Overflowing Heart
Opening questions: What are you passionate about? Sports? politics? Food? Kids? Grandkids? Work? Money? Jesus? How often do you post on social media about these things? How often do you think about them? Talk about them?
• What consumes your thoughts through out the day?
• What do you talk about?
• When is the last time you've shared your testimony with someone?
• When is the last time you shared a scripture with someone?
"A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of."
Luke 6:45 NIV
• Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks!
• What we talk about, think about, those are the things on our heart.
• What good things are you storing up in your heart?
• Philippians 4:8 "…whatever is true, whatever is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
• God is all of these things at once!
• What do you turn too first in the morning?
• Share about Diana
"May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous."
Psalms 119:171-172 NIV
• David says i will sing of your word, all of your commands are righteous!
• To know God's word you have to study it.
• When is the last time you memorize scripture? Like words to a song!
"Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead."
Psalms 86:11-13 NIV
• This is the way we should approach God's word daily!
• With passion and praise!
• This is the way the first century christians worshipped, studied God's word, and lived their lives!
• Full of passion and praise!
• Too much passion?
"What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God. Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord's people."
1 Corinthians 14:26-33 NIV
• So much to share, so much to say, so much praise it was overflowing!
• No text messages, no phone calls, the spirit welling up in each of the believers all week, ready to burst out when they finally got to be with the body!
• Heads up - in a moment we will practice this and allow 3 or 4 people to share a scripture, a word of encouragement, a praise towards God for something he's done in your life this week!
• Is this our church? We've become really good at orderly worship! Maybe too orderly?
• We show up to worship through songs picked by someone else, hear a good message pared by someone else, fellowship by talk about where we're we will go for lunch or where to watch the game…etc
• I remember a time in our church when people had the word of God burning on their minds and overflowing in their hearts ready to share a word of encouragement…etc.
• Who wants to do the welcome, pray, preach, share a scripture, sing a hymn, give instruction, or an interpretation!
• What is the difference from the first century to today? From then til now?
• Now…..Who wants to share a favorite scripture, a word of encouragement, a praise towards God for something he's done in your life this week?
"A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: "See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere."
Mark 1:40-45 NIV
• This guy had a big problem in his life! He recognized the problem and he knew who could heal him!
• He was desperate for help and saw his need for God in his life!
• His perspective was in the right place.
• Have you lost this perspective.
• Have you lost sight of how much you need God in your life?
• How much he has saved you?
• Jesus asked him not to tell anyone, but this guy could not contain his love and gratitude for what Jesus had done in his life!
• He shared the good news so much that Jesus had to go into hiding!
• When is the last time you gave deep consideration to the grace and mercy God has shown you?
• So much so that it lead you to share your testimony with someone?
• Communion is one of the opportunities that God has given us to help get the right introspective and perspective on who we are before God and how much he loves us!
"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. "He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed." For "you were like sheep going astray," but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."
1 Peter 2:21-25 NIV
• Who wants to pray for us?
• Lets fill our hearts with the goodness of God daily this week to the point that it is overflowing in every area of our life!
• Any closing thoughts?
