02-06-2022 - Heartitude: Developing the Right Heart Attitude

Relationship Matters

OPENING

In the beginning, God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). The Triune nature of God reveals to us that God is One God, and that He is externally co-existent in the three distinct and divine persons of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three persons of the Trinity are eternally in perfect relationship with one another.

So, the very essence and nature of God is relational, and this quality has been imprinted on us as human beings. God created us to be relational beings. We were made for relationship.

That’s why it is important for us to realize that, “Relationship Matters.” As Christians, we have two main types of relationships: vertical and horizontal. Our vertical relationship is with God. We are designed for fellowship and relationship with Him. And God desires to have fellowship and relationship with us. Horizontal relationships are with others. We are designed by God to have relationship with one another. In fact, Jesus said that the most important part of our lives as believers is how we approach these two types of relationships.

Matthew 22:36–40

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Jesus said that you can sum up all of the Law and the Prophets. All of the Old Testament. All of God’s commandments in two very simple statements: Love God and Love People.

You see, it is all about relationship. Relationship Matters! Love God and Love People. How we relate to God and how we relate to one another matters. So we’re going to talk about some factors that affect relationships over the next few weeks. We’re going to look at how we can make sure that we are living in right relationship with God and with others. We’re also going to talk about what causes those relationships to go sour and, when they do, what that may reveal about our own hearts and what we can do to change it with the help of the Holy Spirit.

This morning, we’re going to begin with the subject “Developing the Right Heart Attitude,” which I’m calling: Heartitude. What is the attitude of your heart? Because the attitude of your heart will determine the quality of your relationships. The attitude of our heart is who you truly are. And what is in your heart will ultimately reveal itself in your relationships.

SCRIPTURE

Proverbs 27:19

19 As in water face reflects face, So a man’s heart reveals the man.

Proverbs 27:19

19 As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.

MESSAGE

Your heart is a reflection of who you really are. It is not your Facebook profile. It is not who you are when you are around certain people or in certain situations. Your heart is the center of your authentic self. It is the comprehensive term used to describe who you are as a person: your feelings, your desires, your passions, your thoughts, your mind, and your will.

You can present an outward appearance that is not a true representation of who you really are. And that may work for a while. But eventually the true attitude of your heart is going to be revealed. It can be revealed through your speech. It can be revealed through your actions. It can be revealed through your body language. It can be revealed in how you treat other people. Your authentic self cannot hide itself forever. It will eventually come to the surface.

That’s why God does not judge us by our performance or outward appearance. Because we can fake outward performance. And we can deceive others into thinking we’re someone that we’re not. And we can dress up to put on a show. But God weighs and searches the heart of man. God sees past the facade and sees directly into the very center of our hearts and who we really are. You can fool other people, and you can fool me, but you can’t fool God. And you won’t fool me and you won’t fool others for very long either, because eventually the true attitude of your heart is going to come to the surface.

Relationship Matters! That’s why it is so important that we listen to the Word of God and allow it to penetrate our hearts and then yield to the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives and allow Him to correct us and change us.

This morning we’re going to talk about The Heart of Man, The Heart of God for Man, and finally Developing a Right Heart Attitude. So, let’s look first this morning at The Heart of Man.

The Heart of Man

The heart of every person on the planet has been corrupted by sin. There are no exceptions.

Romans 3:10

10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;

Romans 3:23

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

I don’t care how good of a person you think you are or how you were raised, at some point the effects of the Fall and sin are going to find their way into your heart. You can try to convince yourself that your heart is okay, but look at what God’s Word says about the heart of man:

Jeremiah 17:9

9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

You must understand that you were born with a heart problem. You have inherited a sinful nature that wants to dominate and control your life. And when you allow it to do so, it will produce the fruit of sin in your relationships in the way you treat God and others. Look at what Jesus says about the types of evil things that can come out of the heart of man:

Matthew 15:19–20

19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

What Jesus is saying here is that evil thoughts, hurtful words, and sinful actions are the result of a much deeper problem. It is not about just changing the behavior. It is about changing the heart. Because as long as the root of sin is in your heart, it is eventually going to show up in your relationships.

Here is the bottom line on the heart of man. You are either walking in your flesh, or you are walking in the Spirit. Your heart is either being ruled by your flesh, or you are allowing it to be ruled by the Holy Spirit.

Paul gives us a detailed description of what the heart of man looks like when it is being ruled by the flesh:

Galatians 5:19–21

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

These are some of the most sobering verses in all of the Bible. Because if you will be honest with yourself, at some point, you’ve fallen into at least one of those categories. Probably multiple categories. Probably even this past week. Maybe even this morning before you came to church. Maybe even right now as you sit in church.

The sobering reality is this: if you allow your heart to be dominated and controlled by the sinful nature, and you allow your heart to be so hardened against God and the ways of God, such that your heart is full of the works of the flesh, you will not inherit the kingdom of God. Let me put it plainer. That means that you are not truly saved and you will not make it to heaven. That’s the ultimate reason why Relationship Matters! I know that is strong and probably difficult to swallow, but it is the truth.

But the good news is that is not God’s plan for your life. That is not God’s heart for you. And that is not your pastor’s heart for you. God’s heart for you, and your pastor’s heart for you, is to see you saved, redeemed, transformed, and changed powerfully and completely by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

God wants better for you. And so does your pastor. So let’s take a look at The Heart of God for Man.

The Heart of God for Man

Did you know that God hates? I know that sounds contradictory to hear, but the Bible says that are certain things that God hates. And He hates those things because they are completely contrary to His nature and character. And God’s heart for you is for you to have a pure heart that is a reflection of His own.

