Perverted Hearts to Pure Hearts: You Need A Heart Transplant

Perverted Hearts ==> Pure Hearts:

You Need A Heart Transplant

Let’s talk about the heart! All this year I've been getting the scripture Proverbs 4:23 thrown at me, like seriously from every direction!!! This scripture says, “Above all else guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Whenever I heard this verse or read it, I always focused on the beginning portion, “…guard your heart…guard your heart…guard your heart” I never really dissected the entire verse, the second part of that verse, “…everything you do flows from it,” is just as important.

Now just a couple weeks ago I was lead to study the heart. I looked up a bunch of scriptures and even did a bit of research on the physical heart (the organ). Here is a bit of what I found…I’m gonna start with some definitions of the heart (If you haven’t figured it out from my other blogs, I love definitions lol):

Definition of the heart (the organ): A muscular viscus, which is the primary organ of the blood’s motion in an animal body, situated in the thorax. From this organ all the arteries arise, and in it all veins terminate. By its alternate dilatation and contraction, the blood is received from the veins and returned through the arteries, by which means the circulation is carried on and life preserved (Webster’s Dictionary).

Other definitions of the heart: (1) the inner part of any thing; the middle part or interior, (2) the chief part; the vital part; the vigorous or efficacious part (Webster’s Dictionary).

Through really studying the entire verse and definitions God illuminated me and showed me that the heart is the root/the source of everything you do, the words that come out of our mouths, our actions, our attitudes, etc. One thing that I’ve learned just in living my life is that if you really want to tackle a problem, get to the root of it. The root of the problem will lead you to the solution. A lot of the problems we have as Christians are simply stated matters of the heart. Our hearts have defects (shortcomings, imperfections, faults)!!! (FYI, Congenital heart defects are conditions that are present at birth and can affect the structure of a baby's heart and the way it works. They are the most common type of birth defect.) Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” This scripture really drove home the point for me that we were born in need of a spiritual heart transplant! Our hearts are inclined toward sin from the time we are born (Psalm 51:5). We are born with heart defects. Our hearts don’t operate the way they should.

Let’s look at someone in the bible that realized they needed a heart transplant…I was reading Psalms 51 in my quiet time one day, and in my bible (I have a NLT  Life Application Study Bible) this psalm is described as a psalm of David, regarding the time Nathan the prophet came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. So naturally, I had to go back and read about David and Bathsheba. The story of David and Bathsheba is described in II Samuel 11 (I recommend you read it for a fully understanding), I’m just gonna summarize it…

King David is on his palace roof walking, when he sees a beautiful woman bathing aka Bathsheba. David inquires about her and learns that she’s married to Uriah, but he still sends some of his people to bring her to him and he sleeps with her. Bathsheba gets pregnant. So David sends for her husband, Uriah, who was fighting in the war that the Israelite army was involved in. David tells Uriah to go home and be with his wife, but he doesn't  Uriah later explains to David that he couldn't go home and be with his wife when his fellow soldiers were out in the open fields of war. So, David gives instructions that Uriah is to be sent to the front lines so that he will be killed and he is. After the grieving period, David sent for Bathsheba and she became one of his wives.

I’m reading this and I’m like David nooooo!!!! Don’t do it!!!! When he found out she was married, he should have stopped dead in his tracks, but he didn't  The thing that got me was that David was so wrong, but he didn't even realize all that he had done; God had to send the prophet Nathan to rebuke David for him to realize what he’d done (II Samuel 12). But isn't that the same for us sometimes, I know it is for me. Whether it’s through a person or a word at church or even just sitting in your quiet time , all I know is that God finds a way to smack you in the face when you've done wrong, which is much needed, how else are we to ensure we are right with the Father. When David realizes his sin, he is sincerely sorry and repentant and that’s how we get to Psalm 51 specifically verse 10. David asks God to…

David recognized that his heart was defective; that it was dirty, perverted and turned away from what is right. David realized that he needed a heart transplant and he asked God to create in him a clean heart. Mark 7:20-23 says, “It is what is inside that defiles you. For from within out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” ç This is why you need a heart transplant! It was a matter of the heart! We must be changed in our hearts it’s the root of everything and everything we do flows from it. There are some things that we can do, but ultimately it takes God to take you from having a perverted heart to a pure heart, a heart that isn’t inclined to sin, but is inclined to pleasing the Lord God Almighty! You need God to work on you from the inside out!

