A Man After God's Own Heart

Brother Sylvestre J. Calauan

Thirsting for God

In this message I want to focus on the latter part of verse 22, which states, "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will." This is a wonderful testimony for one to have. What a legacy David was able to leave! What an example his life showed us! As we look at the life of David and his devotion to God, I believe that we all can agree with the writer, that David was indeed a man after God's own heart.

My friend, would you like to have the same legacy that David had? Would you like to set the same example so that people can say, "There is one after God's own heart"? Dear one, if that is going to be said about you, something must be done in your life in the sight of God. David continually hungered and thirsted after God. If there was ever a man devoted to God, it was David. In the Book of Psalms, his testimony was, "My soul seeketh after thee." How he adored God! It is very important that each of us should have this humbleness in the sight of God.

Psalm 42:1 tells us, "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." We read in Psalm 63:1, "O God, . . . early will I seek thee." David said, "My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God." Saint, are you thirsty for the Word of God? As a child of God, you need to hear the Word. David was devoted to God, and he decided to magnify Him. This was his greatest ambition. His thought through life was, "God is my portion. The Lord be magnified. I will bless the Lord at all times." Child of God, you can give all your life to Him by means of praising Him and dedicating your life to Him. What a wonderful testimony David left for us. Like David, we need to give all the praises to our Lord Jesus Christ.

David made up his mind that throughout his life he was going to seek after God. That is the reason he could say with such conviction, "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want." Friend, if God is with you, who can be against you? That is the reason it is very important to seek the will of God and live for Him. I like the testimony of the Psalmist David. In essence, he said, "My God will defend me. If there is a problem or if trials or afflictions come, God is going to supply me." If God be for us, we should not be fearful, because He will direct and help us.

I thank and praise the Lord that I am in the Church of God. Paul said in Romans 14:8, "For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's." That is the reason we must stay in the Church of God. In my home in Spain, it is difficult to preach the Gospel of God. However, praise the Lord, the government of Spain has opened another door for those who want to preach the Gospel. I thank and praise the Lord that we have a solid Church of God in Spain. God's people are surrounded by worldly things, but I thank and praise the Lord that the Church of God and the standard of the Church of God does not change.

Seeking and Obeying the Will of God

God has blessed my wife and me in our ministry. That is the reason I can say, if you are in the Lord, who can be against you? No one can be against the saint of God and prosper. Though the devil is using some who claim to be in the church, if you are on the Lord's side, you are on the winning side. The reason many people backslide is that they do not have faith in God and they do not allow the Holy Spirit to lead in their lives.

I love the Church of God. The Church of God is the church that Jesus built. She was bought by the blood of Jesus. This is the church in which you can live free from the bondage of sin. That is the reason I am living for Christ! Though trials come, dear saint, you must stay with and love the Church of God. I know that the Spirit of God is working in our midst. You cannot compare the Church of God to other denominations or groups. She is the only true church.

David was a man after God's own heart. The reason David could face so much opposition and remain victorious was that his heart was fixed on serving the Lord. In essence, David said, "I want God's will to be fulfilled. I submit to His will." You need to submit your life to Jesus Christ. To seek after God's heart, you must be honest in His sight and with yourself. You need to ask yourself, "Do I want my way in this matter or do I want God's way?"

God's people need to follow God's way and follow what the Bible says. You need to surrender your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, follow in His footsteps, and have humbleness in the sight of God. You may say, "I want God's way." If you really want God's way, you will search diligently for His way until it is clear; then you will gladly submit and not murmur. You will say amen to His will. When God makes His will known, you have to use that knowledge.

Young person, I would like to encourage you to stand and strive to seek the will of God. Today so many young people are spiritually lost; they have not given their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Because they do not want to follow the will of the Lord. The devil is very deceptive. He will try to use someone to divide the saints. However, if you have faith in the Lord, have an honest heart, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you, the enemy will not succeed. Sometimes the so-called saints of God have murmured against their brothers and sisters. Church of God, we need to eradicate that and stand against it. There is true fellowship in the Church of God. The church never does things against the will of God. The Church of God is called out to live for Christ.

Many times there is too much self pushing forward. If you will carefully and honestly look at yourself in the light of eternity, on your knees, God will reveal something that you can die out to. This is truly an attribute of a man after God's own heart. We all can have this kind of testimony. If we do, our lives will have a greater effect on others.

