, on “A Kingdom Heart” has demonstrated that a kingdom heart is the singular objective of the good news (gospel) of the Kingdom; and that the performance of the will of IAUE is the chief desire of a heart that loves IAUE's kingdom.  We have also seen that receiving grace is critical to a kingdom heart, since grace is the power IAUE gives to do His will.  Since Elohim resists the proud but gives grace to the humble, humility is the principal character trait of a kingdom heart, and the very first lesson in discipleship.

It is time to ask a very important question. What IS the heart?

It is impossible to cultivate a kingdom heart if we do not even know what the heart is.  Some consider the heart a synonym for the spirit.  Others consider it a synonym for the soul.  In order to answer this question, we must look at how IAUE created man.

Genesis 2:7  And IAUE Elohim formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

IAUE formed man's physical body of the elements of the earth.  He breathed into that physical body His own breath, imparting spirit to man.  The result of spirit giving life to body was a living soul.   It is Yaqob (James), the brother of Yahushua, who said in his epistle:

James 2:26  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

It is the spirit of man that animates his human body; and it is the union of the spirit with the body that produces the soul of man.

Through many scriptures too numerous to recount, it has become universally accepted that the soul of man comprises the three principle faculties of Mind, Will and Emotion.  These three faculties combine to form the individual personality and intellect of a person.  It is this aspect of man, his soul, by which we tend to judge or categorize people (i.e., He is a brilliant child.  He is an unforgiving man.  She is a bitter woman.  She is such a sweet person., etc.).  Is the soul the heart?   No.  If we look at the blessing of Paul to the Thessalonians as he nears the close of his first letter to that church, we see him praying this prayer over his friends.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very Elohim of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray Elohim your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Master Yahushua Messiah.

Paul didn't leave out any part of the Thessalonians from this blessing.  He included every part of their being; so, in this verse we are seeing the heart included...but where?  The author of the book of Hebrews helps to reveal this mystery.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of Elohim is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Have you ever wondered if what you "feel" or believe you have "heard" is you or IAUE?  Have you ever been uncertain about the source of your "imaginations" or even your motives for doing things?  Was it IAUE...or was it just you? We see the three components of man identified here in this verse: soul and spirit and body (joints and marrow); but we also see in this verse that the Word of Elohim has a special power.  It is able to pierce "even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit."  The Word of Elohim is able to separate and to distinguish between soul and spirit. 

Remember our last study about our will conflicting with the will of IAUE making His guidance to our lives a point of confusion?  This confusion results any time we have a preference as to what He might tell us.   Where, though, is that confusion broken down into absolute clarity?  It is in the heart. The Word of Elohim is powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit...and is "a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."  The HEART!  There it is!!  The heart is where soul and spirit come together.  The heart also is what separates soul from spirit.  The heart is a shared wall with the spirit of man on one side, and the soul of man on the other side.

Imagine, for a moment, that you live in a duplex…call it “Unit A.”  On the other side of the building is “Unit B.”  Within your house is a wall that stands between your unit and your neighbor’s unit.  It is a shared wall.  Your side of the wall is owned by you.  The other side of the exact same wall is owned by your neighbor.  This is what the heart is like both joining and separating soul and spirit. When a person gives their life to Yahushua Messiah in response to the gospel, IAUE performs a miracle within their being, creating within them a new spirit.  Paul called it a "new creature in Messiah Yahushua" (2 Cor 5:17).  Unfortunately this new life does not have immediate sway over all our faculties.  It is the "newcomer;" and unfortunately its directives are subjected to the dictates of the mind (a function of the soul).  This is why Paul commands us to renew the mind; so we can understand what is that perfect will of Elohim that is being communicated to us and to cooperate with it.

Elohim speaks to the spirit of man.  The need, then, is for Elohim's words to transfer from the spirit of man, THROUGH THE HEART, to the soul, where man can comprehend intellectually what Elohim desires of him.   The choice is then made by the mind and will and emotions of man to allow the body to carry out Elohim's wishes or to reject His wishes.  Can you see the process?  To the spirit...through the heart...to the soul...then the choice is made what the body will obey:  the will of IAUE through the spirit; or the unrenewed desires of the mind of man.

