7 Things God Hates - Message 4 – A Heart That Devises Wicked Schemes
The episode delves into the profound implications of a heart that devises wicked schemes, emphasizing that this moral failing transcends mere impulsive sinning. We explore the pernicious nature of premeditated evil, wherein individuals meticulously plan their transgressions while outwardly projecting an image of innocence. Through scriptural references, such as the accounts of Jezebel, Judas Iscariot, and Haman, I illustrate how the scheming heart can masquerade as benign while harboring malevolent intentions. The discussion further reveals that God does not merely judge our actions, but critically evaluates our intentions, underscoring the necessity for introspection and accountability. Ultimately, we are urged to surrender our motives to divine scrutiny, ensuring that our hearts align with the purpose of love rather than deceit.
The discourse presented by nj delves into the profound complexities of the human heart, articulating the notion that it is, indeed, deceitful above all things and incapable of being cured, as highlighted in Jeremiah 17:9. This exploration is framed within the context of the biblical theme, 'Seven Things God Hates,' wherein prior discussions have addressed manifestations such as prideful eyes and lying tongues. However, in this particular discourse, we are invited to examine the inner workings of the heart, transcending superficial appearances and verbal expressions to confront the schemes that may reside within. nj posits that true discernment requires us to look beyond mere actions and words, urging us to consider the intentions that often lie beneath the surface. The essence of this episode revolves around the concept of a heart that devises wicked schemes, a notion that encompasses premeditated evil and the strategic planning of sinful actions. nj elucidates that such scheming is not merely a momentary lapse into sin but rather a calculated effort to ensnare others while maintaining an outward façade of innocence and piety.
Throughout the discussion, nj references biblical exemplars of wicked scheming, such as Jezebel, Judas Iscariot, and Haman, each of whom engaged in manipulative actions that carried profound consequences. By illustrating these narratives, we are confronted with the stark reality that a scheming heart can masquerade within the community of faith, all while plotting betrayal and harm. This manipulation, as nj articulates, is often cloaked in charm and superficiality, making it all the more insidious. The speaker emphasizes that God detests such hearts because they undermine the very purpose for which hearts were created—to love and serve, rather than to plot and deceive. The call to action is clear: we must endeavor to cleanse our hearts of scheming and surrender our intentions to the scrutiny of divine examination, seeking purity and accountability in our relationships and actions. In closing, nj reminds us that what we plan reveals our true character, urging a contemplative reflection on our inner motives and the integrity of our hearts before God.
Takeaways:
- The heart is deceitful and beyond cure, as stated in Jeremiah 17:9, highlighting the intrinsic nature of human deception.
- God observes not merely our actions but the intentions of our hearts, which can harbor wicked plans despite outward appearances of piety.
- Wicked scheming is characterized by premeditated evil, where individuals plot and manipulate under the guise of innocence or goodwill.
- Biblical examples, such as Jezebel and Judas Iscariot, illustrate the gravity of scheming hearts that betray trust and lead to dire consequences.
- To cleanse a scheming heart, one must surrender their inner motives to God and seek purity of intention in their actions.
- The podcast emphasizes that our intentions matter significantly to God, as He judges not merely our actions but the underlying motives that drive them.
Transcript
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.
Speaker A:Who can understand it?
Speaker A:Jeremiah 17:9.
Speaker A:Welcome back, brothers and sisters, to the Seven Things God Hates.
Speaker A:We've confronted prideful eyes, lying tongues and hands that harm the innocent.
Speaker A:But today, we go deeper beneath the skin, beyond the speech, straight to the heart.
Speaker A:You see, God isn't just looking at our hands or your words.
Speaker A:He's looking at what you're planning.
Speaker A:And if your heart is scheming wickedness while your mouth is saying, bless you, brother, you've got a problem.
Speaker A:A big one.
Speaker A:Today we talk about a heart that.
Speaker A:That devises wicked schemes.
Speaker A:This is the calculating heart, the manipulative mind, the hidden agenda.
Speaker A:Dressed in church clothes.
Speaker A:Now, what does it mean to devise wicked schemes?
Speaker A:Now, this is more than just sinning on impulse.
Speaker A:This is premeditated evil, a strategy to sin.
Speaker A:You don't just fall, you plan to fall.
Speaker A:It's setting up the trap while acting innocent.
Speaker A:It's buttering someone up just to betray them.
Speaker A:It's saying, I am praying for you while plotting your downfall.
Speaker A:It's smiling in public and scheming in private.
Speaker A:Proverbs 6:18 says, God hates a heart that plots evil.
Speaker A:This isn't just about action.
Speaker A:It's about intention.
Speaker A:Y' all don't hear me?
Speaker A:This isn't just about action.
Speaker A:It's about intention.
Speaker A:There are biblical examples of wicked scheming.
Speaker A:There's Jezebel in 1 Kings 21, when King Ahab wanted Naboth's vineyard and Naboth said, no.
