Where Are My Heart’s Desires?
Part Two
Delight is an English translation of the Hebrew word a-n-a-g, that means to find genuine joy in something. In Psalms 34: 7, it refers to finding joy in one’s intimate fellowship with God, and in the things of God.
One of the THINGS of the Lord is the individual plan that He has in mind for each born again believer’s post salvation spiritual life. Many born again believers never identify the individual plan that God has in mind for them, let alone finding any genuine joy in carrying it out.
His plan may not require many overt changes, as one may already be where He wants him or her to serve as His ambassador, be it at home, work, school, or play (1) .
On the other hand, His plan may turn out to be quite different from what any one of us expected or even desired. Saul of Tarsus was renamed the Apostle Paul. He went from being one of the greatest persecutors to becoming one of the greatest promoters of the early Church, bringing the unadulterated Gospel Message to many locations.
For any advancing disciple, God’s plan will call for (or allow) suffering (2) . This is something that many recruiters (evangelists) fail to mention, whereas Jesus told His would-be followers to count the cost (3).
For a limited few, God’s plan for them will place them in places where they will experience many of the same luxuries as the earthly rich, powerful, and famous.
Most of us will find ourselves somewhere in the middle of these two extremes , with lives consisting of both moderate earthly blessings and adversity.
What matters is that we find ourselves finding delight in the things of the Lord wherever God wants us to be, and doing what He wants us to be doing.
Upon learning of God’s plan, many “Christian” fail to follow through. Jonah tried that and ended up in the belly of a whale (4). Others try to substitute their own plans and expect to be blessed for it.
The more that OUR plans differ from HIS plans, the more we will be called to make adjustments and sacrifices in order to follow Him.
One thing is certain. For most of us there are going to be many internal changes if we are to be conformed to the likeness of Christ (5) in how we think, speak, and act. Some of these conforming changes will be painful.
We will know if and when we have reached an upper level of spiritual maturity when our primary desire is to fulfill HIS plans, and the willingness to give up our own.
For the self-centered, born-again believer, Psalms 34: 7 is all about positioning oneself to receive all that he or she wants, thinking they have “earned” and “deserved” it , by participating in religious activity, good conduct, and good deeds.
One can go through the motions, but God knows the heart.
“Because this people approach Me with their words And honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of the commandment of men that is taught…(Isa. 29: 13 NASB).”
Many times having our desires met it, is a matter of lining up our timing with His. Our fallen, independent, self-centered nature wants what it wants, and it wants it NOW! God’s timing is never early or late.
At times, we will desire to have things, or to have things happen, that are contrary to His will or His ways (6) of doing things.
Following the example of Jesus (7), all of our of prayer requests (expressing our desires) should begin with the phrase, “If it Is Your will . . .”.
After making something a matter of prayer, the outcome IS an expression of His direct or permissive will.
People speak of answered prayers when things turn out they way they desired, and unanswered prayers when they do not. In truth, ALL prayers receive an IMMEDIATE answer of yes, no, or not right now, in accordance with His direct or permissive will, and timing.
There will be times when our faith, trust, and confidence in God will be put to the test, in light of all that His direct or permissive will, allows to take place. The “prosperity of the wicked” can be a major hurdle to overcome (8). This is especially true when others have what one wants.
For an advancing disciple, he or she will not desire anything that God does not want him or her to have, especially something that would take them away from the plan that God has in mind for them.
The devil, on the other hand, will gladly offer (9) and give you anything that would take you away from the plan that God has in mind. The devil adds more fuel to the fire by pointing to all the prosperity that those who, at least overtly, have no interest in God or the things of God, yet have all the blessings that this world has to offer.
Heb. 11: 39 speaks of many of the earlier generations of the Church Age having lived and died without ever receiving (here on Earth) all that had been promised.
So, is there some hidden interpretation of Psalms 37: 4 beyond the generally accepted interpretation that, as advancing disciples, we need to identify?
I say, there is!
(1) Luke 8: 38, 39 (2) Acts : 9:16/2Tim. 3: 12 (3) Luke 14: 28 (4) Jonah 1: 17 (5) Rom. 8: 29 (6) Isa. 55: 8 (7) Luke 22: 42 (8) Psalms 73: 2, 3 (9) Luke 4: 6
End of Part Two
Part Two
Delight is an English translation of the Hebrew word a-n-a-g, that means to find genuine joy in something. In Psalms 34: 7, it refers to finding joy in one’s intimate fellowship with God, and in the things of God.
