Tag: seek Him

“Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart”

 

Psalm 119 1-8.  Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart— they do no wrong but follow his ways. You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.

This long psalm deserves a long introduction. The author is unnamed; older commentators almost universally said it is a psalm of David, composed throughout his entire life. More modern commentators sometimes conclude that it is post-exilic, coming from the days of Nehemiah or Ezra. It may be that David was the author, but we can’t say this with certainty, and it is not necessary to know; if it were important, God would have preserved the name of David to this psalm. No matter who the author was, it was likely written over some period of time and later compiled, because there is not a definite flow of thought from the beginning of the psalm to the end. The sections and verses are not like a chain, where one link is connected to the other, but like a string of pearls where each pearl has equal, but independent value.

Though this is only a small section of the 119th Psalm it is important to see what others have said of the whole before diving into it.

“This wonderful psalm, from its great length, helps us to wonder at the immensity of Scripture. From its keeping to one subject it helps us to adore the unity of Scripture; for it is but one. Yet, from the many turns it gives to the same thought, it helps you to see the variety of Scripture…. 

Some have said that in it there is an absence of variety, but that is merely the observation of those who have not studied it. I have weighed each word, and looked at each syllable with lengthened meditation; and I bear witness that this sacred song has no tautology in it, but is charmingly varied from beginning to end. Its variety is that of a kaleidoscope: from a few objects a boundless variation is produced. In the kaleidoscope you look once, and there is a strangely beautiful form. You shift the glass a very little, and another shape, equally delicate and beautiful, is before your eyes. So it is here.” (Charles Spurgeon)

 “The reason we are not happy is that we sin, and the main reason we sin as much as we do is that we do not know the Bible well enough…. Apart from being instructed by God, human beings do not know how to achieve happiness.” (Boice)

 We wouldn’t know what a pure life was without God telling us. Certainly, some aspects of a pure life are revealed in human conscience and known widely among humanity. Yet there are other aspects of the pure life that we learn only from the word of God. (Guzik)

“To enjoy this beatitude a holy walking must become habitual. This sacred exercise is very different from sluggish piety. ‘Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord.’ A man may sit down in the road without soiling his skin or fouling his apparel, but that is not enough. There must be progress – practical action – in the Christian life; and in order to experience blessedness we must be doing something for the Master.”  “Blessedness is ascribed to those who treasure up the testimonies of the Lord: in which is implied that they search the Scriptures, that they come to an understanding of them, that they love them, and then that they continue in the practice of them. We must first get a thing before we can keep it. In order to keep it well we must get a firm grip of it: we cannot keep in the heart that which we have not heartily embraced by the affections.” Yet, we do not miss the emphasis on the heart. “God is not truly sought by the cold researches of the brain: we must seek him with the heart. Love reveals itself to love: God manifests his heart to the heart of his people. It is in vain that we endeavour to comprehend him by reason; we must apprehend him by affection.” “There is a twofold shame; the shame of a guilty conscience; and the shame of a tender conscience. The one is the merit and fruit of sin; the other is an act of grace.” “Young man, the Bible must be your chart, and you must exercise great watchfulness that your way may be according to its directions. You must take heed to your daily life as well as study your Bible, and you must study your Bible that you may take heed to your daily life. With the greatest care a man will go astray if his map misleads him; but with the most accurate map he will still lose his road if he does not take heed to it.”(Spurgeon)

“Neither is it enough that we understand or ponder God’s precepts, but we must practise them, if we would be happy.” (Trapp)

“Because it was a hard thing to rightly understand this word in all its parts, and harder to put it in practice, he therefore intermixed many prayers to God for his help therein, thereby directing and encouraging others to take the same course.” (Poole)

 “Without thee I can do nothing; my soul is unstable and fickle; and it will continue weak and uncertain till thou strengthen and establish it.” (Clarke)

Proverbs 2:10-12: When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things.

34.p. ” In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe”

 

Hebrews 11:6    And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

 Hebrews 3:12     Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

 Hebrews 4:2    For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.

 Hebrews 4:6   Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience,

 Revelation 21:8   But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur

 Numbers 14:11    And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?

 John 3:18-19   Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

 Psalms 78:22   because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power.

 Psalms 78:32    In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe.

 Proverbs 11:18     The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.

 Jeremiah 29:13-14   You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the LORD,

Brethren, we call ourselves Christians; let us be honest with ourselves, and rigid in the investigation of the thoughts of our own hearts. Is there a wish for God there? Is there an aching void in His absence, or do we shovel cartloads of earthly rubbish into our hearts, and thus dull desires that can be satisfied only with Him? These are not questions to which any one has a right to expect an answer from another; they are not questions that any Christian man can safely shirk answering to himself and to God. The measure of our seeking is actually settled by the measure of our desire. (MacLaren)

Having one eye of our hearts and minds tuned into and seeking and desiring what the world has to offer, and having the other eye turned toward heaven will not find a place for things of God. The things of earth will eat away any desire and seeking that our hearts and minds would have for things of God. Whatever this world may shout loud and strong into the ears of any who would listen will influence their path in life and hinder any things of God from being heard or seen. The heart of man must want to see and hear things of God above what this world has to offer or they will blindly and deafly follow after what seems right in their own eyes and social norms. 

