100:00:00,760 –> 00:00:09,840The heart very simply is the command and control centre of your life. Your heart is the deepest200:00:09,840 –> 00:00:17,559thing about you. Where you heart is, is always the central question, where your heart is today300:00:17,559 –> 00:00:23,879will be a predictor of where your life will be tomorrow. Welcome to open the Bible with400:00:23,879 –> 00:00:29,580pastor Colin Smith I’m David Pick, I’m glad you could join us today. And Colin, for someone who500:00:29,600 –> 00:00:34,900answers that question honestly, where is your heart? And they come up with an answer that600:00:34,900 –> 00:00:40,980perhaps they’re not happy with. How can they change that? Oh, well, it is the work of God700:00:40,980 –> 00:00:47,240to transform the human heart, and that is the great promise of the Gospel, that he’s800:00:47,240 –> 00:00:53,259able to take away a heart of stone and give a heart of flesh. And where we’re going in900:00:53,259 –> 00:00:57,060the message today is really the heart is the most important thing about you at the end1000:00:57,060 –> 00:01:02,880of the day, it’s not how much you know. It’s not even a matter of your behavior that’s1100:01:02,880 –> 00:01:07,879the ultimate thing about you. It’s what’s in your heart. That’s why the Scripture says,1200:01:07,879 –> 00:01:12,739guard your heart. It’s the fountain of life. And we’re looking at the words of Solomon1300:01:12,739 –> 00:01:17,459today where he says to his son, give me your heart, because even if his son’s well-behaved,1400:01:17,459 –> 00:01:22,360even if his son’s super well-educated, if the heart is in the wrong place, it doesn’t1500:01:22,360 –> 00:01:26,580matter how much the boy knows he’s going to end up in the wrong place, if his heart isn’t1600:01:26,660 –> 00:01:31,000in the right place. So, that’s where the action is. The gospel speaks to the heart.1700:01:31,000 –> 00:01:37,480So, join us today, if you can, in Proverbs 23 as we begin a message, The Heart Gone Wrong.1800:01:37,480 –> 00:01:38,839Here is Pastor Collin.1900:01:38,839 –> 00:01:45,660Now, what we have in this verse that’s before us today is obviously a father speaking to2000:01:45,660 –> 00:01:52,660his son. My son, give me your heart. It could, of course, equally well but a father speaking2100:01:53,620 –> 00:01:59,540to his daughter. Or, it could be a mother speaking to a daughter or a mother speaking2200:01:59,540 –> 00:02:06,540to a son. So, we can hear these words in all of these ways in their different applications2300:02:06,699 –> 00:02:13,699to each of us. But, in this case that is before us today in Proverbs 23, it is a father who2400:02:13,699 –> 00:02:20,699is speaking to his son and he says, My son, give me your heart.2500:02:23,839 –> 00:02:31,259And, I want over these two weeks for us to hear these words first in the voice of a father2600:02:31,259 –> 00:02:36,259speaking to his son or to his daughter and then I want us to hear these words in the2700:02:36,259 –> 00:02:40,460voice of God our Heavenly Father speaking to us.2800:02:41,300 –> 00:02:47,199Now, let’s begin here with the question, Who then is the father?2900:02:47,199 –> 00:02:53,639Most of the proverbs, as many of you know, are credited to Solomon, the son of King David,3000:02:53,639 –> 00:02:57,339who was given a very special gift of wisdom from the Lord.3100:02:57,339 –> 00:03:02,820There are a few proverbs towards the end of the book that are by other authors, a King3200:03:02,820 –> 00:03:09,820Lemuel a and man by the name of Agur but most of the uh proverbs were either written by3300:03:10,259 –> 00:03:16,179or collected by King Solomon and how appropriate that he should be the one to do this because3400:03:16,179 –> 00:03:22,899he was given particular wisdom and this book of proverbs is a collection of wisdom for3500:03:22,899 –> 00:03:25,220our lives.3600:03:25,220 –> 00:03:26,699So Solomon was the father.3700:03:26,699 –> 00:03:28,399Who