“My Heart Is Fixed" - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

“My Heart Is Fixed"

"My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.” Psalm 57:7, KJV

Early morning is the time I generally arise, springing out of bed with a leap in my heart and ready to take on the world.

Well, actually not. Most often it is, “I need more sleep, Lord. I need to get more sleep.”

Having a disciplined way of life in order to do what you and I have been called to do wasn't promised to be easy. The slack man generally gets nothing done, except to put on more pounds while consuming more useless calories.

Living in these days, we need the Word of God to bring us encouragement. We too need to keep our eyes fixed on the Lord Jesus, and our hearts kept for His purposes and plans. (Even as Moses did in Hebrews 11:26.)

I found the following interesting story in 2 Chronicles of King Asa, after reading Psalms this morning, speaking of David and his heartfelt cry out to the Lord. David knew he had to keep his heart fixed on the Lord. King Asa learned that too, as you will read.

The Scriptures in this passage tell of a man named Azariah sharing wisdom with King Asa after the king had called upon the Name of the Lord. King Asa had been pleading for help against a foreign army of a million men who had come up from Ethiopia, against him and his people.

"Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, "Lord, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; let not man prevail against You. So the Lord  routed the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled."  (2 Chron 14:11-13,  NASU)

Later on in the story, King Asa is given some words of wisdom upon which to stand further.

"Then Azariah son of Obed, moved by the Spirit of God, went out to meet Asa. He said, "Listen carefully, Asa, and listen Judah and Benjamin: God will stick with you as long as you stick with him. If you look for him he will let himself be found; but if you leave him he'll leave you." 

"For a long time Israel didn't have the real God, nor did they have the help of priest or teacher or book. But when they were in trouble and got serious, and decided to seek God, the God of Israel, God let himself be found." 

"At that time it was a dog-eat-dog world; life was constantly up for grabs — no one, regardless of country, knew what the next day might bring. Nation battered nation, city pummeled city. God let loose every kind of trouble among them. But it's different with you: Be strong. Take heart. Payday is coming!" (2 Chronicles 15:1-7, THE MESSAGE)

Here is another version of the same verse, "But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work." 

"Now when Asa heard these words and the prophecy which Azariah the son of Oded the prophet spoke, he took courage and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He then restored the altar of the Lord which was in front of the porch of the Lord." (2 Chronicles 15: 7-9, NASU) 

How many times have you cried out to the Lord, seeking help, needing strength, weary from the daily grind, the constant push it seems always comes from the enemy of our soul, trying to take us out of the fight?

Just sheer weariness can cause us to want to quit at times and just let the world go by without our heroism. But that is not what we are commissioned to do. Keeping our hearts fixed on the One who sustains us, energizes us, and renews our spirit is a daily need. It must be our daily food.

Take the much needed time each day to be with the Lord. Let go of that urge to plop in front of the TV before the daily rush begins, or after a long day of hard work, hoping the meaningless dialogue coming at you will in some way renew your spirit.

Spend some quiet time with the Lord, whether early morning, during a noon break, or in the evening. 

You will then find that after giving this some disciplined days that it is not something you will easily give up. You will more and more realize that it is He Who sustains us and gives us the strength to keep going on.

The world awaits our lives, prepared through Him before we step out the door to face another day. It may not be the million that King Asa faced, but it is enough that we need the Lord too.

Now think on this, and see what good things the Lord has in store for you and those around you.

Ahava and shalom,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

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Now Think On This #435 - in the year of our Lord 06.28.19 – “My Heart is Fixed” – Friday, 5:15 am