"follow your heart" and 5 more lies… permission pop culture: the truth is inside you you...

"Follow Your Heart""Follow Your Heart"

And 5 More Lies…And 5 More Lies…PermissionPermission

Pop Culture:Pop Culture:

The truth is inside youThe truth is inside youYou already have the answerYou already have the answerJust listen to your heartJust listen to your heart

And it can be really goodAnd it can be really good

I feel like giving my wifeI feel like giving my wifeFlowers and a great date nightFlowers and a great date night

But it can also goBut it can also goReally wrongReally wrong

Gone for almost 2 yearsGone for almost 2 years"Just following my heart""Just following my heart"

What if doing itWhat if doing itMeans I end my marriage?Means I end my marriage?Lose my children?Lose my children?Wind-up with nothing?Wind-up with nothing?

Definitions MatterDefinitions Matter

Definitions MatterDefinitions MatterSpiritual is to ChristianSpiritual is to Christian

As Following my HeartAs Following my HeartIs to being Spirit-ledIs to being Spirit-led

When I desireWhen I desireWhat God does not desireWhat God does not desire

For me…For me…

Following my heart can becomeFollowing my heart can becomePermission and rationalizationPermission and rationalization

To do whatever I feel like doingTo do whatever I feel like doingAt the momentAt the moment

The Faith is not freedom to doThe Faith is not freedom to doThat which is contrary That which is contrary

To God's willTo God's will

But power to do that for which But power to do that for which I was createdI was created

Underlying belief:Underlying belief:

God wants more for usGod wants more for us- Has - Has pre-plannedpre-planned more for us- more for us-Than we want for ourselvesThan we want for ourselves

For by grace you have been For by grace you have been saved through faith. And saved through faith. And this is this is not your own doing;not your own doing; it is the gift it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast…that no one may boast…

My faith is not a resultMy faith is not a resultOf me desiring God on my ownOf me desiring God on my own

But of God drawing meBut of God drawing meConvicting me and saving meConvicting me and saving me

For we are his workmanship, For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus created in Christ Jesus forfor good good

works, which God prepared works, which God prepared in advance,in advance, that we that we should walk should walk in themin them

- Eph. 2:8-10- Eph. 2:8-10

Underlying belief:Underlying belief:

God wants more for usGod wants more for us- Has - Has pre-plannedpre-planned more for us- more for us-Than we want for ourselvesThan we want for ourselves

My faith is not my ownMy faith is not my ownIt's a gift from GodIt's a gift from God

My experience of that faith willMy experience of that faith willNot be a product of my heartNot be a product of my heart

But of his leadingBut of his leading

The war ragesThe war rages

I think I'll watch I think I'll watch Mad Men tonightMad Men tonight

If I'm not carefulIf I'm not carefulFollowing my heart can becomeFollowing my heart can becomePermission and rationalizationPermission and rationalization


...walk by the Spirit, and you ...walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratifywill not gratify the desires the desires of the fleshof the flesh

Do you sense the tension?Do you sense the tension?

Flesh:Flesh:

- Immediate gratification- Immediate gratification- Self first, even to others pain- Self first, even to others pain- "Lust of the flesh, lust of the - "Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life"eyes, pride of life"

Spirit:Spirit:

- God's glory- God's glory- Others more significant…- Others more significant…- "Self-control…no covetousness - "Self-control…no covetousness

…Humility"…Humility"

For the desires of the flesh are For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, of the Spirit are against the flesh,

for for these are opposed tothese are opposed to each other... each other...

The fruit of the Spirit is...The fruit of the Spirit is...self-controlself-control

Those who Those who belongbelong to Christ Jesus to Christ Jesus have have crucifiedcrucified the flesh with its the flesh with its

passions and desirespassions and desires

"Father, not my will, but yours""Father, not my will, but yours"- Jesus- Jesus

If we If we live by live by the Spirit, let us also the Spirit, let us also keep in step with keep in step with the Spiritthe Spirit

All about Jesus: Faith and LifeAll about Jesus: Faith and Life

This only happens if:This only happens if:

- I know Jesus (empowered)- I know Jesus (empowered)- I trust that he wants more- I trust that he wants more

Why not follow my heart?Why not follow my heart?I love JesusI love Jesus

So I can trust my desires, right?So I can trust my desires, right?

Addiction- easyAddiction- easyWe know that oneWe know that one

Destructive behavior- yeahDestructive behavior- yeah

But what about the harder issuesBut what about the harder issues

Matters of love and relationshipsMatters of love and relationshipsJobs and direction in lifeJobs and direction in lifePurchases and lifestylePurchases and lifestyleGiving and helping othersGiving and helping others

The heart is deceitful above all The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?can understand it?- Jeremiah 17:9- Jeremiah 17:9

……from within, from within, out of the heart of out of the heart of man, man, come evil thoughts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, sexual immorality, theft,

murder, adultery, coveting, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, wickedness, deceit, sensuality,

envy, slander, pride, foolishness envy, slander, pride, foolishness

All these evil things come from All these evil things come from within, and within, and theythey defile a person defile a person

- Mark 7:21-23- Mark 7:21-23

Symptoms vs. CauseSymptoms vs. Cause

"In those days there was no king "In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes"right in his own eyes"- Judges 17:6- Judges 17:6

It goes dark...It goes dark...

