Full Transcript for Keep Thy Heart With All Diligence | Josh Brown | 8.16.26

For out of your heart are all the issues of life. 00:02:59.280 --> 00:03:14.560 So he's his advice when he's talking about wisdom, the wisest thing you can do is to keep your heart with all diligence, um, to um strive to to keep it, to guard it, to protect it, um, and give full faith and effort to that work. 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:26.479 Um 24th verse, he says, put away from thee a forward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:29.120 So you start with the heart and we go to the mouth. 00:03:29.280 --> 00:03:53.439 We we read, you know, that um if you man battles not his tongue, his his religion is vain, you know, from the issue, everything from your heart is issued out, and it comes out of your mouth, the things that you say, the things that you are, and guard your heart so that you're not out there spewing um evil things and and and blasphemies and um guile from your mouth. 00:03:53.599 --> 00:03:59.680 It says, Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 00:03:59.919 --> 00:04:09.520 So um, these are ways to guard your heart, to guard your lips, to guard your eyes, to look upon heavenly things and not the things of this world. 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:15.120 It says, ponder the path of thy feet, and let all the ways be established. 00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:22.879 So even your works, the way you walk, where you go, the things you do, comes from the heart. 00:04:23.199 --> 00:04:27.920 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left, remove thy foot from evil. 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:35.279 Um so guarding your heart with all diligence, uh, for out of it are all the issues of life. 00:04:35.600 --> 00:05:04.079 Um if we go to the 23rd Psalm, so like I said, we're trying to define and broaden our understanding of what when we say the heart, what we're talking about, um, as I said, it's not just your affections, your the things that you care about, you know, um it's but it's also something that you think with, that you reason with. 00:05:04.879 --> 00:05:09.360 Um so in the 23rd Psalm in the if I could find it. 00:05:12.879 --> 00:05:20.319 I'm sorry, it's not Psalms, because I'm going to the 23 and 7, and the 23rd Psalm does not have a seventh verse. 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:25.600 Um it's Proverbs, sorry. 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:38.079 23rd chapter of Proverbs, the seventh verse, he says, Um, for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:51.519 So as you think in your heart, so um the thoughts, your inward thoughts, those thoughts that maybe you're not sharing with people, but the we all you know go through this through your day, and you have you think a lot. 00:05:51.600 --> 00:06:02.160 You there's a lot of things that come across your path, things that you're dealing with, issues that you're thinking, and the way you think, it says, so that's that's who you are. 00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:10.399 The things you think about, the things you meditate upon, the things you spend your

time contemplating, and the way you contemplate them, that's ends up being who you are. 00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:14.720 Um, and those things, the way you think about them, come from your heart. 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:34.240 Um your moral character, your will, your desires, uh, the things that you're set out to do, um, your goals, all those things impact the way you think about life, the way you think about different things that come up, um challenges and things like that. 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:39.040 So he says, for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:46.720 As you think about these things in your heart, the way if you're thinking evil thoughts, that's the way you are, that's who you are. 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:48.800 In that moment, at least, right? 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:54.720 Um you know, Christ said was talking about adultery. 00:06:54.879 --> 00:07:01.199 He said, if you lust in your heart, then you've committed adultery already in your heart. 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:06.319 Um, so that's who you are as you think in your heart. 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:11.360 Um the heart also not just thinks, but understands. 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:38.399 And if we go to the, I believe it's the 15th chapter of Proverbs, um, as we continue to define and refine the way we think about the heart, it says in the we'll start in the 12th verse of the 15th chapter of Proverbs. 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:45.040 A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him, neither will he go unto the wise. 00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:48.639 So this a scorner is somebody, we're talking about loving. 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:53.120 We we can associate loving with the heart, with the desires of the heart. 00:07:53.360 --> 00:08:01.040 Um, you know, that when somebody is pointing out something that you've done wrong, you don't, you know, a scorner doesn't like that. 00:08:01.279 --> 00:08:16.959 That somebody that's um their heart is set upon being the best that they can be, to serve God the best that they can serve Him, to understand better, to seek wisdom, if your heart is set on those things and on um things above and not things of the earth. 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:29.279 Um when somebody comes to point something out to you where you're in error, you've you've offended, um, if your heart is set correctly, if you have a contrite heart within you, then you'll understand, hey, you'll take that in. 00:08:29.360 --> 00:08:36.000 You'll take you'll welcome correction, you'll welcome that feedback so that you can improve. 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:42.240 And you're you're thinking of this as a way to let me be better tomorrow than I was yesterday. 00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:50.080 Um, but a scorner does not appreciate when somebody comes and points something out to them. 00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:54.639 Um, they'll they'll bite back and they'll they'll respond in a negative way. 00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:57.120 It says, Neither will he go to the wise. 00:08:57.200 --> 00:09:06.879 He won't seek out wisdom, he won't seek out understanding and go out to people and say, hey, I'm struggling with this thing, I don't know what to do or how to think about this issue. 