Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.cccharlotte.org/sermons/65297/the-hearts-desire/.

Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions.
Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt.


[0:00] A Pastor's Reflections, The Heart's Desire, Exodus 7.23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.

[0:12] Proverbs 23.19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Matthew 6.21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

[0:23] Matthew 6.21 The heart is meant to be led, and where it is led will have significant implications for life and eternity. Sin has left man in the dangerous position of having an unguarded heart.

[0:38] The sin nature seeks to fulfill the heart instead of lead the heart, and in so doing, the desires of the heart become the primary goal. The problem with this is that sinful man is now seeking a sinful end.

[0:52] As the heart, on its own, will never lead man to God. Jeremiah 17.9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.

[1:05] What is a remedy for such a situation? God's Word. God's Word will make or break a heart. Jeremiah 23.29 Is not my word like as a fire, saith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

[1:19] God's Word has the ability to break up a hard heart and to kindle a flame of love for God. God's Word has the capacity to lead a heart from seeking its own way into seeking the way of life.

[1:35] When God becomes the goal to be sought, then the heart becomes no longer the master, but the servant. God's Word is now guided by God through His Word and His Spirit.

[1:49] Not that we can now trust the heart, but we can now trust that the heart is no longer left to its own destructive devices. God's Word now informs the heart of true desire, instead of the heart determining for itself its own desire.

[2:05] A guarded and guided heart is a blessing when it is guarded and guided by God. However, there is another possible response of the heart to God and His Word.

[2:20] Like Pharaoh, we can choose to turn the heart away from God and away from His Word. When we choose to place the desires of the heart above the truth of God's Word, we are then allowing the heart to be turned away from God and led further along a path of destruction.

[2:37] The capacity of the heart is for desire, and desire is not static. It either builds or diminishes. As the heart is directed into its desires, it will strengthen itself in that position and harden itself against any other position.

[2:53] That is the nature of the heart. It will always justify to itself the object of its desire. For you and I, the choice is not whether we can lead our hearts, but where will we lead our hearts.

[3:08] Do we have the capacity to keep our hearts? No, not on our own. But we do have the capacity to choose where we will place our desires. If we wait for our desires to change, they never will.

[3:21] Well, we have to decide to change the object of desire, and the heart will then follow. Jeremiah 29.13 And you shall seek me and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.

[3:36] Father, thank you that we do not have to be left to the whims and desires of our fickle hearts. No matter how strong the object of our desire, we have the choice of whether to follow our heart, or to direct our heart to follow you.

[3:51] Keep us from letting desire determine our destiny. We choose today to desire your word. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[4:01] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[4:14] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.