Living After God’s Heart – The True Form of Godliness

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

Every breath and step we take should be in consideration as to whether or not we are living after God’s heart. Your godliness is based off how you answer that question.

Introduction

After examining Saul losing his anointing and seeing that God desires a person after His own heart to both run and lead the faith race, I was left wrestling with the thought:  Am I truly someone who lives after God’s heart?  I feel that is a question that ‘Christians’ everywhere ought to be asking themselves daily.  You see, our goal should be to do just that – to live after God’s own heart with every step and breath we take.

False Godliness of Man’s Heart

Now, there are many living in the world today who will proclaim to be a child of God, but I warn you to beware of wolves.  Jesus warns us of the false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matt. 7:15).

In 2 Timothy 3, Paul spoke of those who proclaim to have a form of godliness but deny its power.  Paul spoke of those who presented themselves, outwardly, to be of the Lord, but had a heart that was far from the heart of God.  

Of such people, Paul wrote that they are lovers of pleasure, rather than lovers of God.  Paul said that they are lovers of themselves, lovers of money, rather than lovers of the way of God.

Pay close attention to 2 Timothy 3:3 when Paul said that those who have a form of godliness but deny its power being brutal and despisers of what is good.  Paul added that they are boasters, proud, haughty (arrogant/egotistical).  When they move, Paul told Timothy that such people move as blasphemers–deniers of the Lord.

You must beware of those who have the outward show of godliness, but move against His principles.  Not only must you be wary of such people, but you must be prudent in your way so that you aren’t moving in such a manner!

God Judges the Heart

In 1 Samuel 13:14, when Samuel rebuked Saul, he told him that the Lord sought a man after His own heart to lead His people.  Now, when Samuel told Saul that, he had no idea who the man for that role would be.  Samuel had never met David.

So, when God sent Samuel to anoint the next king of Israel, He shared an important message with him.  Gold told Samuel to pay no attention to the outward appearance or stature of the man (1 Sam. 16:7). The Lord did not want Samuel to make the same mistake that the people made with Saul.

You see, when the people saw Saul, they marveled and rejoiced because they had a man who looked like a king.  Saul stood taller than anyone in Israel, and so the people rejoiced because they had a man who had the stature, the build, of a king.  Yet, as we know, the outward appearance can be dressed up and deceive.

The outward appearance is meaningless to the Lord.  Even actions taken, while they are important, they can also be very deceiving.  So, when the Lord judges a person, He told Samuel that He looks beyond the appearance and judges the heart.

When the Lord judges the heart, He is judging the true person–He judges our character and the intent behind our every action.  God judges whether or not one fears Him in their hearts.  God judges whether one’s heart is meek, lowly, and humble, or if it is filled with pride and self-righteousness.  When the Lord judges the heart, He judges whether one’s heart is aligned with His way or not.

I don’t know about all of you, but the thought that God looks beyond my outward appearance and peers into my heart frightens me.  It should frighten us that God looks beyond the outward show and knows our every intention.  In that fear, we ought to move in a manner to please the Lord, rather than to disappoint or anger Him, shouldn’t we?

Learn Godly Self-Control

So, the Lord chose David when he was just a boy because David had a heart after God’s own heart.  In the scripture I share with you today, I want you to pay close attention to David’s thoughts and actions, as he moves in the form of godlienss that we should strive to move in today.

Response in moments of temptation

In this scripture from 1 Samuel 24, when Saul was continuing in his ungodly obsession to kill, the scripture shows us that an opportunity was presented to David.  This opportunity would become a moment of temptation that would test his character.

In 1 Samuel 24:2-4, we’re told that Saul had taken 3,000 chosen men to seek and kill David at the Rock of the Wild Goats.  When Saul and his men had reached that place, the scripture tells us that he made his way into a cave to tend to his needs.  However, the cave he had entered was a cave where David and his men were staying in the recesses of it, unbeknownst to Saul.

It was at that time that someone said to David, day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.’ ”  This was a tempting moment for David, where he could have struck Saul down, ending his reign, and no longer have to run for his life!

So, what did David do?  The scripture tells us that David rose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.  So, rather than taking the moment to kill Saul, David took the moment to spare Saul.  David spared Saul after one of his men had urged him to kill Saul, using the name of God!

The help of fearful obedience

Now, how many of us would have done what David did?  How many of us would have spared an enemy who had the desire to take our lives?  How many of us would have spared one who constantly hunted us down like we were dogs?

David’s choosing to spare Saul was a show of great self-control in the face of temptation.  As I have said before, many of us think temptation comes in one form, but there are many forms of temptation.  The temptation to take the life of another is truly a great temptation that should give one pause.  Nobody should be so quick to give in to taking the life of another.

Moreover, in 1 Samuel 24:5, we will see that David was troubled because he had cut a piece of Saul’s robe off.  This, again, tells us a great deal about the heart of David.  Do you ever feel remorse or concern over whether or not the actions you have taken would please the Lord?  

When one is so thoughtful about whether or not their actions will please the Lord, it shows that one is living in fearful obedience to God.  This is someone who is set with a desire to please the Lord!

Now, to please the Lord, as shown by David, one must not act on impulse.  You see, when one is impulsive in their way, they have thrown away all guidelines.  Acting impulsively gives heed to wicked direction, the direction of temptation.

For his part, David slowed himself down in thought to disregard the urging of temptation.  What helped to slow him down was that the Lord had forbidden him from moving against Saul (1 Sam. 24:6).  The person who lives after God’s heart must be prudent (thoughtful) in the way in which they will go.  Proverbs 14:8 tells us, “The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.”

