Before we get saved, our hearts are truly wicked and evil.
9 “The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?
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.
Jeremiah 17:9-10 NKJV
The wicked heart bears wicked fruit.
18 “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
Matthew 15:18-20 NKJV
But when we get saved, Jesus takes up residence in our hearts.
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Ephesians 3:17 KJV
God performs a heart transplant!
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:26 BSB
He writes His laws in our hearts.
“This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts and inscribe them on their minds.”
Hebrews 10:16 BSB
It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
2 Corinthians 3:3 BSB
Jesus’ blood has been sprinkled on our hearts.
19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:19-23 NKJV
When God has completed His work on our hearts, they are now used for good!
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew 12:33-37 NKJV
43 “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
Luke 6:43-45 NKJV
Hannah prayed in her heart.
12 And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth. 13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 14 So Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!”
15 But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.”
17 Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.”
1 Samuel 1:12-17 NKJV
God can put talents and abilities in our hearts.
“He also has put in his heart to teach, both he and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.”
Exodus 35:34 NASB
God can direct us through our hearts.
Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7 BSB
The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give.”
Exodus 25:1-2 NIV
20 Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, 21 and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments.
Exodus 35:20-21 NIV
The plans of the heart belong to man, but the reply of the tongue is from the LORD.
Proverbs 16:1 BSB
A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
Proverbs 16:9 BSB
We need to guard our hearts!
Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
Proverbs 4:23 BSB
The passage continues with details on guarding / keeping our hearts.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
26 Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.
Proverbs 4:23-27 NKJV
Remember “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks“? We need to keep putting in our hearts what we want to come out!
6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-9 NKJV
The law of his God is in his heart;
None of his steps shall slide.
Psalms 37:31 NKJV
7 Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
8 I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is within my heart.”
Psalms 40:7-8 NKJV
Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
Psalms 119:11 NKJV
7 “Listen to Me, you who know righteousness,
You people in whose heart is My law:
Do not fear the reproach of men,
Nor be afraid of their insults.
8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment,
And the worm will eat them like wool;
But My righteousness will be forever,
And My salvation from generation to generation.”
Isaiah 51:7-8 NKJV
When we mess up, we should ask God for forgiveness and restoration.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Psalms 51:7-11 NKJV
Having a new, clean heart from God is critical!
For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:10 NKJV
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Matthew 22:37 KJV
Has the rapture happened? You can still be saved and go to heaven! --- Are you following God's plan for your life? You should. Your plan is not going to work. It is a really, really bad plan. Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! Jesus is coming. Are you ready to meet Him? Give your life to Jesus Christ. Time is running out.
Lift Up Your Eyes! 