Christian Living
December 29, 2011 – Movers, Shakers, and Heart Problems
1 Lord, who shall dwell [temporarily] in Your tabernacle? Who shall dwell [permanently] on Your holy hill?
2 He who walks and lives uprightly and blamelessly, who works rightness and justice and speaks and thinks the truth in his heart,
3 He who does not slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his friend, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he who honors those who fear the Lord (who revere and worship Him); who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 [He who] does not put out his money for interest [to one of his own people] and who will not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved. – Psalm 15:1-5 AMP
I have met thousands of Christians in my life. Some have had weak faith and some have had faith that I thought could literally move mountains. And yes, there have been those who were at times confused in their relationship with God. I have even been there in my own walk with Him. These believers wanted to make a difference for God. They wanted to be movers and shakers in the body of Christ. But they always had trouble in that they could be moved.Today’s passage is a blueprint for Christians so they will never be moved in their faith. It is a guideline to become a mover and a shaker in the body of Christ.
Some of these commands in David’s Psalm are easy. I know what you’re thinking. Don’t charge interest? Hey buddy, I’m no bank and don’t loan money; check that off my list. I don’t accept bribes; that’s illegal. I’m a Christian, so I know I’m despised by evil and immoral people. I live a peaceful life and don’t treat my friends or neighbors wrong. I even respect my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Six out of eleven is not too shabby. So I’ll only be a mover and shaker a little over half of the time, right? Nope. David says if we do all of these things we will never be moved. It is not based on percentages. The real problems arise when Christians make failed attempts at living out the other five of God’s commands listed in today’s passage, and are in turn moved more easily than they thought.
Slander, or gossip, fills the mouths of Christians everywhere every day. In the Southeastern United States where I grew up, there was even an understanding that you could talk about anyone you wanted to and it was not considered gossip as long as it was followed with the phrase “bless their heart,” i.e., I heard Ned’s wife got arrested last night for drunk driving and assaulting a police officer, bless her heart. In Christian circles nowadays gossip is acceptable if preceded by the phrase “you need to pray for,” i.e. you need to pray for Bill and Martha; I hear they’re having marital problems. Such behavior is hardly the mark of a mover and shaker of the faith.
Christians also seem to be moved in the area of making promises. Jesus said to let our yes be yes and our no be no (Matthew 5:37). Very often Christians will promise something, even in a church setting, and then fail to fulfill that promise. Excuses vary from finances to forgetfulness, but you should never back out on what you say you will do, that is, unless it contradicts God’s Word in which case you should repent. If you make a promise, no matter how bad it will hurt you personally, fulfill it.
The last three I will discuss are the first three listed. Living a blameless life, living in righteousness, and speaking truth are all tied together. And at the core of all three is the heart. Having a pure heart is where many Christians not only miss the boat, but they haven’t even looked for it. You see, for some, Christianity is all about appearances and surface. It’s easy to live the façade and live a righteous life in the eyes of others. You can even speak truthfully to others. But many times there are things hidden in the hearts of believers that should not be there. Hearts of Christians are often filled with lust, hatred, and greed. Hearts chasing after such things lead believers into adultery, fornication, theft, and even murder. James even says that if Christians have jealousy in them they are murderers (James 4:2). Feelings such as these in believers not only prevent them from becoming movers and shakers, but they also lead to a very wide gate with the devil waiting on the other side.
If you really think about it, if your heart is right with God, every command in this Psalm is a piece of cake. When your heart is right you will speak and think the truth. You will live a blameless and righteous life. You will fulfill your promises. There will be no evil intent in you whatsoever. And as for those groups who hate Christians and everything they stand for; you will be at the top of their list. You’ll be there because they will know that you are a mover and shaker with no heart problems.
Want to be a mover and shaker? Follow the Psalm Fifteen blueprint. But remember one thing: it all starts with your heart. If you try following the plan without having your heart right, the only thing the world will see is a professed Christian with some serious heart trouble.
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