*Text: Jer. 17: 9-10*
““The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
Our text this morning reveals to us the condition of the human heart. After careful examination of the human heart, the scriptures return with a very unpleasant and scary verdict. It says the condition of the heart is bad, so bad it is doubtful if we can find anyone outside God who can tell us just how bad it is. No wonder the whole of humanity is in desperate need of a heart transplant and only God can make this happen.
Talking about just how bad the human heart is, the bible describes it as “desperately wicked’. It is not just wicked but desperately wicked. I am sure that a lot of us can really relate to that, a lot of us have been victims at one time or the other of the actions of a wicked a heart. We’ve had a taste of just how terribly or desperately wicked the human heart can be. We’ve had trusted relatives, friends and acquaintances who have betrayed our trust in a very painful way and stabbed us in the back. Our Lord Jesus Christ was Himself a victim of a wicked heart in the person of Judas Iscariot. Who was very close to Him and took advantage of that closeness to betray Him to His enemies. There are many who presently are in pain from the poisonous sting of a wicked heart and may not recover in a long while unless God comes through for them. May God deliver us from the venom of a wicked heart in Jesus name.
A wicked heart is the reason why many turn away from God and live a life of disobedience and rebellion to Him. It is the reason why many will turn deaf ears to the message of salvation choosing to remain in sin rather than repent and be saved. The problem in marriages, homes and even in the society today is all a product of the wicked heart. Jesus taught His disciples that even families are not insulated from the venom of a wicked heart, He told them that “A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed” (Matt. 10: 21). The world is in a state of turmoil, insecurity and unrest today because the heart of man is wicked. If joy is to return to homes and peace and security is to return to the world then the wickedness in the heart must be addressed.
The unfortunate thing in all of this is that even the church is not left out, many in the church today parading themselves as followers of Jesus are nursing a wicked heart within. Some are not genuinely born again and are just living hypocritical lives, some actually are born again but out of carelessness their heart has wandered away from the fold of the Savior and now harbors a lot of evil and ungodly thoughts. This is the reason why God in trying to determine who the true worshippers are does not look on the outward appearance but rather searches the heart, so men may be deceived but God is not deceived. He knows the state of everyone’s heart and will reward accordingly.
For those who desire to be free however from a wicked heart and avoid God’s judgement, there is hope for them. God has promised that for all who cry out to Him for help, He will carry out a heart transplant in their lives (Ezek. 36: 26), thereby giving them a heart that will be responsive and submissive to God and His ways.
What is the state of your heart? Do you harbor wicked, ungodly and immoral thoughts in your heart? Then you are in serious need of a heart transplant and if you come to God, He will remove the old and give you a brand new heart that will be biased towards doing His will.
The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart, examine your heart today. Shalom.
Prayer Points
1. Father, I praise you because you are all knowing, you know the real state of our heart and nothing can be hidden from you.
2. Father please examine my heart and remove anything therein that is unacceptable to you in Jesus name
3. Father please deliver me from hardness of heart and give me a heart of flesh, a heart that will be totally responsive to you in Jesus name.
4. Father please deliver me, deliver my household from the assault of a desperately wicked heart in Jesus name
5. Father my heart is your temple, please sanctify it and permanently dwell therein in Jesus name
Nice one