The best relationship principles taught by the experts come straight from the relationship values taught by Jesus. Perhaps the most surprising thing is that my relationships, both with God and with others, are most directly affected by unresolved issues inside my heart—you know, that invisible, mysterious, confusing, wonderful part of each of us that enables us to love, laugh, fear, and experience life. It’s the place where relationships are built - and broken. The unresolved issues in your heart will eventually work their way to the surface and seep into your relationships. When I think of my most embarrassing moments and my biggest regrets, more often than not they have something to do with my relationSLIPs. The time to address the slippage is now.

We tend to believe that once we receive Jesus as Savior, everything is cool. But we didn’t become who we are overnight. Neither do we change in an instant all the effects of the events and choices in our lives that made us who we are. Those effects impact our relationships. We hurt the people we love the most. We need to address these relationSLIPs before the fall is fatal.

Message Notes

The heart: that mysterious, wonderful, confusing part of you that enables you to love, laugh, fear, and experience life.

It’s the place where relationships happen - and where relationships are broken.

When you give Jesus your heart, what he starts at that moment isn’t completed in that moment.

Life can be hard on the heart. Your heart doesn’t get in trouble overnight.

Everything that happens to us gets processed through the heart. Some things get stuck there and clog up the heart.

Whatever is in our hearts gets translated into words and actions.

Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you.For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.These are what defile you.
Matthew 15:16-20

Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
Proverbs 4:23

Heart issues always take a toll on relationships.

Heart issues make intimacy with God and people impossible to maintain.

What’s going on in the heart has the scary possibility of going public at any moment.

The heart is more deceitful than all elseand is desperately sick;who can understand it?
Jeremiah 17:9

How’s your heart?

Bottom Line

Relationships rise or fall with the state of our heart.

Next Steps

1. Spend time alone with God this week, asking him to help you be open to see what is impacting your relationslips.

2. Commit to attend all the weeks of RelationSLIPS with an open heart.