What Does It Mean to Be a Person after God’s Heart?

This new episode of poor Christianity was prerecorded will be back one on one. What needs to be a man or woman after God's own heart. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day.

We would love to hear from you. You can call us right now with your question.

At 833. The core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also send us an email if you have a question and the email address is questions at core, Christianity.com. Today let's go to Daniel calling in from Tucson, Arizona Daniel what your question for Pastor Israel I show every week day of the week you doing a good job.

My question is why. Why the Bible and just have 66 books and not dated 2021 or more continually updated with more book by Gail that's that's an excellent question. Why is it will firstly say hate.

Thanks for your encouragement. That means a lot to me but I love you question why is it that we've we've stopped at the 66 books of the canon, why why are we getting new books new revelation, but wouldn't that be nice. Some some new books that but maybe speak to the issues that were seeing all around us today.

What's what's the deal.

God will here's the answer.

Revelation is closely tied together with redemption. What we get in in Scripture. Daniel is God's redemptive revelation. The Bible is we might call it redemptive history it's describing God's acts of redemption in this world how God has created the world and redeemed it through his son Jesus Christ. Now since redemption has been accomplished once and for all through the finished work of Jesus Christ. This is something that say the book of Hebrews makes absolutely clear or even Jesus is on the cross. What is he say it is finished. Redemption is done accomplished because redemption is accomplished. Daniel there is no new revelation because God's revelation is perfect. Revelation testifies to that redemption. Now that's that's the answer that's that's the key answer. We know that all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

That's second Timothy chapter 3 verse 16.

So even though were not getting new revelation in the scriptural sense we can still take God's perfect Revelation. The word of God and by the grace of the Holy Spirit through the wisdom that God gives apply these truths to the present day, and that's one of the things we hope to do and in this broadcast.

In particular, this program is take Scripture written over a long period of time thousands of years ago and yet still so very relevant for us today because it's inspired by the Holy Spirit speaks is the spirit of God speaks today through the Scriptures, but the answer your question is we don't get new books of the Bible are new revelation because redemption has been accomplished. It is finished. And since revelation and redemption are closely associated there tied together.

Since redemption is done. Revelation canonical Revelation is done as well and were not looking for the new books of the Bible instead were applying the truth of Scripture written long ago to the issues of today.

God bless you and and thank you again for your encouragement. Read question Daniel and yet Israel I think you and I've talked about the fact that there are some churches, even some denominations that seem to want to rewrite the books come from the Bible to fit their own theology right yeah that's bad news. And this is one of the reasons why we frequently encourage people not to use the kind of language of you know, will God spoke to me or God gave me this this revelation we have to be really careful that were differentiating between our feelings, our conscience, even in and what we think and what God is actually said spoken so clearly in his word. That's where the inspiration is it's through the Scriptures and and by the grace of the Holy Spirit, and so is it important for us to visit differentiate in those ways otherwise when people don't people start to say oh yes, God is giving me these new revelations you see a lot of abuse in situations like that I five noticed on churches where you have a charismatic leader who says this is what God is saying for you to do and he's revealed it to me and revealed it to anybody else, please revealed to me, if that's happening in your church. Turn and run and find find a church that's got to be focused on the word where God has clearly spoken some good advice there. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez.

You can email us your question any time at questions at core, Christianity.com here's an email we received from her listers named Abby. She says, what does it mean to be a man after God's own heart. Yeah let's we all want to be right man or woman after God's own heart. And this is some language you find in the Old Testament, in particular in first and second Samuel and you had the sort of transition of power between Saul king Saul, the first king of Israel and King David and one of the things is so interesting about the life of solace is you read about him in it.

At first he seemed like is it to be a great guy, great king all the people love him but he is is what one compromise after another and he does not listen to or obey the voice of the Lord and at one point he even goes and offers a sacrifice that is not supposed to offer and he gets rebuked by Samuel the prophet and Sam the prophet says to him, this is first Samuel chapter 13 verse 14. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. And the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people because you have not kept with the Lord commanded you.

