The Heart of the Matter

THE HEART OF THE MATTER

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THE HEART OF THE MATTER

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Wednesday, February 7, 2024

THE HEART OF THE MATTER FOCUS SCRIPTURE: A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke 6:45 COURSE OBJECTIVES: Believe: More deeply that the matters of your heart have a major impact on your character Feel: More passionately about the positive flow of good treasures that stem from the heart Do: Make a conscious effort to align our heart and behaviors with God’s heartbeat.

HEART FLOW INTRODUCTION According to FreeDictionary.com, the phrase ‘the heart of the matter’ is referred to as the most important, basic, or fundamental essence or element of an issue, problem, or matter at hand. In a nutshell, it is the most important part of any situation. Let’s be honest, sometimes we can look at our life and our current circumstances and become troubled by the way things are. We will spend hours wondering why we have not arrived at a certain place or position. Quite frankly, oftentimes our surroundings will look nothing like what we intended. We will begin making excuses for our shortcomings all the while neglecting to address the heart of the matter.

• Why am I in this position?

• What has caused me to neglect the important things in my life?

• How can I be better with prioritizing and putting first things first?

• When will I take ownership of my current status?

• All of these questions will reveal the core explanation of what we see before us.

Heart Flow The disruptions of life itself can cause the flow of our hearts to be inconsistent.

Just as the natural heart can experience blockages, we can have similar emotional instances that stem from the real issues of life. In order to get a clear understanding emotionally, let’s take a look at heart flow from a physiological standpoint.

The human heart pumps nutrient rich blood throughout your body by beating almost 100,000 times a day. Although about the size of a fist, it pumps 5-6 liters of blood per minute and about 2,000 gallons a day. It uses vessels that are part THE HEART OF THE MATTER

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of the circulatory system, carefully providing what’s needed, while taking away the body’s toxins.

The chart below illustrates the intricacies of the flow of blood throughout the heart:

mavink.com

Prayerfully, this illustration sheds light on the importance of reducing and eliminating behaviors and choices that can lead to blockages in the flow!

Naturally, our eating habits, exercise routines, and emotional baggage can impact the health of our heart. Knowingly, we will still engage in unhealthy lifestyles, risking the clogging of our arteries and veins. This often stems from wanting immediate pleasures and the inability to refrain from pleasing the flesh.

These types of blockages lead to the insertion of stents to open up the areas that are clogged so that the heart can continue to take care of you! Blockages lead to unwanted long-term medications to reverse the damage. Unfortunately, some heart damage is irreversible. However, living a lifestyle of wellness helps to avoid taking these measures.

Spiritual Flow This same illustration should help paint a picture demonstrating how important our heart’s posture is before God. Are we carefully examining our heart as it relates to being pure before the Father? Have we capitulated into living in such a way that we disregard the intricate flow in our hearts? It is worth the conversation because out of the heart flows the issues of life! Therefore, we must guard it with all diligence. (Proverbs 4:23)

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Every single circumstance in our lives will reflect what’s in your heart. From stumping your little toe in the dark, to facing all out spiritual warfare; whatever is in your heart will impact your response! In order to have good come from our flow, our hearts must have good treasure. The alternate response is an evil flow that stems from evil treasure. Obviously, we want good treasure to reside, but we must be intentional on the inventory in our heart’s treasure. We must frequently declutter our ‘treasure box’ of anything or anybody that impacts the flow.

Invite the Great Investigator • Psalm 139:23 (KJV) Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: The Message translation helps us to simplify this verse of scripture even further.

• Psalm 139:23 (MSG) Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about; Psalm 139 was penned by King David, a man after God’s own heart. David asks God to search his heart and do a complete inspection of everything that made up who he was. David was doing all he knew to live holy before God but he wanted God to tell him if they were areas in his life, his heart, his dealings, his thought processes that would lead him away from the presence of God. The Hebrew word used for search in this passage of scripture, “chaqar” means to penetrate, to examine intimately, to search out.

God is the ‘Great Investigator’! We must forever be in a posture to allow him to cross examine our motives. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked according to Jeremiah 17:9 Then verse 10 says, “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. We cannot depend on ourselves to do heart examinations. God alone knows what resides. His word is the great equalizer, the measuring stick of righteous living.

