The heart of the matter

I have been working on several things in my heart and in my home over the last couple weeks. The thing that keeps coming up... is the heart. Yes, it is the red pumpy thing in your chest that keeps your body going.. It is also, talked about a lot in the Bible. We think of our minds as where things come from... Our kids do something wrong, and we ask, what were you thinking?! We do something stupid.. and we say, I don't know where my mind was... But in scripture we find over and over that it is the heart that controls all that.. not the mind... Luke 6:45 says,"The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart."
What is in our heart is what we think and do... then Jeremiah 17:9-10 says "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways. According to the result of his deeds." In learning things about me, I learn things I have done wrong with my kids. Why do I struggle within myself about having to tell them the same things over and over.. why do I continue to ask why?? I know why.. I deal with the situation right here and now.. like, putting out a fire in a burning building. I see the fire, lets say... disobedience, and I put it out. But I never go back into that building and find the source... so sooner or later, the fire is going to flair again. I am learning , through God's good, faithful, and patient training.. that I have to go into the building that is my childrens hearts... and find the source of that fire before I can expect it to stay out! Scripture also says that God knows the desire of my heart. My desire is to have 3 sons that love the Lord with all their heart, mind and soul and that beyond all else, they will want to live to serve Him. Right now, I have to help them learn that in their lives at this point, what that looks like is obedience to parents, kindness to brothers and friends, kind speach, thoughfulness toward others, honesty..... wait.. maybe that won't ever change?? I think obedience turns to honor as an adult.. we are to honor our parents.. but.. as a child, honor is obedience right? Anyway, pray for us as we buckle down and get into these boys hearts and help them learn to see the filth within that they have to put off and the new life that they should be putting on!! To God be the glory forever and ever!