2. Valentine’s Day is Wednesday Our thoughts will be on love and that special someone in our lives Decorations abound to gain your shopping dollar None so prominent as the heart

3. The heart and Valentine’s Day go hand-in-hand Bible speaks about the heart Biblical heart is the mind Involves the conscience, reasoning ability, emotions, will, intellect

4. Let’s focus on the kind of hearts we should have as God’s people

6. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13

7. The ways of the world and sin can harden the heart The background of this text demonstrates what having a hard heart can do

8. Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Hebrews 3:8-11

9. The ways of the world and sin can harden the heart The background of this text demonstrates what having a hard heart can do The consequences were grave, and the warning clear

10. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:12, 13

11. The ways of the world and sin can harden the heart The background of this text demonstrates what having a hard heart can do The consequences were grave, and the warning clear Pharaoh stands as an example of a hard-hearted individual

12. But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said. Exodus 8:15

13. His heart was so calloused by his pride and his lust for power that his nation was virtually destroyed

14. And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed? Exodus 10:7

15. His heart was so calloused by his pride and his lust for power that his nation was virtually destroyed Hardened hearts result in disastrous consequences

17. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. Ezra 7:10

18. Proper preparations for any task greatly increase the chances of success Successful service to God must begin with heart preparation

19. For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. Proverbs 23:7

20. 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

21. Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. Proverbs 23:12

22. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I Corinthians 2:2

23. Proper preparations for any task greatly increase the chances of success Successful service to God must begin with heart preparation The church needs hearts that are determined and prepared to seek and do God’s will

25. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12

26. Wisdom is the ability to apply instruction and knowledge in a profitable fashion God is the origin of wisdom and its supplier

27. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6

28. Wisdom is the ability to apply instruction and knowledge in a profitable fashion God is the origin of wisdom and its supplier Thus, James instructs us to pray for wisdom

29. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. James 1:5

31. Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. Psalm 125:4

32. We can be righteous in an evil world We must be if we are to please God and dwell eternally with Him

33. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:11- 14

34. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Revelation 2:10

35. We can be righteous in an evil world We must be if we are to please God and dwell eternally with Him It takes determined and persistent hearts

36. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15

38. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? Matthew 9:4

39. Not easy to dwell on good when surrounded by evil Others have done it, and no one is incapable of it (Noah, Joseph, Moses, Daniel) If evil and wickedness harbored in the heart, it is eventually exhibited in the life

40. For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. Proverbs 23:7

42. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. Matthew 18:35

44. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Psalm 119:11

45. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. Mark 4:15

46. Can’t be done without determination to do it Can’t be done simply by attending Bible classes and worship Takes time and diligent effort

47. Study [give diligence- ASV] to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15

49. And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:5

50. What we know of the love of God has been revealed to us by the Holy Spirit Through God’s word we have knowledge of His love and see demonstrations of His love

51. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. I John 4:8

52. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. I John 4:16

53. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

54. What we know of the love of God has been revealed to us by the Holy Spirit Through God’s word we have knowledge of His love and see demonstrations of His love Through hearts filled with love we demonstrate to the world that we belong to Him

55. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:35

57. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, Ephesians 3:17

58. It is by faith that He dwells in our hearts Since faith comes through the word, it is again His word that is the key

59. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17

60. It is by faith that He dwells in our hearts Since faith comes through the word, it is again His word that is the key Hearts without the knowledge of Christ cannot be filled with Christ

62. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

63. Nothing compares with complete peace The peace which only comes from God is beyond description It is that peace that allows those persecuted to withstand

64. It is that peace that allows one facing imminent death to stand with great courage and look beyond the valley It is that peace, a peace with God, that defies human understanding

66. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16

67. Closely akin to that peace is this grace The knowledge of God’s undeserved favor allows us to face a cruel world and harsh realities It prompts us to praise Him

69. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. James 4:8

70. Purity of heart comes about only through obedience of the truth

71. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: I Peter 1:22

76. Main points from an article by Mark Lindley via Eastside Edifier