The Haunted Heart

What is the heart?

Heart is used different ways in the Bible. Sometimes it is the mind believing or being enlightened, the will deciding and acting, or the affections feeling. Lundgaard says the best way to think of your heart is that it comprises:

• your thoughts, plans, judgments, discernment (the mind)
• your choices and actions (the will)
• your longings, desire, revulsion, imagination, feelings (the affections)
• your sense of right and wrong, which approves or condemns your mind, will, and affections (the conscience)

This book points out the fact that the heart is a maze that only God can solve, and is more complicated and unsearchable: it is "deceitful above all things".

In Matthew 15:19, Jesus called the heart the fountain of sin.
In Luke 6:45, Jesus continues and says that the heart is a treasure chest where we sock away evil.

We should never think for a minute that the war against sin is over in this life.

A great example of this would be David. David lived a long life of devotion and duty to God, and saw mercy on mercy from God's hands; then he made a few bad choices and sin had stabbed him in the back.

However what made David a remarkable man was that he persevered through hardships trusting in God. He relied entirely on God. When he did stumble, he was quick to repent and ask forgiveness and didn’t repeat his sins. He took personal responsibility for his actions and didn’t try to get out of the consequences. He took the time to learn God’s voice and thank God in everything.

One thing that I pray for and really aim to do is not make the same mistake twice. I know as a sinner I will always sin; but I pray that I learn from my mistakes, pay the consequences of my actions, and then have the strength and wisdom to not make the same ones.

Hebrews 12:1-4

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

"The Holy Spirit takes the horror out of the horror show. We don't know our hearts, but he does. He is a blazing torch we carry into the haunted house, and he ferrets out the monsters. He leads us into a closet under the stairs and uncovers a seething hatred. He shines under the bed and exposes a sniveling lust. No sin escapes his searching eye."

Search me. O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
(Psalm 139:23-24)

Daily Distractions

This Chapter starts of by stating that the only moral, authoritative rule over believers is the kingdom and reign of God.

There are many 'distractions' and 'temptations' as Christians that we deal with daily.

I know this is something I deal with daily. Being on a college campus full of non-believers, and many distractions, is very hard sometimes not to be distracted with sin. This is why I pray throughout the day that God would remove these 'distractions' from my daily life. I find it very important also that even if something is no longer distracting to you in your life, and you feel that you are doing well in that area resisting against sin, to continue to pray that God would keep that distraction gone and to continue to give you strength to resist it.

Sin Gets Under Our Skin

1. Indwelling sin wears out its welcome.

One thing we must remember and something I was reminded of through some one else's blog, is that, sin, never takes a day off in our lives. If sin only came to visit now and then, we could get a lot of godliness done while it was away. If it were like an army that struck, then pulled back for a time, we could refresh ourselves and fortify our defenses during the calm. But the flesh is a relentless homebody and assailant. As Lundgaard says, "Where ever you go, whatever you do, the law of sin is with you step for step, in the best you do, and in the worst you do."

2. Indwelling sin doesn't observe a sabbath.

Lundgaard describes sin as a not just a permanent houseguest; but as a meddlesome wretch that is always poking its nose in, looking over your shoulder, and whispering in your ear. This hateful, wicked pest is in your face with a thousand distractions and surprises, making sure you can't perfectly accomplish the good you intend.

3. Sin does its dirty work with the greatest of ease.

Landgaard states that since it works from within, it "easily entagles" us. It needs no help from the outside (Though I find the world and the Devil are always ready to lend a hand). There is no spiritual duty, nothing godly you can set yourself to, in which you won't feel the wind of sin's resistance in your face.

The more you discover the power of indwelling sin, the less you will suffer its effects.

The more you discover the power of indwelling sin, the less you will suffer its effects.

The more you discover the power of indwelling sin, the less you will suffer its effects.

The better you know your indwelling sin, the more you will hate it; and to the length that you abhor it, and no farther, you will grasp for grace against it. No one who is born of God can live at peace with sin.

Indwelling Sin

So this morning for devotions I started a new book called, The enemy within. The back of the books description says that, "This book takes dead aim at the heart of ongoing sin. Drawing from two masterful works by John Owen, Kris Lundgaard offers insight, encouragement, and hope for overcoming the enemy within."

Romans 7:21 - So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.

Lundgaard tells us that if we want to stand in conquest over our bleeding flesh, we'll have to follow Paul into the fight. When we do, we'll find the same four truths that humbled him in battle.

The Four Key Truths
1. Sin living in us is a "law"

The "law" Paul refers to is the same thing he calls "sin living in me."

Indwelling sin works like this -- enticing, threatening, even bullying. So Paul calls it a law to get us to see that it is powerful even in the lives of believers and that it constantly works to press us into its evil mold.

Lundgaard asks us the question, "In what sense has Christ defeated sin in the believer?"

He has overthrown its rule, weakened its power, and even killed its root so that it cannot bear the fruit of eternal death in a believer.

2. We find this law inside us.

"It is one thing to sit in a group and critique dissertations on original sin; it is something else to find yourself subdued by its strength and madness. It is one thing to listen to a lecture about AIDS --how it spreads, what it does to a body, how invincible it is; it is another thing to hear your doctor say to you, "HIV positive, I am sorry."

