There are many women in the Bible with HEART: Eve, Abigail, Hanna, Deborah, Priscilla, Hagar, Rizpah, Zipporah, Mary Magdalene, Queen Vashti, Ruth, Ester, Lydia, Martha, the Apostle Junia, Canaanite Woman, Shulamite Woman, the Virtuous Woman, and Mary, the Mother of Jesus to name a few. These women were tenacious, wise, courageous, confident, loving, protective, compassionate, and they stood their ground. They were models of excellence for the kingdom. Sure they had flaws, just like you and me. However, their love for God and the good they did outweighed the errors. These women lived out strong and devoted lives with capital “HE”, capital “ART.” That is to say, “He” (God) – “ART” (DESIGNED) these women’s hearts.

What are the fundamental elements to becoming Women with HEART— Having God’s Designed heart?

• You must LOVE God powerfully and faithfully; with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Putting Him before all else. Women with HEART are living out Acts 17:28, “In Him, I live, breathe, and have my [total] being. That a lot of love. We must also love others who are difficult to love. We must love our enemies; those who undermine and say all manner of evil against us. In spite of, we must do right by them (Luke 6:27-28). Women with HEART, the Bible mentions 417 occurrences in fifty different sections concerning loving God with all your HEART! This seems to be an important concept to God and one worth following.

• Women with heart, when we love someone, we are able to TRUST.  The greater the love . .. the greater the trust level. Just think about someone you deeply love. You will follow them to the moon and back. Therefore, as we love God deeply, we will be able to trust Him. When the storms of life come crashing down, be not  anxious or fearful. Know assuredly that God has your backs (Isaiah 41:10; 43:2, 18, and 19). He is working it all out for your good (Rom. 8:28). So get ready. Your greater works and opportunities are coming. Trust the process women with HEART!

• The third fundamental component is OBEDIENCE for women with capital HE, capital ART – His Heart. Obedience becomes so much easier with #1 and #2 in place. When you love and trust God, really knowing with confidence that He has your backs, then you are able to walk out your loving relationship in the form of obedience. Daily, you live to please Him; rising up early to seek His face. You study the Word in the midnight hours, so that you do not sin against God (Ps. 119:11). Making quality time to be in fellowship with God who you say you love and serve is the highlight of your day. In silent prayer, you seek His heart and not His hands. Establishing a deeper relationship that is not simply cognitive (facts, scriptures, or just knowing about God); you practice being still and KNOWING God relationally (Ps. 46:10). Then, and only then, with obedience in place and a ‘right’ heart (Ps. 51: 7-12) for service, you will be able to ‘effectively enter’ (2 Cor. 10:6 and Ps. 51:13) the Great Harvest that sorely needs workers.

In these last days, as our world spirals out of control, we want to be tenacious in reaching the lost; our family, co-workers, neighbors, and yes, our enemies—be bold–walking in God’s strength as led by His Spirit. We do not want our worst enemy to face the damnation that awaits those that do not know Christ as their Savior. So women, men, and children (Joel 2:28) with Heart—His Heart—let us get busy about Kingdom work. Time is winding down. Get ready! So on that day, you would not have labored in vain or have blood on your hands. So, “act justly, love with great mercy, and to walk humbly with God” (Micah 6:8), so that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and with discernment. As you do so, you will be able to prove the things that are pleasing to God. Then, one day, you will hear our loving Father say, “Servant well done!”

I preached this sermon at Concord Baptist Church (Rev. Lorenzo Norris, Pastor) on August 25, 2019.

Copyright@2019, by Dr. Dianthia Gilmore

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