Heart Trnsformation Through His Word

HEART TRANSFORMATION THROUGH THE WORD

Text: 2 Kings 22:1-23:30 by Pastor Daniel A. Reyes

Church: Masantol Christian Church

Address: Cupit San Nicolas Masantol Pampanga Philippines 2017

Email Address: ptrdan22@yahoo.com

Introduction:

The heart is very important organ of the physical body. It is sad to note down that many people neglect taking care of their heart (lack of exercise, no check-up, poor health habits, diet) and because of this different ailments have troubled many hearts. They neglect to take care of their hearts, ailments begin to creep in, and all of a sudden death!

I would say, it holds true in the spiritual realm. Many people have spiritual problems. Heart refers to the control center; what runs a person’s life. And people neglect their hearts (lack of exercise of obedience; and ailments creep in and all of a sudden …. Spiritual downfall!

Notice: Some of the heart problems described in the bible.

“He married them even though the LORD had commanded the Israelites not to intermarry with these people, because they would cause the Israelites to give their loyalty to other gods. Solomon married seven hundred princesses and also had three hundred concubines. They made him turn away from God, and by the time he was old they had led him into the worship of foreign gods. He was not faithful to the LORD his God, as his father David had been.” 1 Kings 11:2-4

• Solomon had a heart problem – a divided heart

Elijah went up to the people and said, "How much longer will it take you to make up your minds? If the LORD is God, worship him; but if Baal is God, worship him!" But the people didn’t say a word. 1 Kings 18:21

• There was a contest between Gods, God vs. false gods. Elijah and the priest of Baal were to put up 2 altars with a sacrifice of a bull on each of the altars and they would pray. Whichever sacrifice is taken up by fire, that’s the real God. Why? These was for the sake of the people whose hearts were divided.

Answer me, LORD, answer me, so that this people will know that you, the LORD, are God and that you are bringing them back to yourself." 1 Kings 18:37

• There hearts were far away from God.

The Lord said, "These people claim to worship me, but their words are meaningless, and their hearts are somewhere else. Their religion is nothing but human rules and traditions, which they have simply memorized. Isaiah 29:13

• Heart problems! They have self divided hearts, they thought they fooled God with their empty rituals. They failed to realize that God desires their full devotion; whole hearted obedience first.

Spiritual heart problem! The number 1 killer, maybe your heart has been sick for quite sometimes. You are maybe unaware of it. Have you had a spiritual check up lately?

Who can understand the human heart? There is nothing else so deceitful; it is too sick to be healed. Jeremiah 17:9

• The heart is deceitful. It has a way of fooling us, at times; we ourselves don’t know the real condition of our hearts. Yet!

• It is God who knows the secrets contents of our hearts “This is why the Psalmist prayed … search me O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any deceitful way in me.” Psalm 139:23-24

We are to ask the all knowing God to reveal to us the real condition of our hearts. God desires that we maintain healthy hearts. Hearts that are entirely His; hearts whose sole desires/obsession is to Glorify Him.

Deut. 6: 5 “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”

Question: What is the condition of our hearts? Perhaps, for so long, our hearts have been sick, our hearts devotion has been divided; not completely for God.

You may ask? Is there’s hope? I would say… There is hope! God says… we can rise up from the pit of sin and set our hearts aflame for Him again. But you must desire it!

Our text, Records the story of a king whose heart was totally for God. (King Josiah) his reign was during a time when Israel was at his lowest point in its spiritual life. Sinning was the lifestyle of the people. Yet! Josiah was used by God to raise Israel back to God. King Josiah’s heart was a flamed, and He set his peoples hearts a flamed for God again.

And this is what we would like to see. Our hearts a flamed and that flames of awakening/transformation others heart.

Lesson: The flame of revival is “God pointing a finger at one man.” One Man: That’s all it takes. And God maybe pointing His finger at you (now!). Probably, it will take you to start the flames burning in the lives of others. Let us look how God brought revival/transformation to Israel through King Josiah.