#1 THE PROBLEM OF THE HEART IS THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
This is part one of a five part series.
TEXT:
Prov. 4:23 .. Keep they heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
1 Tim. 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds,
and destitute of the truth, supposing that GAIN is godliness: from such turn away?
2 Chron. 7:14 It is time we humble ourselves, fall on our knees, pray, and seek the great God, repent,
turn from our evil ways, --- we can do something about this heart problem, -----
GOD WILL HEAR US, HE WILL FORGIVE US, AND HEAL OUR LAND.
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
#1 Today, I ponder what is the heart of the problem?
As I ponder this I soon come to a brilliant conclusion,
THE PROBLEM OF THE HEART IS THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM!
We would have no deaths from drunk drivers, if there was no problem in the heart!
We would never hear of child abuse, if we could correct the problems of the heart?
Divorce is killing the family that we know as the foundation of the work of God and the church, we have serious heart problems.
Often the baby sitter knows the child more than mom or dad, --- a heart problem?
Our kids carry guns and pornography to school, and can’t quote the Ten Commandments --
which to them are but 10 Suggestions for the Old Crowd, ---a heart problem?
Our ex-president can have sex in the Oval Office and his popularity go up 10 points, ---a heart problem?
A Senator announces he is homosexual, and when he returns to his home state they have a party for him --- a heart problem.
Our teens are dying of aids, and we abort 4,000 babies a day, --- we have a serious heart problem.
Millions watch Jerry Springer nightly to watch fights where the guest brag of all kinds of sick,
sexual perversions and American watches and screams in excitement as the guards pull clothes off the fighting guest, ---
we have heart problems.
Hundreds of Sunday school teachers, children church workers and pastors resign weekly, and lay down their cross,
and rest while souls go to HELL, --- we have a heart problem.
More is spent on dog/cat food in the USA than given to missions, ---we have a heart problem.
TV Pastors, (how can a TV personality be your pastor), cry for ever bigger offerings, turn the gifts into freak shows,
claim millions a week won to the Lord, (in two years if their records are correct we would be a total Christian community),
teach that God wants you in a new car and airplane, and if you send them money you and your home will be debt free,
borrow an offering and send it in, they will even take major credit cards? --- sick hearts?
Do we not know the verse in 1 Tim. 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds,
and destitute of the truth, supposing that GAIN is godliness: from such turn away?
#2 We are quickly teaching from the pulpits a PALMS UP MENTALITY, give me or I will quit.
This is a serious heart problem?
Real love of God does not demand and give ultimatums, that is a symptom of heart problems.
Real Christ-like spirits submit and seek to be servants of all.
I had a lady call me to do a wedding the other day.
She ask would I take out that --- love, honor, and obey, --- until death do us part?
I politely refused, she called me back in 3 minutes to tell me she found a better preacher than me,
she could write her own vows, and omit what ever she wanted.
We have a heart problem.
#3 We live in a society that demands free cheese, free rent, can’t be married to draw the food stamps so they live together and have more and more children, this is how you get a raise?
My son told me about a friend of his at Eastern Kentucky University.
His friend had only enough money for one meal, so he took the money and purchased cigarettes.
We have a serious heart problem in this great nation.
It is time we humble ourselves, fall on our knees, pray, and seek the great God, repent,
turn from our evil ways, --- we can do something about this heart problem, -----
GOD WILL HEAR US, HE WILL FORGIVE US, AND HEAL OUR LAND. (2 CHRON. 7:14)
We serve a God that can heal all of our heart problems,
by changing our hearts.
God can return the heart of the father toward the children, spouse for each other.
#4 Jeremiah 17:9 gives us a good diagnosis of the heart of the problem being the problem of the heart.
He says: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
We quickly see what we love is where we will set our heart.
So one way to diagnose a sick heart or a healthy heart is
to see where we spend our time, talent, and our energy.
Don’t tell me you love the Lord, when you spend hour after hour watching reruns
on the TV and you tell your family to shut-up, so you can watch that HELEVISION?
How many Bible chapters have you read today?
This will expose a sick heart?
Have you fasted for the lost? Sick?
How many widows and orphans you visited this week? Sick?
Read the Book, James 1:27?
Must ministry feed them selves only?
Who does your ministry feed?
When the church is imprisoned behind four walls -- we have heart problems.
The Romans imprisoned Christians and feed them to the lions,
we have voluntarily imprisoned our selves, and there goes forth no evangelist effort,
we sing Bring them in. ... and fuss at the preacher.
#5 I know I will make some mad when I say this,
but it is the truth and your feelings cannot impede my messages.
The only ones that bring new people to church are the new people?
This is a fact! !
Old church people bring themselves, and want a gold star.
We need a revival of the heart that would compel us into the highways and byways,
we need some burning hearts.
After Jesus leaves, two hard heads say, --"Did not how hearts burn within us?"
We quote this as a prize, but they never recognized it was Jesus until He was gone. Why?
No one recognizes Jesus presence while their heads are hung low,
because we can’t see the bigger picture.
We need some dynamite to blow some of the P-U off the pew,
and spur us into a flaming ministry to the lost and the backslidden,
to the bitter and the hurting.
Heart sick members do no visitation, no ministry.
I heard a missionary say the only way to get Americans out is for a free meal or a big singing.
Is this a heart problem or what?
Poor pastor are seeking popularity and trophies and numbers and budget.
This is good, for numbers are people.
But there has to be more, if numbers alone impress God, He loves cemeteries,
they have to put fences around them, people are dying to get in?
Why all the fussing between "bored" boards?
Why do boards think they hired the pastor and they can fire him?
I wish I could use some of the petty, trivial pursuit I have heard on this computer and the phone just in the past month.
I cannot do that, you will not finish reading my heart series?
Pastors blessed above measure, growth, new buildings, impressive success sheet, walking around crying?
Why is your God dead?
Why does your head hang low, do you believe what you teach and preach?
Are you looking at the wall or the God of the wall??
Say, Amen?
Did God call you?
Are you doubting in darkness, what God said in the LIGHT?
Can the few obstacles in front of you cause you to quit and faint?
Can’t your God hear you and come down and make bad good?
Rom. 8:28.
When ministers have weak hearts, do you expect strong congregations. Who is the leader?
#6 Can the news of the doctor stop God, or can the news affect you heart?
Can that pain blind you, or is it a heart problem?
Can that one negative mouth cause you to not hear the voice of the crowd, or is it your heart?
Can being tired and having compassion fatique knock you down, or can you wait on the Lord?
His servant,
Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com Part 1 of a 5 part series.
Can you help me and pass this on to another?
