WEBVTT 00:00:03.966 --> 00:00:08.599 Well, we're coming near to the end of our series in the Book of Proverbs. 00:00:08.599 --> 00:00:14.333 We've been studying the Proverbs since probably the middle of the spring, and we're in this section in the middle of Proverbs. 00:00:14.333 --> 00:00:17.600 We just have two weeks left where we're looking at various topics. 00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:20.132 How does the Book of Proverbs address various things? 00:00:20.132 --> 00:00:21.632 We looked at money. 00:00:21.632 --> 00:00:26.033 One of the things we looked at, we looked at a wide variety of topics Proverbs addresses. 00:00:26.033 --> 00:00:34.399 This week we're going to be pressing into what does Proverbs say about our motivations, our desires, our longings. 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:35.200 We all have them. 00:00:35.200 --> 00:00:37.600 And sometimes we wonder, where did that come from? 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:38.899 What do I do with it? 00:00:38.899 --> 00:00:40.932 Is that from God or the devil? 00:00:40.932 --> 00:00:44.865 How do I respond to this deep desire I feel inside of me? 00:00:44.865 --> 00:00:57.399 I remember when a friend of mine, when the iPad first came out and he could think of nothing else when that first came out, other than an iPad, should I have it or not? 00:00:57.399 --> 00:01:05.900 Watching all the video reviews of it, reading all the specs online, getting all the information he could, it absorbed his thoughts all the time. 00:01:05.900 --> 00:01:07.700 Finally he said to me, John, you know what I had to do? 00:01:07.700 --> 00:01:11.000 I just had to buy it so I'd stop thinking about it. 00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:18.365 And I thought, I need to remember that line. Honey, I had to buy that gun, I couldn't, you, it was for you so that you would have my full attention. 00:01:18.365 --> 00:01:20.933 I had to stop thinking about it. You. 00:01:20.933 --> 00:01:22.965 I did it for the family, right? 00:01:22.965 --> 00:01:23.865 That's one way to think about it. 00:01:23.865 --> 00:01:26.865 But the point being, for him, his heart. 00:01:26.933 --> 00:01:29.900 And that's the biblical word we're going to look at in the book of Proverbs. 00:01:29.900 --> 00:01:36.266 His heart was completely absorbed and consumed by the desire to learn about the iPad, whether he should have it or not. 00:01:36.266 --> 00:01:40.099 And that maybe is a superficial, silly example. 00:01:40.099 --> 00:01:46.700 But for all of us there is some longing of the heart that attaches itself to us. 00:01:46.700 --> 00:01:48.733 What do we do with that? 00:01:48.733 --> 00:01:52.400 Well, we're going to look at what the book of Proverbs says about the heart today. 00:01:52.400 --> 00:01:54.700 We're going to be following the notes that were handed out. 00:01:54.700 --> 00:01:56.933 If you didn't get a copy, raise your hand. 00:01:56.933 --> 00:01:59.933 We'll try to get one to you. 00:02:00.500 --> 00:02:03.365 But what does the Book of Proverbs say about the heart? 00:02:03.365 --> 00:02:05.599 We're going to look at three aspects of that. 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:08.233 What is the heart to begin with? 00:02:08.233 --> 00:02:10.133 Second, what does it do? 00:02:10.133 --> 00:02:12.432 How does the heart function according to Proverbs? 00:02:12.432 --> 00:02:14.233 According to the biblical perspective? 00:02:14.233 --> 00:02:16.599 And then lastly, how does it change? 00:02:16.599 --> 00:02:17.832 How do we direct it? 00:02:17.832 --> 00:02:23.832 How do we give it direction? First then, what is the heart? 00:02:24.165 --> 00:02:27.832 Now of course, when we use the word heart that has a wide range of meaning. 00:02:27.832 --> 00:02:32.300 Probably the most basic meaning is the pumping organ within your body. 00:02:32.300 --> 00:02:54.500 The organ that pumps and circulates blood around your body to bring fresh oxygen to your body, recirculate the old blood, bring oxygen to it, and of course, when you think of the heart, we also think about it being maybe the fundamental element of your life, because you might even hear of someone being brain dead. 00:02:54.900 --> 00:02:57.233 Their brain has lost much of its function. 00:02:57.233 --> 00:03:00.133 But as long as the heart is pumping, their body is alive. 00:03:00.133 --> 00:03:04.500 But when the heart stops, it's all over. 00:03:04.500 --> 00:03:09.032 The heart is the most, maybe basic element of our life. 00:03:09.599 --> 00:03:11.133 Now. Scripture uses it, though. 00:03:11.133 --> 00:03:17.300 It's interesting, even though that's probably the first place we think of when we think of if someone mentions a heart. 00:03:17.300 --> 00:03:22.500 The Bible barely uses it that way to speak specifically only of the pumping organ. 00:03:22.500 --> 00:03:35.400 Maybe just a handful of times in the Old Testament does it refer to this heart only as an organ and the bulk of the time, and in your notes outline that letter C is going to get filled in here. 00:03:35.400 --> 00:03:40.432 It's oftentimes referring to the center of someone or something. 00:03:40.432 --> 00:03:45.366 The control center, the core of their being, their essence. 00:03:46.633 --> 00:03:51.432 We use it this way when we talk about maybe the heart of the C. 00:03:52.066 --> 00:03:56.066 You mean the depths of the C deep in the middle of it. 00:03:56.066 --> 00:04:03.000 We might use it this way when we speak of finally getting to the heart of the matter, we've gotten to the essence of it. 00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:05.432 The core. 00:04:05.432 --> 00:04:10.332 In fact, if you look in your notes here in Genesis chapter six, it's used this way of the Lord. 00:04:10.332 --> 00:04:18.699 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart, in his very essence, in the very core of who he was. 00:04:18.699 --> 00:04:21.199 This wasn't just a peripheral grieving. 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:26.199 It was at the center of his being. 