By: Pastor Carlos Barcelona Jr.
Key Text:
Proverbs 4: 23 – “Watch over your heart with all diligence for from it flow the springs of life.”
Little Pig With a New Heart
Author unknown
Mary had a little pig and it was white as snow, That is when it had had a bath, as you of course might know. But Mary had an awful time to keep the piggy clean, For it was just the dirtiest pig that one has ever seen.
She’d wash him and she’d scrub him, till he would squirm and squeal, As if he wanted her to know it was an unfair deal. And then inside his green backyard he’d plan from morn to night, Unless he happened to sneak out and lose himself from sight.
And then when Mary found him he’d be blacker than ere before, So Mary’d get the soap again and scrub the pig some more. Poor Mary thought and wondered much what she could ever do Until she figured out a plan, and this she carried through.
She took him to a doctor who put the pig to sleep, and then he Took his heart right out, but not of course to keep. And then he took a little lamb and took his heart out too And put it in the little pig before the piggy knew.
When little piggy did awake he had no more desire To wallow in the mud again or ever in the mire. And try as hard as ere he could he never understood, How such a pig as once he was could ever be so good.
And so you see, dear friends of mine, you need a new heart too, Just like the little piggy did, the old will never do. If you’ll receive a brand new heart, well, here is how you may. Accept God’s son as savior now and let him in today.
Heart is used in Scripture as the most comprehensive term for the authentic person. It is the part of our being where we desire, deliberate, and decide. It has been described as “the place of conscious and decisive spiritual activity,” “the comprehensive term for a person as a whole; his feelings, desires, passions, thought, understanding and will,” and “the center of a person. The place to which God turns.”
We need something to stabilize our lives at the core, strengthen our character and provide moral guidance that are necessary. We must be anchored in our faith and the wisdom of God and prepare our heart with the right focus.
C.H. Spurgeon quoted: “Collect your thoughts, rally all your faculties, mass your energies, focus your capacities. Turn on the springs of your soul into one channel, causing it to flow onward in an undivided stream. Some men lack this quality. They scatter themselves, and therefore fail.”
Benjamin Franklin also stated: “Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.”
Life is always lived from the inside out. So before we sharpen our skills of imagination, mobilization, specialization and innovation, or explore the components of effective execution, we must go to the heart of the matter, the heart of the believer.
To be an effective believer, we should know who we are and know who we serve. Anyone whose spiritual life is weak and ill-defined will find himself at the mercy of the world. The world does not care for the believer or Christian but only for what it can extract from him. We live in a hungry world whose appetite is insatiable and whose demands can never be fully fulfilled.
If we want to avoid being a casualty of such a world, we need strength or power at the core of our lives.
What are those strength or power?
I. SPIRITUALITY- The Power of Conviction.
Jesus said, “I came that you may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) It is always possible to experience an abundant life and it must begin with our spirituality – our commitment to the voice, vision and values of God.
God gives His children tremendous freedom and responsibility every day. He wants to lead your life, not manage it. But it’s hard for that to happen if you are not looking to Him as your Master. In Matthew 6: 24 – Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters; for he will hate the one and love the other.”
It is impossible to serve two masters, and the two Jesus mentions here are God and mammon (money or wealth). There’s nothing wrong with making a living and a good one at that. In fact the parable of the stewards reinforces the value of doing the very best you can with your money, even multiplying it if you can. We just need to make sure God is our Master, and not the possessions He entrusts to us.
Components of Authentic Spirituality.
We need conviction at the core of our lives. We need certainty. We need to anchor ourselves in that which never changes so we can keep up with change and stay well.
As true believers, we want the voice, vision and values of God to be the first and most important touchpoint as we live. They provide conviction at the core of our life and empower us. They warn us when we are about to go too far and when we are changing what we should never change. They help us set and maintain priorities. They guide us in the tough choices and often simplify difficult decisions.
We need one Clear Voice so that in times when we have conflicts, we have an all-wise guide that is heard over all the other voices and directs even the toughest of decisions.
We need Clear Core Values based on our convictions which in turn, are based on the truth of God’s Word.
We need a Clear Compelling Vision which is anchored in eternal principles that are just true and relevant.
We need attention to life’s Vitals.
1. One Clear Voice.
We need to follow the voice of God. We should seek to follow Divine guidelines for who to be and what to do. This is an absolutely nonnegotiable element of our Christianity.
