The Bible Column - My Heart is Fixed
“O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.” Psalm 108:1
“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:14
“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.” Romans 12:1
Please consider with me today three words in the verses above. The words “fixed”, “zealous”, and “reasonable”, tell of the proper heart determination of the believer in love and action for the Lord, because of His great love and cleansing of our sins! Only in the Lord Jesus Christ is our redemption from all iniquity and purification unto himself a peculiar people, made possible! This cleansing is not found in any deed, church, religious rite, or activity! Our all, needs to be toward Him! The word “fixed” speaks of an established faithfulness. The word “zealous” tells of a strong desire toward God, and “reasonable” explains that this action is both logical and warranted.
J.C. Ryle, an English preacher of the 1800’s, explained the true meaning of zeal in the things of the Lord, referenced in Titus 2:14, as follows…
"Zeal in religion is a burning desire to please God, to do His will, and to advance His glory in the world in every possible way. A zealous man in religion is pre-eminently a man of one thing. It is not enough to say that he is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, thorough-going, whole-hearted, fervent in spirit. He sees only one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed up in one thing; and that one thing is to please God. Whether he lives, or whether he dies - whether he has health, or whether he has sickness - whether he is rich, or whether he is poor - whether he pleases man, or whether he gives offense - whether he is thought wise, or whether he is thought foolish - whether he gets blame, or whether he gets praise - whether he gets honor, or whether he gets shame - for all this the zealous man cares nothing at all. He burns for one thing; and that one thing is to please God, and to advance God's glory. If he is consumed in the very burning, he cares not for it - he is content. He feels that, like a lamp, he is made to burn; and if he is consumed in burning, he has but done the work for which God appointed him."
