A Wholehearted Christian
Proverbs 23:26
“My son, give me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways”
God asks us to give to Him our hearts. Joseph Stowell in his book, Fan The Flame, states that “Heart is used in Scripture as the most comprehensive term for the authentic person. It is the part of our being where we desire, deliberate, and decide. It has been described as “the place of conscious and decisive spiritual activity,” “the comprehensive term for a person as a whole; his feelings, desires, passions, thought, understanding and will,” and “the center of a person. The place to which God turns.” (Fan The Flame, J. Stowell, Moody, 1986, p. 13) God is not looking to have a place in your heart: He wants all of your heart. God is looking for wholehearted Christians. But what are the characteristics that give evidence of being a wholehearted Christian?
I. A Wholehearted Christian is one who desires and seeks God with their all
A. Psalm 119:2 “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.”
B. A whole hearted Christian is one whose relationship with God is more important than anything.
C. Philippians 3:7-15 “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
D. A young woman in England many years ago always wore a golden locket that she would not allow anyone to open or look into, and everyone thought there must be some romance connected with that locket and that in that locket must be the picture of the one she loved. The young woman died at an early age, and after her death the locket was opened, everyone wondering whose face he would find within. And in the locket was found simply a little slip of paper with these words written upon it, "Whom having not seen, I love." Her Lord Jesus was the only lover she knew and the only lover she longed for. - The Best of R.A. Torrey
E. Far too many of approach God half heartedly with only a little desire for Him or halfheartedly wanting to hang on to God and the world.
F. If you don't get what you want, it is a sign either that you did not seriously want it, or that you tried to bargain over the price.—Rudyard Kipling
G. 1 Kings 18:21 “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, ‘How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him’. And the people answered him not a word.”
H. Psalms 73:25 “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.”
I. To love God wholeheartedly, we must be convinced that our only happiness is in Him alone. We cannot believe this until we renounce all other efforts at happiness. If we look to God to supply half our happiness, we can only love him with half our hearts. (William Law in Christian Perfection (a contemporary version by Marvin D. Hinten). Christianity Today, Vol. 36, no. 9.)
II. A Wholehearted Christian is one who is determined to live pleasing to God.
A. Psalm 119:2-3 “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity; they walk in His ways.”
B. Experiencing a life-changing faith, having a close relationship with God and desiring to please God above all else are marks of a genuine belief in born-again Christians.
C. Psalm 119:10 “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.”
D. A wholehearted Christian isn’t on again off again but lives consistent with his profession of faith.
E. "Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling around about drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are too easily pleased." (C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory)
F. 1 Kings 11:4 “For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.”
G. It is interesting that the Greek term for excellence is derived from the same root as the word meaning “to please.” There is a strong link between spiritual excellence and a desire to please God. The Lord Jesus always did what was pleasing to the Father (John 8:29). At the same time, He did not live selfishly, to please Himself (Rom. 15:3). His life was entirely determined by the will of God for Him, and doing that will, He found pleasure (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38) and pleased God. - Gary Inrig, “A Call to Excellence,” Victor Books, Wheaton, ILL, 1985, pp. 55
H. Psalm 119:101 “I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.”
I. John 14:23 “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him”
III. A Wholehearted Christian is one who is readily obedient to God.
A. Psalm 119:69 “...I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.”
B. Living a clean life, being a good person (according to man’s standards) can be said of even those who are not Christians. But one mark of a true believer is that they obey God’s commands.
C. 2 Chronicles 25:1-4 “Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart.”
D. Psalm 119:112 (HCSB) “I am resolved to obey Your statutes to the very end.”
E. Arabian horses go through rigorous training in the deserts of the Middle East. The trainers require absolute obedience from the horses, and test them to see if they are completely trained. The final test is almost beyond the endurance of any living thing. The trainers force the horses to do without water for many days. Then he turns them loose and of course they start running toward the water, but just as they get to the edge, ready to plunge in and drink, the trainer blows his whistle. The horses who have been completely trained and who have learned perfect obedience, stop. They turn around and come pacing back to the trainer. They stand there quivering, wanting water, but they wait in perfect obedience. When the trainer is sure that he has their obedience he gives them a signal to go back to drink. Now this may be severe but when you are on the trackless desert of Arabia and your life is entrusted to a horse, you had better have a trained obedient horse. We must accept God’s training and obey Him.
F. Dr. B. J. Miller once said, “It is a great deal easier to do that which God gives us to do, no matter how hard it is, than to face the responsibilities of not doing it.” - MBI’s Today In The Word, November, 1989, p.11
IV. A Wholehearted Christian is one who loves to give heartfelt praise God
A. Psalm 138:1” I will praise thee with my whole heart”
B. Psalm 111:1 “Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.”
C. John Wesley was about 21 years of age when he went to Oxford University. He came from a Christian home, and he was gifted with a keen mind and good looks. Yet in those days he was a bit snobbish and sarcastic. One night, however, something happened that set in motion a change in Wesley’s heart. While speaking with a porter, he discovered that the poor fellow had only one coat and lived in such impoverished conditions that he didn’t even have a bed. Yet he was an unusually happy person, filled with gratitude to God. Wesley, being immature, thoughtlessly joked about the man’s misfortunes. “And what else do you thank God for?” he said with a touch of sarcasm. The porter smiled, and in the spirit of meekness replied with joy, “I thank Him that He has given me my life and being, a heart to love Him, and above all a constant desire to serve Him!” Deeply moved, Wesley recognized that this man knew the meaning of true thankfulness. Many years later, in 1791, John Wesley lay on his deathbed at the age of 88. Those who gathered around him realized how well he had learned the lesson of praising God in every circumstance. Despite Wesley’s extreme weakness, he began singing the hymn, “I’ll Praise My Maker While I’ve Breath.” - Our Daily Bread
D. Psalm 119:161a -162 “…But my heart stands in awe of Your word. I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure.”
What shall I give Thee, Master,
Thou Who didst die for me?
Shall I give less of what I possess
When Thou gavest all to me?
What shall I give Thee, Master?
Thou hast given all for me!
Thou didst leave Thy Home Above
To die on Calvary!
What shall I give Thee, Master?
Thou hast given all for me!
Not just a part, or half of my heart,
I will give all to Thee!
- Homer W. Grimes
