Vomit from the Heart

This past weekend we started a new series entitled "Between Sundays" at our Xservice. In order for us to take our relationship with God past just the hour we spend at church, we have to get our hearts in a right place. 
So this weekend was "Who knows your heart?" Paul, in 1st Corinthians asks this question. 
So, here's a bit of what I talked about from this past weekend in blog form: (you have to come to the service to hear all of it, but here's a bit plus new ideas post-sermon)
I see people’s hearts. Some are bruised, others are tired, frustrated, cold, lost, busy. What lies deep at the core of each of us is a soul that requires daily needs. A heart that longs for something more. We neglect those needs all the time. We need laughter, story, hope, encouragement, purpose. We need to hear promises.
Our souls need life. We need more than caffeine to get us through the day. There are a lot of things we think our heart needs, but at the end of the day, we still feel lost and empty.
For all of us, for you for me, we have this little heart condition.
Our heart condition is what really matters.  When it comes down to it, we either grow away from God or towards God. I truly believe that. It comes down to where our heart is. In my experience, there is no "lull" in a relationship with God. We are either growing closer to Him or moving farther away from Him. So what is the condition of your heart? Are you moving closer to Him or farther away from Him?
A friend send me some cd's of Andy Stanley on "heart" topics. My summary of what Andy says: 
We have grown up learning how to make a filter through which our words and actions flow through. We were never taught how to monitor our heart. We all have trained our words and actions in order to make life work. But what is behind the filter? And sometimes things come through the filter, our heart pierces the filter and comes through. But then we just patch up the filter and move on.
It’s not enough to monitor our behavior, we must monitor our heart.
If you want to know what is in a person’s heart, just listen to what comes out of their mouth.  

Mark 7:20-23 e went on: "It's what comes out of a person that pollutes: obscenities, lusts, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, depravity, deceptive dealings, carousing, mean looks, slander, arrogance, foolishness—all these are vomit from the heart. There is the source of your pollution."

Over Christmas break, I got to experience what was in my dad's heart. We were in a small car accident, and he blew up. Anger, frustration, justice poured out of his heart. It was a scary experience that I am still trying to process. I feel hurt for my father, because at the core of this kind and gentle person, is a heart full of anger and frustration. His filter is iron clad. Until it's hit by a truck hitch. To be honest, i think it kind of scared him too. 
We don't want to spend time looking at our heart. What is there sometimes isn't pretty. Are we being honest with ourselves if we ignore our heart? 
When we deal with people around us that say things either against us or around us, think about their heart. What is really there? 
Do you ever have moments when something accidentally comes out of your mouth? And you say whoops, and put it aside. That is not just from your mouth, it’s from your heart. 
So listen to people. Really listen to people. And then you will see their heart. It’s the same with us. 
 
Proverbs 4:23 "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

Andy Stanley goes on to talk about this verse from Proverbs. It's the best wisdom that comes from that book. Everything we do in life comes from our heart. We must guard our heart. I always thought "guard your heart" was just something I was supposed to do when there was a potential love interest around. Guard your heart from dumb boys is what I grew up thinking about this verse. 
Now, I see the need to continue to guard my heart from dumb boys but more than than, to see that life flows from what I choose to allow or not allow in my heart.
We all have a heart condition. If we truly want to take our faith beyond today. to really live it between Sundays, where it counts, we have to look at the condition of our hearts.
We have to evaluate our actions, what we say, what we do. We need to listen to what comes out, for it will tell us what is really in our hearts. 
Sometimes we have to do things to get our heart in the right place. 
If you want to grow closer to God, you’ve got to start monitoring your heart.
We have to start doing things that will help penetrate to our heart.
Sometimes we have to do things that we don’t want to do to help our heart condition.
Going through the motions: i.e. just reading your Bible, going to church, sticking with small group, praying...it may seem like you are just going through the motions, but it does help our heart condition.

Here are several questions to ponder as you look at your heart: (some from Andy Stanley, some from myself)
What do you hold most dear to you? 
Anything in your heart that is lop-sided there that needs re-examining?
How is your heart?
Is there any relationships right now that are trying?
What is the condition of your heart?
Are you ready for God to take over?
What do you chase after?
Is there a chase for God in your life?
Is everything ok in your heart?
You mad at anybody
Are you waiting for someone to come to you to make things right?
Do things come out of your mouth that you have to apologize for?
Do you want revenge for anything?
Want justice for something that was done?
 
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
 
The band ended the service with "From the Inside Out" from Hillsong.
 
A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains 
And should I stumble again 
Still I'm caught in your grace
Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades 
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
 In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control 
Consume me from the inside out Lord 
Let justice and praise become my embrace 
To love You from the inside out  
Your will above all else, my purpose remains 
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise  
Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades 
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
 In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control 
Consume me from the inside out Lord 
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out