00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:30.932 So the heart reflects maybe the motivational core of who we are. 00:04:30.932 --> 00:04:31.899 This is why it's important 00:04:31.899 --> 00:04:39.300 23 and turning into the book of Proverbs in any time in your notes, when you just see the numbers and no reference. 00:04:39.300 --> 00:04:48.165 That's referring to Proverbs. Here, one of the ways the Proverbs speak of the heart is it's referred to as a spring. 00:04:48.565 --> 00:04:49.665 23 here. 00:04:49.665 --> 00:04:57.000 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. 00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:03.333 Whatever is in your heart, that is what will come out. 00:05:03.333 --> 00:05:04.565 Now. 00:05:04.565 --> 00:05:10.065 A lot of times we can maybe suppress what's in there and fake it. 00:05:10.065 --> 00:05:16.399 But when you're stressed, when you're put in a situation. 00:05:17.932 --> 00:05:25.065 Where maybe you lack self-control, what is in there will come out when you're squeezed. 00:05:25.065 --> 00:05:27.865 What is in the heart will come out. 00:05:27.865 --> 00:05:30.865 You will be exposed for what's there. 00:05:31.932 --> 00:05:35.300 We have to understand that what has gone into the heart is what will come out. 00:05:35.300 --> 00:05:36.800 What has shaped you. 00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:39.233 Your heart will express itself. 00:05:39.233 --> 00:05:44.165 The core of who you are will be reflected in how you interact with others. 00:05:44.165 --> 00:05:45.800 Now, part of what's important 00:05:45.800 --> 00:05:48.033 34 points this out. 00:05:48.033 --> 00:05:50.132 Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. 00:05:51.833 --> 00:05:56.766 What comes out of our mouths is what is already inside of us. 00:05:56.766 --> 00:06:00.833 Now here's the tricky part, though, about the heart. 00:06:01.466 --> 00:06:03.233 The heart can be hard to understand. 00:06:03.233 --> 00:06:05.865 Look here. This, this blank. 00:06:05.865 --> 00:06:13.766 The heart is a deep water in Proverbs 20, verse five, the purpose in a man's heart is like deep water. 00:06:13.766 --> 00:06:19.500 But a man of understanding will draw it out a deep water. 00:06:19.500 --> 00:06:25.699 If you think of a well that needs to be drilled, it can be difficult to even first of all know where to drill. 00:06:25.699 --> 00:06:32.266 And if it's a deep well in a dry land, it can cost a lot of money and take a lot of time to find the water. 00:06:32.266 --> 00:06:37.100 It's not obvious, it's not easy and it's true of our hearts as well. 00:06:37.100 --> 00:06:39.100 Just just think of the times you've asked. 00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:42.399 One of your children. 00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:47.565 Why did you hit your brother or sister? 00:06:47.565 --> 00:06:50.565 And what do they always say? 00:06:51.699 --> 00:06:56.733 I don't know, I don't know. Now, you were hoping for more than that. 00:06:56.733 --> 00:07:05.500 You were hoping there would be deep philosophical reflection on the depravity of their heart and how they had been harboring bitterness for months, and it finally came out. 00:07:05.500 --> 00:07:11.300 They thought physical violence would be something that would work to bring change into the life of their sibling. 00:07:11.300 --> 00:07:20.132 You're hoping for that kind of interaction, and all you get is, I don't know, why do they say that? 00:07:20.132 --> 00:07:21.632 Because they really don't know. 00:07:21.632 --> 00:07:22.466 I have no idea. 00:07:22.466 --> 00:07:24.300 I wanted to, I did it, I'm sorry. 00:07:24.300 --> 00:07:26.132 I got nothing else for you. 00:07:26.132 --> 00:07:31.466 You know, what's crazy about that is how many times is that what we say of ourselves as well? 00:07:31.466 --> 00:07:32.300 Why did I do that? 00:07:32.300 --> 00:07:34.300 I still am not sure why I did that. 00:07:34.300 --> 00:07:35.565 Why did I say that to them? 00:07:35.565 --> 00:07:37.100 I don't really know. 00:07:37.100 --> 00:07:40.300 I need to press into that and try to figure that out. 00:07:40.300 --> 00:07:43.300 The heart can be hard to understand. 00:07:43.300 --> 00:07:51.500 It can take layers upon layers of introspection and reflection to try to figure out what is really going on in my heart. 00:07:51.500 --> 00:07:52.399 Why did I think that? 00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:53.000 Why did I do that? 00:07:53.000 --> 00:07:55.766 Why did I say that that should be who I am. 00:07:55.766 --> 00:07:57.000 I don't think that's who I am. 00:07:57.000 --> 00:07:57.766 And then it came out. 00:07:57.766 --> 00:07:59.932 What does that mean? 00:07:59.932 --> 00:08:00.800 What we need. 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:05.865 And if you look back at 20, verse five, a man of understanding will draw it out. 00:08:06.865 --> 00:08:15.533 Meaning I, if I have understanding, will work at drawing it out, but also I need others to help me draw it out. 00:08:15.533 --> 00:08:17.333 I can't do it in isolation. 00:08:17.333 --> 00:08:19.966 I need others to speak into my life. 00:08:19.966 --> 00:08:27.266 19, as in water, face reflects face. 00:08:27.932 --> 00:08:30.932 So the heart of a man reflects the man. 00:08:31.333 --> 00:08:33.600 You can write the word mirror down there. 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:42.732 The heart is a mirror, which means at one level the heart reflects who you are to others, but also others. 00:08:42.732 --> 00:08:45.166 The heart of others acts as a mirror in your life. 00:08:45.166 --> 00:08:47.899 I need other people in my life to help give me perspective. 00:08:47.899 --> 00:08:55.500 I can think I'm 1,000% right about something and someone else comes along and goes, actually, have you considered this other perspective? 00:08:57.299 --> 00:09:02.000 That's one of the beautiful things about marriage done rightly. 00:09:02.765 --> 00:09:08.166 Let me congratulate Arwen and Brie Peak, our most recently married couple in the church. 00:09:08.166 --> 00:09:10.732 Go ahead and stand. Let us go ahead. 