So what are the things that God hates?:

Proverbs 6:16–19

16 These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

Let’s summarize these seven things:

Pride,

Lying,

Murder,

Evil thoughts,

Delighting in evil,

False witnessing, and

Trouble-making.

I don’t know about you, but if the Bible says God hates these things, I want to try to steer clear of them. But the Bible is not just a list of things we can’t do. It also gives us instructions on things we should do in order to please God.

Micah 6:8

8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

Three simple things: (1) do or act justly, (2) love or show mercy, and (3) walk humbly with your God. These three things are all about Loving God and Loving People. Relationship Matters! And when you are walking in the Spirit, and your heart is pure, you are going to produce the fruit of the Spirit instead of the works of the flesh. Paul lists nine fruit of the Spirit for us to show us what it looks like to have the right Heartitude.

Galatians 5:22–23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Paul says that there is no law against acting in accordance with the fruit of the Spirit. Because this is the Heart of God for Man. This is the way that He desires, and frankly He expects, you to live.

So you may be asking, what can I do about it if I am struggling in one of these areas? We’ll let’s take a look a Developing the Right Heart Attitude.

Developing the Right Heart Attitude

The Bible says that God has given us “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). In other words, God has not left us to try to figure this life out on our own. He has given us an instruction manual, in the Bible, on how to live in right relationship with Him and with each other. He has also given us Jesus Christ that we can learn from His example and strive to be conformed into His image. He has also sent us His Holy Spirit to live in us and to lead us and direct us in how to live and to help us overcome our flesh and live according to God’s will.

So what are some things that we need to focus on in order to maintain the right Heartitude? Let’s look at some wisdom from the book of Proverbs.

Guard Your Heart

Proverbs 4:23

23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

You must guard your heart and your mind. Whatever enters into your heart and mind and you allow to stay will eventually become who you are. If you fill your heart and mind with good things and the things of God, then your heart will be good and godly. If you fill your heart and mind with evil things and the things of this world, then your heart will be evil and worldly. The choices you make in what to allow in your heart will determine your Heartitude: the attitude of your heart. And your Heartitude will determine the quality of your relationships, both with God and with other people.

That is why it is absolutely vital to constantly guard your heart against invasion from the works of the flesh with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Tame Your Tongue

Proverbs 4:24

24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you.

Your mouth can be a deadly weapon. But it can also be a source of life. It comes down to how you choose to wield it. The Bible says that “life and death are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21). The Apostle James wrote that “no one can tame the tongue. It is as unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not be so” (James 3:8-10).

What we say is ultimately a reflection of who we are. Jesus said, “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). What are you allowing to come out of your mouth? Is it positive or is it negative? Is it intended to lift somebody up or put somebody down? Is it helpful or is it hurtful? Is it a blessing or a curse? The truthful answers to those questions is a true reflection of who you are.

Let me give you a warning on this point. God said in the Old Testament that He would curse those who curse Israel. God doesn’t like anyone talking about His children. When you curse a child of God, you are doing nothing than bringing a curse on your own life. Not only that, as James wrote, an evil tongue is set on fire of hell and it can quickly kindle a flame that will destroy relationships.

That is why it is absolutely vital to Tame Your Tongue and keep it in submission with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Watch Your Eyes

Proverbs 4:25

25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you.

This verse is warning against the sin of distraction. If you are distracted because you are constantly focused on other people, then you are not watching where you’re going. This kind of heart leads to sins like envy, jealousy, covetousness, strife, hatred, divisions, gossip, slander, backbiting and all sorts of other issues that can absolutely destroy relationships. And not just personal relationships. But these sins will quench the move of God in a church and stunt its growth. In some cases, it can even tear a church apart.

That’s why it is vitally important to Watch Your Eyes and focus on the path that God has laid out for you. We are to look “unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

Order Your Steps

Proverbs 4:26

26 Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established.

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord” (Psalm 37:23). When you are fully surrendered to God, following Jesus, and walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, God will order your steps. He will lay out a path before you to follow. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end, it leads to death” (Proverbs 14:12). But God has a path laid out for you that will lead you to life. The way to ensure that you have the right Heartitude: the right attitude of the heart, is to follow that path. Your journey begins at the Cross of Calvary. When you fully surrender to Christ and deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him, you will not stay the same. Your Heartitude will change. The more you dig into the Word of God. The more you make time for family devotions at home. The more you get on your knees and pray. The more you meditate on God’s goodness and offer Him praise and worship. The more you will become like Him and the more your heart will begin to resemble His heart.

When your steps are ordered by God, you will be prepared for bumps in the road. You will not only act like a Christian, but you will also react like a Christian. “It is much easier to act like a Christian than it is to react like one. Anyone can put on an act. But your reactions reveal what is really in your heart.”

That is why it is absolutely vital to order our steps in accordance with God’s will for our lives.

CLOSING

Proverbs 27:19 NLT

19 As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.

What is the reflection of your heart? What’s your Heartitude? What is the attitude of your heart? Has this message today revealed some areas in your heart that need to change? Well, I’ve got some good news. God is still in the heart changing business. If you will be willing to completely surrender your life to Him, He will give you a heart transplant today:

Ezekiel 36:26

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

God can take out your old hard heart and give you a new heart that is soft and pliable and that will reflect His goodness. He’ll give you a heart that is capable of Loving God and Loving People. When your Heartitude is right, your relationships will be right. You may not can change someone else’s heart, and you are not responsible for how they act or react, but when your heart is right, and your relationship with God is right, then at the end of the day, you can have the assurance that everything is going to be alright!

ALTAR CALL

Why don’t you come to the altar and let God do a work on your heart?