THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART

PS.37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord,and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Now here is a verse which every CHRISTIAN loves v 4a - "delight yourself in the Lord", a call to be abundantly satisfied in God. This is the essence of godliness! To seek our happiness in God. Enjoy Him forever!
But in the context here, it's a call to see yourself as in the enviable position of knowing God! There will be no deliverance from craving & fretting over what the wicked have if we do not learn to place our renewed desires fully where they belong - In the Lord!

This is a verse often misunderstood.
What does this mean in practical terms? It may sound nice, but what does it truly call for?
1. It means that a man may be genuinely happy without many things but with the blessings he has in the Lord. (Eph. 1:3)
2. It means that a man may be genuinely happy inspite of his present conditions and circumstances. (Phil. 4:11,13)

Today a very good friend and mentor of mine died, Bro. Uvern Clay. He had been fighting a battle with cancer. I would call and talk with him and he was still Delighting In The Lord. He was often in great pain and often too much pain to even eat. How could he find delight? The delight was in the Lord, not in circumstances. He understood that his pain was the prelude of the harping of God's angels. He was experiencing a temporary inconvenience for a permanent convenience.

Now we suffer for the Name of our Lord, but one day we shall reign with Him. The crown of eternal life is awaiting us above.
He was focused on what he had in the Lord, not what he was experiencing. Only God can produce this in us. What a God!

V 4b - the 2nd half assures that God will "give you the desires of your heart", when this is your state of mind. Literally, He gives you your askings, your requests. But I thought we should not have all those desires if I fix my delight on the Lord? Well, I think what this must mean is firstly, a hunger & thirst for righteousness will be filled. It is true that God gives some things to His disciples merely because they are delighted in Him. For instance, the case of Solomon, who wanted first to be wise so as to be pleasing to God, & got along with much he did not ask for. But more than that, the disciple gets what he desires because what he desires is God Himself.
I believe this verse is not about my own self-ish desires, not what I want but what to want. What is it that should be desired more of a Christian than GOD HIMSELF?
And it is everywhere promised that those who earnestly seek Him will find Him.
He who loves God is a new creation & has new desires. He is satisfied with what God gives. The fact that we are delighted in God regulates our desires. The fact that you do find your happiness in God will be a reason why He will grant many of your desires. As for the things you do not receive, well, I know no mark more characteristic of the person delighted in God, than contentment. O God teach us to Delight in you that our Desires will be for you.

Thank you Lord for sending Uvern Clay my way, I know it was an expression of your grace and favor toward me. For you have used him to teach me so much about life and who you are. Please Lord never let me forget how kind you have been to me through this brother's life and never let me forget the one he kept pointing me to, the Lord Jesus.

LORD GIVE ME NOT WHAT I WANT BUT WHAT TO WANT.
FOR HIS GLORY ALONE!

Kansas City, MO

I WAS IN KANSAS CITY, MO SEPTEMBER 19-21 PREACHING REVIVAL SERVICES AT THE MACEDONIA BAPTIST CHURCH. MY VERY CLOSE FRIEND AND BROTHER IN THE LORD, REV. JON BROOKS IS THE PASTOR. I HAD A WONDERFUL TIME THERE. I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS MEETING FOR THREE YEARS. THERE IS SUCH A SWEET SWEET SPIRIT IN THERE CHURCH. I CAN'T THINK OF ANY CHURCH WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE SO LOVING IN THE MOST AUTHENTIC WAY. PASTOR BROOKS JUST GOT MARRIED RECENTLY AND IS THE NEW PROUD FATHER OF A BEAUTIFUL BABY BOY, JON LESLIE BROOKS II. I GOT A CHANCE TO MEET HIS WIFE AND THE BABY. THEY ARE BOTH ADORABLE. PLEASE KEEP THIS CHURCH IN YOUR PRAYERS, THEY ARE BUILDING A NEW CHURCH BUILDING THAT WILL SEAT 1500, WITH CLASS ROOMS AND YOUTH CENTER. MY MESSAGE TO THEM WAS DON'T ALLOW THE NEW FACILITY TO KILL THE OLD SPIRIT THAT RESIDES AMONG THEM. TRUE WORSHIP IS NOT IN A PLACE BUT IN A PERSON, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. PASTOR BROOKS HAS BEEN GIFTED BY GOD TO DISPLAY SUCH A WONDERFUL SHEPHERD SHEEP RELATIONSHIP IN THE CHURCH GOD HAS PLACED HIM. IF YOU ARE EVER IN KANSAS CITY, MO STOP BY MACEDONIA BAPTIST CHURCH ON 25TH AND BENTON, YOU WILL BE BLESSED.

FROM AUSTIN TO DALLAS

ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2006 I FLEW INTO AUSTIN, TEXAS. A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE PICKED ME UP AT THE AIRPORT. I WAS TREATED VERY KIND. MY FRIEND, PASTOR KENNEDY YOUNG ALLOWED ME TO PREACH FOR HIM THAT SUNDAY AT THE OLIVET MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH. IT WAS A WONDERFUL WORSHIP EXPERIENCE. PASTOR YOUNG IS A VERY COMMITTED PREACHER TO SOUND BIBLICAL TEACHNG. HE IS DOING A WONDERFUL JOB WITH DISCIPLE TRAINING IN THE OLIVET CHURCH. WE ENJOYED THE 6:00PM COMMUNION SERVICE THAT SUNDAY, THEN WE HIT THE ROAD HEADED FOR DALLAS. THIS WAS ABOUT A TWO AND AN HALF HOUR DRIVE. I HAD A WONDERFUL FELLOWSHIP WITH PASTOR YOUNG AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR MORE OF HIS HEART AND CONCERNS FOR MINISTRY.

IN DALLAS WE ATTENDED THE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, WHICH WAS A VERY INTERESTING SESSION. THE THEME WAS "WHAT IS THE MESSAGE OF THE CHURCH?" THERE WERE SEVERAL SERMONS AND LECTURES DEALING WITH THE THEME. I WAS BLESSED BY ALL I HEARD. THIS WAS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO SEE MANY FRIENDS IN MINISTRY AND SHARE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN MY NEW WORK. MANY EXPRESSED THAT THEY ARE PRAYING FOR US AND WANTED TO KNOW HOW THEY CAN HELP. THIS WAS A GOOD WEEK FOR ME, BUT I AM GLAD TO BE BACK HOME WITH MY FAMILY AND CHURCH.