clean heart - Thoughts About God

How is Your Heart Today?

Devotionals — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 08:03:27 +0000

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” Proverbs 4:23

Is your heart rejoicing today, or are you broken-hearted?
Is your heart pure, or is it deceitful?
Would people say you have a heart of gold or a heart of stone?
Do you have a soft heart or a hard heart?
Do you have a generous heart or a greedy heart?

During the past several weeks, I have been searching the Bible for verses describing our hearts. The Bible tells us that our attitudes and moods are an overflow of what is in our heart.

Luke 6:45 says, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”

How do we keep a heart attitude that is pleasing to the Lord? By being filled (controlled and directed) with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 commands,

“Be filled with the Spirit.”

How do we get a clean heart when our heart is dirty? 1 John 1:9 tells us,

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

How can a broken heart be healed? Psalms 34:18 tells us to ask God to heal our broken hearts.

“The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

After reading these verses about our heart’s condition, I realize that I can’t change my heart. I have to rely totally on Christ. In John 15:5, Jesus said,

“Apart from me you can do nothing.”

How is your heart today? Can you say with the Psalmist,

“Create in me a new heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me” Psalm 51:10

Lord Jesus, I ask You to take our hearts in Your precious gentle hands and change them, heal them, soften them, cleanse them, and fill them with Your Holy Spirit. Amen.

To learn more about the Spirit filled life visit: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/biblestudies_/spiritfilledlife

By Katherine Kehler
Used by Permission

It Begins with the Heart

Devotionals — Sun, 25 Jun 2023 08:01:46 +0000

“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26

Recently we attended a presentation by a pedantic cardiologist, who spoke on the gestation process of human life. Most startling to me was the fact that it all begins with the heart.

The heart is the first organ to be formed and everything forms around it as other organs and distinctions of the fetus are formed. No brain, no lungs nothing else. The heart forms a circle and then as development progresses other parts are added, but everything begins with the heart.

By Day 22, (three weeks), the heart begins to beat with the child’s own blood, often a different type than the mothers’. Size of a pea. First tubular then forms a ring around it and forms two chambers. Often the heart of the fetus is beating before the mother even knows that she is pregnant. In nine weeks, the heart is fully developed.

God’s purpose predates our conception. Gestation is a journey of the heart. Christianity is like that…. It begins with the heart.

God has a lot to say about beauty, and He’s not referring to fashion tips or face masks! True beauty begins on the inside, in your heart.

Just as our physical life begins with the heart, so too there begins and continues our spiritual journey. Psalms 51:10 says,

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit with me.”

Have purity within your heart and never allow others to taint your wishes and beliefs.

The first step in salvation is that of giving our heart to the Lord and then allowing Him to reside there for the rest of our lives.

Have you committed your heart to Him?

By John Grant
Used by Permission

Ensnaring Sin

Thoughts_About_God — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 08:03:55 +0000

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1

I love that God has created us to do good works and that He has prepared them in advance for us to do.

(See Ephesians 2:10) Even before we were born, God had a purpose for our lives and there are good works He needs us to do on this earth. On the other hand, there is an Accuser, an enemy of our souls, who does his best to keep us from fulfilling our purpose. I have noticed that it often is the same things that keep coming up to entangle me. Hebrews 12 verse one calls it the sin that so easily entangles us. Is there one sin in your life that keeps creeping up on you, trying to entangle you?

When the Holy Spirit points out our sin, it is to turn our eyes back on to Jesus and to set us free. It’s never about condemnation. God wants to put iron in our souls as we respond to His discipline, because ultimately He wants us to fulfill our purposes and not be held back in a life of sin. How wonderful to know that God calls us to freedom, godliness an great purpose.

Create a clean heart in me, O Lord. I want to live out the purposes You have for me and walk in the good works You have already prepared in advance for me to do. I love You, Lord. Amen.

By Idelette McVicker
Used by Permission

A Pure Heart

Thoughts_About_God — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 08:01:07 +0000

“May the Lord lead your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s patience.” 2 Thessalonians 3:5

The majority is not always right. If the majority had ruled, the children of Israel never would have left Egypt. They would have voted to stay in bondage. If the majority had ruled, David never would have fought Goliath. His brothers would have voted for him to stay with the sheep. What’s the point? You must listen to your own heart.

God says you’re on your way to becoming a disciple when you can keep a clear head and a pure heart.

by Max Lucado
used by permission

From: Everyday Blessings

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
https://www.maxlucado.com/info/view/about_max_lucado/