Gentiles Seek Things - Sons Seek Gods Kingdom - No Part Darkness - Part 5 - What Rules Your Heart — Phil Beach Jr.

Who alone is able to change our hearts? Who alone is able to grant us the capacity to see your beauty? Your majesty. Your purity. The father. We pray for the children that responded this morning and adults.

We pray God that you would preserve that work that you have done in the heart. And that it would be worth much fruit for your honor and glory. That it will resolve. Oh God in these young children. Awakening to see the purpose of their existence is To know you to love you and to serve you and To live in this world as many days as you might grant them with a single passion.

To bring honor to your name Through yielding their life to Jesus Christ. We pray father for we who are parents. That you'll give us the grace multiplied grace to model before our children The qualities and virtues that we want to see in them.

Humility and honesty and And Submission to your will and authority. We pray God you'll give us the capacity to model before our children a life as hungry for spiritual things and not caught up driven with seeking after Things that don't satisfy in the world.

God how could we expect our children to grow up with a passion for God a passion for word? A passion for prayer when they rarely see us Engaged in such a thing. Forgive us father as parisers. Please Lord to a deeper work in our hearts.

We beg you we beg you father for Jesus sake. Amen and Amen change my heart. Oh God. They make it ever true change my heart. Oh God May it be just like you that should be the prayer and desire of our heart this morning.

The Holy Spirit and the Desire for Changed Hearts

And as the Holy Spirit works in our life, that's the kind of desires that come into us. We desire and long for our Father in heaven to change our hearts. The world that we live in is very interested in outward issues.

The world that we live in is very interested in. How you look? What kind of car you drive? How much money is in your bank account? What sort of social status you have who you know. How much education you have.

But when we Come into the kingdom of God and begin to walk with the Lord Jesus and begin to feed Upon his word. We realize that our father in heaven is not at all interested in these things rather Our father is interested in our hearts.

What's going on in? The end in the inside and the ministry of the Holy Spirit working together with the Word of God is chiefly To change the inside of our heart so to make us different on the inside. Not so much different outwardly as far as our looks but different on the inside as to what is motivating us.

What is behind the spring in our walk? What is behind the motivation of our heart? What are we truly truly after in life? This is the supreme issue of The Lord's heart. What are we after? Listen carefully please remember this inescapable truth as This is what is governing the whole series of messages that we've been ministering on no part darkness.

Accountability for What Rules the Heart

Which is no part darkness. I believe number six today five. Remember this in escapable truth. Ask God to write this upon the very tablet of your heart this morning because this is an Inevitable truth that you will never escape that you will be held accountable on The day of Christ when he comes to judge the living and the dead this truth this truth that I've been about to read and that we're about to Break open and down into and see all of the many facets of this truth.

This truth is going to be the basis upon which Christ will stand before us at that day when he comes and appears. And his kingdom is made manifest outwardly in the earth. This is the truth To which all of his children will have to be judged by.

Which will determine Whether or not we suffer loss as Paul said in 1st Corinthians chapter 3 or whether or not we receive a reward. And by the way, whenever the Bible speaks of a reward for the believer It is never on the basis of God owes us a debt never reward is a an act that God Engages in where he blesses his people because of their Response to him, but never because of debt.

It's because of grace. It's because of unmerited grace. Because my very response my very capacity to say yes to God is a gift from God. It's a gift from God. God is listen. God is a debtor to no man. God doesn't owe Anyone anything?

He is a supreme Sovereign father in heaven and all that he does in our lives and all that he does for us and all that he ever will Do is purely because of the goodness and kindness and generosity of his own heart that does not free us from our responsibility.

That doesn't free us from our need to respond to him when he calls. But the Bible says very clearly that even after we have done all that we have been told we what Thank you. We are still unprofitable Servants.

Treasure, Idolatry, and the Influence of the Heart

Oh, doesn't that make us deserving service if we obey God? Absolutely not and So always remember that truth. Now here's the inescapable truth that I'm praying you will never forget whatever Rules your heart will exercise inescapable influence over your beliefs over your words and ultimately over your behavior.

Now I'm going to say that again and I'm asking everybody to pay close attention To these words now, this is a Another way of saying exactly what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 6 verse number 21. For where your treasure is there will your heart be also?

Where your treasure is there will your heart be also? Matthew 6 21. Another way of saying that is what I just read whatever rules your heart will exercise Inescapable influence Inescapable influence look over your beliefs Your words and ultimately your behavior.