00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:15.039 Um a scorner is not somebody that's gonna go seek that, they're gonna think that they've got it figured out, or they're not gonna want other people's opinions. 00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:18.080 Um so they seek not the wise. 00:09:18.240 --> 00:09:24.720 He says, a merry heart, a merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance. 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:35.759 And, you know, I've never been accused of being somebody that, you know, we all know people that are just every time you see them, they're just they have a cheerful countenance, right? 00:09:35.919 --> 00:09:37.600 And we like to be around those people. 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:39.759 They impact the room, the people around them. 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:43.759 You come into the room, and there's somebody that's just always smiling and happy, that just brightens your day, right? 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:45.120 It makes you a little happier. 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:48.000 I've never been accused of being that person, right? 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:58.320 Um, I've I've I've been someone who is somewhat, I guess, stoic in my um appearance or my demeanor, somewhat stoic. 00:09:58.559 --> 00:10:06.559 Um but I believe and I trust that God has put a merry heart within me that that generally I'm a happy person. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:25.200 It may not always come out in the way that um in my demeanor, but if you want to be cheerful, if you want to have joy, if you want to enjoy life and enjoy people and have people enjoy your company, it says, a merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance. 00:10:25.919 --> 00:10:29.919 But by sorrow of the heart, the spirit is broken. 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:45.600 Um if you focus only on grief, if you focus only on the negative, on the bad things that have happened to you or around you, um, and you focus and you think all these things and how unfair it is, then your spirit gets broken. 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:50.080 Um and you're you're not keeping your heart with diligence. 00:10:50.240 --> 00:11:04.879 To keep your heart with diligence is to seek good, to seek God in all things, and to understand and trust that he is with you, that he is your deliverer, that you have someone that is your helper in the presence of trouble. 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:14.799 Um so that is a wise heart to seek joy in life and not to focus only on sorrow. 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:22.960 Um it says in the 14th verse, the heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge. 00:11:23.440 --> 00:11:27.759 So the heart understands, it seeks understanding. 00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:34.000 Um these things, when we're talking about the heart, like I said, it's not just how you feel. 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:41.200 It's not just your feelings, um, but it's how you think and how you understand events that happen. 00:11:41.360

--> 00:11:52.480 How you know there's always more than one, um, multiple sides of an issue, multiple ways, um, points of perspective, right? 00:11:52.639 --> 00:12:01.360 Um the way one person understands an event is not the same way that somebody else may understand it. 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:10.799 Um but we seek understanding not just of ourselves and the way that it impacts us, but the truth of the matter. 00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:16.000 Um you know, there's a saying that I don't know how long it's been around now. 00:12:16.159 --> 00:12:17.759 Time kind of slips away from me these days. 00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:21.440 I think something is fairly new and turns out it's 20 years old. 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:26.799 Um, but a saying of my truth, like this is my truth, right? 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:37.200 That's that became popular at some point in my life as a saying, and um we know that there's only one truth. 00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:44.320 You know, you may from your point of view may be different than my point of view, but really the facts are one thing. 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:45.519 The truth is one thing. 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:55.679 The truth is that God exists, that he is, that he's a triune God, that he sent his only begotten son uh to die on the cross for the uh to save his people from their sins. 00:12:55.840 --> 00:12:56.960 And he did so. 00:12:57.120 --> 00:12:58.799 That's the truth, right? 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:04.799 Um we experience life and we uh are fall short of the mark. 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:12.720 We we sit we are sinners by nature and by practice, um, but we trust and we understand that we have a deliverer. 00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:17.279 We know that and trust that with that comes from our hearts. 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:24.480 Um the heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge. 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:29.200 So the heart is more again than just feelings. 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:34.320 But it the heart thinks, it understands, um, but it also does love and desire. 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:37.360 Um it is that as well. 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:44.240 That's the that's what we focus on, and um when we generally when we're talking about the heart, that's what we're referencing, right? 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:57.200 Um but in Deuteronomy, the sixth chapter, um, I know I'm going a lot of places, but I'm trying to further define the heart and what we're talking about. 00:13:57.440 --> 00:14:05.039 Um in the sixth chapter of Deuteronomy, and um we'll start the fourth verse. 00:14:05.120 --> 00:14:20.159 He says, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might. 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:23.200 So you shall love God. 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:27.840 You shall love the Lord thy God with all your heart. 00:14:28.159 --> 00:14:47.279 So when we say when we read, we define the heart as more than just a feeling of affection, but but also a