Cherishing God's Word

Another thing David did was cherish the Word of God. Though he encountered many difficulties in his life, he determined, "I am going to serve the Lord whatever it costs." Too many people get saved, have problems, and then backslide. That should not be. God can help and direct us in what we should do. The most important thing is to give your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, and then you must do as David did. He said, "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee." Where should you put the Word of God? You should keep it deep in your heart. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation." There is power in the Word of God.

How beautiful to be a part of the Church of God! It is wonderful to see sinners come to an altar of prayer and get saved! Church, we need each other. Even though my congregation and I are in Spain, we need the saints' prayers. Friend, you need to keep the Word of God in your heart and put it into practice in your life. The Spirit of God will move and work within you.

I like the examples that David left for us. He said in Psalm 119:11, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." He also said, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105). Then in Psalm 19:10 he said, "More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." The Word of God is very sweet to eat. As the Church of God, we have to stand and follow the will of the Lord. David loved the Word of God and meditated on it day and night. The Bible tell us that David was a man after God's own heart.

Patient Endurance

Another person who was a man after God's heart was Joseph. Joseph was sold by his brothers to a band of traders going to Egypt. One thing I love about Joseph is that when the clouds of bitterness tried to come in, they found no place in his heart. Joseph kept his heart from evil, and because of that, God was always with him. Dear one, it is surprising how quickly a root of bitterness can spring up. Things may cut to the heart like a dagger, but Joseph had something we all need more of: he was determined to keep his heart tender and full of love and compassion. He had a heart to love God. How the Spirit of God worked in the life of Joseph! God was always with him. That is the reason after all his trials (being taken down to Egypt and sold as a slave, being falsely accused in the house of Potiphar by Potiphar's wife, and then being thrown into prison), Joseph's spirit had an effect on his family.

Friend, do you love your family as Joseph loved his family? Joseph had compassion for his family, and later he was well loved and well thought of. Though Joseph was falsely accused by Potiphar's wife, through it all, God was working in his life. Joseph did something that many people would not have done in the same situation. He had every right to take a stand against the lie that Potiphar's wife told against him. However, he weighed the matter, considered the souls involved, and then said within himself,"Rather than to bring shame on my master's house, I will suffer the wrong." Through it all, we can see the humility of Joseph and see how he loved God and his family.

Friend, how is your faith in the Lord? If you commit your life to the Lord, He will change your life.

Paul, in Philippians 1:21, said, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Mark 8:36 states, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" The most important thing for you to do is to live for Christ. Church of God, you are an heir of Heaven.

Joseph patiently endured. Even in prison, there was something remarkable about Joseph. He had a way of adjusting and making the best of things. Dear one, in your time of hurt, there is a resting place. Though difficult trials come in your life, if you are on the Lord's side, you are on the winning side.

I would like to encourage you to stay with the Church of God. Dear saint, if you have faith in God and know the Truth, you know that you ought to stay in the Church of God. The devil is using people to divide the people of God. That ought not to be. God is mighty and powerful, and He can supply all your needs.

Even though Joseph was falsely accused, he had his heart fixed on serving the Lord. He realized that there is a God in Heaven and that if he would wait patiently on Him, He would bring him through. Church, let us put that into practice in our lives every day. If we will do that, we will see that, though the enemy is powerful, he cannot overcome us. God will defend and support us in the time of need and in the time of weaknesses.

Child of God, I would like to encourage you to do what the Lord God wants you to do. Paul said, "For me to live is Christ." Nothing is more important than learning how to serve the Lord. You must learn how to apply the Word of God to your heart. After serving God for many years, the child of God can agree that it was worth it all to serve God. The people of God must be determined to serve the Lord even if they lose their lives. God's Word tells us that if you lose your life in serving the Lord, blessed are you.

Maintaining Your Integrity

Another person who was a man after God's heart was Job. He has been called the great sufferer. When he had lost all, the Bible says he fell on his face and worshiped God. Even after Job heard the news of the loss of his children, he kept his integrity in the sight of God. In spite of the loss of his family, who was very important to him, he kept his integrity in the sight of God. Saint of God, integrity must be inside your heart. Sometimes when problems come, people backslide or stumble. That is not the way to serve the Lord. You need to keep on until you see that God is going to bless you.

