Transcript of Sabbath Meeting - 06/25/99

Tonite I would like to talk about what the scriptures have to say about 'the heart'.

The word 'heart' is found in scripture 1028 times. The sheer number of times that the heart is mentioned shows its importance.

How important is the state of our heart?

Consider that an evil heart caused Yahweh to destroy the entire world with the flood

Genesis 6:5 - And Elohim saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Genesis 6:6 - And it repented YAHWEH that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

Genesis 8:20 - And Noah builded an altar unto YAHWEH; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

Genesis 8:21 - And YAHWEH smelled a sweet savour; and YAHWEH said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

I believe the heart is best described as the 'inner man'. From it flow the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:23 - Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

This same word that is translated "Keep" here is translated "Watchmen" in other places

So it means to guard it, to watch over it.

As Yahweh has said, the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth. We know that doing sin/evil is transgressing the law of Yahweh. How can we guard against transgression and an evil heart?

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

Then we will receive the wisdom necessary to make righteous decisions on the issues of life

From the heart comes all sorts of wickedness

Matthew 15:17 - Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

Matthew 15:18 - But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

Matthew 15:19 - For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

Matthew 15:20 - These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Luke 12:32 - Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Luke 12:33 - Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

Luke 12:34 - For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

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.

Matthew 12:35 - A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

Matthew 12:36 - But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Our words manifest what is in our heart

Therefore if we desire to set a door over our lips..

we should first guard our hearts!

But we cannot always see whatever wickedness there is in the heart of man. But from Yahweh it is laid bare, open and is seen by Him

Proverbs 44:20 -

Psalms 44:20 - If we have forgotten the name of our Elohim, or stretched out our hands to a strange el;

Psalms 44:21 - Shall not Elohim search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

Jeremiah 20:12 - But, O YAHWEH 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.

1Chronicles 28:9 - And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the Elohim of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for YAHWEH searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

Psalms 139:1 - O YAHWEH, thou hast searched me, and known me.

Psalms 139:2 - Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

Jeremiah 17:10 - I YAHWEH search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

Pride especially. Yahweh can't endure it!

Proverbs 16:5 - Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to YAHWEH: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

Psalms 101:5 - Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.

James 4:6 - But He gives more favour. Therefore He says: "YAHWEH resists the proud, but gives favour to the humble."

A proud heart kept the spiritual leaders in Yahshua's day from accepting Him. Indeed, guard your hearts against pride!

We must also guard our hearts against lust.

Matthew 5:27 - Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

Matthew 5:28 - But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Nearly all sin begins in the heart. We must guard our hearts against lust! Lust for ANY sin.

2Peter 2:14 - having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and [are] accursed children.

2Peter 2:15 - They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

2Peter 2:16 - but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

2Peter 2:17 - These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

Ephesians 4:17 - This I say, therefore, and testify in YAHWEH, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,

Ephesians 4:18 - having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of Elohim, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;

Many say in this day and age, "I'll just follow my heart"

but Yahweh says

Jeremiah 17:9\ -

Jeremiah 17:9 - The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

There are so many listening to their hearts but are NOT listening to Yahweh's Spirit!

Yahweh's Spirit leads us to obedience to His words, and His words ARE Spirit.

John 6:63 - It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

YES

He DOES

And we should be shaking in our shoes!!!

Isaiah 66:5 - Hear the word of YAHWEH, ye that tremble at his word; your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let YAHWEH be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

Proverbs 13:13 - Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.

Isaiah 66:2 - For all those things hath mine hand made, and those things have been, saith YAHWEH: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

to see if we will say "He knows my heart?"

No

Yahweh is seeking to test our hearts..

to see what IS IN our hearts...whether we will obey Him or not!

We, like the children of Israel are in the wilderness, a time of testing and Yahweh wants to know

Deuteronomy 8:2 - And thou shalt remember all the way which YAHWEH thy Elohim led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

Yes, He wants to know what is in our heart..whether we we will keep His commandments or not!

Proverbs 24:12 - If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

Proverbs 21:2 - Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but YAHWEH pondereth the hearts.

Yahweh doesn't want us to look at His word and then decide whether or not it matters depending on our heart. He wrote these words so that we would learn how to love HIM!

David was a man after Yahweh's own heart. What was His attitude toward Yahweh's testings?

Psalms 26:2 - Examine me, O YAHWEH, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

David, when repenting of his sin with Bathsheba asked Yahweh :

Psalms 51:10 - Create in me a clean heart, O Elohim; and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalms 51:11 - Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Psalms 51:12 - Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Psalms 51:13 - Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Proverbs 20:9 - Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

Ezekiel 36:25 - Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

Ezekiel 36:26 - A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 36:27 - And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

2Corinthians 4:6 - For YAHWEH, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of YAHWEH in the face of Yahushua the Messiah.