We have a wonderful natural illustration of this truth in the human ear.  Sound waves strike the receptacle of the ear (the spirit in our analogy).  At the depths of the ear is the eardrum (the heart).  This tympanic membrane is struck with the sound waves coming down through the ear, and transfers its message, not in sound waves, but in a different language of electronic signals to the brain (the soul in our analogy).  It is a language that the brain can interpret and thus decipher what is being heard.

Now, what happens if the ears are muffed with excessive wax or with earplugs?  What happens if the eardrum is injured?  The brain cannot receive proper signals to decipher the sounds that are being heard.  In the worst of cases, the brain can hear nothing at all.

Is this not what Paul said to the Jews in the last chapter of Acts as he quoted Yeshayahu (Isaiah) saying their hearts have "waxed gross."  The Jews did not WANT to hear the Word of Elohim.  The way to prevent the mind from registering the Word of Elohim is to damage or harden the heart.  This brings us to today's verse.

Proverb 4:23  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

The scriptures have an abundance of verses that warn us about the proper care of the heart.  Why is this?  It is because the heart is the precious filament that IAUE created within us to transfer His voice, His Truth, His Life, His power to our lives from His Spirit to our spirit and unto our understanding that it might be borne out in our walk.  It is IAUE's desire to effect within us what He perfected in His Son; that is the Word becoming flesh (John 1:14).  That is not possible for us when we treat the heart casually and callously.  It is little wonder why we have difficulty walking in holiness or obedience when we have such disregard for the care of our own heart.

If you are a person who genuinely appreciates the finesse and beauty of music, do you put on headphones and turn the music up to level 10?   Of course not.  The damage to your eardrums will rob you of your ability to enjoy the finer aspects of the music.  If you would protect your eardrums in order to preserve the ability to enjoy music, why would you not protect your heart that you might hear the voice of IAUE?

If you are a person who enjoys the beauty of a sunset or of beautiful artwork, or just the simple glories of the daily sights around you, would you stare at the sun for several minutes?   Would you ride a motorcycle without goggles?  Would you endure a sandstorm with your eyes wide open?  Of course not.  If you would protect your eyes that you might enjoy the wonders of sight, then why would you not guard your heart that you might behold Elohim's counsels revealed in spiritual dreams or in visions?

If you enjoy the taste of fine foods or simply revel in the pleasure of fast foods, would you continually start every meal with a mouthful of some scalding substance, destroying your taste buds and ruining your ability to appreciate the taste and texture of any of your food?  Of course not.  If you would protect the gateway to your sense of taste, why would you not protect your gateway to the voice of IAUE?

All of our physical senses have receptors through which their own corresponding sensory data is received and then converted to the language that our brain understands. The brain then can present us with a clear awareness of our environment.  The soul of man (his mind, will and emotions) receives divine guidance and the knowledge of IAUE's will through the heart of man.  The heart receives that guidance and knowledge by serving as a receptor of the things that IAUE invests into our spirit, translating the spiritual input into a language that the soul can understand.  It is imperative for us who would have a Kingdom Heart, to guard our heart with all diligence, "for out of it are the issues of life."

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Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.

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A KINGDOM HEART - XXII

WBS.052

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

A KINGDOM HEART – XXII

John 7:17 If anyone chooses to do Elohim's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from Elohim or whether I speak on my own.

Last week’s post ended with this comment: 

	…we must provide for the continuous renewal of our thought processes by routine  and persistent exposure to the Scriptures and to the voice of the Holy Spirit… because the whole focus of our lives is to learn to think as He thinks, in order to learn more accurately and correctly how to know and to do His will.

 

When we first repented and bowed in allegiance to the Master Messiah Yahushua, we consciously forsook the sins of our past and the sins that were present in our, then, current life. We also consented to the justice of Elohim condemning our sinfulness...the very nature of our fallen humanity.  What we did not recognize at that time is the intrinsic evil of our own human will.  We held on to that, and in so doing, we retained an enemy of the will of Elohim.

Remember the story of Yahushua speaking to Peter and rebuking Satan?  Peter had simply told the Master that He should not go to Jerusalem to be crucified.

Matthew 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest (value the deductions and judgment of your own thoughts) not the things that be of Elohim, but those that be of men.

Peter's offense was not that he was thinking like the devil; it was that he was allowing the devil to manipulate him to value thinking like a man.  Peter’s will was to protect his Master. How could that be wrong? His will, however, was in direct conflict with his Master’s will and with the will of IAUE.  Even the apostle Paul battled with this conflict of wills.