Lundgaard goes on and says that the law of sin is a raging river; carrying them along; they cannot measure the force of the current, because they have surrendered themselves to it and are borne along by it. A believer, on the other hand, swims upstream -- he meets sin head-on and strains under its strength.

3. We find this law when we're at our best.

As powerful as this law of sin is, it doesn't rule the heart of the believer. Paul found it at work in him even while he wanted to do good. He was aware of it even when he most wanted to serve God.

I know that I want to do good, I want to please God, and give him glory. By God's grace the desire to obey him ordinarily prevails in us even against this insidious enemy within.

4. This law never rests

The "law of sin and death" is in a constant tug of war against the believer's overall desire to please God.

Galatians 5:17 - For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing things you want to do.

Lundgaard writes that in your struggle against sin, there is only one thing more important to grasp than these four facts: the free, justifying grace of God in Christ's blood. The grace of God in Christ and the law of sin are the two fountains of all your holiness and sin, joy and trouble, refreshment and sorrow. If you are to walk with God and glorify him in this world, you need to master both.

Closing Prayer

Lord, I just want to thank for everything you have done for me, and continue to do for me, everyday of my life. I thank you for the relationship that I have with you. I pray that after reading this book Lord, that I will continually be reminded of the abundant riches of my inheritance in Christ. I pray that I may clearly see that in the unsearchable riches of Christ and in the right standing with God that comes from those riches, I have both the assurance of eternal life and God's favor in this life. Please help remind me that I am saved by grace through faith and not by works. Thank you for taking the initiative by sending your Son to die in my place. And lastly I pray that whomever reads this blog Father, would also be reminded of these things. Amen

Focused on the Gospel

In this chapter Bridges talks about the Gospel and Sanctification. One thing he makes clear is that we must always keep focused on the gospel at all times. Horatius Bonar,who was a nineteenth-century Scottish pastor and author wrote this:

The secret of a believer's holy walk is his continual recurrence to the blood of the Surety, and his daily [communion] with a crucified and risen Lord. All divine life, and all precious fruits of it, pardon, peace, and holiness, spring from the cross. All fancied sanctification which does not arise wholly from the blood of the cross is nothing better than Pharisaism. If we would be holy, we must get to the cross, and dwell there; else, notwithstanding all our labour, diligence, fasting, praying and good works, we shall be yet void of real sanctification, destitute of those humble, gracious tempers which accompany a clear view of the cross.
False ideas of holiness are common, not only among those who profess false religions, but among those who profess the true. The love of God to us, and our love to Him, work together for producing holiness. Terror accomplishes no real obedience. Suspense brings forth no fruit unto holiness. No gloomy uncertainty as to God's favour can subdue one lust, or correct our crookedness of will. But the free pardon of the cross uproots sin, and withers all its branches. Only the certainty of love, forgiving love, can do this. . . .
Free and warm reception into the divine favour is the strongest of all motives in leading a man to seek conformity to Him who has thus freely forgiven him all trespasses.

The gospel, received in our hearts at salvation, guarantees definitive sanctification. And the gospel believed every day is the ONLY enduring motivation to pursue progressive sanctification. That is why we need to preach the gospel to ourselves every day.

Bridges reminds us that, "It is in the gospel that we find those unsearchable riches of Christ that produce not only justification but also sanctification."

We Shall Be Like Him

1 John 3:2 - Beloved, we are God's children now and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

To be like Jesus is the hope we can look forward to. The apostle Paul wrote that we have been predestined by God to be conformed to the likeness of His Son. Likeness to Christ, is God's ultimate purpose for us and the hope we look forward to.

Here are a few words of Paul and John:

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 - So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body"

1 Corinthians 15:51-54 - Listen, I tell you a mystery; We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the winkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory' "

Revelation 21:3-4 - And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away' "

Revelation 22:3-5 - No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Before we experience that glorious reality, we still must live in this life. While here, we must not just wait for our hope of heaven, but should be actively and vigorously engaged in becoming more like Christ.

Confident Assurance

Bridges starts off by asking us, "How can I know that I have eternal life, that I have indeed come into a right relationship with God?

In the Scriptures, it shows us three means by which God assures us that we do have eternal life:

1. The promise of His word
2. The witness of the Spirit in our hearts
3. The transforming work of the Spirit in our lives

Here are a few invitations and promises:

• Isaiah 55:1 - Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
• Revelation 22:17 - The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let him who hears say, 'Come!' Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.
• Romans 10:13 - Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved
• John 6:37 - All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.

One thing we must do is constantly examine ourselves. We should never be afraid to examine ourselves either. But when doubts do arise, the solution is not to try harder to prove to ourselves that we are believers. The solution is to flee to the cross and to the righteousness of Christ.

The work of the Spirit within us is as much a gift of God's grace as is our justification and adoption as sons. But whereas justification and adoption are instantaneous and complete at once, our growth in Christlikeness is a lifelong process. Knowing that, we should never look solely to our love and obedience for our assurance of salvation. At most they can demonstrate our salvation, never proving it. Ultimately our assurance must rest on the gospel and on the fact that God has said that all who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

1 John 3:19 - 24

By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.