Heart of the matter, Lesson 2

Lesson 2: March 25, 2015

Thanks for being here

tonight!

Jesus

Becoming like Him

The Ten Week Challenge

Pray daily for the eyes of our hearts to be

enlightened.

7 days in/ 63 days to go

Ephesians 1:17 – 18 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.


Pray daily for the eyes of our hearts to be enlightened.

7 days in/ 63 days to go

Romans 8:27

And he who searches our hearts knows

the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.



Pray daily for God to search our hearts and transform them into the heart of

Christ.

7 days in/63 days to go



Monitor our hearts daily by monitoring what is coming out of our mouths.


Christ.


Matt. 15:18-19…But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these make a man unclean. For out of

the heart come evil thoughts— murder,

adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false

testimony, slander.

Matt. 15:18-19…But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these make a man unclean. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery,

sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.





Christ.


Comparing the

Spiritual heart with

the Physical heart

How do we take care of

our physical hearts?

We monitor

its current condition

We examine our daily habits.

We make changes

that promote a

healthy heart.

We must do the

same with our

spiritual hearts.

Matt. 5:8 - Blessed are the pure in heart for

they will see God.

We must understand the word

• Examining something carefully.

• Purging it of anything unclean.

• Sifting it and making it smooth.

It’s a common word.

It’s an active word.

It defines a process that includes…

“pure”

Jesus is taking the physical concept of purifying and applying it…

…to our hearts.

What is inside our hearts?

How important is this question?

Matt. 15:8.. “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

Mark 12:29-30...The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart…

Matt. 18:35.. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Luke 16:15He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.

A pure heart is a true

blessing…

…but it must be our

ultimate desire.

1. Honest, self examination.

o Why are we doing this?

(Examining something carefully)

We are in a war!

What’s at stake in this war?

Our Hearts

We have an enemy who knows that a pure heart will see God.

So, we’re going to have to fight for it!

1.Honest, self examination.

o Ask God to search our hearts.

o What’s really inside our hearts?

o Monitor and listen to our hearts.

o Why are we doing this?

(Examining something carefully)

o Be honest with ourselves.

o Meditate on this.

2. Realize impure sources and eliminate them.

(Purging of anything unclean)

o Make a plan to eliminate them.

o Identify the source(s) of impurity.

o Pray for Godly discernment.

3. Make the daily decision for purity.

o Don’t forget the goal…Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.

o Fight the source(s) of impurity.

o It’s direction, not perfection.

o Be drastic. This isn’t an option.

o Become accountable.

(Sifting it and making it smooth)





Christ.



Identify the source of impurity in our lives.

Expose them to God.

Prayerfully develop a plan to eliminate these sources.