00:09:10.732 --> 00:09:11.133 Stand up. 00:09:11.133 --> 00:09:14.133 Let everybody stare at you. 00:09:16.966 --> 00:09:18.432 Newly married couple. 00:09:18.432 --> 00:09:21.899 They're going to learn a few things in the coming years, right? 00:09:21.899 --> 00:09:30.200 One of the things you're going to learn is that your way isn't the only way to do things you thought in your home growing up. 00:09:30.200 --> 00:09:33.700 This was the biblical way to make mac and cheese. 00:09:33.700 --> 00:09:36.500 And then you see that they do it different. 00:09:36.500 --> 00:09:37.799 They don't use the powder stuff. 00:09:37.799 --> 00:09:39.533 They use real cheese. What are you doing? 00:09:39.533 --> 00:09:40.600 You're trying to mess it up. 00:09:40.600 --> 00:09:41.932 This is the only way you do it. 00:09:42.966 --> 00:09:47.865 But over time and whatever it might be, of course there's things a lot more serious than that. 00:09:47.865 --> 00:09:51.566 But those little things are what often cause you to blow up. 00:09:51.566 --> 00:09:53.033 Over time, you start to see. 00:09:53.033 --> 00:09:55.133 I thought my way was the only way. 00:09:55.133 --> 00:09:56.832 I thought it was the only right way. 00:09:56.832 --> 00:09:59.832 Now I'm seeing maybe there's another way. 00:09:59.966 --> 00:10:01.033 Maybe there's a chance. 00:10:01.033 --> 00:10:03.066 There's another way. 00:10:03.066 --> 00:10:05.966 And the beautiful thing is, over time, hopefully it goes from. 00:10:05.966 --> 00:10:07.832 That's your way. That's my way to now. 00:10:07.832 --> 00:10:09.600 This is our way. 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:11.865 This is how we're shaping a life together. 00:10:11.865 --> 00:10:13.600 I've seen what you bring to the table. 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:14.600 You see what I bring to the table. 00:10:14.600 --> 00:10:16.332 We grow together. 00:10:16.332 --> 00:10:21.466 But that only happens when you have the mirror of reflection, another perspective. 00:10:21.466 --> 00:10:36.432 And if you're open to it, if you're open to hearing another perspective, the heart will change over time as others can speak into it, even though it is hard to understand. 00:10:36.432 --> 00:10:39.432 That's how we work together and that happens in the church as well. 00:10:39.432 --> 00:10:52.533 You've all had it happen where you've been in a life group, you've been in some discipleship interaction, you've gotten to know someone else, and they've helped you see an area of your life that needed to grow, and maybe you didn't want to hear it at the time, but it helped you. 00:10:52.533 --> 00:10:53.399 It was done in love. 00:10:53.399 --> 00:10:57.399 It helped us grow the hearts of deep water. 00:10:57.399 --> 00:11:01.399 Now that's a little bit of what the heart is. 00:11:01.399 --> 00:11:02.466 What does it do? 00:11:02.466 --> 00:11:03.799 How does the heart act? 00:11:03.799 --> 00:11:06.000 How does it function in our lives? 00:11:07.265 --> 00:11:09.432 Look here at this very first line. 00:11:09.432 --> 00:11:17.000 The most core understanding, I think, to begin with is every heart is designed and it will worship. 00:11:19.100 --> 00:11:28.332 The heart is designed to follow something to long for something, to worship something it will worship something. 00:11:28.365 --> 00:11:34.033 12, hope deferred makes the heart sick. 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:38.732 But a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. 00:11:39.265 --> 00:11:43.100 We all have in us a deep desire. 00:11:43.100 --> 00:11:50.265 We have various desires, various longings, and when those aren't fulfilled, it can even lead to what some have called heart sickness. 00:11:50.265 --> 00:11:55.033 You may have heard someone you may have said even they died of a broken heart. 00:11:55.633 --> 00:11:58.133 And I remember reading Viktor Frankl. 00:11:58.133 --> 00:12:05.865 He was a concentration camp survivor in World War II, and he wrote a number of books about that experience. 00:12:05.865 --> 00:12:11.865 And one of the things he saw in people, they would be physically okay. 00:12:11.865 --> 00:12:17.265 Of course, no one was okay, but they would be surviving physically. 00:12:17.865 --> 00:12:24.700 And then all of a sudden one day he would see something change in their eyes, something change in their countenance. 00:12:24.832 --> 00:12:31.200 And the next day, even though physically able to survive, the next day they would pass away. 00:12:31.466 --> 00:12:35.332 And he said what had happened is they finally just gave up. 00:12:35.332 --> 00:12:36.799 They lost the will to live. 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:37.799 They lost hope. 00:12:37.799 --> 00:12:44.033 For whatever reason, something happened and something broke inside of them and they said, I'm done. 00:12:44.265 --> 00:12:46.365 Hope deferred makes the heart sick. 00:12:46.365 --> 00:12:55.600 There is a desire deep within us that we long to see fulfilled, and we're wired that way. 00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:57.232 We're wired to worship. 00:12:57.232 --> 00:12:59.865 Some have said the heart is an idol factory. 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:03.700 It's going to worship something. 00:13:03.700 --> 00:13:08.332 That's why we saw in the history of Israel this to be true. 00:13:08.332 --> 00:13:11.166 Moses had gone up on the mountain to get the law from God. 00:13:11.166 --> 00:13:17.033 He's gone 40 days and the people are like, hold on, we've been abandoned. 00:13:17.033 --> 00:13:19.666 Aaron, go make us a golden calf to worship. 00:13:19.666 --> 00:13:21.166 We got to have something to worship. 00:13:21.166 --> 00:13:24.033 We couldn't even go 40 days without something to worship. 00:13:24.033 --> 00:13:24.432 If you're. 00:13:24.432 --> 00:13:26.966 If God's not going to show up, we'll make up a God to worship. 00:13:26.966 --> 00:13:30.966 We gotta have something to worship. 00:13:30.966 --> 00:13:32.899 It seems that we're hard wired. 00:13:32.899 --> 00:13:40.133 In fact, you may remember some of us of the more experienced crowd may remember the old Bob Dylan line along this lines. 