For example if greed is the idol That has been set up in your heart if Greed is the idol that has been set up in your heart brothers and sisters. Then that greed is going to exercise an inescapable influence over your beliefs over your words and over your behavior.

A if you give a greedy man money He will simply use that money to fulfill the greed in his heart. Why? Because whatever rules your heart will exercise inescapable Inescapable Influence over you. If you give Controlling man a man Who has set up in his heart an idol of having to be in control?

Having to manipulate. You know that is a problem in the human heart Without the great of the God changing it. If you give a controlling man a Course on How to communicate and how to interrelate with people.

What will he do with that course? He will use the information That was taught to him to seek a greater control over people's lives. Why? Why will he do that? Because that is what is in his heart and the thing that rules your heart in my heart will exercise Inescapable influence over our beliefs and over our words and over our behavior.

For where your treasure is there will your heart be also if you give a selfish man a wife and a child. I What will he do. Selfishness is an idol That is latent within our hearts and apart from the grace of God and the transforming work of the Spirit of God and the Word of God.

Selfishness will become the God that we serve. We will bow down to this God Who will honor this God we will seek to obey all the dictates of this God's heart selfishness. It is perhaps one of the most vivid ways to describe the nature and Mo mode of operation of sin selfishness.

So what will happen if we give a man a wife and a children? Who is selfish it will use them to serve his own selfish needs? Desires and ends that's what he'll do. So we're learning here brothers and sisters is That your heart treasure.

The thing that rules your heart determines How you respond? to what's happening around you how you respond to the people in your life and what they do and say to you and How you are currently responding to your money your job your possessions and the time that you have.

The Word of God Discerns the Heart

Hebrews chapter 4 verse number 12. Now none of us are able By self-analysis To determine fully what's governing us. None of us you very well may be able to go to a bright room and look at it into a mirror and With bright light you might be able to discern some blemishes on your face some wrinkles as you get older.

And that might that probably is quite an effective way to assess your physical condition. Or you might pull out a pair of pants that you wore five years ago and say who shrunk these pants. That's probably an effective way to assess whether or not you have put on some extra pounds, right.

But When we come to the things of God There's no man in our midst Including your own self that has the capacity to glance at someone and say I see what's ruling your heart I see what's going on inside of you.

No man can do that. No man can do that. And so therefore if we are going to know Exactly what is ruling our hearts and by nature of ruling our hearts is Exercising an inescapable influence over everything we do.

We must know exactly Where to turn in order to get a proper assessment of what's going on inside Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12 for the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword Piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow and it is a discerner a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

For 13 neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and Opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. What do we learn about this remarkable passage of scripture Hebrews chapter 4 verses 12 and 13?

We learn a number of things it's very important that we make special of this this morning special note of this this morning. First of all we learned that The Word of God is quick and powerful that means living and full of might.

Secondly we learned it sharper Than any two-edged sword. This is significant in that in the Old Testament the high priest Was the skilled? swordsman Who took the sword and used it to slay the sacrifice to slay the animal?

And what the high priest did was he slayed the animal with this sharp two-edged sword? Even to the point where he ripped it apart and was able to Open it up and to be able to separate the inner parts.

But the but the Bible says the Word of God is sharper Than the sword that the high priest took to use to open up the animal And be able to separate the parts. He uses this physical analogy To describe the spiritual Ministry of the Word of God.

So we find that the Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword. Now these believers Being Hebrews understood that the two-edged sword was sharp and that it was used to Open up and to discover the inside of something that could have never been seen otherwise.

And so here the Bible is saying it's sharper than any two-edged sword piercing ear even to the dividing a sunder of soul and spirit joints and marrow and Is a discernible and intense of the heart the Word of God?

Under the power of the Holy Spirit being hurled into us. By the Spirit of God is the only means by which we can understand What is ruling our heart what our thoughts Motives and intentions in of our spirit and soul brothers and sisters.

The New Covenant and the Law Written on the Heart

God is after one thing in the church one thing and that's not to make us wealthy. That's not to give us a happy outward life. It's not To give us a guarantee that we will experience the American dream.

None of that is what God is essentially after. But God is after In us to see what is ruling our hearts. Namely namely the thoughts motives and very intentions of our being which as We learned and have been learning for some time now out from which springs what?

Behavior out from which spring what? Actions, thank you out from which springs words. What is the Bible saying Proverbs up? Out of the abundance of the Heart. Now, what does that mean? Does that mean out from that physical organ?

No, the physical organ is is is is called the heart but and and that's the center of our being. Physically speaking is ideologically speaking the center of our being is the heart out from which flows All the life that feeds all of our physical needs are all our organs and all of our skin.