is the son?3800:03:28,399 –> 00:03:35,399Now, Solomon, of course, was infamous for having had many wives and so we must assume3900:03:36,320 –> 00:03:42,660that over the course of his life he had many sons and daughters as well.4000:03:42,660 –> 00:03:47,779But here’s a kind of bible trivia question.4100:03:47,779 –> 00:03:51,500How many children of Solomon are named in the bible?4200:03:51,500 –> 00:03:58,020You see, sons of David, many sons of David are mentioned and in the genealogies you know4300:03:58,020 –> 00:04:00,919how often multiple offspring are mentioned.4400:04:00,919 –> 00:04:07,300But in the case of Solomon only one son is mentioned.4500:04:07,300 –> 00:04:11,059No daughters, only one offspring.4600:04:11,059 –> 00:04:13,339And his name was Rehoboam.4700:04:13,339 –> 00:04:17,820You can read about him in 1 Kings chapter 11 through chapter 14.4800:04:17,820 –> 00:04:24,239He was the successor to Solomon of course and rained for 17 years after his father’s4900:04:24,239 –> 00:04:26,440death.5000:04:26,440 –> 00:04:32,160And so I think it is very reasonable therefore for us to hear these verses that are before5100:04:32,160 –> 00:04:34,059us today.5200:04:34,059 –> 00:04:44,799First as the passionate plea of King Solomon to his own son Rehoboam the only one to be5300:04:44,799 –> 00:04:47,679named in the Bible.5400:04:47,679 –> 00:04:53,179Rehoboam was 41 years old when he became king when his father died.5500:04:53,640 –> 00:04:58,859So we are to picture then that the father was speaking to the son at an earlier stage5600:04:58,859 –> 00:05:07,500maybe in his teenage years, maybe in his twenties or maybe in his thirties.5700:05:07,500 –> 00:05:13,119And he sits down with his son and bringing collected wisdom to bear that we have preserved5800:05:13,119 –> 00:05:16,679for us by the holy Spirit in the verses that have been read.5900:05:16,679 –> 00:05:24,220He says, proverbs 23, verse 26, my son give me your heart.6000:05:24,220 –> 00:05:28,799So these are the words of a wise father, that’s the first thing to know, a good father who6100:05:28,799 –> 00:05:31,880loves his son.6200:05:31,880 –> 00:05:37,559These are not the words of an emotionally needy dad who sort of saying, love me, love6300:05:37,559 –> 00:05:39,299me, please, I need you to love me.6400:05:39,299 –> 00:05:42,440It’s nothing like that at all.6500:05:42,440 –> 00:05:48,640These are the words of a good father and he is seeking the good of his son.6600:05:48,640 –> 00:05:58,160And what he says is my son, give me your heart, that’s the focus of his concern.6700:05:58,160 –> 00:06:03,660Now, I want to focus on three things today, we’ll spend most of our time on the first6800:06:03,660 –> 00:06:04,660two.6900:06:04,660 –> 00:06:05,660Let’s begin here.7000:06:05,660 –> 00:06:06,660Why the heart matters?7100:06:06,660 –> 00:06:08,679Why does he say give me your heart?7200:06:08,700 –> 00:06:15,359Why is the heart so important in the Bible as indeed it is?7300:06:15,359 –> 00:06:20,399Well, the heart very simply is the command and control center of your life.7400:06:20,399 –> 00:06:24,119Your heart is the deepest thing about you.7500:06:24,119 –> 00:06:30,480Where your heart is, is always the central question, where your heart is today, will7600:06:30,480 –> 00:06:33,760be a predictor of where your life will be tomorrow.7700:06:34,260 –> 00:06:39,540Let me give you just very briefly six scriptures that point in different ways to the importance7800:06:39,540 –> 00:06:41,000of the heart.7900:06:41,000 –> 00:06:45,700First, the Bible makes clear that your heart directs your life.8000:06:53,940 –> 00:06:55,640Notice keep your heart.8100:06:55,640 –> 00:07:00,239You have, brother, sister, a responsibility for your own heart.8200:07:00,339 –> 00:07:03,920God says to you, you gotta guard your heart.8300:07:03,920 –> 00:07:04,920You gotta keep your heart.8400:07:04,920 –> 00:07:09,700If your heart is cold, there’s a reason