THE ORPHAN’S HEART ( Part 1 ) “The Condition of Your Heart ”

1] What is the condition of your heart today? This is an important question. Prov 4:20-23 ( amp ) My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. vs 20 Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. vs 21 For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh. vs 22

Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. vs 23 Note: The condition of your heart is deciding the life that you live.

• Out of your heart … our marriage, relationships, finances & your future.
• God tells us to guard our heart because the issues of your life come out of our heart.
• Therefore, to know the condition of your heart is very important. **- All of us have areas in our lives we wish were different. Eg. Marriage, family relationships, finances, weight, walk with God, etc. But God says all of those issues actually come out of our heart. In other words, the world in which you live is a manifestation of what is in you. Collectively as a nation our leaders reflect the heart of the people. Individually your home & family, reflects what is in your heart. We all want things around us to change, but it is what is in us that makes those things that are around us. The things around you are a “reflection” of what is in you. 2] God does not work from the outside in, God works from the inside out. Many of us believe that if these outside things would change we would be happy. But God says this is not true. When we focus on changing the outward, the fix is only temporary. Change is permanent only if we have changed. Many want to blame the government, the boss, what someone did, etc as the

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reason why they are the way they are. They are focused on the outward rather than their own heart. If you believe that it is something or someone else’s fault, then you will never be able to change. We must get to the place where we believe the scripture that says, … … out of our heart are the issues of life. Prov 4:23 Then we can become focused on renewing, restoring & guarding our hearts. When we stop blaming the circumstances, we get back into the drivers seat of our lives. 3] What you think in your heart determines how you live. Prov 23:7 ( NKJ ) For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. 3 Jn 2 ( NKJ ) Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. The heart includes our way of thinking. Heart = inward man = spirit (nature of God) & soul (mind, will & emotions) The body is your outward man = 5 physical senses. What you think in your heart “determines” how you live. Eg. a) I’ll never get out of debt = as you think in your heart, so you shall be. b) I’ll never overcome this habit = as you think…so shall you be. c) I’ll never be in good physical condition = as you think… so shall you be. It is important that we guard our hearts because it is controlling our lives. “Your future is in your heart.” 4] The world does not know how to solve people’s problems. Doctors look to the body – they say there is something in your DNA that makes you the way you are. (eg) Gay or not, alcoholic or not, overweight or not, if you live long or not. Psychiatrists look to the mind – they say it’s all in your head. (eg) Chemical imbalance, counseling. But God says,…out of the heart flow the issues of your life.

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The world focuses on the outward, but God looks on our heart. 1Sam16:7

Unfortunately many of us spend more time fixing up our outward than we do on our inward. Eg. We are more concerned how we look outwardly than how we look inwardly. I Pet 3:3-4 ( GNB ) You should not use outward aids to make yourselves beautiful, such as the way you fix your hair, or the jewelry you put on, or the dresses you wear. Instead, your beauty should consist of your true inner self, the ageless beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of the greatest value in God's sight. Vs 4

What you look like in your heart is determining what God is able to do in your life. David was mightily used by God because of his heart not his talent. 5] God expects every believer to work out his/her own salvation. Phil 2:12-16 ( GNB ) So then, dear friends, as you always obeyed me when I was with you, it is even more important that you obey me now while I am away from you. Keep on working with fear and trembling to complete your salvation, vs 12 because God is always at work in you to make you willing and able to obey his own purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, vs 14 so that you may be innocent and pure as God's perfect children, who live in a world of corrupt and sinful people. You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky, vs 15 as you offer them the message of life. If you do so, I shall have reason to be proud of you on the Day of Christ, because it will show that all my effort and work have not been wasted. 16 Now we must work out this salvation into every area of our lives. Eg. Priorities, Relationships, Finances, etc. Many people accept Jesus but never press into God’s Word & allow it to renew their minds or to heal their hearts. Ps 23:3 Being born again does not mean that your heart is renewed yet. It means you have a new nature in your spirit. 2Cor 5:17 If you don’t deal with the issues in your heart, you will continue to live out the

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same old life patterns that you did before your received Jesus. Eph 4:22 Our heart is like a house with many rooms. Rev 3:20 God wants to come into each room of your heart not just the entrance. Working out your salvation is dealing with your mind, will & emotions. Your spirit is saved but this does not mean your heart is complete & whole. Note: What is in your heart, will be reproduced in the lives of your children. We will reproduce in our children what we are & not what we want them to be. Eg. Anger , fears , hurt, etc. Prov 22:6 Jesus came to heal broken hearts. Lk 4:18 Many of us have received the gospel & are born again but have not pressed into the “ other part “ of Jesus` ministry . { Healing hearts } The reason a person can get born again & continue living out old behavior patterns is they still have broken hearts. As long as our hearts are contaminated with the things of this world we will continue struggling. God wants to work in every area of our lives . 1 Thess 5:23-24 ( NKJ ) Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. vs 24 Our problems come out of our heart. Matt 15:8, 15-19 ( NKJ ) 'These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips, but Their heart is far from me. vs 8 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? vs 17 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. vs 18 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. vs 19

5 Pg 5 People wander away from God because of what is in their heart . Heb 3:10, 12-14 ( NKJ ) So I was angry with them, and I said, 'Their hearts always turn away from Me. They refuse to do what I tell them.' vs 10 Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. vs 12 You must warn each other every day, while it is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. vs 13 For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. vs 14

How can some people come to church yet never get committed ? Many people will not attend a church that makes them examine their heart. They want to feel better , not to be better.