So that's why the physical heart. That's why that physical organ is called the heart because it's the center of our physical Existence. Something gets wrong with that heart and our whole body messed up.

Well likewise in the spirit we are essentially Spiritual beings in a physical body. If our physical body would be consumed right now God forbid if a nuclear bomb suddenly exploded in the parking lot. We would we vanish we would vaporize wouldn't we normally if it was a significantly large Nuclear bomb we would we would vanish we would vaporize the heat the intensity of that Explosion we would be no more.

However, our spiritual existence be untouched and even though our physical hearts would be would be consumed by the brightness of that that explosion our spiritual heart or The thing that rules our being our thoughts our motives our intentions of our spirit and soul Which causes our behavior our actions and our words they would still be intact and so God is Interested in taking the Word of God Through the power of the New Covenant Which is the promise of God we went over this last week.

The New Covenant was the promise of God. We have this on tape that he would take his law and Write it in the tablets of our heart. In other word God was going to take his law The law of God and he was going to make the law of God.

Watch this now watch this the thing that rules Our heart or another way of saying it is the law of God becomes The motive Intentions and thoughts of our spirit and soul. Credible, isn't it? This is what the New Covenant is so the only way to change the heart is by the Word of God being hurled into the depths of our being Which is spirit and soul Which is the immaterial part loss which by the way as I said before none of us can know what's going on.

You can't I can't look at my mother and really know what's going on in her heart. Now when she started looking at her watch, I know I've been preaching too long. However, I don't know what's going on in her heart.

I Could be looking at Brian and he could be smiling and and nodding his head but in his heart He might be thinking about what he's got to do on Monday. I don't know that see I don't know that Michael's thinking about the business possibly.

And the work he needs to get done in order to prepare. I Don't know that see I don't know. What's what he's thinking. But there is one that's in the midst who is able to see the very depths and intentions and motives Jesus is concerned about whether you have a hundred at the thrift shop doesn't at all concern Jesus whether you drive a brand-new car or whether you have a Third hand-me-down car.

It doesn't matter. None of that matters. It's the heart brothers and sisters the heart the heart the heart. It's what rules our heart and So God's intention is to take the Word of God and by the Holy Spirit Hurl it into the depths of our being in order to result in inward change.

That affects what? Inward change when the the motives the intentions and the thoughts are The ruling factors of Our spirit and soul. So what rules our Spirit and soul, which is our heart. What rules our spirit and soul is essentially what our motives intentions and thoughts and desires.

Really God's intention is to take his law and by the Holy Spirit. And this is what the New Covenant is the whole the New Covenant is taking the life of Jesus Christ that holy pure life of Jesus Christ and Hurling it into the depths of our heart.

Which begins to affect our motives our thoughts? intentions and desires then begins to Make itself known by a Change in our behavior a change in our action and a change in our words a Change in our what?

Christ’s Presence in the Midst of the Churches

Priorities see everything outward that we do and say. Becomes a mirror becomes a reflection of what's going on inside. What's ruling our heart? Turn your Bibles to Revelation chapter 1 verse number 12.

John here is on the island of Patmos. He was placed there because of the testimony of Jesus Christ in his life and he was in the Lord's Day, and he heard a great voice and Suddenly this was getting to speak to him and verse 12 We pick it up there, and I turned to see the voice that spoke with me and being turned I saw seven golden candlesticks.

Notice and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like a nun to the Son of Man. Where did the Son of Man who is Jesus Christ stand in relation to the seven golden candlesticks? Where was he? Right in the midst.

What was he doing in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks? Turn your Bibles to Revelation chapter 2. Verse number 23, this is the ministry of the high priest right here verse number 23. Chapter 2 now Jesus is here.

Speaking to the church in Thyatira. He was dealing with some false doctrine that was going on there and he was rebuking a woman that they were allowing to teach whose name was Jeb. And Jesus said he gave them space to repent and they didn't repent and this is what Jesus says verse 22 behold I will cast her in her to a bed and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation.

Except they repent of their deeds and I will kill her children with death. Watch this now. What's Jesus doing in the midst of the seven golden candlestick? And all that you shall know that I am he which Searches the rains and Hearts and will give on every one of you according to your works.

Why does Jesus give us according to our works? Because our works the outward things reveal what? What's in the heart our works reveal what's in the heart? By the way, when the when the Bible says I am he that searcheth it's written in The present continuous tense which a more proper translation would be and this is so powerful.