Acts 16:6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,

7  After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

This conflict of wills is such a prevalent problem with man that it is mentioned twice in the book of Proverbs:

Proverb 14:12 / Proverb 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Thinking like a man and acting upon our own thoughts of what is right or wrong, leads us down the wrong path. This is why it is necessary that our minds should be saturated with the Word of IAUE; why we should aggressively learn to hear and recognize the voice of the Spirit; and why we should earnestly seek to have our minds renewed that we might recognize the corruptness of our own thinking and the righteousness of the will of IAUE.  

What was the objective of the renewing of our minds?

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of Elohim.

The purpose of renewing our minds is to know the will of Elohim.  The word “prove” in this verse is from the Greek word “dokimazo” and it means “to recognize after examination that something is genuine; approved as the real thing.” This brings us to today's verse.

John 7:17 If anyone chooses to do Elohim's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from Elohim or whether I speak on my own.

A disciple of Yahushua who is learning to do Elohim's will must first contend with this problem of a conflict of wills.  Where there are two wills from which to choose, there will ALWAYS be confusion as to which one is Elohim's will.  This is actually guaranteed by Scripture.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of Elohim, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of IAUE.
8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Until this problem is resolved, most believers do not even concern themselves with knowing the will of IAUE.  They are content to follow their own will.  Those that actually want to know the will of IAUE usually experience self-questioning.  It goes something like this:

"I think Elohim has directed me to do this; but do I think that because I really want to do the other thing, and I know Elohim would not want me to do what I want?"

Or the reverse:

"I think Elohim has directed me to do this; but do I think that because this is what I also really want to do; and I am just trying to convince myself that it is Elohim's will?"

The problem, then, is what I simply refer to as “preference.”  If I have a preference in any matter, then I will always have room to doubt what the will of IAUE is for my life in both the small, seemingly insignificant decisions, as well as in the big decisions.  You might say, “That is ridiculous!  We are always going to have a preference. We have likes and dislikes regarding every imaginable thing.  We are only human, you know?”  That is EXACTLY the problem.  We are only human; and the ways that seem right to us are the ways that lead to death.

So, what is the solution? 

John 7:17 If anyone chooses to do Elohim's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from Elohim or whether I speak on my own.

Before we ever ask for guidance, or listen to the voice of the Spirit regarding any matter, rejecting our own preferences as possible or even likely temptations to proceed down the wrong path, and choosing in advance regardless of the direction, to do Elohim's will is the solution to our confusion about spiritual guidance. Far too many of us, as disciples, seek to know Elohim's will about a matter so we can evaluate it and compare it against our own will.  

We seek to know Elohim's will because we know we are supposed to obey it; but in reality, we want first to be able to assess His will in terms of the reality and practicality of our own life.  This mindset betrays the fact we have not truly come under the authority of the Master; for a servant does not have the luxury of serving two masters.  This, then, is a litmus test of genuine discipleship. A disciple is one who has embraced the will of his Master, relegating his own will to a place of uselessness.

How many times have we prayed for guidance only to receive it and then to deny its usefulness as an option? We pass judgment on the will of Elohim as though our wisdom exceeds His.  It sounds something like this:

"Father, if I do or say 'that'...he will react very poorly; and I will have to deal with the fallout of his anger."

Or like this:

"Father, I can’t do that. It would be too embarrassing for me."

These are subtle forms of pride; and they need to be cauterized from our heart. Why?  It is because our Father Elohim resists the proud. He gives grace to the humble; and grace is the power He gives to "do" His will, not just to hear it.

James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

If we seek to know Elohim's will with the preemptive decision already in place that we will DO it when we discover it, He WILL make us to know His will. However, as long as we have our own will in place as an option, our own preferences as to what we want to do, the certainty of the counsel of Elohim will forever remain a mystery to us; and we are NOT his disciple.  A disciple wants to do his Master’s will no matter what it is.

We came to Messiah recognizing, as Paul did, that there is absolutely nothing good in ourselves to offer on our own behalf to receive Elohim's mercy. We were lost in darkness and in bondage to sin. We "trusted" Yahushua Messiah to rescue us and to provide us with His own righteousness. It is only a simple step of trust again to relinquish confidence in our own corrupted pitiable human will to rely upon the wisdom of Elohim's will for our lives.

It is what a kingdom heart does.

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Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.

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