God's Heart #4 - His Heart, My Heart

Preliminary Matters

· Season of Fasting and Prayer – Aug 6 – 27

· Kidz Church

· Monday Night Prayer

· Boudreaux Joke

Opening

· This the 4th in this series of exploring God’s Heart.

· What is it that He wants from us?

· What is it that draws him close?

· Just what is his “heart” for mankind?

· And perhaps the most intriguing question: What is it that seems to make Him come alongside some people and just carry them along through life’s troubles?

Some Distant, Some Close

· For some people who claim to be “his”, it seems that he stays at an arm’s distance – watching, observing but never really coming close.

· For others, it seems that he is right there all of the time, helping, directing, protecting, comforting, giving peace.

The Question

· So the question arises: what is the difference? And can those that he seems to be far away from do anything to bring him alongside them?

The Answer

· I would propose to you today that the answer is a matter of His Heart, My Heart.

· God’s heart toward us is love, mercy, compassion, provision, protection, blessing and justice. But those things aren’t just poured out on whomever.

· What God does with me, how he approaches me, how he TREATS me is determined by the condition of MY HEART! His word makes that perfectly clear.

His Heart

God Searches the Heart to See What’s There

Jeremiah 17:10 (NIV) 10 "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."

· Why does he search? TO REWARD

· What is he searching for and what will he do?

What is He Searching For?

2 Chronicles 16:9 (KJV) 9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. . . .

· “Perfect” is shaw-lame’ – Hebrew for “complete” “whole” – as in “completely his” or “wholly his”

Protection of God

Psalm 91:1 (NIV) 1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 24:3-5 (NASB) 3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive a blessing from the LORD And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Summary

· So God’s heart is to reward me, be strong on my behalf, commune with me, be with me – THAT’S HIS heart.

· And he’s searching for those whose hearts are right TOWARD him

My Heart

· So just how does He know what’s in my heart? Well, he’s God, so he knows. But the truth is he doesn’t have to go that deep.

· When he was here on earth in the form of Jesus, he told us how anyone can know what is in our heart:

Matthew 15:18-19 (NASB) 18 "But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. 19 "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.

· He knows – EVERYONE knows – what’s in our heart by what comes out of our mouth.

· Use the sand water here to talk about what we’re like when we come to Jesus and how it comes out when stirred up.

I Must Purify My Heart

James 4:8 (NIV) 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

The Purification Process

Be filled with the Spirit

· So if my heart holds all of this stuff from my past AND from my weaknesses, AND from my every day life, how in the world do I ever get it cleaned up so that God will show himself strong on my behalf? Is it hopeless.

· Need a “check” a reminder – something to prick us when the darkness would show up in us

John 16:8 (NIV) 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:

Keep the Spirit stirred up

2 Timothy 1:6 (NKJV) 6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

Embrace the trials of life and grow from them

James 1:2-4 (NASB) 2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

· Turning the sand jar over periodically

· Gain a heart that doesn’t turn to other alternatives

Regularly flush with Living Water

John 4:14 (NLT) 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

· Use the colored water.

CONCLUSION

The Greatest Commandment

Mark 12:30 (NASB) 30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.'