why your heart is cold.8500:07:09,700 –> 00:07:14,160If your heart is all over the place today, there’s a reason why it’s become distracted8600:07:14,160 –> 00:07:15,519and why it’s all over the place.8700:07:15,519 –> 00:07:20,079Why is your heart like that and someone else’s is in a different place?8800:07:20,079 –> 00:07:24,500You have a responsibility for your own heart, and here’s why it matters, because from your8900:07:24,500 –> 00:07:26,760heart flow the springs of your life.9000:07:26,760 –> 00:07:29,380The whole trajectory of your life.9100:07:29,380 –> 00:07:34,000Where you will be tomorrow springs from where your heart is today.9200:07:34,000 –> 00:07:38,200Second, the heart is a mystery.9300:07:38,200 –> 00:07:41,399Jeremiah 17 and verse 9.9400:07:41,399 –> 00:07:45,320The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick.9500:07:45,320 –> 00:07:49,660We’ll come back to that in a moment, but notice the last part of the verse.9600:07:49,660 –> 00:07:52,720Who can understand it?9700:07:52,720 –> 00:07:56,420Who can understand it?9800:07:56,440 –> 00:08:00,179Can you explain your own heart?9900:08:00,179 –> 00:08:04,619Can you explain why you are as you are?10000:08:04,619 –> 00:08:06,160Why you feel what you feel?10100:08:06,160 –> 00:08:09,640Why you are drawn to what you are drawn to?10200:08:09,640 –> 00:08:16,019Well, someone may say, Well, Pastor, if you knew what had happened to me in my life, that10300:08:16,019 –> 00:08:18,299would explain why I am.10400:08:18,299 –> 00:08:24,299But here’s the thing, other people have experienced something very similar to what10500:08:24,459 –> 00:08:27,480you have experienced in your life.10600:08:27,480 –> 00:08:30,480And they may be in a very different place.10700:08:30,480 –> 00:08:35,619So, how are you going to explain that?10800:08:35,619 –> 00:08:38,900The heart is a mystery.10900:08:38,900 –> 00:08:44,159That’s why Paul speaks in Romans, chapter 7, about his own heart, he says, I don’t understand11000:08:44,159 –> 00:08:46,940it.11100:08:46,940 –> 00:08:52,940What I want to do I end up not doing and what I don’t want to do I end up going there.11200:08:52,940 –> 00:08:54,239Why is that?11300:08:54,239 –> 00:08:55,299It’s a mystery to me.11400:08:55,299 –> 00:08:58,880I seem to be a mass of contradictions.11500:08:58,880 –> 00:09:01,880Third, the heart is sinful.11600:09:01,880 –> 00:09:06,719We already saw that from Jeremiah, but look at it in the words of Jesus in Matthew chapter11700:09:06,719 –> 00:09:08,67915 and verse 19.11800:09:08,679 –> 00:09:18,799He says this, from out of the heart, come evil thoughts and murder and adultery and11900:09:18,799 –> 00:09:26,280sexual immorality and theft and false witness and slander.12000:09:26,280 –> 00:09:32,400Now, of course, we like to think that bad things that all out there and come to us from12100:09:32,400 –> 00:09:35,919outside, but the Bible won’t let us get away with that.12200:09:35,919 –> 00:09:42,919No, the Lord Jesus says very clearly that it comes from inside.12300:09:42,919 –> 00:09:49,640It’s out of the heart that these sins and these evils flow.12400:09:49,640 –> 00:09:56,979Now of course, as parents, we rightly feel a responsibility to do whatever we can to12500:09:56,979 –> 00:10:03,700protect our children from the many, many evils that are indeed in the world out there.12600:10:03,700 –> 00:10:08,380But of course, when we take to heart what we learn in the Bible, we understand that12700:10:08,380 –> 00:10:14,440the greatest danger, not only to our children, but indeed to all of us, is not in fact the12800:10:14,440 –> 00:10:18,340evil that is out there, but the evil that is in here.12900:10:18,340 –> 00:10:20,880In our own hearts.13000:10:20,880 –> 00:10:28,739Now this actually is very important for parents to grasp, particularly parents who grieve13100:10:28,739 –> 00:10:32,500over a rebel son or a rebel daughter.13200:10:32,940 –> 00:10:39,059Let me quote