I awoke with the words of a song “My heart sings hallelujah”. Reflecting upon these words, the Spirit brought to mind where Apostle Peter spoke about the words of king David in Acts 2 verse 26 and 28.

Acts 2: 26 and 28
²⁶ Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope.

²⁸ Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

David rejoiced in the Lord because he had a heart of faith. What does it mean to have a heart of faith? David explains it when he says, “you shall make me full of joy with thy countenance”.

The countenance of the Lord is the face of Jesus Christ, which David, and all the patriarchs saw in the knowledge of the first covenant of Moses. The law pointed to the fulness of their salvation when Christ should come.

When David says, “Thou hast made known to me the ways of life” he is speaking again of faith’s responsibility under the old covenant. David performed those duties of faith and experienced that joy.

We also have a heart of faith, for we now partake of that which David looked towards. When the Lord ministered to me “my heart sings hallelujah”, He is referring to the fulness of Christ that we experience in our priesthood as we offer spiritual sacrifices to the Lord. We see the countenance of the Lord in His covenant and we are filled with joy.

Joy is much like rejoicing in that it speaks of reciprocating to God by using the things of Christ to honor Him. The heart of faith reciprocates His glory through fruit bearing. If we look at the word praise and take that to covenant, we know that of all God’s creation, God places the highest value on His work in the soul to reflect the virtue of Christ.

On the other hand, many Christians today will follow another pattern of worship, which does not reciprocate to God the fulness of Christ. They believe they experience the touch of God through their praise and worship songs. Now that is where the error begins and it is the error God is correcting. Most Christians do not know what it means to have a heart of faith, so they repeat in their songs what they desire. Something like, “This I know, Jesus loves me.”

To have a heart of faith, what you desire must be framed by truth, and for this you need to have the foundation knowledge. We then know how God’s relationship with us is based on the fruit bearing process of regeneration. We learn in covenant how to praise and worship God. You will not find this knowledge in praise and worship songs. The doctrine of Christ revealed through apostolic stewardship equips the believer to have a heart of faith, a heart that sings hallelujah.

King David knew the importance to walk in the commandments of God. His obedience to the commandments of God gave him a heart of faith that rejoiced in the Lord. We read in Psalm 119:10 “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.” And in:

Psalm 119:33-34 & 47-48

³³ Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
³⁴ Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
⁴⁷ And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.
⁴⁸ My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

Jesus said in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

Knowledge is required to love and serve God acceptably. Within the covenant of Christ, the foundation knowledge is revealed through apostolic stewardship that restores the believer’s faith and priesthood. You cannot build a house without a plan and a foundation. You cannot praise and worship God without the blueprint for faith and the foundation knowledge of Christ set in your heart. That is why the first church continued steadfast in the apostles’ doctrine. (Acts 2:42)

To have a heart that sings hallelujah and to be filled with the fulness of Christ and to see the countenance of the Lord in His knowledge, you need to be active with the tokens sanctified for contact with Christ.

The truth is, you need to embrace the doctrine revealed through apostolic stewardship for then you will reflect the image of Christ that brings joy to your heart and praise to the Father.