Conclusion You owe it to yourself to stay focused on the heart of the matter. If you fail to take control on digging deep in life’s issues, satan who is the master liar, will feed you with everything that opposes the truth. He will have you living through the lens of deception. His tactics are to keep you bound in cycles of defeat and sin, always avoiding the root cause of an issue. I challenge you, choose the abundant life. Check your flow, discard obstacles, and keep a free flowing channel between you and God. THE HEART OF THE MATTER

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Wednesday, February 14, 2024

THE HEART OF THE MATTER FOCUS SCRIPTURE: A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke 6:45 COURSE OBJECTIVES: Believe: More deeply that the matters of your heart have a major impact on your character Feel: More passionately about the positive flow of good treasures that stem from the heart Do: Make a conscious effort to align our heart and behaviors with God’s heartbeat.

HEART RHYTHM According to the Oxford Dictionary, rhythm is a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound. Similarly, rhythm is recurrent or repeated and has a pattern, flow, tempo, and regular features. The rhythm of the natural heart is defined as a pattern and amount of time between each beat.

The job of the heart's electrical system is to control the rhythm and rate of how the heart is beating. The heart needs the correct amount of blood to work correctly. Disease or injury can weaken your heart, and your body's organs will typically not receive enough blood to work. A problem with the electrical system — or the nervous or endocrine systems, which control your heart rate and blood pressure — can also make it harder for the heart to pump blood (How the Heart Works). Since God designed the body, it stands to reason that if the natural heart can become diseased and the heart's rhythm can be impacted, what about your spiritual heart?

Proverbs 4:23 states, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." We care for the physical heart by eating a proper diet, getting regular check-ups, and exercising. Similarly, we must protect or guard our spiritual heart because our spiritual arteries and capillaries can become diseased (those things we allow to affect our spirit). Comparing the physical and spiritual hearts, both must be guarded or protected.

Rhythm/Spiritual and Natural Tap, tap, pop, pop, tap, tap, tap, pop, pop, oh what we encounter during the day! As we engage in our daily activities, we confront positive and negative situations that can affect our heart rhythm. Sometimes, we are unaware of how everyday life or living may change our daily rhythm. Our daily routine may include the following: taking care of our children and grandchildren, dealing with people at work, taking care of the house, volunteering at an organization, THE HEART OF THE MATTER

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various appointments, shopping, traveling, emotional issues, marital issues, sinful thoughts, and desires, life choices, taking care of elderly parents, money management, furthering your career, going back to school or in school with children and a spouse to care for, and I am sure you can name a few more. As we go about life, if we are not careful, our hearts will be out of step because we have not devoted enough time to the heart of the matter. Jesus said in Mark 12:28-32 – "The Greatest Commandment."

28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord, our God, is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

There is none other commandment greater than these. 32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: 33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 states, 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.

You may go through life fooling others and yourself but not God. The heart is desperately wicked. It can have you so tangled up that you do not know your left from your right or what is up or down. How does this happen? You have allowed the enemy to creep in. Your rhythm is off. Think about the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds Matthew 13:24-43. You do not have to have weeds in your heart; know the signs and change your step or rhythm. Colossians 3:1-3 states a solution to weeds or being out of step or rhythm.3 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. The rhythm of the heart depends on where you have set your affections. As we go through life with our daily routines, we can get off track and neglect some THE HEART OF THE MATTER

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things we should not. For us to be in sync with God and follow Him, we must have the right rhythm; we must be able to keep up with the beat and shift the pattern when necessary. All of these are possible if we are in sync with the heartbeat of God. Sometimes, we must assess or search the heart.

Psalm 139: 23-24 states, 23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

We must continuously check or monitor our heart rhythm before God. He is the only one who can correct the issues of the heart, which leads to a lousy rhythm or cadence. Below, you will find a few problems that might cause your heart to become diseased.

Check Your Spiritual Heart Rhythm Q&S QUESTION

SOLUTION

Am I an active member of a church?

Do I have a critical, judgmental spirit?

Have I forgiven those who hurt or wronged me?

Hebrews 10:25 Matthew 7:1-5 Matthew 6:14, 15

Am I generous, or do I hoard my money?

Am I kind toward others?

2 Corinthians 9:6,7 Colossians 3:12

Do I tell others about Jesus?