Speaker A:Ahab sulked.
Speaker A:Jezebel said, oh, baby, don't worry, I'll handle it.
Speaker A:And she devised a wicked plan to have Naboth falsely accused of and killed so her husband could get the land.
Speaker A:Now, that's scheming at its most sinister.
Speaker A:And God sent judgment for it.
Speaker A: e's Judas iscariot in Matthew: Speaker A:Now, Judas didn't just wake up and betray Jesus, he plotted.
Speaker A:He went to the priests, negotiated a deal, and waited for the right moment to hand over the Savior.
Speaker A:A wicked heart can walk with Jesus and still plan his downfall.
Speaker A:Then there is Haman, as recorded in Esther 3.
Speaker A:5.
Speaker A:Haman had everything he had the status, the wealth, the power.
Speaker A:But because one man, Mordecai, didn't bow down to him, he schemed to wipe out an entire people.
Speaker A:When pride teams up with wicked plans, the results are genocidal.
Speaker A:Why does God hate it?
Speaker A:A scheming heart perverts the heart's purpose.
Speaker A:God gave us hearts to love, not to plot.
Speaker A: Matthew: Speaker A:When your heart is used to devise wicked schemes, it becomes a counterfeit of God's design.
Speaker A:It hides behind masks.
Speaker A:Scheming is sneaky.
Speaker A:It wears suits, sings in the choir.
Speaker A:Quote scripture.
Speaker A:Psalm 28:3 says, do not drag me away with the wicked and those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors, but harbor malice in their hearts.
Speaker A:It spreads corruption like a virus.
Speaker A:One scheming heart can ruin a family, a friendship, even a ministry or a church.
Speaker A:It whispers in the shadows, poisons trust and manipulates people like pawns.
Speaker A:Let's talk about the spirit behind wicked scheming, the spirit of manipulation.
Speaker A:This isn't just about human evil.
Speaker A:Behind the scheming is the spirit of manipulation, also known in Scripture as the Jezebel Spirit.
Speaker A:This spirit doesn't come with horns.
Speaker A:It comes with charm.
Speaker A:It gains trust.
Speaker A:It finds your weakness, and then it uses it against you.
Speaker A:It plots, pretends and persuades, but all for wicked gain.
Speaker A:Be careful, brothers and sisters, of people who know everything about you but want to use nothing for your good.
Speaker A:Now, how do we cleanse a scheming heart?
Speaker A:You need to surrender your motives.
Speaker A:Surrender your inner motives.
Speaker A: Psalm: Speaker A:See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Speaker A:Ask God to expose and heal the parts of your heart that you've been hiding even from yourself.
Speaker A:You need to be.
Speaker A:You need to cultivate pure intentions.
Speaker A:Philippians 2:3 says, do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, rather in humility.
Speaker A:Value others above yourselves.
Speaker A:Ask yourselves regularly, is this action pure?
Speaker A:Or is it poisoned by pride, revenge or gain?
Speaker A:Seek accountability.
Speaker A:Wicked schemes grow in secret.
Speaker A:They die in the light.
Speaker A:Bring your thoughts to trusted mentors, pastors, friends, family, who will call you out on your manipulation before it becomes destruction.
Speaker A:Brothers and sisters, let's be honest.
Speaker A:We've all had justifiable wicked thoughts.
Speaker A:You ever fantasize about your co worker tripping in front of your boss after they stole your idea?
Speaker A:You didn't do anything.
Speaker A:You just enjoyed the mental rerun.
Speaker A:Brothers and sisters, that is a scheming heart.
Speaker A:You didn't act it out, but your heart wrote the screenplay and directed the movie.
Speaker A:Here are some questions for reflection.
Speaker A:Have I ever planned something that would harm someone emotionally, financially or spiritually?
Speaker A:Are there people in my life I manipulate instead of love?
Speaker A:And what is the one motive I need to surrender to God today.
Speaker A:Let us pray.
Speaker A:Lord God, you see the hidden corners of my heart.
Speaker A:If there are plans in me that do not honor you, expose them and remove them.
Speaker A:I surrender my intentions, my strategies, and my silent thoughts.
Speaker A:Let my heart be a place of purity, not of plotting.
Speaker A:Cleanse me and lead me in your truth.
Speaker A:In Jesus name, Amen.
Speaker A:Church brothers and sisters, friends and family, don't just check your hands and your words, check your heart.
Speaker A:Because what you're planning reveals who you're becoming.
Speaker A:And God doesn't judge what you did.
Speaker A:He judged what you intended.
Speaker A:In the next message, we'll deal with feet that rush into evil.
Speaker A:Yeah, we're coming for the impulsive ones.
Speaker A:The I didn't plan it.
Speaker A:I just went with the crowd and spoiler alerts.
Speaker A:That counts too.
Speaker A:Be there.
Speaker A:Bring your feet under submission.
Speaker A:Amen.