00:13:40.133 --> 00:13:42.133 Bob Dylan, folk singer, 60s and 70s. 00:13:43.100 --> 00:13:46.932 He said, everybody's got to serve somebody. 00:13:46.932 --> 00:13:53.232 It might be the devil, it might be the Lord, but you're gonna serve somebody. 00:13:53.232 --> 00:13:56.232 We're hardwired to worship. 00:13:56.533 --> 00:13:59.299 There's a desire deep within each of us. 00:13:59.299 --> 00:14:05.765 Now, part of the problem with this desire can't always be trusted. 00:14:05.765 --> 00:14:08.232 Sometimes the desires are clearly good. 00:14:08.232 --> 00:14:11.566 Sometimes they're very strong, and you feel like you have to follow them. 00:14:11.566 --> 00:14:12.166 Look here at verse 00:14:12.166 --> 00:14:19.966 30, a tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot. 00:14:22.232 --> 00:14:23.365 Envy comes up. 00:14:23.365 --> 00:14:27.432 Envy is a very strong desire for something someone else has. 00:14:27.432 --> 00:14:28.732 Here's the crazy part about envy. 00:14:28.732 --> 00:14:30.000 There's another layer to it. 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:39.000 Not only do I want what they have, partly because I can't have it, I want what they have, but also I need to hate them for having it. 00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:40.399 And I want them to not have it. 00:14:40.399 --> 00:14:43.899 And I want them to suffer harm because they have the thing that I want as well. 00:14:45.432 --> 00:14:52.399 Man, that is the messed up part of envy that shows that we can desire the wrong thing for the wrong reasons. 00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:58.966 There's something about our heart that that that happens at times, the heart can be unpredictable. 00:14:58.966 --> 00:14:59.399 Look here. 00:14:59.399 --> 00:15:08.332 17 let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord. 00:15:09.432 --> 00:15:20.265 Isn't it crazy that sometimes we can find ourselves envying sinners, envying those who openly profess to be completely against God? 00:15:20.265 --> 00:15:22.100 Maybe it's something about their life you admire. 00:15:22.100 --> 00:15:25.399 Maybe it's the way they look, dress, talk, communicate. 00:15:25.399 --> 00:15:28.399 Maybe they're very famous. 00:15:28.865 --> 00:15:31.166 But don't be deceived. 00:15:31.166 --> 00:15:36.200 Make sure you're careful about who you admire and follow. 00:15:36.265 --> 00:15:42.666 But sometimes Christians will get a, What's the right word? 00:15:43.365 --> 00:15:46.133 They might get accused of living in a Christian bubble. 00:15:47.365 --> 00:15:48.832 You're just in your little Christian bubble. 00:15:48.832 --> 00:15:52.600 Living in your own little space, unaware of everything that's going on around you. 00:15:52.600 --> 00:15:58.432 Well, well, let me tell you, many of the people we admire, maybe in Hollywood, are in their own little bubble, too. 00:15:58.432 --> 00:16:05.265 I mean, some of these folks live very depraved lives, and in their little world, everybody's okay with it. 00:16:05.265 --> 00:16:07.000 And they think the rest of the world is crazy. 00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:12.466 For example, holding the biblical sexual values. 00:16:13.066 --> 00:16:14.399 Do not envy sinners. 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:24.600 Be very careful who you admire, who you follow, and who you envy, because the heart can be easily deceived. 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:26.966 The heart is not always trustworthy. 00:16:26.966 --> 00:16:28.899 Our desires are not always good. 00:16:28.899 --> 00:16:32.133 In fact, the word I have to fill in the blank here. 00:16:32.133 --> 00:16:34.000 Remember, the heart is fickle. 00:16:36.033 --> 00:16:37.100 Undependable. 00:16:37.100 --> 00:16:38.799 Fickle. 00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:41.500 Some not always trustworthy. 00:16:41.500 --> 00:16:42.299 And you know how this is. 00:16:42.299 --> 00:16:44.166 At one minute you could be on cloud nine. 00:16:44.166 --> 00:16:45.832 You could be having the best day. 00:16:45.832 --> 00:16:47.133 And something can happen. 00:16:47.133 --> 00:16:50.133 Something small, even. 00:16:50.133 --> 00:16:53.133 And you can be miserable in a second. 00:16:54.133 --> 00:16:56.732 It just is mind blowing how that happens. 00:16:56.732 --> 00:16:58.765 Everything can be perfect. 00:16:58.765 --> 00:17:00.600 And the smallest little thing. 00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:01.832 A buddy of mine was sharing this with me. 00:17:01.832 --> 00:17:03.332 Nobody here recently. 00:17:03.332 --> 00:17:05.000 He was out in the driveway. 00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:05.766 He was in a hurry. 00:17:05.766 --> 00:17:09.066 He was trying to wash his car and he's tugging on the water hose and it's all wadded up. 00:17:09.066 --> 00:17:09.799 You know how that happens. 00:17:09.799 --> 00:17:11.799 It gets all tangled up and he keeps tugging on it. 00:17:11.799 --> 00:17:13.133 And he said, I had this thought. 00:17:13.133 --> 00:17:14.532 God, why do you hate me? 00:17:14.532 --> 00:17:16.333 Why have you allowed this to happen to me? 00:17:16.333 --> 00:17:20.133 That my water hose is all tangled up when I'm trying to wash my car and I'm in a hurry? 00:17:21.165 --> 00:17:24.032 And he thought, what in the world am I doing? 00:17:24.032 --> 00:17:26.633 Where did that come from? 00:17:26.633 --> 00:17:29.700 The smallest little thing was going to ruin his day. 00:17:29.700 --> 00:17:34.732 And of course, there are big things that set us off course. 00:17:34.732 --> 00:17:38.932 But how often is our heart just easily led astray? 00:17:38.932 --> 00:17:41.732 Look at here at a couple of these verses that point this out. 00:17:41.732 --> 00:17:46.599 Jeremiah 17 nine the heart is deceitful above all things, desperately sick. 00:17:46.599 --> 00:17:49.599 Who can understand it? 00:17:49.900 --> 00:17:53.965 The heart easily deceives us and lead us astray. 00:17:53.965 --> 00:18:02.099 Many times when we have a strong desire and a strong longing, the assumption is, is that we should go with that longing. 