Now there's a very important principle of Bible interpretation and that's it that the only infallible interpreter of the Scriptures is the Scriptures themselves and so if you want an infallible interpreter of the Bible.

I compare Scripture to Scripture. Let other Scriptures help to illuminate what one passage of Scripture.

Several passages of Scripture mean I think we turn to the new New Testament, in particular in the book of acts you have this idea quoted as the as David as a man after God's own heart is referenced. This is sort of going to that the history of God's people.

Paul preaching and then in acts chapter 13 verse 21 it says then they asked for a king that is the Israelites, the Astrakhan God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for 40 years and when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will see that's that's I think the interpretive key there. What does it mean to be a person after God's own heart.

Well if Saul is not that person, and the reason Saul is not that person is because he continually disobeys the command of the Lord, he breaks God's commandments and David is described as a man after God's own heart, and is described in that way because David does the will of the Lord because he pursues God's will will that's what it means to be a man or woman after God's own heart is is to obey the voice of the Lord to listen to him now.

Maybe that's discouraging to you because you think boy I tried to obey. I fail every single day I struggle II sin and thought, word, and indeed, let me just tell you something, David, who was described as a man after God's own heart. Also send any sin in some pretty terrible ways and yet he was still described as someone who wanted to obey the Lord follow the Lord do the will of the Lord and so being a man or a woman after God's own heart doesn't mean that you're going to be perfect.

No one is we aren't and that's not a justification for sin.

That's not minimizing it or downplaying it or saying it's it's okay that we said it's not that sin is is heinous, it's wrong.

It's condemned by God were disciplined as the children of God for our sins. You can be a person after God's own heart and still be imperfect and still struggle and that was David. And so brothers and sisters make me weepy people after God's own heart, wanting to long to do the will of the Lord and by the grace of the Holy Spirit in the work of Jesus Christ in our lives, fulfilling that it is so much as it is possible, it is sinful, though, we still are. That's what it looks like and so really appreciate this question and it's quite amazing to see how David is described in this way, even though he was a sinner just like us gives me a lot of hope. Pedro was really afraid about the life of David and all the things he did. It's like okay well God could forgive those maybe he could forgive me as well. Absolutely I what's one of things I'm struck by Bill in my own preaching as I preach to the Old Testament reading about the lives of some of these quote unquote heroes of the faith Abraham and David and Lot and Moses and Noah every single one of them had struggles had sins. And yet the Lord still use them in mighty ways and what an encouragement that is for us to be able to go to the Lord sinful as we are offer ourselves to him as a God. I know I sin I need your grace. Use me still use me for your glory and for the good of others, and he'll answer that prayer claimant's great hope for us in God's word. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. We like to invite you to join a special group of people we call our inner core. If you listen to this program on a regular basis and you find it helpful in your Christian walk in your spiritual development. Why not the prayerfully consider supporting core Christianity. We don't get money from a particular church or denomination.

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You receive a copy of the book core Christianity find yourself in God story written by Dr. Michael Horton, a professor of theology professor Prof. that I had as I was training for the ministry and this is just a wonderful book that dives deep into the core doctrines of the Christian faith. It every believer should know and so that that's one of things we think we also sent out a number of other exclusive resources for inner core members throughout the month and so if you have been blessed by core Christianity.

If you been encouraged by the work that we're doing would you consider partnering with us to continue to get the gospel out and encourage people with sound biblical teaching it to be a party or courts. A monthly donation of $25 or more, and it's a huge encouragement for us helps keep them or doing and I hope that you consider it can't stress enough how much those monthly gifts mean to us to help us to pay her budget to stay on the air on the radio stations that air this program to learn more. Just go to core Christianity.com/inner core. Just one word inner core and will tell you more about how you can become a member of that special group of folks. Let's go to a voicemail that came in from one of our callers. This is Jim. I had a question concerning Matthew chapter 24 versus 40 and 41 trying to understand what that's referring to, exactly as far the time. In the end times. Thank you, Matthew chapter 24 versus 40 and 41 a minute just start back in verse 36 to give us some of the context in here in Jesus is responding in Matthew 24 to a couple of questions that his disciples asked related to the destruction of the Temple and the second coming, that the sign of his coming and he says, and in verse 36 but concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the son but the father only as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man present those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man, then two men will be in the field.

