JMH part 5

This is not meant to be a discussion of whether or not we should carry guns. This is a discussion about what’s in our hearts. Do you actually love mercy? Do you love God getting His will done in a person’s life more than you love your own life?

Jesus did. He loved mercy. In Matthew 9 He was being criticized for spending time with sinners. Jesus responds to them by saying, Matthew 9:13 “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’” Honestly, that was a direct blow to those who were upset that Jesus was breaking their “religious laws” when He said, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” He was saying to them, “I want your heart involved in what you are doing. I want you to love mercy.”

Humility

The last thing Micah tells us that the Lord requires of us is Humility. “Walk humbly with your God.” Actually, if our JMH was HMJ it might help us a little. If Humility came as the first thing to develop in our lives, living justly and loving mercy might be easier. 

The reason for that is found in what humility is. Humility is a description of the heart’s attitude toward God. There is no humility in rebellion against God, only pride. The humble are what they are because of the complete submission of their hearts to the Lord. 

Doing Justice is the outward focus; it is what people see. Mercy is the inward focus; it’s the development of God’s character in our hearts. But humility is the upward focus; it has to do with our pursuit of God. When the heart is upwardly focused, all the other requirements fall into place. When we want God, we naturally live justly and love mercy. 

Let’s go back to verse 11. Jeremiah 29:11 “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” The setting for this verse is in verse 7 where the prophet said that if we will pray for the prosperity of the city that is oppressing us – we, too, will prosper. So verse 11 is not just a promise that any believer can lay claim to, thinking that all that God is concerned about is our prosperity. God has a plan for us, as this verse says, and it’s a plan to prosper us, AS we pray for the prosperity of our enemies. When we do, God gives us hope for our future and we will not be harmed. But it seems that only the humble actually love mercy enough to sincerely pray for their enemies. Our attitude toward God is what determines everything in our lives. 

The verse that fits the humble heart is in verse 13. Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” It takes a right attitude about God to seek Him with all your heart. The humble see God as being more important than them. When you seek God with all your heart you are, in principle, surrendering the essence of who you are. Your heart represents who you are, and when you are willing to take every bit of who you are and go after God and do the things God requires of you, it indicates you have a right attitude toward God. You are a humble man or woman. 

Look at the benefits of humility: Jeremiah 29:14 “‘I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord.” The Psalmist once said, “The secret council of the Lord is for those who fear Him…” CSB. But this is all predicated upon living a just life in front of your enemies, and loving mercy, loving the Will of God above your own will to the point that you will actually pray for you enemies’ prosperity. When you do, you will find God. “I will be found by you,” God says. 

Do you want to be a man or woman of God? Do you want to pray for people and see the power of God? Do you want to see the power of God fall in this place to point where we cannot even stand? Dot you want to be bowled over with His presence? These things will only happen when we seek Him with our whole hearts. And the only thing that will bring us to that place is when our heart’s attitude toward God is correct. 

Where is your heart?   END