heart that that thinks, that understands, that seeks wisdom, um, the very moral center of who you are. 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:53.039 When when we read that verse, it says, seek thy um God with all thy heart. 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:59.120 I mean seek it with all understanding, with all thought, with all um prudence. 00:14:59.279 --> 00:15:00.639 Like seek God. 00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:07.039 And when we think about Solomon in writing Proverbs, um it's a book about wisdom. 00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:09.919 From the man to the wisest man to ever live. 00:15:10.080 --> 00:15:11.600 Um we ought to pay attention. 00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:19.200 And so when he says that wisdom is it's a wise to keep thy heart with all diligence, we should pay attention to that. 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:32.399 Um, the heart also is the source of you know, of our will, of our desires. 00:15:32.559 --> 00:15:45.600 You know, so we seek God, we love God with all our heart, um, that's a feeling of affection, and then also what we intend, our intentions toward God, the things that we intend to do, the way we intend to serve Him. 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:54.080 Um, if we go to Daniel, I believe, in, I think it's the first chapter. 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:05.279 So in the first chapter of Daniel, um, you know, we think about the purpose and the will of God. 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:24.000 That his his will is perfect and it and um absolute and sovereign, that he doesn't require any um, he doesn't require any affirmation for his will, he doesn't require anyone else's power for his will to be done. 00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:27.120 No, nobody can stay his hand or say, What doest thou? 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:30.639 Like he what he wills and purposes to do will be. 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:37.440 Um we also have desires, we also have will, we also want things to happen. 00:16:37.679 --> 00:16:54.559 Um the things that I have recently keeps coming up in my mind, one of the thoughts that I keep having is that there are others that have their own wills and thoughts. 00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:56.960 I can say the other guy gets a vote, right? 00:16:57.120 --> 00:17:08.720 There's things that I want to do, there's things that I see that I that I could see how things could go if people would do certain things, and I desire for other people to do certain things, but they get a vote. 00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:19.359 Like they don't they don't bend to my will, they have their own heart, they have their own desires of their heart, they have their own thoughts and ways that they want things to have happen. 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:30.960 Um it can be very frustrating when you see something and you want it to go a certain way and you think it's for the good of everyone, but the people, other people involved don't see it the same way you do, right? 00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:33.440 So God's will is perfect. 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:41.200 Um, if we all seek his will and not our own, then we'll all be better off, right? 00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:47.839 We we can might find some more agreements than if we're only seeking our own desires, our own will. 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:50.880 Excuse me. 00:17:52.319 --> 00:18:09.759 So in the first chapter of Daniel, in the eighth verse, it says, But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with a portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank. 00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:16.079 Therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:19.920 So Daniel, he determined, right? 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:20.960 He was determined. 00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:27.920 He purposed in his heart, he set his heart on remaining unspotted, right? 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:30.640 Keeping himself holy, for God is holy. 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:38.880 He purposed that not in his mind, not in his carnal mind, but in his heart, in the very center of who he is. 00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:40.720 He said, This thing will I do. 00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:46.559 I will not defile myself with the portion of the king's meat or with the wine that he drank. 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:57.680 Um so we have a heart that thinks, a heart that understands, a heart that has affection, a heart that has that is the source of our very will. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:01.519 Again, out of it are all the issues of life. 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:25.680 If we go to the seventh chapter of Mark, um, again, in that kind of our my main text in Proverbs 4 and 23, keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are all the issues of life. 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:30.559 We go to the 14th verse of the seventh chapter of Mark. 00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:38.720 And here's um Christ talks to us about the heart and the things that come from the heart. 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:44.960 He says, Hearken unto me, every one of you, and understand. 00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:50.319 Where we say understanding comes from, our heart understands. 00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:54.240 Hearken unto me, every one of you, and understand. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:57.440 So we hear hearken means listen, right? 00:19:57.519 --> 00:19:58.559 Hearken, listen to me. 00:19:58.640 --> 00:20:01.200 But it doesn't hearken doesn't just mean listen. 00:20:01.359 --> 00:20:04.319 It means um like don't just hear what I'm saying. 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:07.440 Like we we we do this a lot with our kids, right? 00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:13.599 With these young boys that are in the um congregation today, listen to what I'm saying. 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:25.680 Like, not just hear what I'm saying, the words, but when I when a lot of times when I say listen, what I mean is hearken, like don't just hear what I'm saying, but then do what I'm saying. 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:31.759 Listen to me, understand that what I'm telling you to do is for your good, for the good of everyone, and do that, right? 00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:32.799 Hearken unto me. 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:39.519 So God or Christ

