THE HEART TELLS NO LIES!
TEXT
Jer 17:9-10
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it ?
10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. KJV
Jer 17:9-10
9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
10 "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." NIV
When we all stand before God on that glorious day, our heart will tell no lies.
Matt 12:34
out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Matt 12:34
For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
NIV
So, how do we prepare for that time?
We pray:
Ps 51:10
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
The dramatic change, or even call it radical change, in one’s character is the results of a changed heart.
The reason we become new creatures in Christ is because we have traded the old heart for a new one.
On special occasions, we speak words of love and devotion. Some words are honest and true but some are spoken from a Cheating Heart.
Men and women tell of their love for one another and at the same time they have roving eyes and fantasizing minds. I wish I were talking only about the worldlings outside these doors.
The spiritual theme that I wish to set this morning is this; Many people are pledging their love and devotion to God, but after a thurough searching , they would find that it is from a corrupt and a Cheating Heart.
You have heard people say that they want to change, they want to quit;
tobacco products, drinking, infidelity and unfaithfulness.
They say I’ve tried, but I just can’t quit.
They are right. It’s impossible without a heart transplant.
Matt 15:1919 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
II Cor 5:17 means that the heart has been changed.
Rom 10:10
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;
You do not believe something unless you are living it, and if you are not living it, you don’t believe it.
You cannot fool God.
Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap.
You can pretend that you are committed to Christ and think that your secret life of sin is hidden. But your heart will tell on you!
You may be flirting with the world, and unfaithful in your relationship with God. Your heart will tell on you!
If there is not genuine repentance of sin, the day is coming when the contents of your heart will be exposed for the world to see. Your sin will be shouted from the house top.
God is looking for people today with a pure heart, a bride without spot, wrinkle, or blemish; someone that is completely devoted to Him. God doesn’t need your lip service if He doesn’t have your whole heart.
1. The cheating heart is always coupled with hypocrisy.
It claims to love only one, but its also flirting with others.
People claim faithfulness to their spouses and at the same time are flirting with others.
People claim faithfulness to God and at the same time are flirting with world, with sin.
2.A cheating heart is one that is divided because of unfaithfulness.
Matt 12:25 says, A divided house can not stand.
Neither can a divided love, allegiance, or heart.
What communion or intimacy can light have with darkness?
The heart can’t have both and be pure.
ILL. David followed after God with all his heart but Solomon, his son didn’t.
Listen how impressive Solomon’s prayer is.
2 Chron 1:10-12
10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?
11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour , nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:
12 Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour , such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.
Even God was impressed with his prayer, but later on down the road we see him turn his heart to idolatry. Somewhere he developed a cheating heart.
1 Kings 11:4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
We think that when we get old that we won’t have lustful thoughts, and if that’s the case, where did the phrase "Dirty Old Man" come from?
- God is not satisfied with a half-hearted commitment
Too many today are flirting with the world and calling it innocent fun while God says "either Love me totally, or not at all."
3. A cheating heart is one that is filled with other interest.
We need to get things out of our hearts that we have made into gods.
Things that we put before God. The most common today is sports, sex, and money. (not necessarily in that order)
I can’t go to church today It’s Super Bowl Sunday or World Series.
I can’t go to church on Sunday night too, it leaves no part of the weekend for myself.
Wednesday night, that’s crazy I need family time
Tell someone about Jesus, I’ve got too many irons in the fire to go and share my testimony.
4. A cheating heart does not take anyone else into consideration.
It is a heart of self-centeredness.
- So there was a price paid for my salvation.
- So God say’s that He is a jealous God. That’s just Bible talk.
- I want to live the way I want to. No preacher, or the Bible is going to make me change.
5. A cheating heart thinks that no one knows it’s little secret.
Numbers 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.
You can fool your self into thinking that no one knows, but God will expose it all.
Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Many people have thought that they had their sins hidden, only to be exposed by God.
- Achan
- David
- Samson-revealed his little secret and it killed him.
Its not penned anywhere, where Achan, Samson, Ananias ans Sapphira said they were sorry or repented. They died because they had a cheaters heart.
Lets Look At The Pure Heart
A. A pure heart cries out like David did;
Psalms 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
Psalms 139:24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
B. The Hebrew for that phrase means to penetrate, examine deeply¨
C. The pure heart says "Come Holy Spirit and search out my innermost man, shine into all hidden parts of my heart."
Search me Oh Lord, empty me of everything; Investigate, Probe, Expose, Reveal, Dig-out.
Remove the self-centeredness, self-righteousness, unfaithfulness, stinginess, rebellion, all immorality, and everything that is unlike you from my heart.
Lord, search me, Dig-out, Probe, Expose. Give me a new heart.
See this rock? This was my heart once. Incased in this rock was every sin you could imagine. I couldn’t get them out of my heart. It was too hard. This was a cheating heart.
Then one night on Nov. 20th , 1977, (Do you know what you were doing on Nov.20th , 1977?) I was on my face asking God for mercy.
Jesus took me into surgery and did a transplant. I went in there with a heart of stone and when I awoke in recovery, I was in the arms of Jesus with a brand new heart.
He took a black heart, washed it in red blood, made it white as snow.
This is my heart now. Tender, pliable, and he is daily removing the lumps of imperfections, but He is putting in;
Gal 5:22-23
22 ... the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: kindness, generosity, a willingness to serve, and give.
More people die from heart disease than any other.
More people will perish because of heart disease than any other.
Your heart will tell no lies when you stand before God.
If you love God, your heart will scream it.
But if your are thief, liar, pervert, or hypocrite, your heart will also scream it.
1 Sam 16:7
the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
Because the heart reveals what we really are.
Conclusion: There are many other areas to look at that time just does not permit. Many are dealing with a spirit of unforgiveness, others with a lying spirit. You know what is hidden in your heart, and God says, it’s time to clean it up. Now is your opportunity to do just that.