Do I worry rather than trust God? Do I study the Bible and do what it says?

Do I make time to pray?

Do I help those in need?

Romans 1:15-16 Luke 12:22-32 James 1:22-25 Philippians 4:6 Acts 2:46

The above questions may help you start an assessment of your heart. They were not meant to make you feel some kind of way or condemn you but to open a channel by which the Holy Spirit can let you see you are out of rhythm or the heartbeat of God. Surrendering your will to God is not a one-time experience.

We must regularly check our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Don't get caught up in what man thinks; what God thinks is what counts. Check your heart rhythm!

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Wednesday, February 21, 2024

THE HEART OF THE MATTER FOCUS SCRIPTURE: A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke 6:45 COURSE OBJECTIVES: Believe: More deeply that the matters of your heart have a major impact on your character Feel: More passionately about the positive flow of good treasures that stem from the heart Do: Make a conscious effort to align our heart and behaviors with God’s heartbeat.

HEARTBURN Introduction We touched on the heart’s rhythm or cadence during last week's lesson. We also discovered that the physical and spiritual heart requires a healthy, consistent rhythm to function properly. And we learned the detriments of attempting to operate when your heart is not in cadence. This week, we will explore a subject that many of us are intimately acquainted with, Heart Burn.

Heart Burn So, what exactly is heartburn, anyway? According to the Mayo Clinic (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heartburn/symptoms-causes/syc-20373223), heartburn is a burning pain in the chest, just behind the breastbone.

Causes: Heartburn occurs when stomach acid backs up into the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach (esophagus).

Typically, when food is swallowed, a band of muscle around the bottom of the esophagus (lower esophageal sphincter) relaxes to allow food and liquid to flow down into the stomach. Then the muscle tightens again. Acid reflux occurs when the sphincter muscle at the lower end of your esophagus relaxes at the wrong time, allowing stomach acid to back up into your esophagus. This can cause heartburn and other signs and symptoms.

Risk factors: Certain foods and drinks can trigger heartburn in some people, including Spicy foods, Onions, Citrus products, Tomato products, fatty or fried foods, peppermint, chocolate, alcohol, carbonated beverages, coffee, or other caffeinated beverages.

Is heartburn a cadence problem? Why or Why not? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ THE HEART OF THE MATTER

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Heartburn and You Anyone who has experienced heartburn in the physical realm can attest to the fact that it is neither a pleasurable nor enjoyable experience. Most, after experiencing the painfully uncomfortable effects of heartburn in the middle of the night or while out of town, will testify that they now keep some form of antacid readily available to counteract the effects of heartburn as quickly as possible. Heartburn can potentially wake you out of your sleep and keep you awake for hours as you seek relief. The funny thing about heartburn is that it is often preventable. Ask yourself how many times have you eaten something knowing that the end result would be heartburn and misery, and yet you chose to eat it anyway? How many times have you put what you wanted in that moment ahead of the fact that it would harm you in the long run?

It is important to note that heartburn is the immediate result of the lower esophageal sphincter relaxing at the wrong time and allowing stomach acid, which is designed to break down foods and aid in the digestion process, to creep into areas of your body that it was never intended to go. This cause agony in the process all because your digestive system is out of cadence.

How often is our “Spiritual Digestive System” out of cadence? How often do we, as believers, “relax at the wrong time” and make compromises that result in unnecessary but preventable heartburn and heartache?

Proverbs 4:23 KJV declares, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.

The Message version breaks it down like this: Proverbs 4:23-27 MSG: "Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts. Don’t talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions.

Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust.”

No matter the translation, it all highlights the importance of your heart. Whatever has your heart has you! It is essential to know our hearts' condition and continuously ask the Holy Spirit to show us the true condition of our hearts.

Better Heart Burn!

Luke 24:32 KJV And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

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The two men on the road to Emmaus experienced "Better Heartburn" when encountering the resurrected Jesus. Having a solid relationship with Jesus Christ and staying in the Word of God is our only defense against bad spiritual heartburn. Tums and Rolaids won't get this job done.