One will be taken and one left. That's verse 40 in verse 41 now. Two women will be grinding at the mill.

One will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming, but know this, if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would've stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.

Therefore, you also must be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect adjusted context there makes it absolutely clear that were talking about the coming of the Lord and being snatched away or swept away.

There isn't salvation if you will, is actually judgment you think of the people that were swept away by the flood or the people in Genesis 19 who were swept away in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah that the Angels continually tell Lot and his family there in Genesis 19. You don't want to be swept away. Is this idea of being taken is not taken in in the sense of the rapture is sometimes people will say it's actually a judgment, and in the whole context here is is Jesus saying look you be ready. I am coming as a thief in the night another some encouragement for believers in first Thessalonians chapter 5 where Paul talks about the fact that yes Lord is coming as a thief in the night, but we as the children of God are not of the night or of the darkness we are of the day. Children of lights that that day would not overtake us.

And so what were called to live lives lives of sober mindedness of uprightness following the Lord obeying the Lord walking with the Lord because we don't know the day or the hour. By the way, every time III read this text, you know, it talks about Jesus coming as a thief in the night. I'm reminded of. There was a time when I was in high school and I woke up in the middle of the night to this terrible scream and it is just from a dead sleep and about five seconds later my mom walked into the room and she saw me lying in my bed and she just burst into tears and said there's someone who was just in our house.

It was it was pretty scary. We got up we called the police but someone had broken into our house, a thief in the night and he was standing in the living room and my mom got up to go to the bathroom and she saw this thief is standing the living room and she screamed and he ran out of the house and as she woke me up and in everything progress and I just write this text of Scripture. If I would've known I would've been waiting there with the baseball bat or something like that but I didn't know it. And that's precisely what Jesus is is saying here. Look, you don't know, but you need to be ready. You need to be ready and that's the expectation that were given given there in Matthew 24 great explanation and a confusing verse to some different people. So thanks so much for clarifying that this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez, one of the ways you can ask the question is by emailing us our email address is questions at core, Christianity.com just word questions at core, Christianity.com. Cynthia wrote to us and said my nephew is in a gay relationship.

My husband and I are struggling with knowing what to do as far as attending a gay marriage ceremony. We believe the Bible teaches that gay lifestyles are sinful. Do we attend, even though it's sinful or not attend, and risk losing our relationship with our nephew and his family. Cindy thinks this question begun similar questions before this requires a lot of wisdom because I understand that you we want to keep the door open.

You want to be able to talk about Jesus share the gospel with with your nephew and and still love this person out while not condoning sinful behavior while not giving a stamp of approval and and you know we go to weddings is as witnesses, but to celebrate, to participate if you will. And so it's it's a complex issue. I wonder if there's a way of communicating to this family member and say hate this makes me uncomfortable. For these reasons, I love you man I love you so much. But this is not something that I I would be supportive of and maybe maybe they say well then don't come. Or maybe they say look, II understand.

I'd still like for you to be there even though I know that you're not giving a stamp of approval to this even though I know that you're not supporting this this marriage that III think there there are a couple of different ways that of of looking at it if potential. You can have that conversation in you can be honest about where you're at and and how you love your your family member. He love your nephew how you want to be a part of his life and and not shut that door and continue to have conversations in and be in one another's homes kind of a thing and and they're open to that.

He's open to that. I was a maybe.

