His Step One Should Also Be Our Step One.

His first night with them, I am assuming, was sleepless.  Part of the family's livelihood was entrusted to him.  The task at hand was shared by no one.  He was to account for any losses.  He would share any mistakes with no one.  Little did he know the magnitude of his place and time on this earth.  He would share this first night with only loneliness, the beast of the field, and the few sheep his father, Jesse, had instructed him to shepherd.

His name was David. Later to be called a man after God's own heart, then David, King of Israel. He was a man just like me.  His beginnings were meager, with no one but God having high expectations of him. The trials he had in his lifetime and his trust in God allowed him to write many of the Psalms that comfort us today when we are troubled and are faint of heart.

How did he prepare his heart to seek God in a way that was pleasing to Him? Is it possible for you and me to take those first steps he did in building such a faith and trust in God? What about developing such a reverence and love for God that causes us to have a contrite heart when we sin against Him?

His first step toward preparing his heart to seek God was presented to him with no speech, vocal voices, nor even written words. What was presented to him got his attention and prepared his heart to seek more.  It is evident that King Saul, David's brothers, and the men of Israel skipped this first step in preparation of their heart to seek God.

What was this first step? It was very simple and it only took a little quiet time alone each day.  Does it still work today? Absolutely!  The first step for David was taking the time to look up as he lay down at night all alone in the wilderness.  The vast universe was in full display before his very eyes telling without a sound the glory of a great creator. Only a fool could deny this proclamation.

Please get your Bibles and turn to Psalm 19:1-4, The heavens tell of God's glory, and the expanse proclaim the works of His hands. Every day pours forth information, and every night breathes out knowledge.  There is no speech and there are no words; their voice is not heard.  Yet their sound goes forth in all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. (The Everlasting Gospel Version)

David could tell by the numberless stars shining in the sky at night and the vast universe, there had to be a creator in control. Without any written word to tell him, he knew something out there was larger, smarter and more powerful than man could ever be.  He could also look at the different animals that roamed the earth, the birds of the air, the beautiful plants and trees, and the rest of creation speaking the same way without sound, pointing to a mighty creator.  David's conclusion:  it would take a fool to believe there is not a creator.  He stated this in Psalm 14 :1, The fool has said in his heart there is no God. (NKJV)

When we see all of creation and realize, yes, there is a creator, and He is God, we then recognize how this creation glorifies God. The supreme immeasurable power of God is then realized. At that point we are ready to submit to what this Creator desires for mankind to do in glorifying Him while we are on this earth.  There is no doubt of His power, wisdom, intellect, and might.  Step one creates our awe for God, getting our attention.  When we get step one, we are ready for step two in preparing our hearts to seek Him.

Your assignment for step one is to look up in the sky on a clear night.  Can you count the stars? Can you realize the distance from you to the stars you are viewing?  Imagine the power and intelligence in putting the heavenly bodies in motion.  Now think of the power holding it all in place.

The next morning get up before dawn and read Psalm 19:4-6, Yet their sound goes forth in all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.  In the heavens He has made a dwelling place for the sun, which is like a bridegroom emerging joyously from his bedroom, like an athlete running his race.  At the horizon the sun rises, and circles to the west.  There is no hiding place from its heat.  Now go out and view the sunrise.

We have sunrise and sunset everyday.  We do not slow down long enough to realize the power and heat of that yellow globe in the sky each day.  This too, glorifies its creator.  The apostle Paul in Romans 1:19-20, That which can be known about God is plain among them, for God made it plain to them.  His unseen things from the creation of the world, His eternal power and divine nature, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, so that they are without excuse.(The Everlasting Gospel Version)

God is saying that we can see His unseen eternal power and divine nature by looking at the things He has made. These things are visible to us on a daily basis. We have no excuse in not believing in Him, the Creator.

This is step one. Next time we will move to step two, in preparing our hearts to seek the Lord.

Please send me your comments on Facebook or to rhepler52@gmail.com . Please share this series with your children and friends.

We will never be a strong nation again until we all prepare our hearts to seek the Lord. It all begins and depends on you and me preparing our hearts as the young shepherd boy David did.  We will then be able to bring down our giants.