1Samuel 7:3 - And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto YAHWEH with all your hearts, then put away the strangeelohim and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto YAHWEH, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

James 4:8 - Draw near to YAHWEH and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Matthew 5:8 - Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see YAHWEH.

Proverbs 23:26 - My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

1Kings 8:61 - Let your heart therefore be perfect with YAHWEH our Elohim, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.

We must apply our hearts to wisdom

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

Proverbs 2:1 - My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

Proverbs 2:2 - So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

Ephesians 4:32 - And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as YAHWEH in the Messiah forgave you.

Proverbs 4:23 - Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Psalms 119:36 - Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.

2Thessalonians 3:5 - And the Master direct your hearts into the love of YAHWEH, and into the patient waiting for the Messiah.

Psalms 95:8 - Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

Psalms 66:18 - If I regard iniquity in my heart, YAHWEH will not hear me:

Psalms 66:19 - But verily Elohim hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.

Deuteronomy 11:16 - Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other elohim, and worship them;

Proverbs 28:26 - He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

Deuteronomy 6:4 - Hear, O Israel: YAHWEH is our Elohim, YAHWEH is one:

Deuteronomy 6:5 - And thou shalt love YAHWEH thy Elohim with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deuteronomy 6:6 - And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

Deuteronomy 6:7 - And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Deuteronomy 6:8 - And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

Deuteronomy 6:9 - And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

Romans 10:9 - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth that Yahushua is the Messiah, and shalt believe in thine heart that YAHWEH hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Deuteronomy 11:13 - And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love YAHWEH your Elohim, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,

Deuteronomy 26:16 - This day YAHWEH thy Elohim hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.

And trusting in Him with all our heart

Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in YAHWEH with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

1Kings 2:4 - That YAHWEH may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.

But if we fail, Yahweh will forgive if we return to Him with 'all our heart!'

2Chronicles 6:38 - If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name:

2Chronicles 6:39 - Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.

Psalms 51:17 - The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O Elohim, thou wilt not despise.

Matthew 18:24 - And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

Matthew 18:34 - And his master was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

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

1Peter 1:22 - Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

Proverbs 4:23 - Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

We must put on HIS armor to protect our hearts!

Ephesians 6:1 - Children, obey your parents: for this is right before YAHWEH.

Ephesians 6:0 -

Ephesians 6:10 - Finally, my brethren, be strong in YAHWEH and in the power of His might.

Ephesians 6:11 - Put on the whole armor of Elohim, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Ephesians 6:12 - For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:13 - Therefore take up the whole armor of Elohim, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Ephesians 6:14 - Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Ephesians 6:15 - and having shod your feet with the preparation of the glad tidings of peace;

Ephesians 6:16 - above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

Ephesians 6:17 - And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of YAHWEH;

Ephesians 6:18 - praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--

So yes, if we put on the armor of Yahweh, our hearts will be guarded and we can walk in righteousness!

But woe be to the man who lets down his armor and lets the seed of Yahweh's word be taken OUT of their hearts!

Matthew 13:18 - Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

Matthew 13:19 - When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

Matthew 13:20 - But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

Matthew 13:21 - Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Matthew 13:22 - He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

Matthew 13:23 - But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Television and other media are very dangerous because so often our guard is down while letting these things get sown in our hearts.

David knew how to guard his heart

Psalms 101:1 - I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O YAHWEH, will I sing.

Psalms 101:2 - I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

Psalms 101:3 - I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

I believe that this passage truly shows the heart of David.

David hated the things that Yahweh hated.

He also knew that when a person watches wickedness, it has the ability to 'cleave' to us (verse 3

)

Do we want wickedness to cleave to us?

If not, we should not watch it. Especially for entertainment!!!

Before watching anything we need to ask ourselves "What kind of spirit am I going to bring into my home?" and "What kind of Spirit am I bringing into my heart?"

Galatians 6:7 - Do not be deceived, Elohim is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Galatians 6:8 - For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

Consider also that when we are out in the public, or wherever we go..surely we must beware and heed the wise voice in this proverb which I will now quote in context:

Proverbs 4:23 - Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:24 - Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

Proverbs 4:25 - Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Proverbs 4:26 - Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

Proverbs 4:27 - Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

and remain on the narrow path

Let's keep our eyes focused on that narrow path!

Matthew 7:13 - Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Matthew 7:14 - Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Let's always guard and keep our hearts purified,

sanctified,

cleansed

full of love

full of light

and full of truth

trusting in Yahweh with all our heart

and keeping our eyes focused on Yahweh....our Redeemer

our Rock

May Yahweh bless you all!