"MY
HEART'S DESIRE"
Romans
10:1
Sometimes I hear men preach
who do not appear to have any real burden upon their hearts. Their doctrine is orthodox. They are well prepared. And they have unquestionable ability. But they do not seem to really care whether
people believe or do not believe, whether their hearers are saved or
damned. They just come before men and
lay out the facts. The apostle Paul was
not such a man! He had a message from
the heart of God, which he had experienced in his own heart. And he delivered his message to the hearts
of men, as one who could not endure the thought of men and women perishing
without Christ. Knowing the terror of
the Lord, he persuaded sinners to flee to Christ (2 Cor. 5:10-11).
He reveals his heart's
emotions in his epistle to the Romans. "I say the truth in Christ, I lie not,
my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great
heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
For I could wish myself accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen
according to the flesh" (9:1-3).
Paul the apostle was moved
to record those words by the same Spirit who moved Moses the prophet to say to
the Lord, If thou wilt not forgive their sin, "blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast
written" (Ex. 32:32). Most of
the commentators I have read try very hard to make these passages say what they
do not say. They cannot understand
orthodox men making such statements. I
am confident that both Moses and Paul meant exactly what they said. They loved the people to whom they
preached. Yes, they spoke extravagantly. But love speaks extravagantly. Love does not speak in calculated terms,
without feeling. Love, when it is bursting to make itself known, will often speak beyond pure rationality.
Of course, in more sober
moments, no man would give up Christ for another, or exchange his own soul's
salvation for another's. And any
believer knows that such a ransom could never be accepted by God. But a genuine love for the souls of men and
an earnest desire for their salvation, for the glory of Christ, compelled these
men of God to speak beyond mere rationality.
They spoke as dying men to dying men.
God make me such a preacher. Men
with aching hearts are likely to hear men whose hearts ache for them.
My prayer and my heart’s
desire to God for you is that you might be save. Oh, may God grant you grace to
trust his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. You are a sinner, a rebel. A hater of
God! That is right, and you know it. I speak the truth, because I care for your
soul. Except you repent, you shall perish. You must be washed in the blood of
Christ. His blood alone can satisfy the justice of God. Your foul, naked soul
must be robed in the righteousness of Christ.
Your righteousnesses, those
things about yourself that you vainly imagine to be good works are so shot full
of sin that God calls them filthy rags. Your imaginary goodness is an
abomination before the holy Lord God. You cannot be accepted of God except by
Christ, washed in his blood, robed in his righteousness, born of his Spirit.
Oh, may God do for you what you cannot and will not do for yourself. Come to
Christ! O sinner, come to Christ now, and be saved! May God now cause you to
come. O God of all grace, perform your mighty operation of grace today. Give
sinners life and faith in your darling Son, for the glory of your own great
name.
Amen.
Grace Baptist Church of Danville - Grace For
Today Radio Message #764
2734 Old Stanford Road -
Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438
Donald S. Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 606-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net