We need to let God have the final say. Why?
– He loves you deeply. Romans 8: 32 says that if God “did not spare his own son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” If God gave His very best to meet your greatest need, surely you can now trust Him with all the smaller issues in your life.
– His expectations are realistic. He understands your strengths, your weakness and your capacity. And He will stretch you sometimes until it hurts, out of your comfort zone. But at the same time, God is realistic. He is not going to ask you to do something that will harm you, your family or your personal walk with Him.
– His resources are sufficient. His resources are not always sufficient by our definition. But He will give you what He needs to give you so that you can accomplish what He wants you to accomplish. He will provide whatever it takes for you to complete the task He wants you to do.
Listening for God’s Voice means:
– Daily time with God.
– Memorizing His Word.
– Weekly Time in Worship.
– Listening To a Group of Like-Minded Friends.
– Monthly Refocusing Time.
– Annual Retreats.
2. Uncompromised Core Values.
These core values are convictions you will not abandon even if there are threats. The author of the book Built to Last defined core value as, ‘something that you will not abandon even if it hurts you…’
You need core values that you will hold to even if they slow you down or take you out of business. It is these values that will help protect you whenever you face the temptation to compromise. Your core values provide convictions that keep you stable.
Dictionaries usually define conviction as a fixed or strong belief. Conviction is really much more than that. Your convictions include your values, commitments, and motivations. Howard Hendricks gave a very good definition: “A belief is something you will argue about. A conviction is something you will die for!”
Conviction is not a preference. A preference is a very strong belief, held with great strength. You can give your entire life in a full-time way to the service of the preference, and can also give your entire material wealth in the name of the belief. You can also energetically proselyte others to your preference. You can also want to teach this belief to your children. A preference is a strong belief, but a belief that you will change under the right circumstances.
A conviction is a belief that you will not change. Why? A man believes that his God requires it of him. A conviction is not something that you discover, it is something that you purpose in your heart. (E.g. Daniel) Convictions on the inside will always show up on the outside, in a person’s lifestyle. To violate a conviction would be a sin.
Our convictions determine our conduct. They motivate us to act in certain ways.
When you first become a Christian, you often do things simply because other Christians around you suggest them or model them. You may pray, read the Bible, and attend services because you see the examples of others. This is fine for a new Christian. Little children learn the same way. However, as you grow, you must eventually develop your own reasons for doing what you do. Those reasons become convictions and Biblical convictions are essential for spiritual growth and maturity.
A person without conviction is at the mercy of circumstances. If you don’t determine what’s important and how you will live, other people will determine it for you.
A person without conviction is a weak, jellyfish type of individual who mindlessly follows the crowd. Paul was talking about conviction when he said in Romans 12:2, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within …”
The church must teach biblical convictions to counter the secular values that believers are constantly exposed to, like the LGBT, lawlessness and immorality. What is your conviction about them? As the old cliché goes, “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” What is ironic today is that people often have strong conviction about weak issues (sports, fashions, etc.) while having weak convictions about major issues (what is right and what is wrong).
Knowing what to do (knowledge), why to do it (perspective), and how to do it (skill) is all worthless if you don’t have the conviction to motivate you to actually do it!
Your conviction is your spirituality.
3. A Compelling Vision.
This is not about plans and ideas for the future. Rather it is about the big picture of your life. It is not about what you hope to be next year or even five years from now. It is about you at the finish line of life – you, remade into the man or woman God wants you to be.
This compelling vision will birth new convictions that will direct you as you set your course to not only ‘do something’ but ‘become something.’ Without this picture of what God wants you to be, has designed you to be and redeemed you to become, you will forever be confused and confounded by life’s choices. There is no promise that you will become all you dream to be, but if you don’t even have ‘the dream’ you will never even come close.
Story:
It started like so many evenings. Mom and Dad at home and Jimmy playing after dinner. Mom and Dad were absorbed with jobs and did not notice the time. It was a full moon and some of the light seeped through the windows. Then Mom glanced at the clock. “Jimmy, it’s time to go to bed. Go up now and I’ll come and settle you later.” Unlike usual, Jimmy went straight upstairs to his room. An hour or so later his mother came up to check if all was well, and to her astonishment found that her son was staring quietly out of his window at the moonlit scenery. “What are you doing, Jimmy?” “I’m looking at the moon, Mommy.” “Well, it’s time to go to bed now.” As one reluctant boy settled down, he said, “Mommy, you know one day I’m going to walk on the moon.” Who could have known that the boy in whom the dream was planted that night would survive a near fatal motorbike crash which broke almost every bone in his body, and would bring to fruition this dream 32 years later when James Irwin stepped on the moon’s surface, just one of the 12 representatives of the human race to have done so?