Church of God, again I say that we must have integrity in the sight of God. We have to stand, whatever the cost. If we have integrity in the sight of God, He will bless us. Friend, do not give up at the first sign of trouble. That is not the way to serve the Lord. If that is how you have been living, you need to rededicate yourself to God. You need to commit yourself to Him and say, "Lord, I am going to follow You and do whatever You want me to do." The Apostle Paul said in Romans 12:1, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Paul was not speaking of a dead body but a living sacrifice in the sight of God. I would like to encourage you, dear saint, to stand in the Church of God.

Friend, how does the message find you? How is your heart? Do you need to rededicate your life to the Lord Jesus Christ? We can see through Job's life and his testimony how he kept his integrity no matter how difficult it was. As for me, I love to serve the Lord. Again, Mark 8:36 tells us, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" How sad to lose your soul. If you want to be blessed, you must put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and serve Him, and then you must continue to serve Him.

I want to thank the Lord for the many years I have been serving Him. I grew up in the Church of God in the Philippines. When God called me, He told me, "You go to Spain to open the door, to preach the Word there." If you have a heart to serve God, He can use you. I want to thank the Lord that my family has that desire and that He has really blessed our work in Spain.

Job learned that he could lean on the Lord. He suffered deep sorrow; but even in the darkest hours, a ray of light came through. Job said, "I know my Redeemer liveth." What a good expression! In essence, Job said, "Lord, I am going to serve You whatever it may cost and no matter how difficult it is."

In serving the Lord, I have learned that we have to trust Him. Job 23:10 states, "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." Indeed, Job was a man after God's own heart.

Being a Peacemaker

Another person who was a man after God's heart was Abraham. The Bible says that he was called a friend of God. One thing in particular that stands out about him was that he was a peacemaker. We can read in Genesis 13:8 that Abraham said to Lot, "Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren." I love the spirit of Abraham. He said to Lot in Genesis 13:9, "Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left." Abraham was telling Lot, "You choose; I will take what is left."

What a beautiful example Abraham was! He loved peace. In the Church of God this is what we need. In the church there is peace, unity, and sweet fellowship. Abraham had a beautiful spirit, and he valued peace above his own right. Today many people claim to be for peace, yet they do little to obtain it. The Bible says to seek peace and pursue it. If you seek peace and pursue it, you will find it. You can find it in the Church of God. That is the reason you need to allow the Holy Spirit to lead you. The Spirit of God will lead you in the way that you should go.

Seeking and pursuing peace means to go after it. There are things that make for peace and things that make for strife. We do not want strife, but we want peace. Church of God, though many people are against us, we are peacemakers. If you stand for Truth and walk with God, you will always be on the winning side. How can you live victoriously in the sight of God? By being a peacemaker. God loves the peacemaker.

Lot lifted up his eyes and saw the well-watered plains of Jordan, and the Bible says it was comparable to the land of Eden. How beautiful it must have been! Abraham had given to Lot the privilege of choosing that which was good for him. Why? Abraham did not want strife between them. He was a peaceful man. Lot was concerned with his own desires and interests more than the will of God. His vision was too earthly.

Abraham was concerned with having peace; he was a righteous man. You would think, at the least, that Lot would have said, "I don't want to go, Abraham. I have all these riches because of you. I am not worthy to make the decision" or "I would rather stay with you." However, Lot did not give any consideration to Abraham. Lot was so enraptured with what he saw and with what he thought he could gain that, without any consideration of letting Abraham have the first choice, he chose the well-watered plains of Jordan and pitched his tent toward Sodom. Self is an enemy to the Church of God.

If you continue to read in the Book of Genesis, you will learn that after Lot had left, God paid Abraham a visit. Abraham had the presence of God; he had the favor and the blessings of God. Abraham was a man after God's own heart. My friend, do you desire to be a man or a woman after God's own heart? Are you willing to say, as Mary in Luke 1:38, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."

You need to put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. You must put the Word into practice in your daily life, and then God will bless you. You need the leading of the Holy Spirit. Saint, you have an Intercessor, One who can help you in time of need. God can protect you. He will not leave or forsake you, but He will help you in every way. Remember, my friend, that God can see your heart. You must have humbleness and a heart that desires God. Do you need to rededicate your life to Him?

Today many people are lost because their hearts are away from God. He is calling to them, "Come and dedicate your life to Me." If you want to live perfectly in the sight of God and have His blessing upon your life, you must follow the will of the Lord, and in the end you will see the gates of Heaven. Friend, if you have sin in your life, God wants to make your heart clean in His sight.

(Cassette C-4467A)

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