says here, hearken, hearken unto every one of you, and understand. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:47.839 Do what I'm saying, and understand what I'm saying is for your uh is for your good, and and understand that these things are true. 00:20:49.039 --> 00:20:54.480 There is nothing from without a man that entering into him can defile him. 00:20:54.559 --> 00:21:01.680 So, what Daniel say, he's not gonna defile himself with a portion of the king's meat or with drink. 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:06.079 Christ here is saying nothing that is coming from without that comes within. 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:11.200 He's talking about the the cleanliness laws and the dietary laws of the Jews. 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:13.440 He's like, those things don't defile you. 00:21:13.680 --> 00:21:14.160 Right? 00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:20.160 There is nothing from without a man that entering into him can defile him. 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:26.240 But the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. 00:21:26.480 --> 00:21:29.519 Those things that come out of you are the things that defile you. 00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:43.839 The things that come out from your heart, the thing, your the your words, you know, as we read further in Proverbs 4, um, we talked about your you know, your lips and the things that come out of your mouth and your walk and your the things that you see and the things that you do. 00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:47.680 Those are the things that defile the man. 00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:50.079 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:52.960 He said, If if you have ears, what ears is he talking about? 00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:54.400 He's talking about spiritual ears. 00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:55.200 Let him hear. 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:59.759 If you are a regenerated child of God, hearken unto me, understand. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:03.200 And if you have ears to hear, hear this. 00:22:03.440 --> 00:22:08.799 It's not the things that go in to you that defile you, it's the things that come out from your heart. 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:12.720 The things that you do, the things that you say, those are the things that defile you. 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:21.200 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:23.759 So what does that mean? 00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:24.960 What are you talking about? 00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:29.839 He says, Are ye so without understanding also? 00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:40.640 Do ye not perceive that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him. 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:44.480 Because it entereth not into his heart. 00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:49.839 The things that you eat, the things you drink, those are the things that go into your stomach, that your body processes them. 00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:51.200 You get energy from those things. 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:59.279 Those are things that are natural, those things that are carnal, those things that are of the flesh, those things are the things that defile you, because it goes not into your heart. 00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:09.119 It says, but into the belly and goeth out into the drought, purging all meats. 00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:11.440 So it goes, it passes through. 00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:43.119 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornication, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, liciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness, all these evil things come from within and defile the man. 00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:47.359 So things aren't looking good for our hearts, right? 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:56.400 If all the issues of life come from the heart, and he's saying these things come out of the heart of man, these are not good things. 00:23:56.559 --> 00:23:58.400 These are things that defile you. 00:23:59.039 --> 00:24:02.079 And those are the things that come from the heart. 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:17.200 If we look at Jeremiah 17, the 17th chapter of Jeremiah, the ninth verse, it says, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. 00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:19.039 Who can know it? 00:24:20.799 --> 00:24:36.240 So this is one of the things that was on my mind is that oftentimes when we talk about the heart and we talk about, you know, follow your heart, we tend to guard people against that, right? 00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:41.839 If we have some basis of understanding of scripture, we think about this verse. 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:47.920 When people talk about just follow your heart, do it, you know, that kind of comes goes along with do what feels good to you, right? 00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:53.359 And we kind of, I would advise people to guard your heart, guard against that a little bit. 00:24:53.519 --> 00:24:56.720 Like don't just follow whatever your your desire. 00:24:56.880 --> 00:24:59.599 Understand what we mean when we say the heart, right? 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:08.559 Um because as Jeremiah says here, or the Lord says through Jeremiah, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. 00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:09.839 Who can know it? 00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:16.079 The natural heart, man's heart, um is deceitful. 00:25:16.319 --> 00:25:17.920 It seeks its own. 00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:24.160 You know, we read in 1 Corinthians 13 about charity. 00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:26.880 You know, that's love and action. 00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:27.920 Where does that come from? 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:29.200 That comes from within. 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:34.480 The things that you love, the things that you want to serve, um, those things come from within. 00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:43.759 Um charity, godly charity, um, seeketh not another seeketh not its own. 00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:52.799 Um, but a carnal heart, the heart of man, um, seeks its own. 00:25:52.960 --> 00:25:59.599 Like it does whatever feels good to it in the moment, uh, and tries to

