Diligence - “Steady and careful application; proper attention and care. Constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken (promise or guaranteed, promise, obligate yourself) Persistent exertion of body or mind.” The degree of care required in a given situation.
Diligent doesn’t just involve something we do from time to time, but it’s something that we consistently do; something that causes us to pay careful attention to and care. If you are not careful, in keeping your heart diligent in the things of God, and before God, you create an opportunity, for the enemy to slip in and take advantage of you (Ex: David & Bathsheba).
2 Samuel 1:19-20 19The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! 20Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
Israel
fell prey easily, b/c they didn’t keep themselves diligent before
God. David is speaking in anguish and despair, b/c anytime your
brothers and sisters are fallen, it isn’t a time to rejoice, but to
pray and cover them, not to spread it, lest the Devil and your
enemies take joy in seeing you fall. All this faith and everything
taken in a moment. (2 Samuel 1:27, David).
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/heart?s=t
Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy
heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Solomon - who was the wisest man in the bible, (1 kgs. 3:3,9,12) yet could not heed his own wisdom, and wisdom from his father, not to go after other gods, and idols, is teaching us the importance of keeping a watch over your heart, and keeping it diligent before God; because it doesn’t matter how great you are, it only takes a few minutes of you taking a break-David-on the battle field for the enemy to attack you at a weak moment.
Solomon - who was the wisest man in the bible, (1 kgs. 3:3,9,12) yet could not heed his own wisdom, and wisdom from his father, not to go after other gods, and idols, is teaching us the importance of keeping a watch over your heart, and keeping it diligent before God; because it doesn’t matter how great you are, it only takes a few minutes of you taking a break-David-on the battle field for the enemy to attack you at a weak moment.
Daniel 4:29
At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of
Babylon.
30The
king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built
for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the
honour of my majesty?
31While
the word was in the king's
mouth, there fell a
voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is
spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
(Proper attention &
care-6 things God hates)
32And
they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the
beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and
seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most
High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he
will. (Ex: Marcus-Pride, Forgiveness)
33The
same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was
driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with
the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers,
and his nails like birds' claws.
34And
at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto
heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed
the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever,
whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from
generation to generation:
-Nebuchadnezzar
forgot that it was the LORD that blessed him and not himself. His
heart wasn’t diligent, yet after God got him together, he realized
it was the LORD.
-Many
times people forget to keep their hearts right before God. People
think that money, fame, relationships will bring them happiness,
peace of mind, yet if your heart is not with the LORD, there will
always be a void, whether you want to admit it or not. (Song-Donnie
Mc. “All I Ever Wanted” people put on the make-up, the hair, the
swag, the toughness, for the camera called campus life, called the
business world; they put on all the masks, and make sure they look
just right for the lights and make sure they are ready when the
director yells action, but about after the day is over? (I didn’t
realize my heart panted after you God)
1 Samuel 13:14 But
now your kingdom shall not continue (your position/promotion that
I gave you shall be taken away); the Lord has sought out [David]
a man after His own [a]heart,
and the Lord has commanded him to be prince and ruler over His
people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.
(Saul) (1 Samuel 16:7-God judges the heart) (Though
David messed up, yet God saw his heart, which was right before God.
A Heart God wanted.
Psalm 51:10,
16-18
16For
thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest
not in burnt offering. 17The
sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart,
O God, thou wilt not despise.”
10Create
in me a clean heart, (In your Spiritual
Development-vacuum your heart with his word/spot remover-Shout
commercial-spray you with his anointing-that
will loose whatever is holding you) O God; and renew a right
spirit within me.
Ways
to keep your heart diligent before God!
Acts
10 1There was a certain man in Caesarea called
Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
2A
devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave
much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
#1
the fear of the LORD - Cornelius feared the LORD. not a fear that, you
don’t want to wake up in the morning, fearful, that God will smite
you, but a fear that reverance the LORD, that respects him; yes we
fall down, and God picks us back up again, yet when we do fall, it
isn’t an opportunity to take joy in it, but say LORD, cleanse me,
restore me, when my faith is shaky and I’m doubting you LORD, God
keep me diligent.
3He
saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day (3pm) an
angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
4And
when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, what is it, Lord? And
he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a
memorial (remembered) before God.
#2.
Prayer-Is communication with God. (#3-Fasting)
all of us need more prayer daily, b/c so much wickedness goes on
every day. We don’t know what we have to face from day to day, so
it’s important to have consistency with prayer. (Setting up time to
spend with God) we schedule everything else daily, except time for
God. This man, b/c he was faithful, and diligent in his prayers, had
a visitation from an angel, at 3pm. God saw this man’s diligence
and saw his heart; it was pure in wanting God and seeking God for
answers, not just from time to time. (Ex: 1st got saved)
-In
sports, in order to be the best, you have to put in work and be
diligent to get results. This man was diligent and look how God
blessed him.
5And
now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is
Peter:
6He
lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he
shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.