Vision: the capacity to create a compelling picture of the desired state of affairs that inspires people to respond; that which is desirable, which could be, should be; that which is attainable. A godly vision is right for the times, right for the church, and right for the people. A godly vision promotes faith rather than fear. A godly vision motivates people to action. A godly vision requires risk-taking. A godly vision glorifies God, not people.
According to John Bradley, “The two of life’s most important journey questions are: ‘Who am I’ and ‘What am I trying to accomplish in my life?’”
Do you have a picture in your mind as to what good, godly Christianity looks like? And what a good, godly Christian looks like?
4. Attention to Life’s Vitals.
This is the 4th component that should never be neglected: The importance of our relationship with people.
When we strengthen our relationship with God and our relationship with family, friends, and others around us, we will lead and still have a good life.
Have you ever noticed, after serious tragedy such as a typhoon, earthquake, severe flooding, we will hear people stand together with their family members and say, “At least we have each other”?
There is no question relationships are important. So we must guard them and make them the best they can be. We must fight to never let pressures of any kind cause us to compromise time with our kids, spouse or friends. Don’t place business or ministry ahead of people. After all, at the heart of every great ministry or business we find people. And the people who matter most, in the long run, are the ones we come home to at the end of the day.
Which voice are you paying attention to? What are your values or conviction as a Christian? How do you visualize yourself at the finish line of life? Do you compromise your relationships?
II. HUMILITY – The Power of Serving
When Jesus trained His disciples, He knew He was training them for a monumental work. He knew they needed not just to be good leaders, but great ones. At the same time, He knew the danger that a prideful spirit could pose.
Truths behind Humility:
1. Humility – God Desired Trait
Illustration:
When Sadhu Sundar Singh was in Europe, he had completed a tour around the world. People asked him, “Doesn’t it do harm, you are getting so much honor?” His answer was: “No. The donkey went into Jerusalem, and they put garments on the ground before him. He was not proud. He knew it was not done to honor him, but for Jesus, who was sitting on his back. When people honor me, I know it is not me, but the Lord, who does the job.”
God values humility highly as revealed in 1 Peter 5: 6, which warns that God is “opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Corinthians 13: 4 describes the nature of love and it declares, “love … is not arrogant.” James 4: 10 says, “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” Humility is the path to greatness in your life and ministry and expresses itself through the practice of serving others.
John Flavel has said, “They that know God will be humble, and they that know themselves cannot be proud.”
2. Humility Does Not Weaken, It Empowers.
Humility and serving others are often associated with weakness, surrendering control or being someone else’s “slave.” And it is the reason why it has no appeal to the world today.
Many looked at serving as being for followers and not for leaders, for the weak and not for the strong. Humility is expected from employees, but seldom from employers, and certainly not from the person at the top.
Philippians 2: 3- 5, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Jesus willingly took on the role of a servant in spite of the fact that He “existed in the form of God.” (Phil. 2: 6) Jesus was no wimp or weakling. He was a strong leader who knew how to get things done. In fact, He was God incarnate, omnipotent, yet at the same time He was the supreme model of humility.
Let us put to rest the idea that humility equals inferiority, or a sign of weakness. Humility does not mean passivity. Humility in no way lessens you, it empowers you, increasing your potential.
3. Humility – a Key Trait In Great Leaders.
Jim Collins author of a book “Good To Great” uses a metaphor about humility. It goes like this:
Lesser leaders, in good times, they go to the mirror and say, “Look at me. What a great job I am doing! The team is sure lucky to have me at the controls.” And in bad times, they go to the window and exclaim, “Who messed up? Who should I fire or replace? Someone is to blame, and I want to know who!”
But the great leader reverse the order:
A great leader, in good times, goes to the window and looks out at the parking lot and he sees the cars, the employees, his team and declares, “Wow, what a blessed leader I am to have these people working here! What a great job they have done. I am fortunate to serve alongside such gifted people.”