please itself in the lust of its flesh. 00:25:59.920 --> 00:26:04.319 He says, I the Lord search the heart. 00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:12.400 I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings. 00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:15.200 So, Lord, who can know it? 00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:18.720 I can't know your heart, you can't know mine. 00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:27.680 We can have conversations, we can talk, we can know each other very well, but ultimately you don't know what's in my heart. 00:26:27.839 --> 00:26:28.880 You don't have that ability. 00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:33.200 That is not something that you have, the ability to know my heart. 00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:34.720 God does. 00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:35.839 Who can know it? 00:26:36.079 --> 00:26:37.039 God can know it. 00:26:37.200 --> 00:26:38.720 God searches the heart. 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:51.680 Um it says that he looks also, it says, he tries the reins, um, and he gives every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings. 00:26:52.400 --> 00:27:09.440 So if your heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, and God looks into your heart and gives to you according to your doings, what do you get? 00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:12.960 You get damnation. 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:21.759 You get you get what we deserve is a sentence in hell. 00:27:21.839 --> 00:27:22.079 Right? 00:27:22.160 --> 00:27:25.440 That's that's what we get through the heart through our doings. 00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:27.039 Things aren't looking good. 00:27:27.200 --> 00:27:30.000 Like, I get that my sermon right now is taking a turn. 00:27:30.400 --> 00:27:33.920 We talked about all these good things of the heart and what it is, and we we try to define it now. 00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:37.680 It's like, okay, whoa, what are we talking about? 00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:40.400 You know, our hearts are only deceitful and wicked. 00:27:40.640 --> 00:27:42.000 That's what our hearts are. 00:27:42.160 --> 00:27:48.319 And if God looks into our hearts and he gives according to what we do, what hope do we have? 00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:51.519 We have no hope without Christ. 00:27:51.680 --> 00:27:53.519 We have no hope without God. 00:27:53.759 --> 00:28:02.400 If we go to the 36th chapter of Ezekiel, here's where our hope lies. 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:24.240 If we go to the 36th chapter of Ezekiel, he says in the 25th verse, he says, Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you. 00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:25.680 So he's purging you. 00:28:25.759 --> 00:28:33.920 He's cleansing, he's cleaning, he's got a clean water, and he is he is sanctifying you. 00:28:34.240 --> 00:28:39.359 He is purging the evil things, your evil works, your evil doings, he's cleaning you. 00:28:39.599 --> 00:28:47.440 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you. 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:49.359 A new heart. 00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:51.759 A new heart. 00:28:52.480 --> 00:29:05.519 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. 00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:08.960 Our hope is in the Lord. 00:29:09.680 --> 00:29:20.240 We have that stony heart of our flesh that was only evil and seeked its own, and um out of it could only, we could only sin. 00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:27.440 That heart he takes out, he takes that heart out of you and puts a fleshy heart in you, a new heart. 00:29:27.680 --> 00:29:29.359 He gives you a new heart. 00:29:29.599 --> 00:29:40.640 So if God looks in your heart and he sees and judges and gives according to your doings, this new heart, I hope it's a good heart. 00:29:40.799 --> 00:29:41.039 Right? 00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:45.359 I hope it's one that seeks the Lord, and I believe it is. 00:29:45.519 --> 00:29:45.839 Right? 00:29:45.920 --> 00:29:47.920 That's why would he give you anything else? 00:29:48.079 --> 00:29:49.599 That's the heart that he gives us. 00:29:49.680 --> 00:29:53.680 He gives us the very heart from himself and a heart that seeks him. 00:29:54.160 --> 00:30:08.480 Um it says in the 27th verse, and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them. 00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:22.799 So, this regenerate heart, this new heart that God gives you, he gives you a heart that seeks him, that doesn't seek its own, that doesn't isn't just filthiness and evil continually. 00:30:23.119 --> 00:30:26.480 He gives you a new heart that is after his. 00:31:14.240 --> 00:31:22.720 You just hit the lottery and you know had good parents that taught you right from wrong and all these things, and so now that you're you're worthy. 00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:27.599 Now that God looks in you and what you've done, and now you're worthy of salvation. 00:31:27.759 --> 00:31:29.599 That's not the way it works. 00:31:30.559 --> 00:31:40.720 All men, every carnal man, their heart or their flesh, by their nature before regeneration, was only evil continually. 00:31:40.880 --> 00:31:48.880 It seeked itself, it was not good, it produced no good fruit, it did nothing of benefit to anyone, right? 00:31:49.680 --> 00:31:54.960 God gave us a new heart, a clean heart, a heart that seeks its own. 00:31:55.119 --> 00:32:03.599 And all the works that he sees now, the finished work of Christ that he sees when he looks at you, and the good things that you do are from him. 00:32:04.400 --> 00:32:09.920 But through his grace, through his mercy, um are these things. 00:32:10.079 --> 00:32:15.680 And so if we go to the 20. 00:32:16.640 --> 00:32:17.599 Well, let me say this. 00:32:17.680 --> 00:32:22.960 Let's go to the 119th, 119th Psalm. 00:32:23.200 --> 00:32:25.200 Um beautiful psalm.