-
Look at this, because Cornelius was diligent, God was ready to
answer him and to show him something, that he’s never seen,
something that would change his life and the people with him, b/c his
heart was right and look who he chose, Peter. (The same guy that
denied Jesus 3 times, cursed and even turned away, yet even though
the enemy had got the best of him at that moment, God was still
faithful in what he called Peter to do; God prayed for Peter, and
when he was strengthened, he went forth and preached thousands to
salvation. (Acts 2)
- God
has prayed for us, that’s why we have to keep ourselves diligent
and our hearts right, b/c God has people assigned to us. Peter
didn’t even know, he was going to be speaking to these three men;
he didn’t even know until the next day, but God had already sent
them.
7And
when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two
of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited
on him continually;
8And
when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to
Joppa.
9On
the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto
the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth
hour:
17)
Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen
should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made
enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate.”
-Peter
was hungry and was getting ready to eat, yet he fell into a trance
and saw these ‘four-footed beasts and all different kinds of
unclean or common foods, that he and the people of God didn’t eat;
yet God told him “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou
common.”
-Don’t
call unclean, what I’ve now cleansed and called clean. 3 times, he
saw the vision. And God was trying to get Peter out of what he was
used to, b/c he was getting ready in natural, to cleanse some people
that everyone else deemed unclean. When your heart is diligent, you
may never know who God may cleanse, who God may use to be a blessing
to you. (Ex: people you don’t even like, God can cause to bless
you) (Habakkuk 1:5)
18And
called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were
lodged there.
19While
Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three
men seek thee.
20Arise
therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for
I have sent them.
- These
men were diligent before God, and God had a blessing with their name
on it, and despite Peter’s own prejudices, God told him, go down
there, b/c I have some people waiting on you. Don’t let your
emotions of your heart get the best of you or don’t let your own
understanding, keep you from blessing someone else.
- This
is a spiritual thing God was doing, “Proper attention and
care“ Diligent. There wasn’t time for Peter to walk in
his flesh, b/c God was getting ready to show that “PRAYER STILL
WORKS” (Diligent) Jeremiah 24:7And I will give them an
heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people,
and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their
whole heart.” When people are diligent and really want to know
the LORD and experience them, no longer wanting to walk in the old
life, God will give them a heart.
21)
Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from
Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause
wherefore ye are come?
22And
they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth
God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned
from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to
hear words of thee.
- God
had something that he had only revealed to Peter, the Apostles and
the Jews; yet God was saying that people’s hearts are hungry, for
the move of God, power of God and I can let them just die. God was
calling for the people of God who he chose to work this ministry, to
be diligent, and not get out of place of where God put them because
of feelings, emotions, how they feel or how they see things; God was
saying I need you to be diligent now, b/c this isn’t about you.
34)
Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God
is no respecter of persons:
35But
in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is
accepted with him.
36The
word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by
Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
-Eventually
in this chapter, Cornelius and all his house end up not only getting
baptized in Jesus name, but the Holy Ghost ends up falling on
everyone that “Heard” the Word and people that everyone else had
counted out ended up getting saved. It even shocked Peter and the
Jews. (Ex: Peter’s own attitude toward them - Acts 10 - (Crayons &
Attitude)
#4
Obedience -Though Peter didn’t understand everything, he was
obedient to God; this is a crucial part of keeping yourself diligent
in the things of God. (Ex: prayer I wrote-2007)
-Yet
this was God’s opportunity to show nothing is too hard for God, if
we are diligent and keep our hearts before God.
Psalm 119:80 80Let
my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.
#5
Let your Heart (the center of total personality)
be sound and established in the Word. Don’t worry about people and
things, just stay obedient to God. (Proverbs 21 1The
king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he
turneth it whithersoever he will.) As my Bishop dealt with, God can
cause your boss or enemy to bless you, or even come to you and ask
you to pray for them. (Wicked) (Hebrews 4:12-intents of the heart”)
(Ps. 28:7-Heart-Trust God)
Psalm 139: 23 “Search
me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. #6-God
will search you.’-Jeremiah 17:9-10- ‘Heart is desperately
wicked and only God searches it and knows it.”
-When you’re diligent before
God, ‘his peace will keep you, even when you don’t want to be
kept. (Phil. 4:7) It passes my own understanding sometimes why, even
a person like me, God would spare, even when I mess up, but b/c I
have a heart that wants to be diligent and wants to do the things of
God, he continues to look past my faults, and work out of me, the
things not like him, so I can get to my destiny.
#7“Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
- Keep your fire burning for God; don’t let people, things, etc. kill it. Ezra 7:10 “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.”
(Ezra prepared his heart before he went before the people of God. He sought the Word of God, to be obedient to it, to set back law and order in the Land of rebellion, wickedness and the turning away from God. (Israel) So too, we have to prepare our hearts before God in diligence, so that God may be glorified in and through us. Amen!!!!
Hebrews
4:12 12 For
the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and
of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart.
Psalms
28:7 “7 The
Lord
is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am
helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I
praise him.”