By Paul Dhinakaran
Above
all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of
life. (Proverbs 4:23)
Dearly beloved,
God will give you a new heart!
The Lord Jesus said, “I am gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:29). So we must have a heart like that of the Lord Jesus!
"…Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15:19): this is the definition of a defiled heart as spelt out in the Bible.
The Bible relates, "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there" (Matthew 12:43-45).
What these verses imply is that certain hearts are rid of the stains of the sin, cleansed by the blood of Christ; then the hearts are empty and clean, completely cleared of the deeds of the evil one. Immediately they should be filled up by God’s Spirit and thoughts fulfilling His will. If not, the evil one, with its seven fold evil forces, will enter into the vacant heart and wreck the man’s life.
Only for this reason, God tests our hearts to see whether they are gentle and lowly or vacant and subject to any evil design. This is the situation in which everyone should analyze his own heart. As an example, consider what David the Psalmist did: He praised God saying, “I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me” (Psalm 16:7). Moreover, he lamented: “…my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered” (Psalm 73:21). Apart from that, he said, “Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind” (Psalm 26:2).
When we want to know why God tests our hearts, we will find the answer in what He says in Jeremiah 17:10: "I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." Understanding God’s ways, Jeremiah himself cries out: “Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for You are the One I praise” (Jeremiah 17:14).
Let us open up our hearts and surrender ourselves at His feet, pleading with Him all the while: “O Lord, help me to keep my mind worthy of Your standard.”
The Bible says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23). Set your heart on the right path so God’s goodness will fill your heart and flow out to others, bringing glory to His name.
God will give you a new heart!
The Lord Jesus said, “I am gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:29). So we must have a heart like that of the Lord Jesus!
"…Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15:19): this is the definition of a defiled heart as spelt out in the Bible.
The Bible relates, "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there" (Matthew 12:43-45).
What these verses imply is that certain hearts are rid of the stains of the sin, cleansed by the blood of Christ; then the hearts are empty and clean, completely cleared of the deeds of the evil one. Immediately they should be filled up by God’s Spirit and thoughts fulfilling His will. If not, the evil one, with its seven fold evil forces, will enter into the vacant heart and wreck the man’s life.
Only for this reason, God tests our hearts to see whether they are gentle and lowly or vacant and subject to any evil design. This is the situation in which everyone should analyze his own heart. As an example, consider what David the Psalmist did: He praised God saying, “I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me” (Psalm 16:7). Moreover, he lamented: “…my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered” (Psalm 73:21). Apart from that, he said, “Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind” (Psalm 26:2).
When we want to know why God tests our hearts, we will find the answer in what He says in Jeremiah 17:10: "I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." Understanding God’s ways, Jeremiah himself cries out: “Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for You are the One I praise” (Jeremiah 17:14).
Let us open up our hearts and surrender ourselves at His feet, pleading with Him all the while: “O Lord, help me to keep my mind worthy of Your standard.”
The Bible says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23). Set your heart on the right path so God’s goodness will fill your heart and flow out to others, bringing glory to His name.