In bad times he goes to the mirror on the wall, looks at himself, and reflects, “Where did I go wrong? What did I miss? Why didn’t I see this coming? He takes responsibility.
Let us apply this window-and –mirror metaphor to our lives.
Humility and Pride in Comparison.
What Humility Does:
– Humility accepts responsibility. A humble person examines himself before he looks to others as the possible contributor to the problem.
– Humility promotes objectivity. A humble person sees reality more clearly, is open to honest feedback and does not react against the ‘bearer of bad news.’ He realizes that in reality, there is no bad news if it is the truth. Truth is always your ally, never your enemy, so seek it and accept it.
– Humility increases teachability. A humble person listens to and learns from other people, whereas the prideful person thinks he knows it all.
– Humility pursues excellence. A humble person acknowledges there is always more to learn.
– Humility boosts morale. A humble person recognizes and appreciate others. He is quick and eager to pass the praise on to others.
On the other hand Pride is costly and destructive:
– Instead of taking responsibility, you blame others. Surely someone else is at fault if things are not working.
– Instead of being objective, you live in denial. You choose to ignore what is obvious to everyone else. If something is not working, you just turn the other way.
– Instead of being receptive, you are defensive. You guard the “sacred cows” and say, “This is the way we have always done it. Don’t change it.”
– Instead of team spirit, you end up with low-morale. You inflate yourself and deflate others.
– Instead of excellence you end up setting for mediocrity. You are driven for your own profit and not the profit of those you serve.
Cultivating Humility.
5 Important Phrases to speak humility:
We need to get comfortable with these five phrases. When spoken from a humble heart, they will flow easily and often, and they will communicate to people that you truly value them. It is like going back to kindergarten, but there is some truth to the idea that “everything you need to know in life you learned in kindergarten!”
1. Hello – it means “you are noticed.” It may seem a small thing but means so much to others because it communicates that you value them.
2. Please – it means, “you too are busy, and I value your help.” Saying please, instead of just giving orders communicates that you respect others that you see them as equals and not subordinates. It lets them know you value their time and appreciate their willingness to put your needs on their agenda.
3. Thank you – I means, “you are appreciated and not taken for granted.” Saying thank you to people means you value their contribution and help. Even if they are paid to do a job, simple and frequent words of appreciation endear a person to you.
Every one of us loves to be noticed for what we do, great or small. Saying thank you even to customers lets them know you really appreciate their time or business. Thanking visitors who come to church makes them feel welcomed.
4. Can I help? – it means, “I am here to serve with you; we are in this together.” Offering to help demonstrates that you are willing to serve as well as be served.
5. I am sorry – it means, “I make mistakes too; please forgive me.” None of us is perfect. We all make mistakes. And when we do, we need, in humility, to be quick to say, “I’m sorry.”
Illustration:
Many years ago, Christian professor Stuart Blackie of the University of Edinburgh was listening to his students as they presented oral readings. When one young man rose to begin his recitation, he held his book in the wrong hand. The professor thundered, “Take your book in your right hand, and be seated!” At this harsh rebuke, the student held up his right arm. He didn’t have a right hand! The other students shifted uneasily in their chairs. For a moment the professor hesitated. Then he made his way to the student, put his arm around him, and with tears streaming from his eyes, said, “I never knew about it. Please, will you forgive me?” His humble apology made a lasting impact on that young man. This story was told some time later in a large gathering of believers. At the close of the meeting a man came forward, turned to the crowd, and raised his right arm. It ended at the wrist. He said, “I was that student. Professor Blackie led me to Christ. But he never could have done it if he had not made the wrong right.”
CONCLUSION:
Proverbs 4: 23 Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts. (Message Bible)
Godly life and lifestyle starts with:
1. Spirituality – the power of conviction. It stabilizes us with the moral guidance we need to counter the challenges of our world.
– By knowing whose voice is important in the midst of different opinions.
– By knowing what values will not be compromised when others are willing to bend the rules or rewrite them.
– By knowing which vision is worth pursuing when we can’t do everything.
– And by guarding those vital relationships, knowing it’s people who really matter most.
2. Humility – the power of serving. If you want to be great, Jesus said, “be a servant.” Humility shifts our focus outward, on others and off of ourselves. Humility calls to serve God by serving others. It builds up and brings together. It is a God-desired trait.
