A commited heart or an obedient heart

[PeterJens]

When I was a kid, under 6 I remember being sent to a sunday school class where the teacher appeared to me to not want to do this class. It stuck in my mind, because I certainly did not want to do it either.

I now have 2 girls who love kids and would do sunday school for youngsters at the drop of a hat.

Now it is something that has always concerned me, christians feeling obligated to do something without having a heart for the people they are trying to help. I hate to say it appears to be good works to earn browny points in heaven, and not a real concern for desiring to share the most precious thing in their lives. And it always shows. It is like a school teacher who hates kids rarely gets respect or a good response.

Now personally I am not sure anymore I would be best placed to share with youngsters, but I certainly would be concerned to share something of value.

I feel that unless you have a real heart for it, you should not be involved, because it is the heart you are wishing to convey and not the words or ideas alone.

So I wondered what people felt, like preaching, preach because you are commanded to, or preach because you feel for the lost?

 

[JesusIsAll]

When I was a kid, under 6 I remember being sent to a sunday school class where the teacher appeared to me to not want to do this class. It stuck in my mind, because I certainly did not want to do it either.

I now have 2 girls who love kids and would do sunday school for youngsters at the drop of a hat.

Now it is something that has always concerned me, christians feeling obligated to do something without having a heart for the people they are trying to help. I hate to say it appears to be good works to earn browny points in heaven, and not a real concern for desiring to share the most precious thing in their lives. And it always shows. It is like a school teacher who hates kids rarely gets respect or a good response.

Now personally I am not sure anymore I would be best placed to share with youngsters, but I certainly would be concerned to share something of value.

I feel that unless you have a real heart for it, you should not be involved, because it is the heart you are wishing to convey and not the words or ideas alone.

So I wondered what people felt, like preaching, preach because you are commanded to, or preach because you feel for the lost?

Agree entirely a brownie points mentality misses the mark, if this means trying to establish one's own righteousness. We'd have to have our own righteousness, first, and ego keep dreaming! A self-righteous person is an evil person, and, if I knew this, I'd not trust such a one to lead my children in faith, as I'd not any worldly sinner. Once coming to Christ, I have always found any righteousness of a desire to be more like Christ, out of love for Christ, admiration of His truth, Person, His loving sacrifice, wishing to obey Him, and knowing, full well, God is not a respecter of persons or impressed by any filthy rags righteousness I could offer. That would, in fact, be offensive against the blood of Christ, and you see this, incessantly, in these forums. I don't go about sinning by letter of the law, but, to this day, more and more I see that I can't stand before Holy God, but clothed in His righteousness! You love and do right, because it's right, no other reason.

 

[Bowhunter2394]

Both, the committed heart comes from a heart that has been 'changed' circumcised by the Spirit, Softened, as God reveals His Un merited Goodness to the Convert, Only God can change the heart that is hard, in rebellion, and not workable as in softening to recieve His Implanted Word, once that Is Revealed to the Convert, an Obedient Heart follows as Directed by the Spirit of Truth, the Paraclete, as He begins to reveal God's Will for that Person thru His Word, Walking Daily with Him, feeding on His Word, hiding that in his/her heart, An Obedient Heart flows from a committed heart, this upon the Revelation of God's Grace in that person's life. and that Heart Belongs to God Himself, and He will direct and guide it According to His Sovereign Will for that person.

Obedience flows from a Committed Heart and its Only God Himself that can change the 'hard heart' to a committed heart... Man tries to do it on his/her own.. but it wont work.. its cold, legalistic, and without Fruit, Holy Ghost Fruit.. indeed! you see alot of that here on this board...

 

[MarcR]

I think that calling is important for all church positions of service and not just ordained staff.

I think that the church, and the Lord are best served when members minister within their gifts and calling.

 

[Angela53510]

I think that a very important element has been left out of this! Training!

I have taught Sunday School many times, at every level from 2 year olds to adults. I have great success at all ages. I know I have been called to teach, but I am also trained to teach! I was a teacher in school for many years, I took courses on how to teach, and I was raised in a home with a father who was a teacher.

I remember once in our small church, back about 8 years ago, I was the worship leader, and I could not teach the Children's Church while leading worship. So my husband answered the call. He complained to me for weeks how he was not getting through to these grade 1 to 3 students, and they were "fooling" around.

I finally got excused from music for one week and came to his classroom. What I found was a teacher reading from a book, kids who were off task, and lessons not getting through. And this was despite a week of preparation on his part. I showed him a few things about separating the trouble makers, how to do transitions a bit, and to speak to the kids, not the paper! In the end, after a few more months, he quit. There was no one else to do the job, but he certainly was not the one either! He has great talents in other things, and I know that he tried his best, but teaching is a difficult job, and not anyone can do it.

I know when I went to Seminary, we learned to preach. That means, how to put a sermon together that not only will people hear, but they will remember and act on it. Before that point, I had no idea how to communicate through preaching. And it was very different than teaching, too!

So yes, we need to be called. We need to walk with God in our own walk. But to be effective for the Lord, we also need to be trained to do the job to the best of our ability.

Surely no one would just decide to join a worship band one day, playing guitar, who had never picked up a guitar before?? We would not just throw them on the stage and expect them to play to the glory of God! So why expect someone to teach, preach, evangelize, etc, without showing them some good ways to do it?

There is no shame in learning how to do things well for God! He is glorified when we serve him with our minds, as well as our hearts!