#5 THE PROBLEM OF THE HEART IS THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
This is part five of a five part series.
TEXT:
Prov. 4:23 .. Keep they heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Luke 21:26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.
1 Tim. 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds,
and destitute of the truth, supposing that GAIN is godliness: from such turn away?
2 Chron. 7:14 It is time we humble ourselves, fall on our knees, pray, and seek the great God, repent,
turn from our evil ways, --- we can do something about this heart problem, -----
GOD WILL HEAR US, HE WILL FORGIVE US, AND HEAL OUR LAND.
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
This is Part #3 -- if you need parts 1 & 2 ask at Kyfingers@aol.com
As we have been studying heart problems our focus is the problem of the heart is the heart of the problem.
This is part 5 in a series, The problem of the heart. PASS IT ON?
Today I ponder some words of James, Jesus’ brother.
James 2:14 What doth it profit my brethren, though a man say he hath faith,
and have not works? Can faith save him?
15. If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16. And one of you say unto them, "Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled;
" notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what does it profit?
The text, YE GIVE THEM HEART MINISTRY.
No matter who you are you have a flaming ministry.
Quit looking for another spot of ground, bloom where you are!!!
These words James penned echo in my ears.
Word ministry without the heart ever really feeling the need?
These verses expose several problems:
#1 an opportunity to minister to physical needs, the people having no clothes, naked.
#2 The people were hungry, destitute.
But the real problem was in the heart of those ministers to see needs?
Often the heart develops what I call, "compassion fatigue."
This is a serious heart problem that can lead to the death of effective ministry.
I used to get angry at Jonah, he had a very effective "SECOND CHANCE MINISTRY?"
How our hearts should glow for the second chance?
Jonah’s revival was so effective the whole community repented and fasted.
Jonah had a golden opportunity to teach the new converts a better way of living?
Jonah could have walked and taught the very heart of God into a people that had failed.
But Jonah’s heart did not want a revival of repentance,
Jonah wanted in his heart to see THE JUDGMENT OF GOD to fall,
Jonah desired in his heart a Fire Ministry,
God wanted a MINISTRY OF MERCY AND LOVE.
God wanted patience and love for the people,
but the minister’s heart was not so patient?
Why?
Look in the Jonah the 4th chapter,
here it is, a heart problem of ANGER.
IN MY OPINION JONAH MUST HAVE GOT HURT or disappointed at the people.
Jonah chapter 4 brings serious tears to my eyes,
for it exposes the MIS-focused heart of ministry.
There is a good study in this chapter on prepared,
for God was trying to prepare a heart of ministry of mercy.
God prepared a gourd plant, which represents "THE COMFORT OF MINISTRY."
The gourd plant grew and made a place of shade, comfort for the worker.
How many of us love this "SHADE."
So what does God do?
God prepares a worm?
Even worms can have ministry, so what could God do if we had patience with people?
Well, that dumb worm does the work of God and cuts through the
heart of comfort for the minister.
NOW IS WHEN THE TEARS FLY?
NOT FOR PEOPLE OR MINISTRY BUT
WHEN THE COMFORT DISAPPEARS,
NOTE: JUST APPEARS TO BE GONE?
What happens to Christians when God "ON PURPOSE"
tears down their HEARTS COMFORT ZONE?
We sing our anthem, Gloom, despair, and agony on me.
Deep dark depression, excessive misery,
if it weren’t for bad luck, I would have no luck at all,
gloom, despair and agony ON ME,
POOR OLE ME.
There was a prepared east wind and a hot sun,
instead of changing his heart, Jonah would rather CRY.
The purpose of real heart ministry is not your comfort, every real effective
Christian will go through a series of loosing your comfort zones.
This is a faith walk.
God will dry up your brook, just to see if you are obedient and submissive. Will we trust God or the brook?
But many develop a CRY-BABY MENTALITY,
and murmuring and complaining destroys every victory we have taken, WHY?
Is your heart for the lost and the one separated from the safety of the group?
The heart of God rejoices when that "ONE" comes home, more than the 99?
Is that your heart?
Who cares for the lost and backslidden? Who loves the mean and the ulgy?
--- or are we looking for our comfortable hearts?
If God tears down your comfort zone,
He is preparing you for deeper ministry.
Lord search our hearts.
JUSTICE-when you get what you deserve.
MERCY--when you don’t get what you deserve.
GRACE---WHEN YOU GET GOOD, THAT YOU DIDN’T DESERVE.
STORY: (unknown) It was a cold winter’s day that Sunday. The parking lot to the church was filling up quickly. I noticed as I got out of my car that fellow church members were whispering among themselves as they walked to the church. As I got closer I saw a man leaned up against the wall outside the church. He was almost laying down as if he was asleep. He had on a long trench coat that was almost in shreds and a hat topped his head, pulled down so you could not see his face. He wore shoes that looked 30 years old, too small for his feet with holes all over them, his toes stuck out. I assumed this man was homeless, and asleep, so I walked on by through the doors of the church. We all fellowshipped for a few minutes, and someone brought up the man laying outside. People snickered and gossiped but no one bothered to ask him to come in, including me. A few moments later church began. We all waited for the Evangelist to take his place and to give us the Word, when the doors to the church opened. In came the homeless man walking down the aisle with his head down. People gasped and whispered and made faces. He made his way down the aisle and up onto the pulpit, he took off his hat and coat. My heart sank. There stood our Evangelist...he was the "homeless man." No one said a word. The preacher took his Bible and laid it on the stand. "Folks, I don’t think I have to tell you what I am preaching about today."
Then he started singing the words to this song. "If I can help somebody as I pass along. If I can cheer somebody with a word or song. If I can show somebody that he’s traveling wrong. Then my living shall not be in vain."
"IS YOUR LIVING IN VAIN?"
Lord ignite the flame of LOVE in my heart.
This would have to do with the PURPOSE and the MOTIVE of a workers heart.
We need a revival in Christian workers’ hearts,
that would compel us to see beyond the problems and obstacles before us.
The people that say it can’t be done, will be passed by those doing it.
Can’t you feel a fire shut-up in your bones?
I can’t quit.
I can’t look back.
There are too many miles behind us,
THERE IS TOO MUCH TO GAIN TO LOSE.
Lord, may I not just love to preach, but may I love those I preach to ....
May Your torch never become a burden.
May my heart be broken by what breaks the FATHER’S HEART.
May we have OUR FATHER’S EYES.
God keep our hearts and minds focused on You.
His servant,
Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
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