to you from John White, a Christian psychologist and counsellor and speaker who13300:10:39,059 –> 00:10:46,140wrote a very helpful book called Parents in Pain, and he talks in that book about the13400:10:46,140 –> 00:10:55,440theories of raising children that are widespread in our culture that simply assume that children13500:10:55,440 –> 00:11:00,840are the product of their upbringing, period.13600:11:00,859 –> 00:11:08,960And he says this, that these theories assume that children come into the world, and I quote,13700:11:08,960 –> 00:11:16,659as clean slates for their parents to write on.13800:11:16,659 –> 00:11:22,960If the parents write properly, says John White, describing these theories, if the parents13900:11:22,960 –> 00:11:28,340write properly what they ought to write, that is if they rear their children properly, then14000:11:28,539 –> 00:11:35,460they will then produce well-adjusted, outgoing, morally upright and self-reliant children.14100:11:35,460 –> 00:11:42,719And therefore any defects in the final product must reflect parental mismanagement.14200:11:42,719 –> 00:11:50,700Now that’s his description of widespread, child raising theory in our world, that we’re14300:11:50,700 –> 00:11:56,380simply the product of our environment and so forth and so on, and therefore that anything14400:11:56,479 –> 00:12:01,880that is produced that is amiss in a child is to be blamed at the mismanagement of the14500:12:01,880 –> 00:12:04,080parents.14600:12:04,080 –> 00:12:09,140Now here’s what John White is saying, he’s making this point.14700:12:09,140 –> 00:12:19,580Child rearing theories may say that children come into the world as a clean slate for parents14800:12:20,080 –> 00:12:22,119to write on.14900:12:22,119 –> 00:12:27,020But the Bible, if we understand it is saying to us something very different, the Bible15000:12:27,020 –> 00:12:33,799is saying children do not come into the world as a clean slate for parents to write on.15100:12:33,799 –> 00:12:38,500Children come into the world with sin written on their hearts already.15200:12:38,500 –> 00:12:44,340This slate is already graffitied and that’s how it has been down through the generation15300:12:44,340 –> 00:12:49,780since Adam and Eve were ejected from the Garden of Eden.15400:12:49,780 –> 00:12:53,099Sin is already scrawled on the slate.15500:12:53,099 –> 00:12:55,679The heart is sinful.15600:12:55,679 –> 00:12:59,000And that is something very fundamental we need to understand about it.15700:12:59,000 –> 00:13:02,400That’s why it’s a mystery to us, that’s why we don’t even understand ourselves.15800:13:02,400 –> 00:13:05,739You’re listening to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.15900:13:05,739 –> 00:13:10,200And we have to pause the message briefly there but we’ll be back shortly so stay with us.16000:13:10,239 –> 00:13:15,299The message is called The Heart Gone Wrong, taken from Proverbs 23.16100:13:15,299 –> 00:13:20,340If you tuned in late or if you have to leave early or if you missed any of the messages in the series,16200:13:20,340 –> 00:13:22,739it’s easy to catch up or go back and listen again16300:13:22,739 –> 00:13:27,599by coming online to our website openthebible.org.uk.16400:13:27,599 –> 00:13:31,239Also find us as a podcast on all the main podcast sites16500:13:31,239 –> 00:13:36,039by searching for Open The Bible UK or follow the link from our website.16600:13:36,039 –> 00:13:38,840Back to the message now, here again is Pastor Colin.16700:13:40,200 –> 00:13:45,059He looks at the heart, 1 Samuel chapter 16 and verse seven,16800:13:45,059 –> 00:13:47,200the Lord sees not as man sees,16900:13:47,200 –> 00:13:49,599because man looks on the outward appearance,17000:13:49,599 –> 00:13:54,099but God, the Lord, looks on the heart.17100:13:54,099 –> 00:13:57,400Here’s what was means,17200:13:57,400 –> 00:14:02,520that God looks into your life more deeply17300:14:02,520 –> 00:14:06,559than anyone else ever