One of the THINGS of the Lord is the individual plan that He has in mind for each born again believer’s post salvation spiritual life. Many born again believers never identify the individual plan that God has in mind for them, let alone finding any genuine joy in carrying it out.
His plan may not require many overt changes, as one may already be where He wants him or her to serve as His ambassador, be it at home, work, school, or play (1) .
On the other hand, His plan may turn out to be quite different from what any one of us expected or even desired. Saul of Tarsus was renamed the Apostle Paul. He went from being one of the greatest persecutors to becoming one of the greatest promoters of the early Church, bringing the unadulterated Gospel Message to many locations.
For any advancing disciple, God’s plan will call for (or allow) suffering (2) . This is something that many recruiters (evangelists) fail to mention, whereas Jesus told His would-be followers to count the cost (3).
For a limited few, God’s plan for them will place them in places where they will experience many of the same luxuries as the earthly rich, powerful, and famous.
Most of us will find ourselves somewhere in the middle of these two extremes , with lives consisting of both moderate earthly blessings and adversity.
What matters is that we find ourselves finding delight in the things of the Lord wherever God wants us to be, and doing what He wants us to be doing.
Upon learning of God’s plan, many “Christian” fail to follow through. Jonah tried that and ended up in the belly of a whale (4). Others try to substitute their own plans and expect to be blessed for it.
The more that OUR plans differ from HIS plans, the more we will be called to make adjustments and sacrifices in order to follow Him.
One thing is certain. For most of us there are going to be many internal changes if we are to be conformed to the likeness of Christ (5) in how we think, speak, and act. Some of these conforming changes will be painful.
We will know if and when we have reached an upper level of spiritual maturity when our primary desire is to fulfill HIS plans, and the willingness to give up our own.
For the self-centered, born-again believer, Psalms 34: 7 is all about positioning oneself to receive all that he or she wants, thinking they have “earned” and “deserved” it , by participating in religious activity, good conduct, and good deeds.
One can go through the motions, but God knows the heart.
“Because this people approach Me with their words And honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of the commandment of men that is taught…(Isa. 29: 13 NASB).”
Many times having our desires met it, is a matter of lining up our timing with His. Our fallen, independent, self-centered nature wants what it wants, and it wants it NOW! God’s timing is never early or late.
At times, we will desire to have things, or to have things happen, that are contrary to His will or His ways (6) of doing things.
Following the example of Jesus (7), all of our of prayer requests (expressing our desires) should begin with the phrase, “If it Is Your will . . .”.
After making something a matter of prayer, the outcome IS an expression of His direct or permissive will.
People speak of answered prayers when things turn out they way they desired, and unanswered prayers when they do not. In truth, ALL prayers receive an IMMEDIATE answer of yes, no, or not right now, in accordance with His direct or permissive will, and timing.
There will be times when our faith, trust, and confidence in God will be put to the test, in light of all that His direct or permissive will, allows to take place. The “prosperity of the wicked” can be a major hurdle to overcome (8). This is especially true when others have what one wants.
For an advancing disciple, he or she will not desire anything that God does not want him or her to have, especially something that would take them away from the plan that God has in mind for them.
The devil, on the other hand, will gladly offer (9) and give you anything that would take you away from the plan that God has in mind. The devil adds more fuel to the fire by pointing to all the prosperity that those who, at least overtly, have no interest in God or the things of God, yet have all the blessings that this world has to offer.
Heb. 11: 39 speaks of many of the earlier generations of the Church Age having lived and died without ever receiving (here on Earth) all that had been promised.
So, is there some hidden interpretation of Psalms 37: 4 beyond the generally accepted interpretation that, as advancing disciples, we need to identify?
I say, there is!
(1) Luke 8: 38, 39 (2) Acts : 9:16/2Tim. 3: 12 (3) Luke 14: 28 (4) Jonah 1: 17 (5) Rom. 8: 29 (6) Isa. 55: 8 (7) Luke 22: 42 (8) Psalms 73: 2, 3 (9) Luke 4: 6
End of Part Two