00:32:25.440 --> 00:32:28.079 It's worthy of much study. 00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:48.000 Um we think about the word of God, and we think about wisdom, and much of what Solomon wrote in Proverbs is again about seeking wisdom, about about pursuing wisdom and understanding. 00:32:48.319 --> 00:32:53.359 Um it often references God's word. 00:32:54.079 --> 00:33:02.160 If you want wisdom, it's wise to seek God's word, to keep his word, to understand and to read and to study his word. 00:33:02.640 --> 00:33:04.000 That's wisdom. 00:33:04.319 --> 00:33:06.480 God is the source of all wisdom. 00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:09.680 So we look at the 119th Psalm. 00:33:09.920 --> 00:33:17.519 Um really want the 10th and 11th verses, but I'll just start in the these little stanzas. 00:33:17.599 --> 00:33:19.839 I'll I'll just start in the ninth. 00:33:20.720 --> 00:33:31.759 It says, uh, wherewith, wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 00:33:33.039 --> 00:33:34.400 This is to God, right? 00:33:34.480 --> 00:33:50.000 This is a psalm to God, and it's a psalm that is expresses a love and appreciation and a worship of God, but love and appreciation of his word, of his statutes. 00:33:50.160 --> 00:33:57.039 He says, Wherewith, wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way, if you want to do right, if you want to walk in the way. 00:33:57.440 --> 00:33:58.799 How did we do this? 00:33:59.039 --> 00:34:06.880 By taking heed, hearken, hearken to his word, heed thereto according to thy word. 00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:10.800 With my whole heart have I sought thee. 00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:14.239 Oh let me not wander from thy commandments. 00:34:14.559 --> 00:34:20.079 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee. 00:34:20.400 --> 00:34:22.639 Thy word have I hid in my heart. 00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:26.559 No, if you have a stony heart, there's nothing can penetrate it, right? 00:34:26.639 --> 00:34:35.199 That's that's if you have a hardened heart, if your heart is uh as as thick as stone, words of others aren't going to penetrate. 00:34:35.760 --> 00:34:40.639 God has given you a heart of flesh where his word can enter in. 00:34:40.719 --> 00:34:44.159 And he says he wrote his law on our hearts. 00:34:44.400 --> 00:34:52.480 Um everything that we do that is pleasing to God comes from your heart, that new heart that he's given you. 00:34:52.639 --> 00:34:57.039 Um so he hid, he says, With my whole heart have I sought thee. 00:34:57.199 --> 00:34:59.199 What do we read in Deuteronomy? 00:34:59.280 --> 00:35:06.320 That we should seek God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our might. 00:35:06.559 --> 00:35:08.719 This is a psalmist saying, With my whole heart. 00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:14.079 He's like, I yes, Lord, with my whole heart will I seek thee. 00:35:14.320 --> 00:35:38.079 Um if we go to the um twenty-seventh psalm, the Psalm of David, um, the twenty-seventh psalm in the I'll start in the seventh verse. 00:35:38.239 --> 00:35:46.480 He says, Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice, have mercy also upon me, and answer me. 00:35:47.199 --> 00:35:56.400 When thou said, Seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. 00:35:56.719 --> 00:36:07.119 When God said, Seek me, he said, My heart said, My heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. 00:36:07.360 --> 00:36:16.559 It wasn't something that he thought about and weighed the pros and cons and tried to decide as there's proof that God exists and all these things. 00:36:16.800 --> 00:36:24.000 He said, My heart said, When you said seek me, my heart said, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. 00:36:24.239 --> 00:36:31.599 That's something that is to me indicates almost an it indicates an involuntary reaction. 00:36:31.920 --> 00:36:37.280 He said, It's something that came up from within me, that I would seek thy face. 00:36:37.519 --> 00:36:41.360 It's something that came up from from the deepest parts of who I am. 00:36:42.639 --> 00:36:45.039 It said, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. 00:36:45.280 --> 00:36:50.320 Lord said, Seek me, and it something within me said, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. 00:36:50.480 --> 00:36:52.719 It came from that inner man. 00:36:52.960 --> 00:36:54.159 It came from within. 