What truly concerns me today is that so many so-called ‘believers’ are quick to give in to wicked impulses, rather than be prudent in their ways.  Yes, the wicked one is cunning, but one who is filled with the Spirit is filled with the spirit of truth and error to discern good from evil.  So, it is quite disturbing to see such people enjoy what wickedness has wrought.

Let us learn to be more prudent in our way today.  Let us learn self-control rather than impulsiveness, so that we may live as a person after God’s heart.

Godliness in Mercy and Grace

After showing great restraint and self-control not to kill Saul, let us take a look at what David did next.  I want to share this part of the story with you because of Saul’s response.  David did something that was so amazing that even Saul had a moment of clarity and wonder.

David confronts Saul

In 1 Samuel 24:8-15, after Saul had exited the cave, David also went out of the cave and called out to him.  The scripture tells us that David bowed his head, giving honor to the king, and then he began to speak.

David questioned why Saul listened to the lies of men.  Afterwards, he then held up the piece of cloth that he had cut off Saul’s robe.  David said to the king, “Look, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’

Still holding up the cloth as proof of how close he had gotten to Saul and what he could have done to him, David said, “For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it.”

We see a moment where David essentially compares his actions to those of Saul against him.  You can imagine that had the roles been reversed, Saul wouldn’t have hesitated to strike David down.  In all that David had said to Saul, what he said next, again, speaks of his heart, and I believe it is something that certain Christians need to hear today.  

David said to Saul, “Let the Lord judge between you and me, and let the Lord avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you.”  David then quoted an ancient proverb which said, “Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.”  But rather than being of the wicked, David told Saul that he wouldn’t lift his hand to be against a man who spent his days constantly moving against him.

Why would David not lift his hand against Saul when the opportunity had clearly been presented to him?  For David, it wasn’t his place to do so!  David repeated and said, “Therefore let the Lord be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand.”

In his confronting Saul, David was not boasting nor was he bragging.  This was a rebuke of Saul, showing him what a man after God’s heart looks like and how he moves.  David had the power to move, but he chose to show Saul mercy and grace!  David even showed his humility, asking Saul, “Who am I that you hunt me?”

Who has the authority to judge

Yet, the greatest part of this testimony to me is the fact that David left judgment in the hands of God, where it belongs.  I truly believe that the greatest sign of godliness being in a person is when one knows their place and does not go beyond it.  The greatest failings of Christianity from times of old to the present have been its constant going beyond its bounds of authority.

In the present day, some men genuinely believe they must fight a “holy war”.  Yet, in all of my studies of God’s word, I have not found where the Lord calls on us to fight such wars where the modern swords are to be drawn upon an adversary.  God doesn’t command for bombs to fall upon the enemy, yet bombs are falling today with wicked men calling other wicked men wicked!  

Let me be clear about this:  God does not need any wicked men fighting holy wars for Him!  Yes, evil must be confronted!  Yes, wickedness must be confronted.  However, one after God’s heart must confront wickedness in a manner that differs from the wicked!  One after God’s heart shouldn’t be confronting wickedness out of malice and ill intent.  One after God’s heart shouldn’t confront wickedness as warmongers!

Who are we to judge in such a manner?  Who are we to condemn others, taking their life away from them?  No, we must turn away from such a mindset because all of us are sinners who fall short of the glory of God!  The Lord has not put us in a position to be judge, jury, and executioner!  We must turn away from such a mindset!

Living After God’s Heart

There is only one way that God has commanded us to live if we truly desire to live in godliness.  Therefore, in that manner, there is only one way that God has instructed us to confront wickedness.  

How to confront wickedness

In Proverbs 25:21-22, we are told to show mercy and grace to an enemy by feeding them when they are hungry and giving them drink when they are thirsty.  The proverb tells us that when we move with such integrity, it will heap coals of fire on the heads of our enemies.  Consider that Jesus backed up this proverb by telling us to love our enemies (Matt. 5:43-48).

When one moves in such a way towards those who despise them and persecute them, it will put them to shame.  Such acts of grace cause the wicked to feel bad and to even respect the child of God.  Grace, whether you believe it or not, is always respected.  Love is always appreciated!  The loving heart will always be able to turn away an enemy, or at least cause them to consider the error of their way.

Let’s take Saul, for example, in his reaction to David’s rebuke of him.  In 1 Samuel 24:17-19, Saul responded, saying to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil.”  Saul admitted that David was a better person than he was!

Saul continued, saying, “You have shown this day how you have dealt well with me; for when the Lord delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me.  For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him get away safely?”

Do you think Saul recognized the difference between a man after God’s heart and an ungodly man?  I think so.  Now Saul would once again try David, but would be turned away, once again. 

Maintain your integrity 

However, I share this scripture with you today because I believe that all of God’s children need to see the power of integrity today.  We must maintain our integrity, treating even our adversaries with mercy and grace.  We must turn away from the temptation to act impulsively and turn matters over to God when wicked men say that a Christian must move in a manner that is against God’s way.

What does it take for one to live after God’s heart?  One must fear the Lord.  One must be humble and obedient.  One must be ruled by the Lord, not by one’s impulses.  One move must move in alignment with the way of God.  We must not go beyond those bounds, for when we do, we’d act as judge, jury, and executioner.

God has not given us the position to be judge, jury, and executioner.  When we move in such a manner, that is when things go sideways, and we make a big mess.  So, I encourage you all today to put off the form of godliness that denies the Lord, and commit yourselves to living after God’s heart.