I am he which Continuously searches The rains the rains there is earth that means the innermost part of the being. In other words saying what I am he that is standing in your midst right now I am he that is in your midst when you're at home.

I am he that is in your midst or in the car. I am he that is in your midst wherever and whatever you do and I'm doing one thing alone. I'm not impressed with what you have on. I'm a mess with anything that you have sickly.

I'm not impressed with who you think you are or what you think you're doing. I am doing one thing in one thing alone. I am searching Continuously the very Motives and intentions and eyes of your spirit and soul and discovering On a regular basis.

What is ruling your heart? Because Whatever rules your heart will exercise in escapable influence over your beliefs Over your words and over your behavior and Ultimately What you are doing with your life.

“No Part Darkness” and the Lordship of Christ

The title of this series is no part darkness. We have borrowed that from Luke right chapter 11. For Jesus talked about a city being set on a hill having no part darkness. How does no part darkness fit together with this teaching right here this morning?

Has no part darkness fit together. How do we apply no part darkness to this right here? What would what would be a good way? To describe in light of this truth what no part darkness could look like. That's excellent.

Very simple. Excellent. That's right on the money Don. That's it. Excellent. I don't think it could have been said any easier profound no part darkness in the context of Whatever rules your heart will exercise Inescapable influence over your beliefs your words and ultimately your behavior simply means that Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit and his word Becomes the ruling factor in our life.

From our motives and our intentions and our thoughts and our desires are springing. No part darkness means Jesus be the Lord of all the kingdoms of my heart. No, this means God father. I'm asking you to take your word.

I'm asking you to give me the Holy Spirit in great measure. And I'm asking you to invade the very thoughts motives intentions and desires of my spirit and soul represent darkness in my life right now and Cleanse me so that All that I am and all that I do can spring out of a new heart That is pleasing to you.

Why Rules and Formulas Cannot Change the Heart

How Do I change my heart. How do I change my heart? How do I change the thoughts and the motives and the intentions and desires of my heart? How do I do that? Which in fact will change my behavior and my actions and my words and my priorities.

How do I do that? How do I do it? Well before we look into how that happens, let's first look at how it's not gonna happen. It's not going to happen By trying to follow a formula. It's not going to happen by a set of rules or principles.

Formulas rules and principles do not change the heart. They alter behavior. But they don't change the heart the only way that we can change. Let's personalize this the only way that you could change That behavior problem the only way you can change That action that you don't like.

Those words that you say. Oh Come on, you know those words. When someone begins to irritate you and say something to them you snap out and say What is that black? What is that reveal? There's something in your heart.

There's something ruling your heart there's something in your Desires and in your intentions and in your thoughts and in your motives that that that comes out it's it's darkness. But it but it comes out that's why God Allows us to go through certain kinds of fiery trials because fiery trials do what?

They surface the dross what happens when you put gold in fire? What comes out? The impurities the impurities. And so God is subjecting each and every one of us by his own sovereign wisdom in his own sovereign hand to unique sets of Circumstances and difficulties and pressures and trials for the purpose of what?

That's right pure purifying our hearts surfacing dross Exposing the darkness and through the power of the Word of God in the Spirit of God giving opportunity to cry out. For what grace? Grace. Change my heart.

Returning to the Creator Through Grace

Oh God. So the only way change takes place is through an encounter with our Creator. Change takes place through an encounter with the Creator. Now be careful be careful because what happened to Adam and Eve when they Silly became dark inside.

What did they do? They hid themselves. They didn't run to the Creator. They ran to find fig leaves. They were ashamed because they were naked and they became afraid. Brothers and sisters here the Spirit of God this morning as we approach the subject of the great high priest that Stands in our myth was searching continuously the depths of our heart who is orchestrating unique Every one of our life for the purpose of not to destroy us.

But in order to purify us that we might be a peculiar treasure. Here the warning the loving warning of the Spirit of God and the Word of God this morning when you become Subject to the Word of God in such a manner whereby the Spirit and grace of God God is searching the depths of your heart the tips of your motives.

He's surfacing that which is done you're going to be tempted and If you yield to that temptation You will be avoiding the very one who alone can help you in your time of need. Adam. Where are you Adam?

What happened? Darkness Moves us to run from our Creator. But grace and the Holy Spirit and the Word of God Empowers us to move toward our Creator. Are you listening? Darkness this the moment darkness is exposed in your life.

The knee-jerk reaction from that darkness is going to be to place within your being. Within your mind within your emotions within your will to get you to act and move in a manner where you're going to run from the light.