Do a #heartcheck and look at these 5 things. These 5 things betray the secrets of your heart:

1.      Your Mouth: Now your mouth will tattle tell on you real quick lol! Matthew 12:33-35 says “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. You brood of snakes! How can evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.” I've heard so many people, myself included say I need to work on my mouth, the bible illustrates that its more so a matter of the heart. Your mouth is merely a device used to convey and communicate what’s in your heart. Basically what comes out of your mouth is a reflection of your heart. So what are you saying?!? Are you speaking life or death, blessings or curses, love or hate, etc? Are you lifting people up and encouraging them with your words or are you tearing them down? Your mouth will speak for your heart!

2.      Your treasure: Luke 12:34 says, “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Treasure = anything or person greatly valued or highly prized. Whatever you spend the most time doing, talking about, spend the most money on, etc is your treasure. God will reveal your heart to you through those things that you treasure. Do you treasure God, furthering the kingdom, etc or do you treasure material things, a man/woman, your career, your dream of being married, money, etc?!? It’s time to check that treasure chest #treasurecheck, which is ultimately a #heartcheck and an #idolcheck! This devo was read at my job awhile back and it completely wrecked me!!!

3.      Your motives/reasoning: Motive = something that causes a person to act in a certain way, do a certain thing, etc; incentive. When you really think about your motives and why you are doing something it reflects your heart. God already knows your motives (Proverbs 20:27), He’s omniscient, check your motives and make sure they are good!

4.      Your actions/behavior/attitude: How do you act towards others? Are you spiteful, nasty, vengeful, a gossip, etc? Do you treat others the way you want to be treated? God commands us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:39)! Do you show the love of God through your actions or are people not even aware you are a Christian by your actions?!? Your Christianity shouldn't be something you have to shout from the rooftops, your actions and the way you treat people should betray your Christianity. John 13:34-35 says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” They will know you by the love! Love is an action word!

5.      Your lifestyle: Now if your mouth didn’t already tattle tell on you, your lifestyle sure will! How you choose to live your life reflects your heart. You can be in church on Sundays all you want gettin your praise on, but its how you live your life the rest of the week that reveals your heart! You can’t live like you’ve got this close relationship with God on Sunday, but then the rest of the week you’re BFFs with the devil!!! #cantdothat Don’t disillusion yourself (I know about disillusionment because I’ve done it. I thought I had this great relationship with God, but the only time I opened my bible and talked to Him was Sunday)! Relationship with God is a daily thing! Don’t treat God like a one night stand, He’s a committed relationship type of guy!!! So how are you living your life? Are you living your life disillusioned? Are you living your life to please your flesh or are you dying to your flesh daily?!? Are you living life as a people pleaser or are you all about your Father’s business?!? Are you indulging you body by hoppin in the bed with this one and that one or are you striving for purity?!? Again I ask how are you living your life?

If you’re like me, you may have just gotten completely wrecked!!! (Whenever I write these blogs they smack me in the face!!! The Word really always does hit you first before you go to share it) I know I have some heart defects! Ask God to work on you from the inside out, ask that He give you a heart transplant, ask Him to create in you a clean heart and to renew the right spirit within you. God loves us like crazy despite our imperfect hearts! And he can and will take you from having a perverted heart to a pure heart if you let Him. God can clean you up in ways you NEVER can! Ask Him for a heart that desires and yearns for Him more than anything else, a heart inclined to holiness and pleasing Him as opposed to a heart inclined to sin and self-satisfaction. Know that you are loved, you are so precious to the Father, and that you were created with purpose and calling!!! As I already said, God loves you like crazy and I love you too!!! I pray that God blesses you tremendously!

