This series is based on the series of the same name from Northpoint Church
Last week we started this series "God and Your Bod" and last week we talked about extremes - lots of fun. Talked about body worshippers and body neglectors. (Woman with a donut) had so much fun - hit a lot of us where we live. Lots of learning . . . .we're gonna spend the next 3 weeks talking about our bodies and what God's Word has to say to us, about our bodies . . .
Lots to say - some great stuff here - from God . . .
Today we're talking about the heart . . . without question it is the most powerful part of the body - and you never see it . . . . It's powerful because it controls our lives in so many ways. . . If you're scared or sad or fearful or mad, or frustrated, . . . . your heart knows it first - its - . . . interesting also, that physically - if you have heart problems . . . you don't always know it . . . because when you have heart problems, . . . it shows up in other spots - it manifests itself in other parts of the body.
So I'm on a trip through the U.S. - about 5 years ago . . . 4 of us were visiting churches in 3 different cities - busy - lack of sleep - excitement - airplanes - crazy schedules . . .
Anyway - I'm in Dayton Ohio - 4 days into this trip . . . and in the night I wake up and I feel strange - my stomach upset - chest and arm hurts - short of breath - sweating . . . (all night it was like that . . . next morning I thought I should deal with this . . .) Doctor immediately - treated me like I was having a heart attach (panic). I didn't know what was going on (but) short of breath - sweating - were outward signs that my heart could be in trouble . . . see when your heart is sick - it shows up somewhere else - not just in your heart - strange . . .
Now here's the deal - when you study scripture - you'll see a spiritual parallel to this . . . physical truth . . . . . . all throughout the bible God talks about - that when someone has a bad heart - an evil heart or a bad heart . . . says that their "heart," shows up in different areas of their life - areas that aren't necessarily connected or associated with the heart
Specifically, the bible says that if we have a bad heart, it will show up in what we say . . . and that doesn't mean we have a speech problem - but it's a heart problem - The bible also says that a bad heart will manifest itself in what we do - but that doesn't mean we simply have a behaviour problem, the bible is clear when our behaviour is out of line . . . . . . we have a heart problem . . . Now here's the challenge. Lots of us have said thing's we wish we wouldn't have said, and we've done things we wish we wouldn't have done and so . . . . we try to combat these issues by being more careful about what we say, and more thoughtful about what we do, and we work harder on our speech and our actions . . . but God says - that's not the answer - it's not a matter of what we say or do - because what we say and do actually starts in the heart . . .
Everything is connected to the heart and until we deal with the heart . . . and it's issues (nothing will change) . . . . . . in fact - if we don't deal with our hearts . . . we would spend the rest of our lives always trying to be careful about what we say or do . . . and never deal with the real issue . . . and we end up treating the symptoms not causes (of our heart trouble) . . . our whole lives . . . . . .
You know once in a while I have the ability to be a little sharp with my words - a little sarcastic - maybe even cutting - anyways . . . whenever that happens . . . in a strong way - I'm surprised . . . I almost always say - WOW - where did that come from - (cover my mouth) - it's like I'm shocked at what came out of my own mouth and I'm thinking that's just a little uncharacteristic . . . for me to say such harsh - cutting words . . .
What's worse is, when I don't get it . . . when I don't hear what I'm saying and my wife has to point it out - (very clearly) . . . that happened the other day - we were giving our yard, a spring cleaning . . . and she did something that I didn't want done - or something - I don't even know what it was - but I snapped at her . . . . . . and then went right back to my lawn mower . . . anyway I don't know if I was totally unaware or what - I guess so . . . because I did it again - I snapped at her a few minutes later . . . to which she responded to me very clearly and boldly that if I was gonna tell her what to do . . . . . . maybe I could be nice about it . . . and if I really was the self proclaimed foreman of this 2 man cleaning crew . . . maybe I could tell her the plan ahead of time . . . so she would know what to do (kinda knocked me back into line) . . . . . . anyways - it worked out - but I was surprised by how quickly my mouth got me into trouble . . .
See - we sometimes don't know where those words come from - but God does . . . He says, Dean they come right out of your heart . . . and folks you and I might try real hard to be careful about what we say . . . but under pressure and in certain circumstances - Boom - there it goes . . . and even though we try to cover it up . . . God says . . . what's in your heart will come out . . .