00:36:54.639 --> 00:37:00.079 It came from the Spirit of God dwelling within us, the Holy Spirit crying, have a Father. 00:37:00.320 --> 00:37:03.039 That's where that came from. 00:37:04.320 --> 00:37:12.400 When thou said, Seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. 00:37:14.159 --> 00:37:27.199 We um have such a blessing in the church of God that to know and to understand and to have the truth. 00:37:27.599 --> 00:37:52.239 Um, when we hear someone say, to reference the heart, when we hear um people say, you know, do the things that um you know, follow your heart, and and those kinds of comments, um, we're right to say don't don't just do whatever you feel like doing in the moment. 00:37:52.559 --> 00:37:54.239 Your heart thinks, right? 00:37:54.480 --> 00:37:58.079 So I think with my heart, I understand with my heart. 00:37:58.400 --> 00:38:05.679 But we should be aware, and we should take um use all diligence, as it says. 00:38:05.840 --> 00:38:13.519 It says, keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are all the issues of life. 00:38:14.159 --> 00:38:19.039 So we have a new heart within us. 00:38:20.079 --> 00:38:33.199 And Solomon is giving us a point of wisdom, a warning that we should take heed to, that we should not be afraid to share with others. 00:38:33.360 --> 00:38:35.599 It says, keep your heart with all diligence. 00:38:35.760 --> 00:38:38.239 Because God has given us a new heart that seeks him. 00:38:38.639 --> 00:38:47.599 Every good thing that comes from us, every fruit that we bear that's a pleasing fruit to God, comes from that heart that he has given us. 00:38:47.840 --> 00:38:55.519 So why are we still commanded,

we're still told and warned to keep our hearts with all diligence, to guard it, protect it. 00:38:55.920 --> 00:38:57.039 Why are we told that? 00:38:57.199 --> 00:39:06.239 Well, because our hearts can not be hardened again to the point of stone, not to the point of unregenerate man. 00:39:06.960 --> 00:39:11.840 Um, but we can our hearts can be calloused. 00:39:12.800 --> 00:39:22.960 And we can go through things in life that um make our hearts build up a cow, you know, calluses come from friction, they come from repeated trauma. 00:39:23.440 --> 00:39:30.320 Um and certainly each of us have experienced some kind of loss, some kind of trauma. 00:39:30.480 --> 00:39:37.920 Um, and those things can, if we're not careful, if we don't keep our hearts with all diligence, can cause calluses on our hearts. 00:39:38.159 --> 00:39:48.639 Um it can create uh you to look like a carnal man without that fleshy heart within you. 00:39:48.800 --> 00:39:59.599 It can cause you to do things in life, in time, um, that aren't pleasing and don't look like the regenerate man that you person that you are. 00:39:59.760 --> 00:40:09.519 Um so we're still, even though we have this new heart within us, we're still cautioned to keep our hearts with all diligence. 00:40:09.679 --> 00:40:14.559 Um, that we understand just what we have, the precious gift that we have. 00:40:14.719 --> 00:40:33.599 Um, that we are new creatures, that we are no longer totally depraved, that we we are now regenerate children of God, that we have this inner man within us that we should put on, we should mortify the deeds of the flesh, that we have this gift, this treasure. 00:40:33.679 --> 00:40:50.960 Um we should take the word and heed to God's word, and we should hide his word in our hearts so that when trauma happens, when we experience things that would cause our hearts to be calloused, we have that his word hid there to soften those things. 00:40:51.199 --> 00:40:53.840 That we understand and we perceive those things. 00:40:54.000 --> 00:41:13.199 Our point of view is not one that is ignorant of God's word, but we understand and we experience things with understanding of God and who he is and what he's done, that he is our deliverer, that he is the savior, that we have that promise, we have that hope within us. 00:41:13.519 --> 00:41:18.960 And because we have that hope, we experience things differently than those that have no hope. 00:41:19.280 --> 00:41:35.280 We come through things doesn't mean it doesn't hurt, it doesn't mean that we don't grieve, that we don't have bad days, that we don't go through periods where it's hard to see his grace, it's hard to see it sometimes. 00:41:35.519 --> 00:41:38.639 We we certainly go through periods like that. 00:41:39.039 --> 00:41:44.320 Um but hold fast the profession of your faith. 