can or ever will.17400:14:06,559 –> 00:14:10,460God looks into your life more deeply.17500:14:10,460 –> 00:14:12,280Other people just see you on the outside.17600:14:12,280 –> 00:14:15,320They hear your words and they see your expressions,17700:14:15,320 –> 00:14:16,559they look on the outward appearance,17800:14:16,559 –> 00:14:19,479but God alone is able to look on the heart.17900:14:19,479 –> 00:14:24,479He sees into you and what is going on inside you right now18000:14:24,500 –> 00:14:29,500more deeply than any other person ever can or ever will.18100:14:31,679 –> 00:14:35,280And you may not understand your own heart.18200:14:35,320 –> 00:14:38,119Why do you love what you love?18300:14:38,119 –> 00:14:40,520Why do you think and feel as you do?18400:14:40,520 –> 00:14:41,979But you can be sure of this,18500:14:41,979 –> 00:14:45,359that while you may not understand your own heart,18600:14:45,359 –> 00:14:48,280God surely and certainly does.18700:14:49,780 –> 00:14:52,159Fifth, the heart is very important for this reason18800:14:52,159 –> 00:14:55,760that the heart actually often contradicts the mouth.18900:14:55,760 –> 00:14:57,520Jesus says in Matthew 15,19000:14:57,520 –> 00:15:01,919”This people honors me with their lips,19100:15:01,919 –> 00:15:04,520but their heart is far from me.”19200:15:05,859 –> 00:15:08,659Now, of course it is true that what we say19300:15:08,659 –> 00:15:12,099is often the overflow of our heart.19400:15:12,099 –> 00:15:16,320That’s why what we say is often very revealing about us.19500:15:16,320 –> 00:15:18,299Our Lord Jesus makes this clear, doesn’t he?19600:15:18,299 –> 00:15:20,760He says, out of the abundance of the heart,19700:15:20,760 –> 00:15:21,820the mouth speaks.19800:15:21,820 –> 00:15:23,940That’s Luke 6 in verse 45.19900:15:25,000 –> 00:15:26,580But here Jesus is making clear20000:15:26,580 –> 00:15:28,380that that is not always the case.20100:15:28,380 –> 00:15:31,179And it is possible for the heart20200:15:31,179 –> 00:15:34,520to become disconnected from the mouth.20300:15:35,659 –> 00:15:37,700In other words, it is possible to be in church20400:15:37,700 –> 00:15:39,940and to say the right things and so forth,20500:15:39,940 –> 00:15:44,020but actually for your heart to be in another place20600:15:45,299 –> 00:15:47,719and very far from God indeed,20700:15:49,159 –> 00:15:50,619which is why Jesus says,20800:15:50,619 –> 00:15:53,440why do you call me Lord, Lord,20900:15:53,440 –> 00:15:56,520and you don’t do what I command you?21000:15:58,520 –> 00:16:01,900Remember Jesus told the story about two sons,21100:16:01,900 –> 00:16:02,880not the prodigal son,21200:16:03,099 –> 00:16:06,520this is another story that was making this point.21300:16:06,520 –> 00:16:08,400A certain man had two sons21400:16:08,400 –> 00:16:10,239and he said to both of these sons,21500:16:10,239 –> 00:16:13,340go work in my vineyard.21600:16:13,340 –> 00:16:15,859And the first one said, yes I will,21700:16:15,859 –> 00:16:18,099but he didn’t go.21800:16:18,099 –> 00:16:19,419And the second one said,21900:16:19,419 –> 00:16:20,760no I’m not gonna do that.22000:16:20,760 –> 00:16:23,359But then he changed his mind and he did go.22100:16:24,619 –> 00:16:25,619Now think about this,22200:16:25,619 –> 00:16:28,159in both cases,22300:16:28,159 –> 00:16:31,380the heart was in a different place from the mouth.22400:16:31,380 –> 00:16:32,460In both cases.22500:16:33,719 –> 00:16:37,679Sixth, the roots of unbelief actually lie22600:16:37,679 –> 00:16:39,580not in the head but in the heart.22700:16:40,599 –> 00:16:42,119Psalm 14 and verse one,22800:16:42,119 –> 00:16:44,419where God says what only God can say,22900:16:45,359 –> 00:16:49,760the fool says in his heart,23000:16:49,760 –> 00:16:51,200there is no God.23100:16:52,659 –> 00:16:54,619Now the person who does not believable23200:16:54,619 –> 00:16:56,760may also say in their head23300:16:56,760 –> 00:16:58,239there is no