Seek to have God open His Word and give you understanding, knowledge, and wisdom of His grace, mercy and love.

26.o. “Serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind”

 

Galatians 4:8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.

 1 Thessalonians 3:5    For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

 Romans 1:28    And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

 1 Corinthians 1:21   For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom,

 Ephesians 4:18   They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

 1 Chronicles 28:9  “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

Legalism caters to and recognizes our flesh by putting the focus on what we achieve for God, not on what Jesus did for us. We can have a living, free, relationship with God as a loving Father based on what Jesus did for us and who we are in Him. Or we can try to please God by our best efforts of keeping the rules, living in bondage as slaves, not sons. Living that way makes the whole gospel in vain.  Such is the battle we all face.  We lean more toward what we can do to make ourselves right before God rather than what He has done through Christ, thereby resting, relying on, and trusting in this alone.  It is when we recognize, take captive, and discard these thoughts of self-reliance we will truly be able to honor and glorify Jesus Christ through faith in Him alone.  If there was an equation, to sum up, this type of thinking it would be; My works + the work of Christ = eternal life.  This way of thinking literally says Christ’s sacrifice was not enough.  Anything added to Christ’s sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin = nothing, zero, failure.  In Christ alone, there is forgiveness, salvation, redemption, and eternal life.  Don’t be tempted or allow your mind to be tricked into thinking you can in any way add any benefit for your soul other than through Jesus Christ.

26.h. “You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!”

Psalms 119:1  Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. I will praise you with an upright heart when I learn your righteous rules. I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!

Blessed are those whose way is blameless (undefiled).  Being “blessed” – happy, joyful, cheerful, satisfied, content, and at peace seems to be a rarity in very many people. There is so much stuff out there that quickly captures our thoughts away from things of God. Open up any online media source that is proclaiming news.  You will not find one mention of God’s Word other than to use it wrongly or to prove a point against God. These outlets of societal worldly thoughts want to tell you how to be happy, satisfied, and content.  They will bend the truth, lie, cause fear, make boasts, cast doubts, and most assuredly will promote what seems right for the time or in the eyes.  Think about how much of your time and brain is consumed by this rubbish of foolishness.  You hear people say “I read where”, “I saw that”, “so and so said”, “I saw on the news”, “they say”, etc…. Do you ever hear “God’s Word says”? What would it be like if every news and social media outlet would have an editor who reviewed what was being said in light of scripture? What would our government officials be saying if everything they said were as if God was listening? When there is no hunger and thirst, desire and longing, and wanting for God’s Word, what comes out of the heart will be seasoned and filled with what those void of God’s Word want to hear.  

There is nothing more worthy of our time than God’s Word.  There is nothing more precious than God’s Word and His promises. There is nothing more satisfying than God’s Word. There is nothing that can bring peace to the heart, mind, and soul than God’s Word. There is nothing more powerful than God’s Word. There is nothing more that can give courage, hope, and joy than God’s Word. And yet, day after day we choose to neglect it in search of what only it can bring into our lives. There is no excuse to neglect or become complacent with God’s Word. 

3.s. But my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.

Ezra 8:21  Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

2 Chronicles 16:9    For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him

Psalms 33:18-19   Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,  that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.

1 Peter 3:12    For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer.

Zephaniah 1:6    those who have turned back from following the LORD, who do not seek the LORD or inquire of him.”

Hebrews 10:38    but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

Faith in action.  It takes a very close humble walk with God to have this kind of faith, where you are ashamed to ask for protection from the king, who is more than willing and able to supply the protection, because in your heart you know God is more protection, more powerful, more awesome, and no one can defeat what He has put into motion.  I am reminded once again of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they told the king that our God is able to protect us from your threat, but even if He does not we will not bow down and worship your image.  Ezra is saying about the same thing when he purposed not seek the king’s help and protect but chose faith in God.  He was ashamed to have even thought the thought of asking the King.

If we were true to ourselves and asked how many times do we seek help outside of seeking and trusting God, what would that number be?  Trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation is a little easier as there is no other savior who can save us.  However, when we come down to living out our daily lives and see we can get help outside of asking Jesus we easily turn toward a non-faith, non-Jesus, solution.  Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.  Our faith will only mature as we grow closer to Jesus.  Our closer walk with Jesus will only mature when we spend time in His word.  Time in His word will only mature when we intentionally/daily commit with our whole heart, mind, and soul to humble service, honoring, glorifying, worshiping, following, trusting, and obeying Him.  Our maturity will then happen line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little.  When we see Jesus Christ as our all in all for every moment of every day we will begin to grow and mature in our faith.