And it's the same with what we do - our actions . . . you do something . . . maybe a little off, and you get caught, or someone walks in and you get kinda trapped in a situation . . . and you think or say to yourself . . . I don't normally do that - what's up with that? That's not what I'm about . . . and here's the line we say, . . . . . . "I don't know what got into me . . . bizarre." . . . and God says I know what it is . . . because its been in you all along - it's your heart!!!
But what we get good at, as adults . . . (as people) is we get good at covering up and being acceptable . . . and we push away issues of the heart . . . and that's why lots of us have private issues - private habits that nobody knows about . . . and we would all be shocked if we found out and we'd say - that doesn't seem like you (what got into you?) - that would be so uncharacteristic of you but if you were honest you'd say . . . Well, actually - it happens all the time - every day - every week - So . . . why this paradox? Because all of us have issues of the heart that we cover it up . . . . . .
Now folks, the real problem with not dealing with our life at a heart level is this, . . . that we might be good at covering up at work or with our friends - but (catch this) the people who are closest to us - will eventually and regularly catch the over flow of what's in our hearts . . . . . . Have you ever had a friend talk to you about her husband and your thinking - he doesn't seem like that to me but she says - "boy - you should see him at home" . . . because folks, what's in his heart comes out at home - not on the golf course . . or with friends or over a business lunch - but at home - under pressure - when his guard is dropped - what's in his heart comes out . . . and there's a 100 examples of it - where you would say. You wouldn't believe what my husband does - or my wife says or you wouldn't believe what my child or my father or my mother is like . . . . . . Because unfortunately - what's in our hearts . . . . - no matter how much we cover it up . . . . . . what's in our heart comes out, and is exposed in the most negative way to the people we love the most. And here's a reminder again about what we said last week - "you can't be right with God and wrong with the people He's brought into your life.
Now, here's the good news. There is a solution to our heart dilemma . . . but like any heart urgery that's needed physically . . . it takes a little but of pain to be cured and to heal properly . . . spiritually as well . . .
The good news is (and this is why I stand up here every week - because of this truth). Jesus is in the business of changing our hearts. That's what Jesus does . . . and the change that He creates, is lasting - life long . . . change . . . . because the change He brings, into out lives is from the inside out. Not just our behaviour and our words - but our hearts. See, He's interested in the cause not the symptoms . . .
In the book of Matthew chapter 15 Jesus is in a discussion and actually it's a very strong discussion with some religious leaders of His day . . . about rules and regulations and faith . . . See, . . . in that day if you were religious - you had to follow lots of rules - What you could eat - what you could wear and when you could do this or that See . . . for everything and anything, there were rules, . . . and the thought was that if you were careful enough to obey the rules - you could then walk with God . . . (symptom thinking - not cure thinking) and Jesus came in and sorta just blasted this right out of the water . . . because hear this - Jesus was never about rules never and (somehow the church has forgotten that over the centuries) Jesus came to set us free not make us jump through a 1000 hoops of rules . . . and He desires for us to deal with our hearts . . . not just our words or behaviour. And rules only deal with words and behaviour. Creating rules is never the answer . . .
See, the fallback position (it seems like to me . . . .) for generations in Christian circles has been to say this . . . . . . we want to be careful about our behaviour and we must be careful about our words (motivation was pure . . . ) So, . . . let's make rules for people to follow so that we can look like religious people who follow God:
Don't drink
Don't smoke/don't cuss/don't dance
Don't - Don't - Don't
Don't play cards - because playing cards might lead to gambling . . .
But the problem is (catch this) . . . rules only deal with the symptom - they never are a cure . . . rules and following rules never get to the root issue . . . our hearts. And Jesus knew that . . . and so he challenged the religious rulers of the day . . . and Matthew 15 is where we find one of those challenges.
In this particular situation - the religious leaders were giving Jesus and his disciples trouble for not worrying about what they ate . . . or how they ate it . . . (see the religious guys had made a bunch of rules about eating and washing before you ate and all this stuff and if you didn't do it . . . you weren't Holy . . . ) Well, Jesus - didn't do it . . . probably to just make a point . . . .
Listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 15, Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.' " Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know that the religious leaders were offended when they heard this?" (Of course I know I offended them - that's why I said it . . . .) Jesus asked them. "Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? (Anatomy lesson 2000 years ago . . . )
But the things that come out of the 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. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.' "
Matthew 15:18-20 (NIV)
See - Jesus said - it's in our heart, where the problem lies - all our harsh words don't come from our mouth they come from our hearts. Our evil thoughts don't come from our mind - they come from our hearts . . . and so does murder . . . (what?) and adultery. From our hearts? Jesus says yes . . . and sexual immorality and theft and lying and gossip . . . all those actions and words come from our heart!