God23400:16:58,239 –> 00:17:00,419but you see the point that is being made here,23500:17:00,500 –> 00:17:03,820unbelief has a deeper root23600:17:03,820 –> 00:17:06,060than in the intellect.23700:17:06,060 –> 00:17:08,579The fool says in his heart23800:17:09,739 –> 00:17:11,180there is no God.23900:17:12,619 –> 00:17:14,699Now it is a very simple fact, is it not,24000:17:14,699 –> 00:17:15,699that there are people24100:17:15,699 –> 00:17:19,939who are of great intellect24200:17:19,939 –> 00:17:21,140who are Christians24300:17:21,140 –> 00:17:23,380and there are people of great intellect24400:17:23,380 –> 00:17:25,099who are not Christians24500:17:26,099 –> 00:17:29,540because faith and unbelief24600:17:29,540 –> 00:17:31,560both have a deeper root24700:17:31,560 –> 00:17:33,959than the intellect.24800:17:33,959 –> 00:17:36,660It does not depend upon knowledge24900:17:36,660 –> 00:17:38,680or upon intelligence.25000:17:39,979 –> 00:17:42,020Here we’re being told in fact25100:17:42,020 –> 00:17:44,900that unbelief is visceral25200:17:46,780 –> 00:17:49,260at its root rather than intellectual.25300:17:50,300 –> 00:17:52,939That it arises at its root25400:17:52,939 –> 00:17:56,359from a hidden resistance towards God25500:17:56,359 –> 00:17:58,699that lies deep in the human heart25600:17:58,699 –> 00:18:00,660that the person who does not believe25700:18:00,660 –> 00:18:01,939may not even recognize25800:18:01,939 –> 00:18:03,699or fully understand themselves.25900:18:03,699 –> 00:18:05,920It’s in the heart that comes out of this,26000:18:05,920 –> 00:18:07,260there is no God.26100:18:09,500 –> 00:18:13,280Why is it that two people26200:18:14,699 –> 00:18:18,300can go through exactly the same experience26300:18:19,699 –> 00:18:22,619and one comes out praising God26400:18:23,619 –> 00:18:26,300and the other comes out blaming God?26500:18:28,420 –> 00:18:31,819Two people experience a terrible loss26600:18:33,339 –> 00:18:36,339and one comes out with a testimony26700:18:36,339 –> 00:18:38,760to God’s help in the trouble26800:18:40,500 –> 00:18:42,199and another comes out26900:18:42,199 –> 00:18:45,400with another reason not to believe.27000:18:47,219 –> 00:18:49,459It was the same experience.27100:18:50,939 –> 00:18:52,319Why the difference?27200:18:53,140 –> 00:18:56,660Well the difference you see lies in the heart27300:18:57,959 –> 00:19:01,560that’s taking a person in a different direction.27400:19:03,619 –> 00:19:05,260Why the heart matters.27500:19:05,260 –> 00:19:09,880Once you ponder the command and control center27600:19:09,880 –> 00:19:12,500of your own life and the mystery that it is,27700:19:12,500 –> 00:19:14,439you will see why the Bible again27800:19:14,439 –> 00:19:16,380and again and again comes back27900:19:16,380 –> 00:19:17,859to speak about your heart28000:19:17,859 –> 00:19:20,040and why God says to you today,28100:19:20,239 –> 00:19:23,560my son, my daughter, give me your heart.28200:19:26,800 –> 00:19:28,680Now let’s turn to a second thing28300:19:28,680 –> 00:19:31,140because I want us to see in these verses here28400:19:31,140 –> 00:19:34,560where the heart goes wrong.28500:19:34,560 –> 00:19:37,800When Solomon says to Rehoboam,28600:19:37,800 –> 00:19:40,280my son, give me your heart,28700:19:41,359 –> 00:19:44,079it seems very clear just from that statement28800:19:44,079 –> 00:19:48,000that this is a father who has some anxiety28900:19:48,060 –> 00:19:51,699over where his son’s heart is.29000:19:51,699 –> 00:19:53,380Now remember, as we think about this,29100:19:53,380 –> 00:19:56,339that Solomon was famed for his wisdom29200:19:57,300 –> 00:19:59,560and so here is a wise father29300:19:59,560 –> 00:20:03,780who is discerning his son’s heart.29400:20:04,900 –> 00:20:06,819Now remember, especially in the early years29500:20:06,819 –> 00:20:08,280when Solomon would’ve collected29600:20:08,280 –> 00:20:11,060and spoken these words of wisdom,29700:20:11,060 –> 00:20:13,380that