November 26-27, 2005, Proverbs 4:23, Selected

HEART CHECK$!
MAXIMIZE YOUR WHOLE HEART!

*** Pr. 4:23 "Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do." [NLT]

SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL HEART PROBLEMS:
- NUMBNESS OF THINGS THAT SHOULD MATTER!
*** Matthew 13:15a "For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes - so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand...." [New Living Translation]

- DIZZINESS IN AREAS THAT SHOULD BE CLEAR!
*** Isaiah 5:20 "How terrible it will be for people who call good things bad and bad things good, who think darkness is light and light is darkness, who think sour is sweet and sweet is sour." [New Century Version]

- SHORTNESS OF BREATH THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO QUIT!
*** Col. 1:23a "But you must continue to believe this truth and stand in it firmly. Don't drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News." [NLT]

DEUTERONOMY means "SECOND LAW"

I CAN MAXIMIZE OR RENEW MY SPIRITUAL HEART:

1. BY SEEKING THE LORD WITH ALL MY HEART!
*** Deut. 4:29 "But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul." [New International Version]
*** Hosea 10:12 "Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will reap a crop of my love; plow the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower salvation upon you." [Living Bible]
*** Psalm 105:4 "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." [NIV]
*** Psalm 27:8 "When you said, "Seek my face," my heart said to you, "O Lord, I will seek your face." [God’s Word to the Nations]

HOW DO WE SEEK THE LORD WITH ALL OF OUR HEART?
A. TIME IN THE WORD!
*** John 5:39 "You search the Scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!" [NLT]
B. TALK TO GOD IN PRAYER!
*** Psalm 145:18 "He is close to all who call on him sincerely." [LB]
C. TRUST IN THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!
*** Hebrews 11:6 "You see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." [NLT]

IN THE NEXT 34 DAYS I WILL READ ___________; PRAY _________; DEMONSTRATE MY TRUST ____________!
*** Amos 5:4 “This is what the Lord says…: "Seek me and live!” [NIV]

2. BY LOVING THE LORD WITH ALL MY HEART!
**** Deut. 6:5 "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." [NIV]

WE CONNECT WITH GOD THROUGH LOVE, NOT LEGALISM!
HOW DO WE LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF OUR HEART?

*** Mark 12:30 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." [NIV]

WE SHOW OUR HEART OF LOVE FOR GOD WITH TOTAL SACRIFICE NOT JUST A CONTRIBUTION!

3. BY SERVING THE LORD WITH ALL MY HEART!
*** Deut. 10:12 "Now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul...." [NIV]

HOW DO WE SERVE THE LORD WITH ALL OUR HEART?
A. WE SERVE GOD WITH ALL OUR HEARTS BY LOVING OTHERS!
*** Mark 12:31 "The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these." [NLT]
*** 1 Peter 1:22b "Now you sincerely love each other. But you must keep on loving with all your heart." [Contemporary English Version]
B. WE SERVE GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART BY SERVING OTHERS!
*** Galatians 5:13b "...serve one another in love." [NIV]
*** Col. 3:23 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men...." [NIV]
C. WE SERVE GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART BY MAKING PEACE!
*** 1 Peter 3:11 "You must turn away from evil and do good; you must strive for peace with all your heart." [Today’s English Version]
D. WE SERVE GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART BY SHARING CHRIST!
*** Romans 1:9 "God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son...." [NLT]

IF GOD WAS DOING AN ANNUAL REVIEW OF MY SERVICE ON A SCALE OF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

4. BY OBEYING THE LORD WITH ALL MY HEART!
*** Deut. 26:16 "The LORD your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart...." [NIV]
*** 1 John 5:3 "The proof that we love God comes when we keep his commandments and they are not at all troublesome." [Message]
*** Psalm 119:34 "Give me understanding and I will obey your law; I will put it into practice with all my heart." [NLT]

"I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new...heart." -- Ezekiel 36:26 [NLT]