What is the Heart? A. Abundant Storehouse Our physical heart is an amazing pump. It pumps 5 quarts of blood a minute, 2,000 gallons a day, and 51 million gallons in 70 years. Our biblical heart is abundant in the amount of data it processes. Think of every thing you have ever seen, or heard, all the TV shows and movies you have ever watched, the friendships you have had, all the times you have prayed to God and read His Word. They are all stored in the heart. Scripture describes the heart as "the well spring of life". Matt 12:33‑35 The impact of the decisions we make gain momentum through life. The first half of life is the result of others choices, the second half of life is the result of your choices. Build for a great second half. Red and green illustration: I was at a youth group once and used this as an illustration of guarding the heart. Get a glass bowl and some red and green candy. Explain that the green candy is good decisions about what to watch, read, or topics of conversation. The red candy is bad or evil input into your life. Now have the kids think about their conversations today, and what they read today, etc. Have them pick out 5 pieces of candy in relation to the input into their heart that day. (For instance if you had more good input you may get 3 green and 2 red). No one is to look at what you put in the container. When we choose an action in our lives we reach into our heart and draw out what is there. I mixed all the candy up and asked the kids to pick out a piece of candy. We noted that the percentage of red or green candy in the bowl is similar to the percentage of that color that we pulled out. This led to a great discussion of the value of guarding the heart. Like the green candy, if we have good input, we will draw out good stuff. Not only is the heart an abundant storehouse, but it is a secret place. B. It is a secret place No one else can see into your heart. There are things you know about yourself that no one else knows. Peter describes character as the hidden person of the heart: 1 Pet 3:3‑4 But your heart is not hidden from God. He alone knows the heart of a person. Ps 139:16-18 What is good about God knowing your heart? God sees and loves the real me. There is nothing that will surprise him. He knows me through and through. The amazing thing about God is that he loves me in spite of what is in my heart. He desires the best for me, and will do all he can to make my heart a good and healthy place. What scares you about God knowing your heart? Almost the same answer as above. He knows me completely. He sees the things I struggle with. He knows where I am weak. He sees my mental choices and the things I let into my heart.
The quiet things you do out of love for God will be revealed. Matt 6:3‑4 When you talk to God tonight, you are talking to someone who really knows you! And he loves you. The heart is an abundant storehouse, and it is a hidden place. It is also a place of spiritual battle.
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