The Heart Maintenance Plan
Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
Psalm 51:10-12 NLT
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit[a] from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
Ezekiel 36:22 NLT
22 “Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered among the nations.
Ezekiel 36:25-26 NLT
25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.[a]
God is not in the heart repair business….but rather the heart transplant business!
5 Point Heart Inspection
1. Guard Your Heart
Proverbs 4:23 NLT
23 Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.
You can't GUARD what you don't monitor!
2. Strengthen Your Heart
Psalm 119:105 NLT
105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
and a light for my path.
Your heart grows stronger when you:
- Spend time in the word
- Pray consistently
- Worship intentionally
- Serve faithfully
- Stay in community
James 1:22 NLT
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
3. Feed Your Heart
Matthew 4:4 NLT
4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say,
‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[a]”
Psalm 119:11 NLT
11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
4. Clean Your Heart
1 John 1:9 NLT
9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
5. Surrender Your Heart
God isn’t interested in a shared heart….He wants full ownership.
Matthew 6:33 NIV
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Psalm 139:23-24 NLT
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Talk It Over Questions
1. What is one possession you own (car, home, computer, etc.) that you’re great at maintaining, and which one do you tend to ignore until it breaks?
2. What is a spiritual discipline that is hard for you to start but you're always glad you did?
3. Read Ezekiel 36:26. How does it change your perspective to know God gives you a new heart rather than just patching up your old one?
4. What is one specific "toxin" (bitterness, offense, pride, comparison, etc.) you need to "stand guard" against this week?
5. If you had to pick three words to describe the current state of your heart, what would they be?
Ask Your Kids
1. What scared Peter in the story?
2. What helped Peter walk on water?
3. What are some things that make you feel scared?
4. How can we trust Jesus when we feel afraid?