You're going to run away from it. You're going to find you fig leaves. You're going to find something to cover that nakedness. But this is where the truth of the New Covenant kicks in where grace abounds.

We're somewhere downs where wherever and whenever God by his word and his Holy Spirit Begins to move through trials and tribulations or whatever it is. And you begin to see something of your thoughts your motives your intentions your desires.

That are unholy and it's causing all behavior wrong action wrong words or wrong priorities the moment you see that. You're going to experience the compulsion to run. But but right alongside of that there's going to be a provision of grace.

That will empower you to deny and resist that temptation to run and in your nakedness. Having been exposed before God or before your brother or sister that was a horrible attitude. What are you going to do?

What's the knee-jerk reaction you deserved it you deserved it? That was unkind. So what or what about the science read? What's wrong? My talking about oh take those fig leaves off. They're all fig leaves.

You're running you from your creator. And you know what you're running to destruction and spiritual ruin. Anyone else like to shout out some fig leaves denial fig leaf. Anger, it's excellent. We hide behind our anger.

Yes, oh you're distressing your arm. Okay, we call some arm exercises. Denial yes, these are figs. These are fig leaves that we put on the moment our own sin is exposed. Fear excellent. Adam was afraid but what what was happening during this whole time.

Adam was busy putting fig leaves on. What was God doing? Walking in the garden. Yeah, that's that's what we're gonna get to next. He was making clothes for. Listen, God was walking in the garden. What was he doing Adam?

Where are you? Adam what are you doing? This is the voice and ministry of the Holy Spirit. This is the voice and ministry of the Word of God every time sin is exposed every time something That rules our heart is exposed as being impure.

We're tempted on fig leaves and yet the voice of God is speaking to us. Adam Bill Don Phil Brian where are you? What are you doing? But where are you. Well God knew where Adam was. God was asking out of a question he was saying Adam.

Where are you inside? What are you doing? Are you coming to the light in your darkness in your nakedness in your shame knowing that I have? That I will close you with my forgiveness and my righteousness.

That your darkness and your sin does not Disqualify you from coming to me or are you hiding? Bound by fear. Feeling that the darkness in you somehow disqualifies you from coming to me somehow makes you feel that you're not accepted by me.

This is the dynamic that's going on. Even now God's ultimate goal is to remake us on the inside so that. What rules our heart? Which is made up of our thoughts and our motives and our intentions and our desires is springing out of the law of God.

Inner Transformation Produces Holy Conduct

That is being written into the depths and the fabric of our being so that my mother Might desire my intention is to what worship the Lord in him alone. To have no other gods before me. Hallelujah to God to honor my mother and my father.

Not to steal. Not to cheat. Not to lie. Not to be engaged in any kind of immorality. Not to covet. Not to be greedy. There you go brothers and sisters. A chain on the inside. And when you have a change on the inside it affects your behavior.

It empowers you to say no. I will not cheat on my income tax. I don't care if it's unjust. That doesn't justify cheating. Because I have to stand before God who sees the motive of my heart. I'm not gonna lie.

I'm not gonna be unfaithful morally. I'm gonna honor my mother and my father. Where's it springing out of willpower. No it's springing out of grace power. That's who you are becoming. And the darkness is growing less and Less and less and less and less dominant in your life that Should be the passion of every believer.

Seeking Freedom From the Powers That Rule Us

Okay, we're gonna close. What am I being ruled by today. A desire for people to love me. Fear of death. Greed for money possessions or power. The good news is that irrespective of what you're being ruled by today if you're willing to come to the high priest Who made provision for our sin like my dad said who made?

Coats. To clothe Adam with. If you'll come to father Who made provision in Christ? He will free you from that idol. He will free you from that Ruling power in your life, and he'll give you a new desire a new will and a new heart one That'll be pleasing to him.

Prayer for a New Heart and a Life Without Darkness

Today, let's bow our hearts and pray right now. Father. We ask you to give us the grace to acknowledge the darkness that you Reveal to us. By the power of your word give us the power to see Jesus Christ As the provision for that darkness and Help us to look to Jesus to change our hearts and Transform us more and more into your image and likeness.

So that no part darkness Can become the passion and goal of our life? We pray this Lord in Jesus mighty name Remember brothers and sisters. I close with this statement Whatever rules your heart. Well exercise influence over your belief Your words and ultimately your behavior.

What is ruling your heart today? Come to Jesus Because he's in the business of giving new hearts Amen, and amen. Let's say.