“Thief of Hearts” – Page 3 - 2/19/2012
And he succeeded. But he did not succeed in gaining a meeting or a restoration with his dad. Rather this was his means of retaliating against him for his refusal to forgive him and let him back into his heart. Absalom had been so deeply hurt that his only response (the only thing he knew to do) was to retaliate and hurt the one who had hurt him.
Here’s how he did it. He connived and deceived the people of Israel. Whenever someone came to the palace with a complaint, he’d be the first to receive them. He’d then find a way to help them, all the while stating that quote “if he were a judge over the land of Israel, I’d make sure that every single person received justice.”
By the way, there are many, many Bible teachers and preachers who use the life of Absalom as quote “what happens to rebellious children.” Although these writers and preachers have a lot of good to say, I don’t see Absalom as the rebellious son. Instead, I see him as the son with a wounded spirit. You see, the sadness in Absalom’s heart began with the immorality in his father’s heart. And it continued on as David refused to re-connect with his own flesh and blood.
Now, it’s true that often a wounded spirit produces a rebellious spirit. Yet, once a wounded spirit finds healing, the spirit of rebellion no longer binds the soul. Instead, rebellion is alleviated. And one more thing here. David did love his son. But, he just couldn’t or wouldn’t forgive him for slaying his brother. But that’s a lesson for another day.
Would you look with me here at just a few lessons from these two men‘s lives. These are lessons that I believe are worthy of our taking time to consider. And they are broader than just the need to restore what sin has broken.
1. Giving in to the pleasures of sin always has consequences. And these consequences often become our tormentors. David’s choice to sleep with Bathsheba resulted in whirlwind of damage. Imagine, if you can, what David had to live with. First, he had Joab send Uriah to the front line. Uriah died as a loyal man of God. Second, David’s son born to Bathsheba died in infancy. Third, Amnon died at the hand of his brother. And fourth, Absalom is now going to war against his father. In a few short days, you will see him die at his hand of David’s captain. Now, who can conceive of the torment that David endured because of that day he saw and met Bathsheba? Personal moral defeat is what David experienced when he chose to take Bathsheba to his bed. Had it not been that David repented and forsook his sin, his life would not be the testimony it is today.
1. Yielding to sin has unintended consequences.
2. Watch over your own heart. Here’s a reminder from another of David’s sons. Proverbs 4:23 says “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Here’s another way of saying it. “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”(NIV).
It’s always the heart that makes us or breaks us isn’t it? Some say it’s the head, the mind. But we all know that it’s what we set out hearts upon that will either draw us towards or away from the LORD.
Your heart is what you truly are. It is your total inner man. Here’s Proverbs 3:5. Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (7) Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” I Samuel 16:7 “…the LORD looks on the heart.”
All that we do stems from what we think in our hearts. And, without the open heart surgery done by the Holy Spirit when we let Him have His way with us, we will remain in our sin and in our distance from Him. The heart is so important that God says “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Had David watched over his heart, he may have delivered himself from a lot of heartache.
1. Yielding to sin has unintended consequences.
2. Watch over your own heart.
3. The sooner we admit and confess our sins, the better off we are. When we neglect our spiritual lives and go on in our sin, we stay away from the LORD and, although we seek peace, we simply can’t find it. And that’s because peace comes with the experience of God’s forgiveness. No wonder we have trouble with people. We’ve got ongoing trouble with our own lives. And that trouble simply spills over into our relationships.
Look with me at just how gracious God is with those who go the route of confession of their sins. I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Not only is the LORD so gracious as to forgive your one sin, but He cleanses you from all unrighteousness. That’s what we really need, isn’t it? Many of us want God’s peace. Yet, our search for peace often leads us away from the LORD because true peace only comes when we find cleansing from all unrighteousness. The LORD knows we need and want peace. So, He cleanses us from every single sin; every act and every attitude of unrighteousness. How great is that? And when we find our peace with the LORD, we can then extend that peace to those around us. When we find His forgiveness, then we can extend that same forgiveness to those who have sinned against us.
Here’s how he did it. He connived and deceived the people of Israel. Whenever someone came to the palace with a complaint, he’d be the first to receive them. He’d then find a way to help them, all the while stating that quote “if he were a judge over the land of Israel, I’d make sure that every single person received justice.”
By the way, there are many, many Bible teachers and preachers who use the life of Absalom as quote “what happens to rebellious children.” Although these writers and preachers have a lot of good to say, I don’t see Absalom as the rebellious son. Instead, I see him as the son with a wounded spirit. You see, the sadness in Absalom’s heart began with the immorality in his father’s heart. And it continued on as David refused to re-connect with his own flesh and blood.
Now, it’s true that often a wounded spirit produces a rebellious spirit. Yet, once a wounded spirit finds healing, the spirit of rebellion no longer binds the soul. Instead, rebellion is alleviated. And one more thing here. David did love his son. But, he just couldn’t or wouldn’t forgive him for slaying his brother. But that’s a lesson for another day.
Would you look with me here at just a few lessons from these two men‘s lives. These are lessons that I believe are worthy of our taking time to consider. And they are broader than just the need to restore what sin has broken.
1. Giving in to the pleasures of sin always has consequences. And these consequences often become our tormentors. David’s choice to sleep with Bathsheba resulted in whirlwind of damage. Imagine, if you can, what David had to live with. First, he had Joab send Uriah to the front line. Uriah died as a loyal man of God. Second, David’s son born to Bathsheba died in infancy. Third, Amnon died at the hand of his brother. And fourth, Absalom is now going to war against his father. In a few short days, you will see him die at his hand of David’s captain. Now, who can conceive of the torment that David endured because of that day he saw and met Bathsheba? Personal moral defeat is what David experienced when he chose to take Bathsheba to his bed. Had it not been that David repented and forsook his sin, his life would not be the testimony it is today.
1. Yielding to sin has unintended consequences.
2. Watch over your own heart. Here’s a reminder from another of David’s sons. Proverbs 4:23 says “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Here’s another way of saying it. “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”(NIV).
It’s always the heart that makes us or breaks us isn’t it? Some say it’s the head, the mind. But we all know that it’s what we set out hearts upon that will either draw us towards or away from the LORD.
Your heart is what you truly are. It is your total inner man. Here’s Proverbs 3:5. Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (7) Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” I Samuel 16:7 “…the LORD looks on the heart.”
All that we do stems from what we think in our hearts. And, without the open heart surgery done by the Holy Spirit when we let Him have His way with us, we will remain in our sin and in our distance from Him. The heart is so important that God says “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Had David watched over his heart, he may have delivered himself from a lot of heartache.
1. Yielding to sin has unintended consequences.
2. Watch over your own heart.
3. The sooner we admit and confess our sins, the better off we are. When we neglect our spiritual lives and go on in our sin, we stay away from the LORD and, although we seek peace, we simply can’t find it. And that’s because peace comes with the experience of God’s forgiveness. No wonder we have trouble with people. We’ve got ongoing trouble with our own lives. And that trouble simply spills over into our relationships.
Look with me at just how gracious God is with those who go the route of confession of their sins. I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Not only is the LORD so gracious as to forgive your one sin, but He cleanses you from all unrighteousness. That’s what we really need, isn’t it? Many of us want God’s peace. Yet, our search for peace often leads us away from the LORD because true peace only comes when we find cleansing from all unrighteousness. The LORD knows we need and want peace. So, He cleanses us from every single sin; every act and every attitude of unrighteousness. How great is that? And when we find our peace with the LORD, we can then extend that peace to those around us. When we find His forgiveness, then we can extend that same forgiveness to those who have sinned against us.