2.n. If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.’”

2 Chronicles 10:20  Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.”

Isaiah 7:9    And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.’”

Isaiah 26:3   You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

John 14:1   “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

Romans 8:31   What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Luke 16:31    He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

Hebrews 11:6    And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

John 5:46-47     For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.  But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

Belief, non-belief, and somewhere in between.  A belief mindset with a whole heart, mind, and soul has visible and unseen qualities and attributes.  These qualities and attributes reflect the light, grace, love, and mercy of Jesus Christ.  This reflection can be a light on a hill to anyone within sight.  This reflection yields to that which honors and glorifies Jesus Christ.  The person who yields must intentionally choose to yield.  Their light does not grow dim or become overshadowed when the darkness of storms roll into their life.  In fact, the light becomes brighter and more visible.  This person spends time in God’s word meditating on it, drinking and breathing it in for they seek above all else to hear and be used by God.  There is hardly a waking moment where they are not living in a sought after presence with Jesus Christ.  They hear, follow, and obey the whispers of the Holy Spirit through His word.  They continue to grow in understanding and knowledge of what it means to deny self.  They grow in understanding of sin and their sinful nature that keeps trying to take control.  They keep their eyes on eternity and humbly walk this life to serve, honor, worship, glorify, follow, obey, trust, and rely on Jesus Christ.

The non-belief mindset gives their whole heart, mind, and soul to do what is right in their own eyes.  Their guidance is focused on that which makes them feel good, in control, and false dreams of purpose.  Their satisfaction is never satisfied.  Their hunger for more pleasing and purpose is never satisfied.  They follow their own desires for self-interest.  Happiness and joy never last and they move from one thing to the next.  They spend their time purposefully without seeking or desiring Jesus Christ.  They happily mock and reject Him.  They are more concerned with things of this world and deny the creator of it.  They are lost and follow the wide path of life that leads to eternity in Hell.  They give approval to their lifestyle and others who do the same.  There is hope for these and others like them to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and be saved.

Those somewhere in between are the ones who are truly lost.  Their belief leads them to think they are right with God but their life has no reflection of the light of Jesus Christ.  Their life in outward appearance looks no different than those with no belief.  They know what to say and they pretend all that they do is all that is expected in Christian life.  They compare themselves with others and perform to a level they think will be acceptable to God.  They spend little time in devotion and even less time in the study of His word.  They may attend church but display no gifts of the Holy Spirit to edify and grow the body of the church.   They have become satisfied with neglect and complacent living.  There are much self-interest activities in their life.  They allow the busyness of life to take control of their life and give little to no thought of Jesus Christ throughout the day.  They are lukewarm and seem to follow the path of least effort when it comes to serving Jesus Christ.  There is no growth and they are stagnating.  They are no more on the path that leads to life than those with no belief.  Because they have once heard and believed but now have chosen to turn their backs to God, His Word, and try to share their self-interest/self-centered heart, soul, and mind with Him.  This is a deception.  There is no sharing of our heart, soul, and mind.  We either give whole to one or the other.  These are the worst for they have the appearance of a Christian but have no power and light of Jesus Christ in their life.

2.b. The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him,

2 Chronicles 15:1  The Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded, and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. For a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest and without law, but when in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them. In those times there was no peace to him who went out or to him who came in, for great disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands. They were broken in pieces. Nation was crushed by nation and city by city, for God troubled them with every sort of distress. But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.”

As soon as Asa heard these words, the prophecy of Azariah the son of Oded, he took courage and put away the detestable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities that he had taken in the hill country of Ephraim, and he repaired the altar of the Lord that was in front of the vestibule of the house of the Lord. And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who were residing with them, for great numbers had deserted to him from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. They were gathered at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. They sacrificed to the Lord on that day from the spoil that they had brought 700 oxen and 7,000 sheep. And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul, but that whoever would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman. They swore an oath to the Lord with a loud voice and with shouting and with trumpets and with horns. And all Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and had sought him with their whole desire, and he was found by them, and the Lord gave them rest all around.

Even Maacah, his mother, King Asa removed from being queen mother because she had made a detestable image for Asherah. Asa cut down her image, crushed it, and burned it at the brook Kidron. But the high places were not taken out of Israel. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true all his days. And he brought into the house of God the sacred gifts of his father and his own sacred gifts, silver, and gold, and vessels. And there was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Asa.