Solomon followed the best29800:20:13,380 –> 00:20:16,579of his father David’s example.29900:20:17,520 –> 00:20:20,079But remember also that Solomon,30000:20:20,079 –> 00:20:22,119see, these are real life stories.30100:20:22,119 –> 00:20:23,839Solomon had a brother30200:20:24,959 –> 00:20:29,680whose path went in a very different direction.30300:20:29,680 –> 00:20:31,599The brother’s name was Absalom30400:20:32,520 –> 00:20:34,660and Absalom raised a rebellion30500:20:34,660 –> 00:20:37,640against his father David30600:20:37,640 –> 00:20:40,300and that rebellion led his life30700:20:40,300 –> 00:20:45,300on a sorry path that had a very miserable end, indeed.30800:20:46,739 –> 00:20:48,819And so, here’s Solomon, who at this point30900:20:48,819 –> 00:20:51,500in his life is following in the path31000:20:51,500 –> 00:20:54,839of the best example of his own father David31100:20:54,839 –> 00:20:56,599and he’s looking at his son and saying,31200:20:56,599 –> 00:20:58,540I wonder where your heart is?31300:21:00,500 –> 00:21:03,219Will my son be like my rebel brother?31400:21:04,780 –> 00:21:06,000That’s the question here.31500:21:08,339 –> 00:21:09,920So here’s Solomon’s fear.31600:21:11,060 –> 00:21:14,540He has a son who professes faith.31700:21:14,619 –> 00:21:18,060He professes to believe the faith31800:21:18,060 –> 00:21:20,500that was handed down from his grandfather David31900:21:20,500 –> 00:21:22,819and now his father Solomon.32000:21:24,339 –> 00:21:28,920But there seems to be in this son a secret longing,32100:21:30,520 –> 00:21:34,219an attraction of his heart, a drawing of his heart32200:21:34,219 –> 00:21:37,099to move in a different direction.32300:21:38,420 –> 00:21:39,619You’re listening to Open The Bible32400:21:39,619 –> 00:21:40,859with Pastor Colin Smith32500:21:40,859 –> 00:21:43,839on a message called The Heart Gone Wrong.32600:21:43,880 –> 00:21:45,959It’s a message that was originally part32700:21:45,959 –> 00:21:48,239of our series of Father’s wisdom,32800:21:48,239 –> 00:21:50,219but we’ve included it with all the other32900:21:50,219 –> 00:21:52,560most requested and downloaded messages33000:21:52,560 –> 00:21:54,000of the past 12 months33100:21:54,000 –> 00:21:58,000in a series we’ve called Listener Favorites 2026.33200:21:58,000 –> 00:21:59,719And you can find the whole series33300:21:59,719 –> 00:22:03,000as far as it’s been broadcast so far on our website33400:22:03,000 –> 00:22:06,079that’s at openthebible.org.uk33500:22:06,079 –> 00:22:08,020also on your favorite podcast site33600:22:08,020 –> 00:22:10,900by searching for open the Bible UK.33700:22:11,819 –> 00:22:14,380Open the Bible aims to give individuals,33800:22:14,380 –> 00:22:18,699small groups and churches excellent Bible study courses.33900:22:18,699 –> 00:22:21,099One of these is Fly Through the Bible.34000:22:21,099 –> 00:22:24,380I’m with Open the Bible’s executive director, John Martin.34100:22:24,380 –> 00:22:26,819John, how does Fly Through the Bible help34200:22:26,819 –> 00:22:28,180with Bible study?34300:22:28,180 –> 00:22:30,560Fly Through the Bible is Colin’s34400:22:30,560 –> 00:22:32,760Whistle Stop Tour of the Bible.34500:22:33,979 –> 00:22:35,459Through that introduction,34600:22:35,459 –> 00:22:38,540you meet five characters from the Old Testament.34700:22:38,540 –> 00:22:40,640Then we look at five events in the life of Jesus.34800:22:40,640 –> 00:22:42,739And then we finish with five gifts34900:22:42,739 –> 00:22:44,780that God gives to the church.35000:22:44,780 –> 00:22:47,739The book is short and simple and therefore shareable.35100:22:47,739 –> 00:22:49,180It’s something you might wanna give away35200:22:49,180 –> 00:22:52,180to somebody as a gift, possibly a neighbor.35300:22:52,180 –> 00:22:55,099The level at which the book is appealing to35400:22:55,099 –> 00:22:58,099is those who are perhaps more exploring faith.35500:22:58,099 –> 00:23:00,199Perhaps they’re new as a