In Philippians 4:8, Paul admonishes us to be intentional with what we allow our hearts to meditate on. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Paul understood that what you allow into your heart will inevitably lead your body and dictate your actions. That is why we must stay prayed up about and be keenly aware of who or what has our heart. We must condition our hearts to burn passionately for the things of God. Conclusion As we close today's lesson, we must be diligent in guarding our hearts as well as our minds. Our enemy is always looking for subtle ways to get in and do what he does best: Kill, Steal, and Destroy. However, we, as believers, are not subject to his authority. We have an advocate in Jesus Christ who has given us dominion and authority over our enemy. We must exercise this authority and cause him to flee. Next week, we will explore Heart Capacity.

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Wednesday, February 28, 2024

THE HEART OF THE MATTER FOCUS SCRIPTURE: A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke 6:45 COURSE OBJECTIVES: Believe: More deeply that the matters of your heart have a major impact on your character Feel: More passionately about the positive flow of good treasures that stem from the heart Do: Make a conscious effort to align our heart and behaviors with God’s heartbeat.

HEART CAPACITY Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Abundance: a very large quantity of something: the state or condition of having a copious quantity of something; plentifulness: What comes out of your mouth? Is it positive or negative? We can’t be afraid to examine what we deliver audibly. When we examine our words, we truly examine our heart! For of the abundance of the heart, your mouth speaks. Your mouth/words can reflect your heart. Individually, we need a heart examination.

What is your heart capacity?

Capacity is different individually, depending on their size. Usually, an adult heart pumps about 5 liters of blood per minute at rest. But when you run or exercise, your heart may pump 3-4 times that much to make sure your body gets enough oxygen and fuel.

The heart can handle a greater flow when we are on the move. Our hearts can handle more than we realize. The same occurs spiritually. God can increase the capacity of your heart when you move spiritually for God. How do we increase spiritual capacity?

___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ At one point, Saul was persecuting Christians (Acts 9). His heart had no compassion or room for people with different beliefs. He resolved issues with THE HEART OF THE MATTER

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physical force. After he had an encounter with Christ, his heart capacity grew.

The Apostle Paul learned to have compassion for others. His capacity grew as he exercised humility and spiritual growth.

We find that the Apostle Paul “sat down somewhere” and got full (Acts 13;1-4).

This is when God elevated him and sent him out into the vineyard.

How do you know when you have reached max capacity?

___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Elevators have a sign which will tell you the max capacity of that metal box. But our spiritual hearts have been designed to expand.

Name something you couldn’t handle at one time, but now you can.

___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Jesus Christ said, “Let this cup pass from me, but nevertheless, not as I will but your will be done” (Matthew 26:39). He had the heart capacity for the job. He had the heart capacity for the sacrifice that was necessary for the world. Christ would exercise prayer and fasting during his life. This allowed him to defeat temptation, teach disciples, heal people, and sacrifice himself.

The heart has four chambers. Each chamber has a specific job to perform. Each job is extremely important to the flow of blood. The heart is set up to have success but imagine if the right ventricle wanted the job of the left ventricle?

That would mess up the capacity and the flow! It would destroy the quality of blood in the system. You can mess up the capacity and flow of a ministry by being out of position. Tell your neighbor, “Stay in Position”. See, a good flow is significant. A good flow positively affects the growth of the ministry.

Certain roles aren’t always fun or glamorous, but they are necessary. What role do you play in the body (God’s Kingdom)? Seek God. Roles can shift.

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Things that take up space.

• Lay aside every weight and sin that so easily besets you (Hebrews 12:1).

• Cast your cares on Jesus, because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7) • Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls (Matthew 11:29).

David asked God to create in him a clean heart and to renew a right Spirit in him (Psalm 51:10). Anything that took up space needed to be removed. David wanted all things, not of God, out of his system. He wanted to be purged with hyssop (Psalm 51:7). He desired the Spirit of God to fill him up. Having the capacity to be full of God’s Spirit, requires us to remove the mess.

Imagine what your heart will say when it is cleansed! Imagine what you will speak when you are full of God’s Spirit!

What are some things you need to remove from your heart? Unforgiveness?

Habits? Negative thoughts? Laziness? Jealousy?

___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Speak with a pure, clean heart! You are the head and not the tail. You are blessed and highly favored. You are created new, old things have passed away.

You are holy and acceptable unto God. Who are you in Christ? Write positive thoughts with a clean heart.

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THE HEART OF THE MATTER

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