Asa listened to the prophet.  He had open ears and mind to hear because he sought God with all his heart.  We can know what to do and how to respond to many things from God’s word.  Asa took courage from God’s word and took action accordingly.  When God’s word is received by a person who is seeking God with all their heart, mind, and soul, they are moved by the leading of the Holy Spirit into action that would not have happened otherwise.  Their inner being is renewed, strengthened and that which was worrying them is now faced with courage.

Note how the people of Israel came to live under the rule of Asa because they saw the Lord God was with him.  Note how they responded with sacrifices unto God and entered into a covenant to seek the Lord with all their heart and all their souls.  Anyone who would not do so should be put to death.  They rejoiced over the oath that was given with all their heart and how they sought the Lord with their whole desire and He was found by them.  They were given rest from all around because the Lord gave it to them and His hand of protection was over them.

Asa removed his mother from being queen mother because she made a detestable image.  Asa was wholly true all his days.

It is one thing to commit to the Lord Jesus Christ, to come that first time loaded with sin and guilt, to come with a need to be forgiven, to come trusting in and relying on redemption, mercy, and grace through Jesus Christ.  It is another thing to be wholly true all your days.  What does it take to be wholly true?  First is a desire and seeking that comes from deep in your heart, mind, and soul for God.  Second, there is a desire and seeking to hear Him speak into your life.  Third, there is a willingness to follow and obey what He says or has said. Fourth there is a turning away from that which is not pleasing to God.  Following God with our whole heart, mind, and soul is not like making a New Years resolution that slowly drifts away after a time.  No, it is a commitment that is fueled by an absolute need and want to be in His presence and knowing Him and doing that which honors Him.  This commitment is renewed with each breath and brought into focus with each blink of the eye.  This commitment is both the bread of life and living water for the soul.  This commitment gives life to the heart and should and without it, no purpose and satisfaction are found.

1.l. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.

1 Chronicles 28:6  And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts; for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and mine ordinances, as at this day. Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of Jehovah, and in the audience of our God, observe and seek out all the commandments of Jehovah your God; that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you for ever.

And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Jehovah searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. Take heed now; for Jehovah hath chosen thee to build a house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.

Hosea 4:1   Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land;

Jeremiah 24:7  I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.

Acts 17:30    The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

1 Corinthians 15:34     Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

2 Corinthians 4:6     For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Wake up, take heed, hear the word of the Lord, and repent.  Why the need to wake up – because we have fallen asleep to God’s word.  Why take heed – because it will go well with you and you will find peace and rest.  Why hear the word of the Lord – because in it we find eternal life, peace, courage, joy, hope, strength, and love.  Why repent – because there must be a conscious recognition of our personal sin and intentional choice to turn away (repent) from it.

This call o wake up, take heed, hear the word of the Lord, and repent is for everyone.  It is worthy of giving thought to it.  It is worthy of examining your life against it.  It is worthy of intentionally choosing to honor Jesus Christ with all our heart, mind, and soul, in all we think, say and do.

192. Broken cisterns that can hold no water.

2 Kings 21:19 Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as Manasseh his father had done. He walked in all the way in which his father walked and served the idols that his father served and worshiped them. He abandoned the Lord, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the Lord. And the servants of Amon conspired against him and put the king to death in his house. But the people of the land struck down all those who had conspired against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.

Deuteronomy 32:15     “But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.

1 Chronicles 28:9    If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

Jeremiah 2:13     for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

What kind of person do you have to be to have your servants conspire to put you to death?  At 22 years old Amon began his reign and we need to remember that his father Manasseh had done some very bad things.  He was into all sorts of spirit worship and idol worship and even burned one of his sons as a sacrifice.  This is what Amon would have seen so it is not much wonder that he would have learned very bad behaviors.

The Word of God was void during the time of Manasseh and Amon.  We see the result of this lack of regard and reverence for His Word.   It is very important we look at this, as well as other examples, and understand the issue at hand and how we can combat it.  The issue is one of the heart.  The heart is where we hold that which is dear and valuable to us.  If it is not God then it is something else.  The issue is one of the mind.  The mind is where we think, ponder, believe, imagine, and reason.  We will keep in mind what is dear and valuable in our heart.  The issue is one of the soul.  The soul is the subconscious and inner being of the person.  Whatever is in the heart and mind will reside in the soul of a person.  If we give our heart, mind, and soul to Jesus Christ with a deep desire to understand and know Him more and more so that we can best humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow, trust, rely, and obey Him, we will continually be filling our heart with how precious and valuable Jesus Christ is, we will continually be thinking about His great and precious promises, mercy, grace, and steadfast love, and we will be in communion with the Holy Spirit in our soul.   

Open wide the faucet to God’s Word and intentionally choose to break off the valve so that it can never be shut off.  Drink from this faucet continually.  Share from this faucet freely, water seeds of His grace, mercy, and love with it.