Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Lesson 24 - The Legacy of Your Heart

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.: – 2 Timothy 2:15

Reflection Time for You, a Woman After God’s Own Heart

Where do we start after studying and discovering God’s design and implementing some or all of the principles we have talked about in this book?

1. Are you responding positively to what we have studied?

Now we must strive to continue our journey to become a woman truly after God’s own heart.

Do you truly desire to be a woman who serves her generation, whether that’s the people at home, your husband, sons and daughters, grandchildren or parents or in-laws or your neighborhood, church, or workplace?

Let’s talk about the Keys we can use to continue becoming a woman after God’s own heart.

Becoming a Woman After God’s Own Heart

Obey God’s commands
Obedience to God and His commands is the primary key to the Christian life.

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. – 1 Samuel 15:22

God doesn’t want your outward obedience to be a ritual. He wants you to respond in obedience to His Word as He speaks directly to your situation.

Your greatest impact will be choosing to do things God’s way, not your own way.

There is a battle going on in your heart between doing what you should do and doing what you want to do. How do you deal with this battle in your heart?

Walk in the Spirit

You manage the battle in your heart by following this next key as you…

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. – Galatians 5:16

Looking to God for His help and obeying this one command will do away with the works of the flesh, which destroy lives, marriages, families, and homes.

19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21. Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

As you ask for help from God and walk with Him according to His ways, you will reap the following…

22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

First you must acknowledge to God that you want to follow Him and then ask Him for the grace and strength to trust Him, to walk by faith.

Pray regularly

As you know from all of our lessons, the role of prayer is so very important to fulfilling God’s will for your life. It’s vital!

Prayer acknowledges your dependence on God.
Prayer opens your heart to knowing and fulfilling God’s will.
Prayer gives you the assurance and confidence that, as you carry out God’s priorities, He will give you the strength to see it through to the end.

Prayer must become an all-important part of your life!

Adopt a long-range view

It took David a lifetime to fulfill God’s will and serve his generation.

We have taken a good number of weeks to read and digest this book.

Something as important as doing God’s will and living out His priorities will take a long time to complete. – It will take a lifetime.

So each day focus on the tasks and people in front of you.

Accept your roles

This is similar to Key #4 except this key requires that you take on the task of being a woman after God’s own heart in a personal way.

It’s one thing to have a goal, but it’s quite another thing to actually accept the challenge, develop a strategy to press for the goal, make the sacrifices, pay the price to move forward, and blessing of blessings, to realize some part of it.

Do you really believe God is asking you to serve your generation and to serve according to His will?

Until you accept your assignment as coming from God Himself, you will have difficulty taking it seriously.

Ask, “Who am I, and what is it I do?”

Each of God’s women are at a different season in life.

Whatever your age and stage, you must be constantly asking yourself, “Who am I?” Hopefully you will always answer with “I am a woman after God’s own heart!”

The second question you must constantly ask is “What is it I do?”

The answer to this question will constantly change and with each change, you make the necessary adjustments.

God will help you make the choices that guide you into His path for each stage and age of your life.

You will then forever be His woman, a woman after His very own heart.