00:41:44.480 --> 00:41:47.280 Keep and hide his word in your heart. 00:41:47.440 --> 00:41:57.280 There's things that I I've witnessed with um brothers and sisters in the church that they've gone through that they've come out stronger on the other side. 00:41:57.440 --> 00:42:19.119 Their faith has been strengthened, their relationship has grown stronger, where similar things have happened to others that have driven them away, that have broken families, that have you know had terrible consequences, and every situation is different, right? 00:42:19.519 --> 00:42:24.000 No two things are the same, no two people are the same, no two traumas are the same. 00:42:24.239 --> 00:43:01.599 Um but if you my desire is that my for my boys, for my family, for you all, for my my my church, for any my brothers and sisters in Christ, that um when trauma happens, when bad things happen, when you lose someone that you love, when you go through hard times, um, that you have the word of God hidden within you, that he is a very present help in trouble, that he will never leave you nor forsake you, that you have hope in the resurrection, that the sufferings of this world are not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in us. 00:43:01.679 --> 00:43:05.039 Um, that you know those things and you know those things to be true. 00:43:05.199 --> 00:43:14.079 So that even though we go through hard times, even though we're gonna go through periods that you have people that you can lean on, that you can know that you can always go to God in prayer. 00:43:14.239 --> 00:43:19.039 Um at any moment, at any time, that's something that nobody can ever take away from you, right? 00:43:19.599 --> 00:43:23.679 Nobody can ever take that the presence of God away from you. 00:43:23.920 --> 00:43:26.400 Nothing can separate us from the love of God. 00:43:26.559 --> 00:43:28.559 Nothing can take you from Him. 00:43:28.639 --> 00:43:32.559 There's nowhere you can go, nothing you can go through where He can't hear your prayer. 00:43:33.199 --> 00:43:42.559 In the moment when you're sitting in the classroom or you're sitting at work and you're going through something, you can take a minute, take a moment, and say a prayer to God. 00:43:42.719 --> 00:43:43.760 He will hear you. 00:43:43.920 --> 00:43:53.760 Um and you can be in a crowd or alone in your closet, go into your prayer closet and and and pray to God wherever you're at. 00:43:53.920 --> 00:44:11.119 You know, the apostle Paul um talks about all the things and the trials and tribulations that he went through as he tried to preach the word of God and see churches across the land, um, being shipwrecked, being out in the ocean for days, and and being imprisoned and all these things. 00:44:11.280 --> 00:44:16.239 He said wherever he found himself, he found he learned to be content. 00:44:16.480 --> 00:44:20.239 He he could be in prison and still serve God. 00:44:20.400 --> 00:44:29.119 He could be in prison and still talk and pray to God and to do things to um that were pleasing and ways to serve him, converting people even in prison. 00:44:29.280 --> 00:44:39.519 Um, there's nothing we can go through, nowhere we can be, no, no, nobody can take away your access to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 00:44:39.679 --> 00:44:57.280 Um so keep your hearts, keep it by staying in the church, being in the church, joining the church, um, keep it by reading and studying his word, keep it by praying to God and asking him to help you to keep your heart, to give you an understanding heart. 00:44:57.519 --> 00:45:08.159 One thing about Solomon, when he asked, he's about 12 years old when he inherited the kingdom, when he became king, and he asked God for an understanding heart. 00:45:08.400 --> 00:45:15.440 And that indicates to me that he already had a pretty understanding heart. 00:45:15.840 --> 00:45:27.519 If he had the wisdom to go to God and to not ask for great power and might and all these things, but but he what he asked for was an understanding heart. 00:45:27.760 --> 00:45:30.000 That pleased the Lord that he asked for that. 00:45:30.239 --> 00:45:37.679 His heart was already pretty understanding, it's an indication that he had a new heart within him already. 00:45:38.159 --> 00:45:44.559 So keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are all the issues of life. 00:45:44.639 --> 00:45:48.559 If you've gained anything from my effort this morning, give God the honor and glory.