00:18:02.099 --> 00:18:02.833 Follow that. 00:18:02.833 --> 00:18:06.099 If you feel it strongly, you need to follow your heart. 00:18:06.099 --> 00:18:06.900 That's the mantra. 00:18:06.900 --> 00:18:08.900 You hear all the time in the culture. 00:18:08.900 --> 00:18:12.365 Every Disney movie has that somewhere in there, follow your heart. 00:18:12.365 --> 00:18:14.299 That's where you'll find fulfillment. 00:18:14.299 --> 00:18:16.799 But our hearts aren't always right. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:18.000 In fact, a couple of these verses 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:20.900 2, desire without knowledge is not good. 00:18:22.432 --> 00:18:23.965 It's great to have a strong desire. 00:18:23.965 --> 00:18:27.032 Make sure it lines up with biblical truth. 00:18:27.032 --> 00:18:32.665 Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way. 00:18:32.665 --> 00:18:39.066 We don't just run after whatever desire shows up, we make sure it aligns with ancient wisdom for a modern age. 00:18:39.799 --> 00:18:41.900 Romans ten two even emphasizes this. 00:18:41.900 --> 00:18:45.799 They have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:55.365 We want to make sure that what we feel deep in our heart aligns with God's Word, because there's a couple other ways that our heart tricks us. 00:18:55.365 --> 00:18:56.799 Sometimes it traps us. 00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:58.232 That's the next blank. 00:18:58.232 --> 00:19:05.965 6-- The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust. 00:19:05.965 --> 00:19:11.299 They're trapped by their intense desire, by their intense feeling. 00:19:11.299 --> 00:19:19.500 You can be trapped by a strong desire if it's not the right desire, if it doesn't line up with God's Word and what is good and what is right. 00:19:19.500 --> 00:19:22.400 Also, our strong desires blind us. 00:19:24.200 --> 00:19:33.133 2 -- all the ways of man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. 00:19:33.900 --> 00:19:38.299 It can be easy to think I can be blinded to truth. 00:19:38.299 --> 00:19:44.732 And I can think that because I thought of it, because I felt that it is inherently pure, it is inherently good. 00:19:44.732 --> 00:19:48.732 All the ways of man are pure in his own eyes. 00:19:49.465 --> 00:19:57.833 And look, this is tricky because we all have blind spots, but because they're blind spots, we don't even know it. 00:19:57.833 --> 00:20:01.932 We got to have other people in our life to point those out. 00:20:01.932 --> 00:20:08.333 And if you think you don't have a blind spot, guess what that is? 00:20:08.333 --> 00:20:10.032 That's a blind spot. 00:20:10.032 --> 00:20:11.900 That's a big one. 00:20:11.900 --> 00:20:16.400 We all have even the best cars, the most perfectly designed cars. 00:20:16.400 --> 00:20:20.299 In fact, probably the fancier it is, the more blind spots it has. 00:20:20.299 --> 00:20:23.032 Unless you're in the Popemobile and it's just a big glass dome. 00:20:23.032 --> 00:20:24.566 But even then, you can only see forward. 00:20:24.566 --> 00:20:26.200 You can't see behind yourself. 00:20:26.200 --> 00:20:27.200 You got to turn around for that. 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:28.400 We all have blind spots. 00:20:29.500 --> 00:20:35.599 We all have to have other people in our lives that help us see that and are willing to do it in love. 00:20:35.599 --> 00:20:41.066 They're willing to come to you and say, look, I think this is an area that you need to give attention to. 00:20:41.066 --> 00:20:42.266 Do it in love. 00:20:42.266 --> 00:20:43.400 Do it in kindness. 00:20:43.400 --> 00:20:45.133 That's part of what community is. 00:20:45.133 --> 00:20:47.200 That's why we're here. 00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:51.965 That's what we hope for, is that others would help us grow and see the full picture. 00:20:51.965 --> 00:20:54.200 So our hearts can be fickle. 00:20:54.200 --> 00:20:55.266 They can trap us. 00:20:55.266 --> 00:20:58.266 They can blind us. 00:20:58.299 --> 00:21:01.365 Now, how do we move towards the right desire? 00:21:01.365 --> 00:21:04.200 Because a lot of this is the way the heart works negatively. 00:21:04.200 --> 00:21:05.732 I've been very heavy on that. 00:21:05.732 --> 00:21:13.032 How do we move towards the right desire to make sure our hearts are fully captivated by the right thing? 00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:16.432 Let's look at how the heart changes. 00:21:16.432 --> 00:21:17.932 How does the heart change? 00:21:17.932 --> 00:21:19.799 We're going to look at four ways here. 00:21:19.799 --> 00:21:24.165 First, remember and be aware that the heart is moldable. 00:21:25.365 --> 00:21:27.066 Remember it is moldable. 00:21:27.066 --> 00:21:29.232 Your heart is changeable. 00:21:29.232 --> 00:21:32.599 Don't get stuck thinking I can't change. 00:21:33.333 --> 00:21:37.700 But here's the key for a heart to change, it has to be soft. 00:21:38.099 --> 00:21:39.732 It has to be pliable. 00:21:39.732 --> 00:21:41.032 Scripture talks about that. 00:21:41.032 --> 00:21:47.633 32 -- be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another. 00:21:47.633 --> 00:21:52.766 Just as God in Christ has forgiven you, we have to have a pliable like a lump of clay. 00:21:52.766 --> 00:21:56.266 It's only going to be pliable, moldable, changeable if it's soft. 00:21:56.266 --> 00:22:04.432 But if it's hardened, like in Exodus seven, here in your notes, it's mentioned where Pharaoh's heart is described multiple times as hard. 00:22:06.799 --> 00:22:08.465 He's not changing. 00:22:08.465 --> 00:22:09.965 He's not open to change. 00:22:09.965 --> 00:22:12.133 He's not open to hearing another direction. 00:22:12.133 --> 00:22:18.165 But a soft heart is pliable, is moldable, is changeable. 00:22:18.500 --> 00:22:24.232 This is important because we need to understand how this happens. 00:22:24.232 --> 00:22:35.566 And I think the key word for us here is we must, in order to see change come through, we must direct our hearts, give direction to our hearts. 