And Jesus challenged the religious system of the day to say . . . what you do in some sort of religious ritual (rule) - is not what pleases God (washing your hands before you eat) . . . that's not what God wants (He wants our hearts!) . . . see . . . it's not about showing up to church on Sunday morning - singing a few songs and going home to do whatever you want all week . . . it's not about being religious. It's about living out your faith every day - that's what pleases God - because God says . . . what you say and do everyday - in your life . . . is a reflection of your heart.
And folks, God has come to change our hearts - on the inside . . .
Now, here's what we're gonna do - gonna talk about 4 things that get stuck in our hearts, and when they do, . . . . they cause huge damage and darkness to our whole lives . . . and we've got to deal with them (this is big).
Because if any of these 4 things get lodged in your heart . . . you'll spend the rest of your life having to cover up and hide from your own heart . . . and there is a huge consequence to that . . .
We will never be able to experience intimacy with anyone or with God the way we were designed to experience intimacy because . . . if any of these 4 get stuck in our hearts . . . they will alienate us from other people and alienate us from God as well . . . Marriage trouble ? I guarantee one of you is carrying one of these in your heart and it is ruining your closest relationships . . . .
These are huge major causes of Heart Trouble.
Guilt
Anger
Greed
Jealousy
Here's why it's a problem to carry these . . .
Guilt says I owe you . . . (I owe you) I hurt you - I lied to you - I stole from you . . . and I've never confessed it - I owe you . . . and as long as I owe you - whatever it is . . . that I owe (an apology or whatever) . . . as long as I owe you there is a barrier between you and I . . . and as long as I owe you there's gonna be a barrier between me and God because . . . "You can't be right with God and wrong with the people around you . . . " you can't . . . it doesn't work . . . and if you are carrying a load of guilt . . . then you woe somebody in your mind and heart . . . and that's gonna alienate you . . . and make your heart sick . . .
Guilt says I owe you.
Anger says You owe me . . . You hurt me - you stole from me - you ruined my reputation . . . you ruined my family - you stole years from me when I was a kid . . . you screwed up my first marriage . . . whatever it is . . . you owe me . . . An apology - you owe me money - you owe me years of my life - you owe me happiness . . . and I'm gonna hold this debt until you pay me back . . . (and in most cases the debt could never be paid anyways . . . ) Just to much time has gone by . . . they can't repay you now . . .
But you and I carry that anger in our hearts and it's justified and we love to tell the stories . . . and everyone says . . . I can't believe what happened to you . . . and we repeat it over and over and over and we carry it in our hearts . . . and it alienates us from other people because we're angry . . . (and it's hard to hang out with an angry person ) and it shows . . . and it alienates us from God because you know that he wants you to forgive just like he forgave you . . . but we say - I can't let them off the hook - not after what they did to me . . . and so we hold that anger inside and it makes our heart sick.
You owe me.
Greed says I owe me . . . I owe me everything I've earned - every penny of it . . . and . . . I owe me some of what you have earned . . . wha'ts mine is mine . . . and some of what's yours is mine . . . I'm gonna get it and nobody is gonna get it from me . . . what's mine is mone - I owe me. And the people around me may feel like they come in 2nd to my stuff - but that's just to bad . . . because . . . I've seen being poor and I'm never gonna be poor again . . . I've got my stuff and I've got my position and nobody's gonna mess with that . . . and I'll give a little but to charity and a little bit to the church . . . but it's mine . . . nobody's getting a chunk of it . . . (and you know what?)
If you're married to a greedy person . . . you know what it's like to complete with a care - or a bank account . . . you know what it's like for them to give out that money so sparingly . . .
Let me tell you the truth - If you have greed in your heart - your afraid (chicken) . . . Did I make you mad yet? Afraid that God won't take care of you . . . and you think you did it all on your own . . . and you're fearful that it might disappear.
