THE PORTRAIT OF HUMAN HEART Jeremiah 17:9-10, says The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” If we will look at it in the context of the passage, God first gave a warning before making this profound statement. In verses 5-6, he said, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited.” The problem with trusting in man is that MAN IS VERY UNRELIABLE. Many times his mouth and his heart do not connect. He says it but never means it. He makes a promise but right within him, he knows he won’t fulfil it because he is just deceiving or fooling you. So, God said, you are CURSED if you make man your strength and confidence. He will DISAPPOINT YOU. What then is the problem with our heart, especially the unregenerate heart? God himself said in Genesis 6:5, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” The heart became corrupt as a result of the fall and once a man remains NATURAL and UNREGENERATE, the heart has no choice than to manifest its content – EVIL. It will take Jesus coming into such heart to make a change. Now what happens then to the believer who tells us he is now born again? Can we still see these traits in Jeremiah 17:9 – that is, “deceitful above all things,” “desperately wicked” and unknowable?” Yes we can. I have met several so-called believers who are highly deceitful, who demonstrate certain traits of wickedness and unpredictability in their character. I don’t know if you have met one or that describes you. The point is, several believers have not allowed the Holy Spirit to WORK ON THEIR HEARTS after Salvation. There is an operation needed to transform you even after you have given your life to Christ. It is called CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART. Your heart is something you need to place on the operation table of the Holy Spirit EVERYDAY and say “Circumcise this heart. It is evil, it is desperately wicked, it is unknowable.” Even the heart deceives its owner, not to talk of others. If we don’t do something about our heart, Christianity will never be the SALT and LIGHT it is. We will keep experiencing moral failure and unbelievers will continue to wonder, what is the difference between me and this man? But if we will submit our hearts to the Lord, he will DEAL WITH IT. He will circumcise it. It will be painful but the whole world will see the product. If we don’t, let out hearts deceive us, it cannot deceive God. God said in that Jer 17:10, “I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 05:40:12 +0000
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