Gods Design For Your Heart Series

“Extreme Life Makeover”

Gods Design for Your Heart

July 18, 2004

Intro: God created us with a heart to reflect his glory. The very center of our being was designed to be a reflection of who he is.

“God created human beings; he created them godlike; Reflecting Gods nature.” Genesis 1:27 (The Message)

God created us to mirror his glory.

• Introduce Mirror to show how we are created to reflect Gods glory.

We were not made gods, but were made in Gods image.

The heart of man was created to be the very center of his being.

Robert Pirsig in his book “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” , says that the way to change the world is to start with our own heart and work outward. He understood Hebrew psychology that says the heart is the very center of the will of man. It is our very core.

The Problem of Broken Hearts

What happens if your physical heart doesn’t work? I have a friend named Van who was in a car wreck and his heart was literally torn in two. To save his life the paramedics had to clamp off the blood supply to his brain and his spinal column. After months in the hospital, his brain was fine, but his body was paralyzed from the waist down. Today, he is still in a wheelchair.

Sin has a paralyzing effect on the human heart.

“No one is good – not even one. No one has understanding; no one is seeking God.” Romans 3:10-11(NLT)

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Romans 3:23(NIV)

*Break Mirror to show the effect of sin on our hearts.

Sin keeps us from fully reflecting Gods glory.

We know we can never fix our lives. There is no way to repair the damage done.

Sometimes our heart is broken over our own sin.

“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.” Psalm 51:3 (NIV)

Sometimes our heart is broken by the sin of others.

“How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame?” Psalm 4:2(NIV)

Whatever the cause of our broken heart, we are powerless to fix it.

The Healing of Broken Hearts

Only God is able to take the shattered heart and restore it to reflective beauty.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit in me.” Psalm 51:10

Gods love repairs the brokenness of our lives.

“Immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ.”

Ephesians 2:4-5(The Message)

Jesus came to repair the broken hearted.

“The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.”

John 10:10 (NIV)

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Psalm 51:17 (NIV)

“The Word is near you; it is in your mouthy and in your heart,” that is the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with the heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

Romans 10:8-11 (NIV)

Conclusion:

How is your heart broken today?

Do you need to allow Jesus to repair your broken heart?