Christian,35600:23:00,199 –> 00:23:02,459perhaps they want to see how it all fits together.35700:23:02,459 –> 00:23:03,939They know bits and pieces,35800:23:03,939 –> 00:23:05,920but they wonder where all the characters35900:23:05,920 –> 00:23:07,560and events fit together.36000:23:07,599 –> 00:23:09,900And this is Colin’s introduction to that.36100:23:09,900 –> 00:23:12,239You can find details of Fly Through The Bible36200:23:12,239 –> 00:23:16,079on our website, openthebible.org.uk.36300:23:17,199 –> 00:23:19,619Well, as regular listeners will know36400:23:19,619 –> 00:23:23,079Open The Bible is supported by our listeners financially.36500:23:23,079 –> 00:23:24,800If that’s something you already do,36600:23:24,800 –> 00:23:27,640then thank you so much for your support.36700:23:27,640 –> 00:23:29,660If you’re considering beginning to support36800:23:29,660 –> 00:23:31,439Open The Bible in the future,36900:23:31,439 –> 00:23:33,819this month, we’d love to say thank you37000:23:33,979 –> 00:23:36,239by sending you a copy of Pastor Colin’s37100:23:36,239 –> 00:23:40,359brand new 30 day devotional book, Grow In Love.37200:23:40,359 –> 00:23:42,459Colin, what’s one thing you’d like people37300:23:42,459 –> 00:23:44,239to take away from this book?37400:23:44,239 –> 00:23:45,760Well, I think that most of us feel37500:23:45,760 –> 00:23:47,020that we need to grow in love,37600:23:47,020 –> 00:23:48,800especially when it comes to loving37700:23:48,800 –> 00:23:51,339those with whom we deeply disagree,37800:23:51,339 –> 00:23:52,280but here’s the question,37900:23:52,280 –> 00:23:53,819do you think it’s possible38000:23:53,819 –> 00:23:55,959for you to become a more loving person38100:23:55,959 –> 00:23:58,040than you are right now?38200:23:58,040 –> 00:24:00,780See, the thing is, if it simply depended38300:24:00,780 –> 00:24:03,500on what you can generate from within yourself,38400:24:03,500 –> 00:24:05,420the answer would have to be no.38500:24:05,420 –> 00:24:08,540Our love would depend on our experience,38600:24:08,540 –> 00:24:10,939and if we hadn’t been well loved by others,38700:24:10,939 –> 00:24:14,439well, we wouldn’t be able to give love to others,38800:24:14,439 –> 00:24:19,439but the good news is that love really can be learned.38900:24:19,439 –> 00:24:22,300It’s possible to grow in love,39000:24:22,300 –> 00:24:24,739and God’s Holy Spirit is given39100:24:24,739 –> 00:24:27,300to every Christian believer for this purpose,39200:24:27,300 –> 00:24:30,339so the thing I’d want people to take away from this39300:24:30,339 –> 00:24:33,280is the wonderful hope that as you experience39400:24:33,280 –> 00:24:36,560the love of God poured into your own heart39500:24:36,560 –> 00:24:38,579by the power of the Holy Spirit,39600:24:38,579 –> 00:24:43,040so you will be better able to love others really well.39700:24:43,040 –> 00:24:44,719Well, we’d love to send you a copy39800:24:44,719 –> 00:24:47,140of Pastor Colin’s book, Grow in Love,39900:24:47,140 –> 00:24:49,199when you set up a new direct debit40000:24:49,199 –> 00:24:50,760to the work of Open the Bible40100:24:50,760 –> 00:24:53,599in the amount of five pounds per month or more,40200:24:53,599 –> 00:24:57,280or a one-off gift of 60 pounds or more this month.40300:24:57,280 –> 00:25:00,079Full terms and conditions, and to give online,40400:25:00,079 –> 00:25:04,280come to our website, openthebible.org.uk.40500:25:04,280 –> 00:25:06,880And don’t forget to leave your full name and address40600:25:06,880 –> 00:25:09,479so we can send you your free gift.40700:25:09,479 –> 00:25:11,880For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,40800:25:11,880 –> 00:25:15,780I’m David Pick, and I hope you’ll join us again next time.40900:25:15,780 –> 00:25:19,640Better love, better,41000:25:19,640 –> 00:25:23,719better love,41100:25:23,719 –> 00:25:27,140How does the human heart go wrong?41200:25:27,140 –> 00:25:29,800Find out next time on Open The Bible.