A Heart to Know God
Keith Malcomson emphasizes that true revival, salvation, and Christianity come from God giving believers a new heart to genuinely know Him, beyond mere external religion or knowledge.
This sermon emphasizes the importance of having a heart to know God, highlighting the need for a genuine relationship with Him. It delves into the significance of true revival, true salvation, and true Christianity, emphasizing the necessity of keeping God's commandments, loving others, and abiding in His truth as marks of knowing God. The message calls for a deep, personal, and intimate knowledge of God that transforms lives and leads to genuine biblical Christianity.
Sermon Outline
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I. The Gift of a Heart to Know God
- God gives a new heart that enables true knowledge of Him.
- This heart is a divine gift, not earned or manufactured.
- Knowing God is the highest pursuit beyond wisdom or riches.
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II. The Context of Jeremiah 24:7 and True Revival
- The vision of two baskets of figs symbolizes God's people in captivity and those left behind.
- God uses affliction and captivity to prepare a people for revival.
- True revival involves a heart turned fully to God, not external religious form.
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III. The Characteristics of True Revival
- Revival is marked by repentance and a genuine desire to know God.
- It is not about ministry success, buildings, or fame.
- Historical revivals, like the Welsh Revival, show God’s power through a heart to know Him.
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IV. Application and Warning
- If God is not dealing with you, you risk being among the 'bad figs'.
- God’s refining process is to heal and bring revival.
- Believers must seek a heart fully devoted to knowing God.
Key Quotes
“I will give them a heart to know me. What a remarkable verse. What a remarkable promise. What a remarkable proclamation from a real God.” — Keith Malcomson
“If you know God this morning, God gave that to you. It wasn't your righteousness. It wasn't you seeking after him. It wasn't that you're so brainy, or intelligent, or educated, or you're a book reader. None of that.” — Keith Malcomson
“True revival is when God gives his people a heart to know him again. It's not money. It's not ministry. It's not mega buildings. It's not being known. It's not titles. You know what it is? God has given me a heart to know him.” — Keith Malcomson
Application Points
- Seek God daily with a sincere heart that desires to know Him beyond superficial religion.
- Embrace God's refining process, including trials, as preparation for revival in your life.
- Reject worldly pursuits that can distract from the primary goal of knowing and serving God wholeheartedly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to have a heart to know God?
It means God has given you a new, transformed heart that desires and is able to truly know, love, and fellowship with Him.
Is knowing God something we can achieve by our own efforts?
No, knowing God is a supernatural gift from Him; it cannot be earned or created by human wisdom or effort.
Why does God allow affliction or captivity according to the sermon?
God uses affliction and difficult circumstances to prepare and purify His people for true revival and a deeper relationship with Him.
What distinguishes true revival from false revival?
True revival is marked by a heart given by God to know Him, genuine repentance, and transformation, not just external religious activity or success.
How can I know if God is dealing with me?
If you experience conviction, brokenness, and a desire to turn fully to God, it indicates He is working in your heart for revival.