Now, here's the challenge, nobody here would admit they're greedy - I've never had anyone walk up to me and say I'm greedy . . . What we say is - I'm careful . . . but you're not careful - you're greedy . . . and the people around you feel like they have to compete with your money and stuff . . . and they never feel like they are the priority in your life . . . and neither does God . . . and you carry greed around in your heart . . . and it come out in what you say . . . and it shows up in what you do and it alienates you from God and other people and it makes your heart sick . . . I owe me - its all about me - its mine . . .
Jealousy says God owes me . . . God owes me - God owes me to be in better health . . . God owes me to look like her. God owes me to look like him . . . or to make as much money as him. God owes me - and He gave somebody else what He should have given me . . . He gave them, too much . . . and He gave me to little . . . God owes me - I'm not happy with the way God is treating me and I'm not happy with the way He's treating you - god owes me . . .
And you carry that in your heart and you compare every day . . . because . . . everyone reminds you of what you are not and what you wish you could be . . . and it's not like you're mad at those people - not really - but you're mad at God . . . (you're not happy with the way God has blessed them and not you, in some way). And that jealousy sits in your heart and it keeps you from connecting with some great people and it keeps you comparing all day long . . . and basically that jealousy makes you angry with God . . . and it sits in your life in a dark way and makes your heart sick . . .
And folks, if you or I carry anyone of those 4 things . . . Guilt - Anger- Greed- Jealousy. If you carry any one or a combination of those 4 they will begin to show up, in what you say and they will show up in what you do . . . and they will cause you and I to alienate and hurt the people who are closes to us . . . because our heart is not well . . . and everything you say and everything you do - comes from your heart and Jesus said - you gotta let me help you deal with the issues of your heart . . . or you will ruin not only your life - but the lives of those you love the most . . . Now - lets carry on . . .
Interesting to me that the solution to most of this stuff is pretty obvious once we muster up the courage to identify the actual heart issues . . . the cure is apparent.
If the problem is guilt - the solution is to confess
If the problem is anger - the solution is to forgive
If the problem is greed - the solution is to give
If the problem is jealousy - the solution is to celebrate - to learn to celebrate other people's successes . . .
So, here's the challenge - here's the practical part of this . . .
Catch this - I think this will make sense
If you or I had a heart attack . . . We'd go to the doctor and he might say something like, "You've got trouble in your heart - you've got a bad heart - you're all clogged up." And we'd say, "can you help me?" And the doctor would say, "I can help but there's gonna be a few things you have to do as well."
Doctor says, "you've gotta start exercising" . . . And you'd say, "Doc- I've got a bad heart - I can't exercise . . . and anyway - I sweat when I exercise and that's no fun and I don't like all those big guys at the gym ( I don't have any shoes . . . ) I can't exercise." And we argue and make excuses but the doctor would say, "you've got to start exercising whether you feel like it or not . . . (whether it comes natural or not) . . .you've got to make yourself do it and over time (with some stuff I'll do) . . . we're gonna get that heart strong . . . but you gotta do the work first then come the results."
And you know what? We make the same argument with God . . . about our guilt, anger, greed and jealousy . . .
We say, . . . "God I feel guilty . . . and I don't want to feel guilty and anymore . . . so heal my guilt God" . . . And God says, "then lets get you exercising . . . you gotta tell her about that deal" (confess) . . . And you say God, "that doesn't feel good at all - can't you just change my heart? . . . I don't want to carry this load of guilt." And God says, "we can fix that . . . (your guilt) . . . but here's how it gets fixed - you gotta tell her that you lied . . . and tell her the truth - you gotta shed that guilt." . . . So, God says learn to confess because when you confess it feels so good and then you can confess more and it will become a lifestyle and over time . . . your guilt will be healed . . . And folks, if you want to get healed of guilt . . . why don't you just loose the argument with God and say God make me a confessor . . . and God will say great - over time your guilt will go away.
Or you say God, "I've got this anger inside - and I want you to rid me of this anger - it's eating me up . . . would you change my heart." . . . And God says, "okay . . . you've gotta forgive . . . that's how to cure anger." And you say, "God I can't forgive - I'm not a forgiver . . . if I was a forgiver I wouldn't be angry - but just change my heart . . . and then I'll be a forgiver." . . . And God says, "I want you to go get alone . . . and work it through - cancel the debt you've held against them all these years." And we say, . . . "I don't want to." . . . And God says, "just go give it a try - go do it . . . , . . . your anger will be cured." . . . God make me a forgiver . . . that's the exercise for anger . . .
