Psalm 119: Focus On God's Word Pt. 99 Helps & Hindrances To An Enlarged Heart.

Psalm 119:25-31  DALETH. My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word. 26)  I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes. 27)  Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works. 28)  My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word. 29)  Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously. 30)  I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me. 31)  I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame. 

Run on the holy path of God's commands

Psalm 119:32  I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. 

In our last post, we looked at how important it is to hear and heed what God is saying to us in His Word. In this post, we will learn about those things in life that can cause our heart to shrink from the things of God, instead of being enlarged toward Him and by Him. 

Let God's Word dwell in our hearts richly. 

Colossians 3:16,17  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17)  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. 

Knowledge of the holy is found only in the inspired scriptures. Therefore, Paul tells us to let the Word of God dwell in us richly. 

This connects with the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. The word "dwell" means that the scriptures are to live in our hearts, because God designed them to influence us for our good and His glory. 

God's word is full of treasure for each believer. Having it dwell in our hearts is exceedingly valuable to us. 

Scripture will help us when we need help and the Spirit of God will use the truth stored up in our hearts, to prompt our minds when we need it. 

We can see from the text above just how much the scriptures dwelling in us enlarges our hearts. 

We will experience a full, happy, joy worshiping our God and experiencing songs of joyful melody in our heart. 

Letting God's Word dwell in us richly is exactly what the Psalmist wants us to see regarding running the way of His commandments. 

Enlarged heart is based upon the knowledge of God. 

Proverbs 2:5  Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 9:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Habakkuk 2:14  For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

These texts above underscore what it means to let the Word of God dwell in us richly. 

The scriptures will lead us to the knowledge of God. They will lead us to the knowledge of His holiness. They will help us see the knowledge of Jehovah's glory that is all around us if we look for it. 

Ignorance is one hindrance to a believer enjoying and sharing the blessing of an enlarged heart. It is by knowledge of the things of God that grace pours into our soul and our heart is enlarged. 

If the holy scriptures are not dwelling in our hearts, then we will dry up and be as useless as Ezekiel's valley of dry bone (See Ezekiel 37).

Do not be ignorant of all spiritual blessings we have in Christ. 

1 Corinthians 12:1  Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

One type of ignorance that can cause our heart to contract instead of being enlarged, it not knowing about the spiritual gifts God has given us. 

If we do not learn about them, we will not seek all the spiritual blessings that God has for us in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:3).

Do not be ignorant of our enemy, the Devil.

2 Corinthians 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Another type of ignorance that can stifle our enlarged heart is not knowing about the spiritual realm. We need and want to know about angels, but we also need to know about our great enemy, the devil and his demons. 

If we are ignorant about who he is and what he wants to do to destroy us, then he will have gained a considerable advantage over us. 

Do not be ignorant of the second coming of Christ. 

1 Thessalonians 4:13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

If we are ignorant about the rapture and the second coming of Jesus Christ, then we will lose hope and our heart will not enjoy being enlarged by God. 

Do not fall into the trap of loving the world instead of Christ. 

Luke 21:34-36  And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35)  For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36)  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. 

Loving the things of the world instead of the things of God will always result in our heart being shrunk and our heavenly enlargement will dissipate.

The word "overcharged" means to be weighed down to the point that we cannot move. It is an indicator of spiritual lethargy.  

Those who pursue worldly pleasures will forget about the return of Jesus Christ, and be immersed in all that they can acquire and experience in this life. 

Paul told Timothy that all who seek to be rich will fall into the snare of loving money more than loving Christ (Matthew 6:24; 1 Timothy 6:9-10). 

They are like those who received the seed of the gospel that fell on thorny ground. They cared more about the world and wealth and become unfruitful.

Cry out to Jehovah when grief or sorrow weigh us down. 

Psalm 34:17-19  The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. 18)  The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 19)  Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. 

Great sorrows of the heart that we carry ourselves, will cause our heart to be constrained and evaporate the enlarging work of God. We must cry out as the Psalmist did, seeking help and comfort from Jehovah. He promised to help us and He will. 

Ask God to make us humble in heart and contrite in spirit. 

Isaiah 57:15  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 

Jehovah is the high and lofty God who inhabits eternity. Yet, He loves us so much that He stepped out of eternity and entered the space, time and matter continuum that He created to govern our universe. He did this in the Person of Jesus Christ.

Notice the powerful promise in this text. Jehovah will dwell with us. He will come near to those who have humble spirits and contrite hearts. He will revive us and pour refreshment into us when we most need it. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

Is the Word of God dwelling in us richly? If it is not, then we must ask this of the Lord and pick up our Bibles and read them with care and diligence. 

Have we enjoyed the enlarging work of God in our hearts? We can praise Him for this marvelous display of His grace at work in us.

Are external things pressing in on us so that our enlarged heart is fading away? 

Cast all your cares upon Jehovah for He cares for us. 

Ask for His help and comfort in times of need, for He promised to supply them. 

Search the scriptures daily to know His promises and to plead them in prayer to Christ. 

Trust God. Childlike faith and trust that the God of all creation will always do all things well and will always do what is right.

May the Lord of glory do His enlarging work in us. 

May He make us more like Christ each day. 

May the Spirit of God strengthen our inner man so that we do not allow the tragedies and heartaches of this life to cause our enlarged heart to shrink.

Bob