Greetings again my friends. What are you after my friend? For sure what we go after is where our heart is. What we go after is seen in our actions and desires. What we go after is seen in our heart and words. Going after someone or something is a big deal in God. In Proverbs we read, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.” (Proverbs 23:7) As a man thinks in his heart so he goes after what he thinketh about and thus becomes that thing which he thinketh about. In the six verses before, Solomon gives us some great advice on some observation of some moral virtues and their contrary vices: “When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: 2And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.3Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat. 4Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. 5Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. 6Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:” (Proverbs 23:1-6) All of these six verses reflect what the person is going after. Verses: (1) Food, (2) more food, (3) dainties, more food, (4) riches, (5) more riches, and (6) back to food Solomon was saying what is in his heart, looks like food and riches, so is he. My friend we must be very careful to what makes it to our heart, because whatsoever it is we will become that. In 2 Kings Jeremiah writes, “And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to “walk after” the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.” (2 Kings 23:3) To be King at this time, which was Josiah, he had to write the law perfect by hand. If he messed up the last word he had to start all over again till it was completed perfectly. I wonder why we think God expects less from us? Way too many Christians think they can live any old way and still please God. Well, we have grace, praise God. God understands our short comings and failures, well He does, but believe it or not God still expects us to live a life free from habitual sin (now do not look at me that way as if I am not talking about you), coming short of what we know to do, and wanting to please Him with all our heart. God expects, He is counting on us to have a walk “after Him” and not as much of a walk “with Him.” We will look at “with Him” next month. This my friend is a walk of obedience and it starts in our heart. Well, what does it mean to “walk after” Him? For sure, if there is not a “true” (taking something out of the natural and putting it in the spiritual realm) love for God in our heart there can never ever be a “walk after” Him, but I think it is much more. I think David was hitting the mark when he wrote, “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4) WOW, am I there yet? Was David there? Well, I can only speak of myself and at times I am, but at other times I am not. BUT, the goal in God is to desire to be there. Our walk of obedience is a life-long desire that gets its origin from the bedrock of our soul. If you notice The King, “stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to “walk after” the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul.” Not only in obedience as we should keep, but they made a covenant with God. This was more than just walking the aisle or making promises to God hoping He forgets. Oh no, when a covenant between a king and God represents a significant and binding agreement that outlines mutual commitments and responsibilities. This relationship is deeply rooted in the principles of leadership, morality, and divine guidance. This is serious business my friend, because if one of the covenant makers breaks the covenant then there is hell to pay. Yes, breaking a covenant with God can lead to serious consequences, including divine judgment, loss of blessings, and relational discord. Those who break such covenants may face God’s disfavour and the potential for severe repercussions. Now that would be individually and nationally. When we speak to God let us not speak flippantly, but with soberness and thought of heart. Our walk “before God” is being observed by God and everyone around us. God is watching us closely let us measure our words and open our heart so that Christ can be formed in us.
Next month we will continue looking at the perfect heart of the “Prophet of God” as we look at the next walk with God “with Him” looking at a walk of fellowship. Are you a Prophet of God? To be a Prophet we must be able to hear His voice. Listen closely and you will hear. Written by David Stahl