00:22:35.566 --> 00:22:43.333 19 says hear, my son, and be wise and direct your heart in the way. 00:22:43.333 --> 00:22:45.133 It's not follow my heart. 00:22:45.133 --> 00:22:48.833 Okay? Listen, but direct your heart. 00:22:48.833 --> 00:22:51.099 Don't just follow it, lead it. 00:22:51.099 --> 00:22:52.900 Give it direction. 00:22:52.900 --> 00:22:58.633 Our hearts are designed to worship, but your heart needs something greater than you to follow. 00:22:58.633 --> 00:23:01.599 Don't just look deep inside and follow what you see there. 00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:05.566 You need something stronger than you outside of yourself to follow. 00:23:05.566 --> 00:23:07.099 I need something I can lean on. 00:23:07.099 --> 00:23:09.965 I can't just lean on me. 00:23:09.965 --> 00:23:11.900 I've let myself down so many times. 00:23:11.900 --> 00:23:12.766 I've failed myself. 00:23:12.766 --> 00:23:18.066 So many times I need something greater than me, stronger than me, bigger than me to lean on. 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:22.965 And so for us, we've got to look to God's Word. 00:23:22.965 --> 00:23:25.566 We've got to follow God's Word here. 00:23:25.566 --> 00:23:32.099 Here's a powerful example of this look in chapter four, and I put the page number of the church Bible. 00:23:32.099 --> 00:23:35.732 If you have a church Bible here in your notes, it's on page 496. 00:23:35.732 --> 00:23:36.066 Yeah. 00:23:36.066 --> 00:23:38.566 If you don't have a Bible, we have free copies out in the lobby. 00:23:38.566 --> 00:23:40.232 Grab those anytime. 00:23:40.232 --> 00:23:44.700 But I want you to turn over to Proverbs chapter four, because we're going to read more than just one verse. 00:23:44.700 --> 00:23:48.266 There's a few verses here that point this out. 00:23:48.266 --> 00:23:51.532 We have to be active to direct our hearts. 00:23:51.532 --> 00:23:54.665 This contradicts or complements what I said at the beginning. 00:23:54.665 --> 00:23:56.000 What is in your heart will come out. 00:23:56.000 --> 00:23:57.665 What is already there will come out. 00:23:57.665 --> 00:24:01.133 But also the way we act affects what goes in our heart. 00:24:01.133 --> 00:24:02.900 It works both ways. 00:24:02.900 --> 00:24:06.165 Our heart directs our steps, but our steps influence our heart. 00:24:06.165 --> 00:24:06.865 It goes both ways. 00:24:06.865 --> 00:24:09.232 Look here at Proverbs chapter four verse 23. 00:24:09.232 --> 00:24:15.200 We've already read keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. 00:24:15.200 --> 00:24:20.500 Now look at the different parts of the body that are described here, put away from you. 00:24:20.500 --> 00:24:22.099 Crooked speech. 00:24:22.099 --> 00:24:24.633 Put devious talk far from you. 00:24:24.633 --> 00:24:26.833 Be careful with your mouth. 00:24:26.833 --> 00:24:31.400 In fact, keep your heart, guard your heart is another way to translate that guard your lips. 00:24:31.400 --> 00:24:35.500 The things you say will affect the condition of your heart. 00:24:35.900 --> 00:24:37.200 He goes on with the eyes. 00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:41.900 Let your eyes look directly forward and your gaze be straight before you. 00:24:41.900 --> 00:24:50.865 What you look at with your eyes affects, influences, your desires, your longing, your heart. 00:24:50.865 --> 00:24:53.599 And then he says, ponder the path of your feet. 00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:55.133 Then all your ways will be sure. 00:24:55.133 --> 00:24:56.532 Do not swerve to the right or to the left. 00:24:56.532 --> 00:25:01.432 Turn your foot away from evil where you walk, where you take yourself. 00:25:01.432 --> 00:25:08.200 The company you keep will affect your heart, will influence your heart, will influence your desires, your longings. 00:25:08.200 --> 00:25:10.432 What you believe, what you want. 00:25:12.133 --> 00:25:15.932 We've got to be active to direct our hearts. 00:25:16.400 --> 00:25:17.665 And this blank here. 00:25:17.665 --> 00:25:23.266 The next to the last one on the page is we direct our hearts by following God's Word. 00:25:23.900 --> 00:25:26.200 Following God's word. 00:25:26.200 --> 00:25:34.165 This right here is what's going to direct your heart more than anything else in the right way. 00:25:34.165 --> 00:25:37.665 And I want to I want to issue a challenge today to us. 00:25:41.333 --> 00:25:44.099 Because everything you consume affects your heart. 00:25:44.099 --> 00:25:45.165 Everything. 00:25:45.165 --> 00:25:46.299 There's no neutral ground. 00:25:46.299 --> 00:25:49.566 It's either drawing you closer to God or pulling you away from him. 00:25:49.566 --> 00:25:52.766 Everything we absorb affects your heart. 00:25:53.900 --> 00:25:56.032 And here's my one simple challenge today. 00:25:56.032 --> 00:25:58.133 We're not a church that you know. 00:25:58.133 --> 00:26:03.400 We don't have a list of books you can't read, or things you TV shows or movies you can't watch. 00:26:03.400 --> 00:26:04.932 We don't we don't do all that. 00:26:06.365 --> 00:26:07.299 But don't be deceived. 00:26:07.299 --> 00:26:10.599 Everything you consume affects your heart in some way. 00:26:10.599 --> 00:26:13.599 Don't walk in naivete. 00:26:13.766 --> 00:26:23.799 And so my simple challenge to you this week is to make sure you consume more of God's Word than social media or news. 00:26:23.799 --> 00:26:30.700 I'm not saying never look at social media, never look at news, but make sure you're consuming more of God's Word than you're consuming of those. 00:26:30.700 --> 00:26:44.133 Because, listen, those folks, they spend millions and millions and millions and millions of dollars every year doing all they can to manipulate you to believe what they want you to believe. 00:26:44.333 --> 00:26:46.799 And don't just don't be naive about that. 00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:47.900 It's true. 00:26:47.900 --> 00:26:49.365 They know what they want. 00:26:49.365 --> 00:26:53.665 They know how to make you swipe up again and keep going endlessly for hours. 00:26:53.665 --> 00:26:56.432 They they're smarter than us in that regard. 