Maybe you can't attend, but you've made it really clear about where you stand on this issue but but if that's not the case if if you just realize like a you being there is in one sense supporting this and I don't want to go as a witness in and give it a stamp of approval. Maybe I have another conversation with them and I say I don't think that this is something that I can do because of my faith and that's where you have to exercise wisdom that's for you. You need to have some conversations. The apostle Paul said in first Corinthians chapter 5 when it comes to those who don't confess the faith who aren't believers were not called to be out of out of the world right were not were not called to judge them. God judges them. Now this person and this is the other part of.

I think I would answer your question if if if your nephew claims to be a Christian using I'm a Christian, every things fine will that I would say no you.

You do have to I think make a judgment therein and say no I can't be a part of this because not only thinks of you disagree with what you're doing some thing again against your very own confession what you claim to believe and so that's that that there was another sort of peace into this question in terms of rightly parsing it out and and making the right decision, but if if your nephew it doesn't claim faith is in a part of the church doesn't claim to be a Christian it could be that there there is maybe an open door here for you to continue to have a strong relationship and to be able to share the gospel and the love of Christ with with your nephew and and his partner, so may God give you wisdom and grace and may God open you nephew's heart to the gospel challenging situation you're listening to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez if you'd like to leave us a voicemail. You can call 24 hours a day and leave your question at 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. Here's a voicemail that came in from one of our listeners named Sheila. I like to know why it has to reach. Thank God that he ought not below when it almost like a blessing if we why be afraid of dying. Yeah, I guess it would just depend on the context. I'm not sure why some pastors might say that but I can't say that there are good reasons to be alive and I think about the text in Philippians chapter 1 really a beautiful passage Philippians chapter 1 verse 22 Paul says author in verse 21 for to me to live is Christ and to die is again if I'm to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me yet which I shall choose I cannot tell I am hard pressed between the two that is using hard pressed between you know that the desire to go and be with Jesus and the desire to continue to live. I'm hard-pressed between the two.

My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better as you say she lower like that's that's to be in the presence of the Lord worshiping God perfected in holiness, but we can even begin to imagine how glorious that's going to be.

But then he says this and this is what I meant when I said there still good reasons to live.

Verse 24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account process to the Philippians convinced of this.

I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus. Because of my coming to you again. In other words, Paul says I have work to do here know my work is as an apostle of Jesus Christ. It's the edification of my brothers and sisters in Christ of the body of Christ, I'm here.

I know it's better to depart and be with Jesus but I'll say this, I'm going to continue on for your faith for your encouragement, Paul says to the Philippians and and the reality is, as followers of Christ as believers in Jesus as long as God gives us breath in our lungs.

He's he's called us to a task to love him to serve him to walk with him to do good to all people, especially to those who are of the household of faith. So in that sense I think we can we can thank God for the life that he's given to us.

Yes, it's far better for the believer to depart and be with Christ. But right now we have an opportunity to share the love of Christ with the people around us to honor Jesus by our lives by the decisions we make to worship him with the with the church militant here on earth, calling on the name of the Lord, seeking the face of God and and that's what the apostle Paul is getting up there and soak if people you know talk about why living is so much better than heaven because heaven is just you know floating around in been playing the harp that kind of they will.

They just don't have a proper biblical understanding of heaven. We do know that this life isn't all there is and that that the life to come, and ultimately the world to come. At the resurrection of the dead is far better than anything we could ever imagine. Yet God has given us marching orders here now and he calls us to follow him to love him and to love the people around us, so that others might know Jesus Christ as well such an awesome responsibility for us is not a drill to to be sharing with those around us who don't know him and really I think I have a sense of urgency about that as well. Yeah, absolutely. And a lot of people feel like I did. I'm just not I'm not worthy to to share the gospel. I buy fail and we got even ahead articulated so well that brothers and sisters. Such a simple message of good news. God loves sinners and he sent his son into the world to redeem them and we were sinners and he saved us share that good news with others. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers and the menu or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together