Give God Thy Heart
Teachers
Lesson Summary
In this class, Richard Sutton challenged the congregation to consider what, if anything, they could give to God that He does not already possess. He opened with a lighthearted anecdote about a pediatrician’s examination to illustrate how the heart can be redirected toward different influences. Sutton explained that when a person first becomes a Christian, they surrender their whole heart to Christ, but over time the world’s attractions—such as fast food, fashion, social media, and demanding careers—seek to divert that devotion. Drawing from Scripture, Sutton highlighted Matthew 6:19‑21 to show that our treasure location determines the heart’s focus, Proverbs 23:26 urging a son to delight in God’s ways, Psalm 16:9‑11 to inspire praise, 1 Thessalonians 5:19 to encourage constant gratitude, and Hebrews 5:14 to stress mature discernment. He offered practical steps: regularly praising God’s attributes, cultivating thankfulness, memorizing and internalizing God’s Word, and guarding the sensory gateways that feed the heart. The central message was clear—true worship is a wholehearted, undivided love for God, reflected in where we place our treasure and how we guard our affections.
Key Scriptures
Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes delight in my ways.
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.