00:26:56.432 --> 00:26:58.365 They know our hearts better than we do. 00:26:58.365 --> 00:27:00.165 Here's what John will love. 00:27:00.165 --> 00:27:02.365 I'll keep feeding him photos of Greek Bibles. 00:27:02.365 --> 00:27:05.965 He'll never be able to stop swiping up on those all day long. 00:27:05.965 --> 00:27:07.099 They know your heart. 00:27:07.099 --> 00:27:08.465 They know how to do it. 00:27:08.465 --> 00:27:11.833 The news outlets know how to make you believe what they want you to believe. 00:27:11.833 --> 00:27:16.566 If you keep absorbing it, the government knows how to get you distracted. 00:27:16.566 --> 00:27:17.900 Don't look at this. 00:27:17.900 --> 00:27:19.099 Look over at this. 00:27:19.099 --> 00:27:21.932 We want you to look here because we don't want you to see what's going on over here. 00:27:21.932 --> 00:27:24.965 They they know and it's okay to read the news. 00:27:24.965 --> 00:27:26.633 It's okay to be on social media. 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:40.165 Just don't be naive to reality and make sure that this is influencing you more than all that. This is eternal truth. 00:27:40.732 --> 00:27:46.599 In fact, here's the simple challenge-- spend more time in God's Word than on all those things combined. 00:27:46.599 --> 00:27:53.865 If you only got to read your Bible for ten minutes today, then don't spend any more than ten minutes on social media, media and news. 00:27:53.865 --> 00:27:56.465 Even write it down and track it this week. Just track it. 00:27:56.465 --> 00:27:59.665 Just see for one week, write down the numbers. 00:27:59.665 --> 00:28:02.299 You can look at your screen and see your screen time. 00:28:02.299 --> 00:28:05.700 It'll show you how much time you spent on an app. 00:28:05.700 --> 00:28:06.266 I've got a buddy. 00:28:06.266 --> 00:28:09.432 What he did was he took all of his apps off his phone. 00:28:09.432 --> 00:28:20.432 I think maybe some of them are there, but on the home screen, the only app he has is the Bible app, and he doesn't open anything else until he's opened that and he spent some time. 00:28:20.532 --> 00:28:22.465 The Bible app has a verse of the day. 00:28:22.465 --> 00:28:26.865 There's devotions, there's prayers, there's all kinds of stuff to guide you. 00:28:26.865 --> 00:28:31.465 What we've done as a church is we have a Bible reading plan as a church. 00:28:31.465 --> 00:28:34.099 We want to do all we can to get you in God's Word. 00:28:34.099 --> 00:28:38.532 We want to make it normal here that everyone who is here is in God's Word. 00:28:38.532 --> 00:28:43.299 This year we're reading through the whole Bible together and some of us are going, oh yeah, I forgot we were doing that. 00:28:43.299 --> 00:28:43.665 That's right. 00:28:43.665 --> 00:28:47.665 You're just now reminding me that's okay, it's okay. 00:28:47.665 --> 00:28:51.099 I'm not coming to your house and checking to see if you checked off all the boxes or not. 00:28:51.099 --> 00:28:53.833 Digging through your Bible to see if the Bible reading plan’s in there. I'm not. 00:28:55.032 --> 00:28:57.066 This is for you. 00:28:57.066 --> 00:28:59.365 And if you haven't, if you've fallen off on that, just. 00:28:59.365 --> 00:29:02.133 Just start again today, right where we are. 00:29:02.133 --> 00:29:03.532 If you can get back to the rest, great. 00:29:03.532 --> 00:29:05.900 If not, no worries. 00:29:05.900 --> 00:29:07.900 Be in God's word. 00:29:07.900 --> 00:29:10.266 Don't let past failures keep you from getting in His Word. 00:29:10.266 --> 00:29:12.066 This year we're reading through the whole Bible. 00:29:12.066 --> 00:29:14.700 Next year we'll do New Testament Psalms and Proverbs. 00:29:14.700 --> 00:29:18.865 The year after that, we condense it down a little further just Gospels, acts, Psalms, and Proverbs. 00:29:18.865 --> 00:29:21.200 But the key thing is be in God's Word. 00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:24.665 This is what will allow you to direct your heart. 00:29:24.665 --> 00:29:30.200 This will give you something true to follow in the midst of just madness. 00:29:32.066 --> 00:29:33.299 Follow God's word. 00:29:33.299 --> 00:29:36.299 Now lastly, this point I think. 00:29:38.232 --> 00:29:50.532 Helps explain everything else we've talked about because I know some of us are sitting here going, okay, John, I have these strong desires and you're saying I need to change them, but I've tried and I can't. 00:29:50.532 --> 00:29:56.165 I want to long for something different than these things that I know aren't good for me. 00:29:56.165 --> 00:29:57.665 This last point is critical. 00:29:57.665 --> 00:30:02.865 Ultimately, our hearts must be transformed. 00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:09.766 Until your heart is changed and transformed. 00:30:09.932 --> 00:30:15.232 It's actually impossible to long for Christ and His Word. 00:30:15.232 --> 00:30:22.299 There might be some interest there, but for it to be your core desire until he opens up your eyes to His Word. 00:30:22.932 --> 00:30:24.566 In fact, the phrase in the New Testament, 00:30:24.566 --> 00:30:39.665 3-- unless one is, and this is on the back side of your notes, unless one is born again, born a new reborn spiritual birth, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 00:30:39.665 --> 00:30:41.299 The wind blows where it wishes. 00:30:41.299 --> 00:30:42.032 You hear it sound. 00:30:42.032 --> 00:30:43.865 You do not know where it comes from or where it goes. 00:30:43.865 --> 00:30:51.500 So it is with everyone who is born of the spirit, Jesus Christ, working through you, His Holy Spirit in your life. 00:30:51.500 --> 00:30:57.865 That's what gives you new life, new spiritual eyes, new spiritual desires. 00:30:57.865 --> 00:31:00.599 Prior to that, Ephesians says you were dead. 00:31:00.599 --> 00:31:05.133 Ephesians two verse one, you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you once walked. 00:31:05.133 --> 00:31:09.799 And when you're dead, what can a dead person do to make themselves alive? 00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:13.000 Not a trick question. 00:31:13.665 --> 00:31:16.365 Someone surely knows. 