Pastor Danny Mundy preaching the Sunday morning service. Text: 23:26 - "26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways." "Why God Wants Your Heart" Intro: The heart is mentioned in scripture 830 times. In scripture, the heart is the center of man, the seat of your thoughts and desires; the heart is who you are. The heart of man is where your understanding and reception is; this is where you build the determination to do right or wrong. The heart is what drives you as a person. Sometimes the heart gets disease and causes problems physically, and it is the #1 cause of death in the country. But why does God want your heart? God is a trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). God made man a trinity too - body, soul, spirit. What guides that is a man's (or woman's) heart. The heart helps you to determine God's will for you. It is so important that God has our hearts. IF GOD HAS YOUR HEART, HE HAS CONTOL OF YOU. The emotions, reason, and the will. Jeremiah 11:20 - "20 But, O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause." Jeremiah 20:12 - "12 But, O Lord of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause." Why does God want your heart? 1. SIN originates in the Heart. Jeremiah 17:9 - "9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Sin originated with Lucifer when in his heart he sinned against God. Every sin you can imagines has its origin in the heart. James:1;13- 17 - "13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren." We are call born with a sin nature, a rebellious nature and if left to grow will cause damage. Matthew 5:28 - "28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." What is in your heart, you are going to think on it and then you will dwell on it and then you will eventually act on it. 1 John 3:13-15 - "13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. 14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?: Every sin originates in the heart. When Satan tempted Eve, he tempted her with something that was in her heart. Proverbs 24:1-2, 19 - "Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them. 2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief...19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked: 20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out." What is in a mans heart, he will eventually act on. 2. The heart is the place where SALVATION enters. Romans 10:8-10 - "8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Believe and accept it. The heart is where salvation enters in. 1 John 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." 3. The heart is the place SANCTIFICATION begins. Proverbs 4:23 - "23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Proverbs 23:7 - "7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee." Sanctification begins in the heart. Guard your heart with all diligence - against hatred, bitterness (the root of evil). Sanctification - you have set aside your heart and life dedicated to the things of God. 4. SERVICE is performed in your heart. Colossians 3:23 "23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;" 5. SPEECH flows from the heart. Matthew 12:34 - " O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." What you say you love eventually comes out. Why don't we praise Jesus more? Luke 6:45/ 6. SACRIFICE is made in the heart. 2 Corinthians 9:6-10 - "6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever." What a man sows, he will reap. 7. SCRIPTURE is stored there. Psalm 119:11-12 - "11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.12 Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes. " Luke 2:19 - "19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart." What's wrong with the Church? It's a heart problem. What's wrong with our country? It is a heart problem. This is why God wants your heart.