If I'm not carefulIf I'm not carefulFollowing my heart can becomeFollowing my heart can becomePermission and rationalizationPermission and rationalization


For if you live according to the For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all of the body, you will live. For all who are who are led by the Spirit of God led by the Spirit of God are sons of God- Rom. 8:14are sons of God- Rom. 8:14

2 Paths: Follow your heart2 Paths: Follow your heart

- Do what I feel is right- Do what I feel is right- When it goes sideways, blame - When it goes sideways, blame

God, circumstances or peopleGod, circumstances or people

2 Paths: Spirit-led2 Paths: Spirit-led

- Pray, seek God, follow by faith- Pray, seek God, follow by faith- Expect: God to be at work. - Expect: God to be at work. - When- When trials come, know God is trials come, know God is

present, powerful and ablepresent, powerful and able

If God led meIf God led meIt's up to God to take care of meIt's up to God to take care of me

If I led me, it's up to meIf I led me, it's up to me

What does it mean to be What does it mean to be Spirit-led?Spirit-led?

1. Walk in (primary) relationship1. Walk in (primary) relationship

2. Renewing my mind2. Renewing my mind

… …be transformed by the renewal be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testingof your mind, that by testing you you may discern what is the will of may discern what is the will of GodGod- Rom. 12:2- Rom. 12:2

Be the living deadBe the living dead

But being transformedBut being transformedBy renewing the mindBy renewing the mind


3. Place myself in the 3. Place myself in the Path of his WordPath of his Word

Your Word is a lamp to my feet Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my pathand a light to my path- Psalm 119:105- Psalm 119:105


4. Place myself around real 4. Place myself around real Followers for guidance Followers for guidance (Not just "Christians")(Not just "Christians")

Small Group!Small Group!


5. Be faithful, do what's right5. Be faithful, do what's rightLeave the results to GodLeave the results to God

And now, behold, I am going to And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, Jerusalem, constrained by the constrained by the

Spirit, Spirit, not knowing what will not knowing what will happen to me there…happen to me there…

……except that the Holy Spirit except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions imprisonment and afflictions await meawait me

But I do not account my life of But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to any value nor as precious to

myself, if only I may finish myself, if only I may finish my course…my course…

……and the ministry that I received and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of Godthe gospel of the grace of God- Acts 20:22-24- Acts 20:22-24

The heart does NOT want thatThe heart does NOT want that

Following my heart can becomeFollowing my heart can becomePermission and rationalizationPermission and rationalization

To do whatever I feel like doingTo do whatever I feel like doingAt the momentAt the momentAnd cause me to miss out…And cause me to miss out…

The Two Errors:The Two Errors:

- God wants your - God wants your Greatest comfortGreatest comfort

- The hardest road is God's will - The hardest road is God's will

"Romans 8:28 brother!""Romans 8:28 brother!"

And we know that for those who And we know that for those who love God all things work together love God all things work together for good, for those who are for good, for those who are called according to called according to his purposehis purpose

For those whom he foreknew For those whom he foreknew he also predestined he also predestined to to

be conformed to the be conformed to the image of his Sonimage of his Son

- Romans 8:28-29- Romans 8:28-29

Comfort and easeComfort and easeIs not God's highest concernIs not God's highest concern

Conformed to the Conformed to the Image of his Son Image of his Son is…is…

The hardest road is God's willThe hardest road is God's will

Hebrews 11…Hebrews 11…by faithby faithSame faith, same God leadingSame faith, same God leading

Very different resultsVery different results

Can you imagine getting married Can you imagine getting married like that?like that?"I have zero desire for you. I "I have zero desire for you. I hate your personality. I can't hate your personality. I can't stand you. This must be God's stand you. This must be God's will! Let's get married!will! Let's get married!

"Follow your heart""Follow your heart"

Permission to do what I feel like Permission to do what I feel like doing at the momentdoing at the moment

"Follow your King""Follow your King"

- He knows better, sees further- He knows better, sees further- He cares more, leads well- He cares more, leads well- You are his son or daughter - You are his son or daughter - God wants more for you- God wants more for you

Homework:Homework:

- Write down current pursuits- Write down current pursuits- Is this what God wants for me?- Is this what God wants for me?

Or what I want for me?Or what I want for me?- Do I trust that God wants more?- Do I trust that God wants more?

For all who are For all who are led by the Spirit of led by the Spirit of God God are sons of God- Rom. 8:14are sons of God- Rom. 8:14

Do I need to respond to Jesus'Do I need to respond to Jesus'Call in my life?Call in my life?

SaturdaySaturdayTheology on TapTheology on Tap

Jim Fletcher's HomeJim Fletcher's Home

Small GroupsSmall Groups

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14 Days of Prayer and Fasting14 Days of Prayer and Fasting

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"follow your heart" and 5 more lies… permission pop culture: the truth is inside you you...

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