Please go to www.amazon.com to purchase my books: The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart and 123 Tips For My Grandchildren and Yours.  These books can be read to your children and grandchildren to help them develop the faith and trust in God that David had developed.

What Are You Preparing Your Heart to Seek?

Poochy, one of my best dogs when I was a child, was a Beagle hound. I have so many fond memories of going hunting with him.  Poochy’s instinct was to chase rabbits and he had a heart prepared to do just that.  How did he prepared or set his heart (innermost nature) to seek rabbits? I don’t know. All I know is he had an innermost desire to go hunting with me, be with me, and chase any animal I sicked him on.

He was prepared to go with me anywhere and in any type of weather.  Nothing would stop him from doing what he was purposed to do.  If a rabbit ran in a hole, Poochy would dig until he was worn out trying to get him out.  Many times I would have to pick him up and carry him to the truck because he didn’t want to give up on getting a rabbit.  Can I learn from Poochy’s tenacity for chasing rabbits? Solomon said in Proverbs 6:6 “Go to the ant, you sluggard!  Consider her ways and be wise, which having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. (NKJV)

I cannot remember ever seeing Poochy eat a rabbit. I can remember his tail wagging when I held up the rabbit I shot that he had chased for several minutes. Why was he so set on chasing rabbits when he never gained anything by chasing them through brush piles, blackberry thickets, creeks and cold weather?  I can’t speculate on what this little dog had on his mind, but I think he did it so passionately because he knew that was his purpose.  And he carried out his purpose with all his heart.

The ants are prepared for gathering food in summer, Poochy was prepared for chasing rabbits on a moment’s notice, no matter the weather conditions, so what is my heart prepared to seek? Is it a career, a big house, popularity, etc. or is it to seek the Lord?

If I prepare my heart to seek the Lord and love Him with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, what will my life look like and what will my family look like? What trials and storms of this world can I withstand? Will I be diligent pursuing my God given purpose in seeking Him, loving Him, and obeying Him?

A Pew Poll a few years ago said the population of the United States was 78 percent Christian.  It doesn’t matter which media I receive information from, my perception is only a small percentage of those “Christians” have prepared (set) their hearts (inner being, will) to seek God.  I cannot avoid looking inward myself and asking the question, “Have I prepared my heart to seek the Lord?”.

Does God’s word say anything about man preparing his heart to seek the Lord? In 2 Chronicles 12:14 we read of King Rhehoboam.  And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.  We also read in 2 Chronicles 19:3 of Jehu the son of Hanani the seer speaking to the King Jehoshaphat, Nevertheless good things are found in you, in that you have removed the wooden images from the land, and have prepared your heart to seek God. (NKJV)

We all prepare or set in our heart to seek something. We unlike animals that have been given instinct, have a will.  God created man in His image and let him have dominion over everything on this earth.  In Deuteronomy 4:27-29, read what God tells His people who have fallen away serving gods made with men’s hands. He tells them in verse 29, But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. (NKJV)

Have we in this country served other gods made with men’s hands?  What is made with men’s hands that we choose over preparing our hearts to seek God? Sports, recreation, social media, money, careers, education, political correctness, alternate lifestyles, to name a few, have distracted mankind from preparing his heart to seek God.  The above activities are then made evil because they are in place of preparing the heart to seek God.  Also, some are evil because God has said not to do them.  Some are ok if they do not come before God in our lives.  Good examples are sports and some recreation.  God knows we have need of some things. Please read Matthew 6:25-34. Christ tells us not to worry, but to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

What motivates us to prepare our hearts to seek God? How do we do it? Why do we have to do it? What are the obstacles standing in our way? What happens to us and our families if we do or do not do it?

Look for upcoming post that will give us some ideas and examples of how to prepare our hearts and also,  the way some great men of God prepared their hearts to seek God.

You may not need this, but I do.  I hope in the next posts you can read how I have struggled in preparing my heart to seek God.  Many forces and trials have tried to obstruct my path in seeking God.  Poochy didn’t give up on seeking rabbits and I am not going to give up on seeking God.  I hope I can write something and use God’s word for you to come to the same conclusion.

Thanks for reading. Please share on Facebook or email to your friends and family.  We have a God who loves us and an enemy, Satan, who hates us. We will serve one or the other.  We can’t serve both. It is and always has been our choice.