SERMON NOTES
JEREMIAH 17:5-10 (NLT)
(5) This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord. (6) They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. (7) “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. (8) They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. (9) “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? (10) But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”

WHERE DO YOU PLACE YOUR TRUST?

• The nature of the human heart means that we trust, we place our hope, and have faith in something. 
• This is the kind of life we’re all invited to live but it requires us to make sure our heart is centered on the Lord; rejecting the trappings of this world and placing our trust in Him. 

WHAT’S THE STATUS OF YOUR HEART?

• The human heart is filled with broken ideas, thoughts, passions, and even desires. This is why the phrase ‘follow your heart,’ isn’t always a great idea, because my heart, just like yours, can come up with all kinds of really dumb decisions.
• “The old cliche sums it up nicely, ‘The heart of the human problem is the problem with the human heart.’” - Chris Wright
• Genesis 1:27 (NLT)
• Every human you meet bears the image of God but not every human you meet is a child of God — that’s an identity only reserved for those who have placed their personal trust, faith, and hope in Jesus.

WHAT ARE YOUR MOTIVES?

• The Lord searches all hearts and knows all things — even your secret motives.
• God knows our hearts even better than we know ourselves but He doesn’t leave us to fend for ourselves.
• Left to ourselves the human heart is in trouble but when you place your trust in Jesus, He takes your old heart and gives you a new heart instead.
• 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)
• A Christian isn’t just a better version of their tainted self — a Christian is a new creation in Christ.

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

1.  When has ‘follow your heart’ gotten you into trouble?
2. Where are you tempted to trust in ‘lesser things’ compared to the Lord?
3. Where do you normally lean in the tension of the human heart that was explained in this message?
4. How can you continue to experience the transformation of Christ in your mind, heart, and life?

SERMON AUDIO