God I'm kinda greedy - I give a little here and there but I really protect it. And I know I'm greedy - I never have wanted to give regularly to your work God - and that tithing thing is something I've never submitted to you. I'm greedy and I know it . . . God change my heart make me generous . . .
In Luke Chapter 12 - Jesus deals with this . . . He says - "watch out for all kinds of greed . . . ." And everybody says - okay what should we do? Jesus said . . . just give a lot.
God says, "if you want to not be greedy . . . give a lot." . . . And we say, "well I can't give a lot - I'm greedy . . . but if you'll change my heart God . . . and make me generous, then I'll give." . . . but God says, "here's how to be generous, . . . write a big fat cheque and give it away . . . (just go et a pen and write a cheque) - and it will be painful . . . . . . but that's how to learn generosity . . . that's how I will change your heart." God says, . . . "that's how I will help you over come being greedy, . . . write a cheque - you go do that work and I'll do everything else." . . . God says . . . .that's how to exercise your greed little heart . . . .
Or we say God, I'm so jealous - I compare all the time - I don't like skinny people or rich people or happy people . . . and I don't want to be around them because they remind me of what I'm not. God take this jealousy away. God says, "okay (girl). . . go over there and ask her where she got that great dress - and then smile and tell her how good it looks (celebrate with her) - go over and ask him about his new SUV." . . . Celebrate with him - ask him to give you a ride. And we say, "I can't do that." . . . And God says, "go for a ride - do it and tell him how wonderful the leather feels and celebrate his new SUV." . . . "I can't do it God." And God says, "just go do it!" Go celebrate - tell him - tell her . . . and celebrate what God is doing in their lives and while you do that . . . your jealous heart will be cured . . .
See folks, . . . God says . . . if you want a healthy heart you've got to go through a little pain to get the gain over time - we've got to do the exercise so our heart can get well . . . and we have to make ourselves a little uncomfortable and go through an exercise routine everyday . . . Everyday when you get up and you confess, and you forgive, and you give, and you celebrate you are exercising your heart. Every morning.
And then the next day - you confess and forgive and give and celebrate . . . and you make that the routine of your life . . . and in the mean time . . . (God will do his work) and your heart will change . . . and when your heart changes you won't have to cover up and hide what's there. And people will see the difference in you . . . And it is an amazing feeling - amazing life . . .
In fact we all know people whose hearts have been changed . . . (picture them) and they are people we admire (why?) because - they celebrate with us and we can just tell they don't hold anger inside . . . and they give all the time - in fact they give and give and give . . . and never hold anything back . . . and they also forgive freely and generously . . .
We all know people like that - whose hearts are healthy . . . because you can hear the difference in what they say and you can tell the difference in what they do . . . and we want to connect with those people they don't alienate us at all . . .
They're healthy . . . and it's obvious . . . and they got that way . . . (just ask them) because:
-they confess when they screw up
-they forgive when they're hurt
-they give when they're supposed to give
-they celebrate because they're at peace with who they are . . . and with who you are
And they have a healthy heart . . . that they exercise.
Every night when we put our kids to bed . . . we talk about the day a little bit with them . . . and we pray with them and we say a blessing over them and into their lives. Great moments . . . and one thing that we do very regularly is we take notice . . . if one of the kids is hurt or sad or mad or acting out . . . and if we can notice it ahead of time - during this every night time . . . (teachable moments) Pam or I will pull that kid aside . . . and just look them in the eye . . . and I always put my hand on their chest and say what's going on? And I don't always say it . . . but what I'm asking is . . . what's going on in your heart? You were kinda mean today - you said some harsh things to your Mom - or you were sad today - what happened? Or you didn't share your stuff today and it hurt your brother - how come? You were made at your Dad . . . what's going on in your heart? And without fail . . . there are tears, and truth, and grace, and forgiveness, and honesty, and confession, and a chance to have a clear heart - a chance to let go of anything they're holding in their hearts . . . What a great opportunity. . .
So let me ask you - what's going on in your heart? What's in there:
Guilt?
Anger?
Greed?
Jealousy?
If you take notice . . . that stuff is affecting the people you love the most, isn't it . . . ? People hear this . . . it's time to deal with our hearts . . . God's not mad about your heart . . . He's like a tender parent - (a father - a mother) saying - what's going on in there? Don't hold that inside - release all that stuff - because it will eventually destroy you and everybody near you.
What's going on in your heart? |