00:31:16.365 --> 00:31:17.566 Nothing. 00:31:17.566 --> 00:31:21.799 There's nothing a dead person can do to make themselves come alive. 00:31:21.799 --> 00:31:25.365 The only hope they have is there's some other force that can bring them alive. 00:31:25.365 --> 00:31:33.900 And of course, we know spiritually this is referring to the fact that in my own effort, I can't make myself alive to Christ. 00:31:33.900 --> 00:31:35.900 Only he can change my heart. 00:31:35.900 --> 00:31:42.833 And it says God made us alive in him, raised us with him, seated us with him in the heavenly places. 00:31:43.799 --> 00:31:47.000 This was a promise that was given in Ezekiel in the Old Testament. 00:31:47.000 --> 00:31:49.266 I'll give you a new heart, a new spirit. 00:31:49.266 --> 00:31:50.566 I'll put it within you. 00:31:50.566 --> 00:31:53.532 I'll remove the heart of stone, the hard heart that doesn't want change. 00:31:53.532 --> 00:31:55.066 I'll remove that. 00:31:55.066 --> 00:31:57.165 I'll give you flesh, a heart of flesh. 00:31:57.165 --> 00:32:00.165 I'll put my spirit within you. 00:32:00.333 --> 00:32:05.633 I remember when we were Julie and I worked as campus missionaries for years. 00:32:05.633 --> 00:32:07.099 And we had to do our own fundraising. 00:32:07.099 --> 00:32:12.566 And I remember when we went to meet with this, couple who were in Louisiana, we were down that way. 00:32:12.566 --> 00:32:14.700 We got connected with them. 00:32:14.700 --> 00:32:19.932 And I've shared some of this before, but she shared more about her conversion, about her coming to know Christ. 00:32:19.932 --> 00:32:21.700 She grew up in a church. 00:32:22.965 --> 00:32:24.633 I think she said she was Catholic. 00:32:24.633 --> 00:32:29.000 Many are in that part of the country very heavily Catholic. 00:32:29.000 --> 00:32:33.032 But for her, she really she thought she was a Christian. 00:32:33.032 --> 00:32:36.133 She thought she knew who Jesus was. 00:32:36.133 --> 00:32:40.099 She thought she was doing all the rituals right. 00:32:40.099 --> 00:32:42.266 But she started into a Bible study at her work. 00:32:42.266 --> 00:32:47.000 Some people at work had started her in that Bible study. 00:32:47.000 --> 00:32:51.400 And over the course of that Bible study, she had never really read the Bible much before. 00:32:51.400 --> 00:33:03.032 She started to see who Jesus is, what he has done on her behalf, how he died on her behalf for her sins, she saw that she needed to repent of her sins and follow him. 00:33:03.032 --> 00:33:11.900 And there came a point where the leader of that group said, listen, I think, I think it's time for you to surrender your life to Christ, to give up on trying to control your own life. 00:33:14.299 --> 00:33:16.633 And follow him. 00:33:16.633 --> 00:33:17.932 And she said, John, I did that. 00:33:17.932 --> 00:33:20.500 And I got to tell you that day, it was like scales. 00:33:20.500 --> 00:33:21.200 She used that phrase. 00:33:21.200 --> 00:33:24.266 It was like scales fell from my spiritual eyes. 00:33:24.266 --> 00:33:26.465 I saw stuff I had never seen before. 00:33:26.465 --> 00:33:31.432 Spiritually, God awakened my heart to him in a way it had never been before, she said. 00:33:31.432 --> 00:33:37.066 I went to church that Sunday and the priest was talking, and I'm sitting there going, why haven't you said all this before? 00:33:37.066 --> 00:33:40.665 I came up to him afterwards and I said, where did you get all this new stuff? 00:33:40.665 --> 00:33:41.665 What are you talking about? 00:33:41.665 --> 00:33:43.400 How come you've never talked about this before? 00:33:43.400 --> 00:33:45.032 And he's like, what are you talking about? 00:33:45.032 --> 00:33:48.232 I'm not saying anything different than I've said before. 00:33:48.232 --> 00:33:50.700 And he said to her, your eyes are open is the difference. 00:33:53.432 --> 00:33:56.799 The desires of our heart have to be awakened by Jesus. 00:33:56.799 --> 00:34:02.333 And if you've never surrendered your life to him, I'd love to talk with you about what that means. 00:34:02.333 --> 00:34:04.400 Just come down front and find me afterwards. 00:34:04.400 --> 00:34:05.700 I'd love to talk with you. 00:34:05.700 --> 00:34:07.799 There's others I know who are available to talk with you. 00:34:07.799 --> 00:34:10.800 My wife and many of the elders. 00:34:10.800 --> 00:34:13.800 Listen. 00:34:14.400 --> 00:34:18.666 So many are longing for purpose and meaning in life. 00:34:18.666 --> 00:34:21.699 You don't have to wait another day to find that. 00:34:21.699 --> 00:34:24.199 You can have that in him today. 00:34:24.199 --> 00:34:25.833 There's no reason to wait another day. 00:34:25.833 --> 00:34:32.166 There's no reason to keep playing a spiritual game, especially not in this world. 00:34:32.833 --> 00:34:34.065 Thank you for coming here today. 00:34:34.065 --> 00:34:36.099 Let's pray. 00:34:36.099 --> 00:34:41.800 Jesus, we thank you for your word that guides us, that helps expose the fallen condition of our heart. 00:34:43.565 --> 00:34:44.865 Our hearts can be fickle. 00:34:44.865 --> 00:34:46.699 Our hearts can be depraved. 00:34:46.699 --> 00:34:48.900 Our hearts can be misled. 00:34:48.900 --> 00:34:51.900 Our hearts can be blind. 00:34:52.400 --> 00:34:57.199 Thank you that through you, our hearts can be awakened to truth. 00:34:57.599 --> 00:35:00.599 That in you we can see new life. 00:35:00.699 --> 00:35:03.699 We can be born again. 00:35:04.932 --> 00:35:05.365 Jesus. 00:35:05.365 --> 00:35:11.965 If there's anyone here that doesn't know you today, I pray that today would be the day they put a stake in the ground. 00:35:11.965 --> 00:35:16.733 And they turn from worshiping self to worshiping you. 00:35:17.000 --> 00:35:19.032 You have created us to desire. 00:35:19.032 --> 00:35:19.932 Thank you for that. 00:35:19.932 --> 00:35:21.599 Help us to desire the right things. 00:35:21.599 --> 00:35:23.000 Would you work in our heart this week? 00:35:23.000 --> 00:35:29.565 Give us a measure of self-control to feed our hearts with your word more than anything else. 00:35:31.500 --> 00:35:33.333 Jesus, we love you. 00:35:33.333 --> 00:35:33.766 Amen.