"REFLECTING THE HEART"

JEREMIAH 17:9-10 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.””

>>>This is one of the most famous verses regarding the heart, God speaking through Jeremiah.

>>>The heart is the will/soul of a person

*The heart is treacherous and weak.

*Nobody truly knows it but God.

*God searches soul, mind, emotions, motives, etc.

*God gives to man the “reward according to their hearts

>>>All throughout the Bible, God does give us ways to understand what is in our hearts.

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>>>The first thing is relationships.

YOUR RELATIONSHIPS REFLECT YOUR HEART.

PSALM 1:1-2 “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

>>>These verses say that where our hearts delight will impact our relationships both with God and people.

>>>It’s one thing to be friends with lost people-to share the gospel.

>>>The problem is when we run after them-reflecting our hearts.

*Delight is a matter of the heart.

>>> The reverse is true: “If delighting (finding pleasure) in God turns you away from these relationships, delighting in these relationships turns you away from God.”

2 CORINTHIANS 6:14-15 “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?”

>>>This is not just marriage-but ANY relationship with unbelievers!

*Don’t be under their influence (“unequally yoked”).

*Don’t share/participate in what they’re doing (“partnership”).

>>>There is no place for those who are believers to be mixed with those in the world (“accord-Christ/Belial”; “portion-believer/unbeliever”).

>>>Why would anyone strive to be in these relationships? Their heart.

*Righteous living is a matter of the heart.

JOSHUA 23:11-13 “Be very careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God. For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you, but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the Lord your God has given you.”

>>>While this particularly addresses marriage, the idea is love God and stay away from sinful relationships-they are traps!

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YOUR WORDS REFLECT YOUR HEART.

>>> This is the most obvious.

MATTHEW 12:33-37 ““Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.””

>>>Jesus said we can tell a person by his/her words just like we can tell a tree by the fruit it bears (apple tree-apples)

>>>What comes from the mouth is an overflow of the heart.

*Cursing, sarcasm, bitterness, hateful remarks, discouragement, joking, etc.

*The attitudes of the heart.

>>>Even things that seem harmless will be brought into account.

>>>Words reflect righteous/sin and will justify/condemn person who speaks them.

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YOUR ACTIONS REFLECT YOUR HEART.

>>>Pharisees accuse disciples of eating w/ unwashed hands.

>>>Jesus tells them that it is what comes out of the mouth (words) that defile a person.

MARK 7:20-23 “And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.””

>>>Jesus includes actions along with words.

>>>These corrupt (defile a person).

>>>Acting w/ hateful intentions; sexual sin, including pornography; living without self-control; acting without sense; living deceptively.

>>>These are all actions born out of our heart’s desires.

JAMES 2:24 “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”

“For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”

>>>Only faith in Christ saves people.

>>>Salvation through faith transforms the heart, impacting actions.

>>>Someone claiming to be a believer must have the evidence/works/fruits that reflect the salvation he claims to have.

>>>Do your actions reflect your saving faith in Christ?

>>>Are your actions those of someone whose heart has be transformed by the gospel?

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>>>What can we do?

PSALM 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

>>>Cotrasts first verse. Same “God action” (searching hearts) but different outcome.

*God talking-David praying

*Threat of judgment-desire to be sanctified.

>>>David asks God to bring out what is wrong in his heart and lead him in a way that is holy.

GOD CAN CONDEMN YOUR HEART OR REDEEM YOUR HEART.

>>>Our hearts will lead us to condemnation or forgiveness.

>>>Do you desire for God to bring out the wrong to lead you in the right?

*Act of purification and repentance.

*Not pretty but rewarding

>>>Why this message?

*I don’t know everyone.

*Academy students-outside school boundaries; I will see your true hearts