Does God Care About My Heart? ( From Our 12-15-24 Worship)

West Side Church of Christ - Elkton Ky

Watch The Video Version Here: https://youtu.be/MbCuGma5XOM

Sermon Summary:

Introduction

• Opening Story: The account of Judge Lou Olivera and veteran Joe Serna.
  • Joe Serna, a decorated Green Beret, battled severe PTSD after a traumatic incident where he nearly drowned.
  • After violating court orders, Judge Lou sentenced Joe to one night in jail, knowing the confinement would trigger Joe's PTSD.
  • The judge joined Joe in his cell for the night, offering companionship and compassion.
  • Lesson: This reflects God’s willingness to meet us in our struggles and provide active care for our hearts.
• Theme of the Sermon: God is not passive in the battle for our hearts. He loves, fights for, and restores our hearts daily.

1. The Battle for Our Hearts

• Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-12
  • "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
• Key Points:
  • Our primary struggle is spiritual, not physical.
  • The devil actively schemes to lead people away from God.
  • God calls us to arm ourselves with His resources, recognizing that He is also actively fighting for us.

2. God Cares About Your Heart

• Scripture: Genesis 6:5-6
  • "The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart."
• Key Points:
  • In Noah’s time, humanity’s wickedness deeply grieved God.
  • This grief reveals God's emotional investment in the condition of our hearts.
  • God doesn’t just observe humanity; He feels deeply about our spiritual health.
• Scripture: Jeremiah 32:40-41
  • "I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul."
• Key Points:
  • God’s promises to His people come from His wholehearted love.
  • Unlike humans, God does nothing half-heartedly; His love and actions are complete and perfect.

3. God Cares About What Goes Into Your Heart

• Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4-7
  • "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."
• Key Points:
  • God commands us to fill our hearts with His Word and share it with others, especially the next generation.
  • What we allow into our hearts influences our relationship with God and shapes our character.
• Scripture: John 4:23-24
  • "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
• Key Points:
  • God desires our worship because it aligns our hearts with His will.
  • Worship shapes our priorities and strengthens our connection to God.

4. God Tests Our Hearts

• Scripture: Proverbs 17:3
  • "The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts."
• Scripture: Psalm 7:9
  • "Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous—you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God!"
• Key Points:
  • God tests our hearts to refine us, much like gold is refined in a furnace.
  • These tests are not for God’s knowledge but to reveal and strengthen our faith.
• Example: Abraham's Test (Genesis 22:1-12)
  • Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac demonstrated his faith and trust in God.
  • Lesson: Tests reveal the depth of our faith and help us grow spiritually.

5. God Restores Broken Hearts

• Scripture: Psalm 51:10, 17
  • "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."
  • "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
• Key Points:
  • No heart is too broken for God to restore.
  • God accepts even the most shattered hearts when they turn to Him in repentance.
• Scripture: Hebrews 4:12
  • "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
• Key Points:
  • God’s Word acts as a spiritual scalpel, cutting away sin and darkness from our hearts.
  • Restoration often involves pain but results in spiritual renewal.

6. God Pours Into Our Hearts

• Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:6
  • "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
• Scripture: Romans 5:3-5
  • "Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."
• Key Points:
  • God fills our hearts with knowledge, hope, and love through His Spirit.
  • His outpouring equips us to endure trials and live with joy and peace.

7. The Call to Respond

• Scripture: Joshua 24:23
  • "He said, 'Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel.'”
• Key Points:
  • To incline our hearts to God is to actively seek Him and draw closer.
  • God’s love for our hearts motivates us to respond in worship, obedience, and faith.

Conclusion

• God grieves over the sin in our hearts, but He also restores and fills them with His love and presence.
• Like Judge Lou, God meets us in our darkest moments, offering companionship, restoration, and hope.
• Final Invitation:
  • Recognize how much God loves your heart and respond by turning to Him.
  • Whet...