Mariah 

Here's some music that lately I've been playing over and over again lol

Spiritual Adultery

So, after I wrote my first blog, Fan The Flame: Don't Let Your Fire Be Extinguished (please check it out if you haven't already), it was laid on my heart to read the book of Hosea. I was obedient and read two chapters a day. The book of Hosea is all about God's love (If you haven't read the book of Hosea, it’s really amazing!). The book parallels Hosea's relationship with his wife, Gomer to God's relationship with the nation of Israel. 

In the first chapter of Hosea, God instructs Hosea to do something that most would deem ridiculous and a little crazy. He commands him to go marry a prostitute...

         

Hosea 1:2 "When the Lord first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said, 'Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord and worshipping other gods.'"

So I'm reading this like Whoa!?! God really just told His prophet to go marry a prostitute!!! I had heard the story, but there's something different about reading it yourself. I continue to read the book and the story unfolds...Hosea is obedient to God and marries Gomer. They have three children, though there is uncertainty as to whether or not they are all his children because Gomer was an adulterous woman. Even though she was adulterous, Hosea loved her and the children just the same.

Let me go into a little more detail and focus on Gomer...The first three chapters depict Gomer as this woman who has this amazing husband that has this unfailing, unconditional love for her, despite the fact that she cheats on him and keeps running away from him to be with other men or lovers and then proceeding to come back to him and then run away again (she only comes back to him out of desparation, when she feels she is better off with him). Gomer's husband, Hosea takes her back repeatedly and loves her as if nothing ever happened. At one point, in chapter 3, Hosea has to buy back Gomer from the prostitution she has gotten caught up in. He buys her back for 15 pieces of silver, 5 bushels of barley, and a measure of wine (Hosea 3:2) And then Hosea and Gomer's relationship is paralleled and compared to the way Israel is treating God. Just like Gomer turned to other lovers, Israel was turning to other gods and giving them attention, gratitude, and worship that solely belonged to God. And just as Gomer kept running away from Hosea and then coming back because she figured she would be better off with him (Hosea 2:7), the Israelites ran from God and then would return out of desperation (Sidenote: Make sure you don't just come to God out of desperation, when you've already gone to everybody else. God should always be you top choice, not your backup plan to your backup plan! And don't just come to Him out of desperation, come to Him because you love Him!).

As I’m reading all of this, I’m sitting there thinking Gomer and the Israelites were trifling!!! Gomer has this amazing husband in Hosea that loves her despite everything she’s done, all of her shortcomings, he loves her through it all. His love for her is unconditional and unfailing, that I Corinthians 13:4-7 type of love, and she treats him terribly. She doesn’t appreciate him, she keeps leaving him, and comes back only out of desperation. And the same is true of Israel. Here the Israelites have God who has always been there and delivered them from countless situations and yet they treat God like dirt. They gave thanks and praise to other gods for what God had done and gave themselves over to other gods completely, and in the process forgetting and ignoring God and only remembering Him when they found themselves in a desperate situation. I’m reading and it’s literally as if they’ve forgotten that God has been their constant, their provider, their protector, their deliverer, their shelter, their healer, their way maker…I could go on and on…God had been everything to them and they seemed to have forgotten. So, I’m looking at the way Gomer and the Israelites acted and just shaking my head. And then a voice whispers to me you’ve been Gomer, you’ve had the mentality that Gomer and the Israelites had. How many times have you ignored me and forgot about me and gave other people and things the attention that belonged to me?!? How many times have you treated things and people as if they were a god?!? #convictedmuch #idolcheck #TheresOnly1God  Its amazing how God can show you yourself through different people in the bible. At first glance I’m like they are so triflin, but then its like Mariah, you’re triflin too because you’ve acted just like them!!! There’s always something you can glean and take away from people in the bible, God will show you yourself in those individuals.  But anyways, just as Gomer had committed adultery and Israel had committed spiritual adultery, I too was guilty of spiritual adultery.

What is adultery? Adultery is voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than his or her lawful spouse. The thing that sticks in my mind about adultery is that the person committing the act belongs to someone else, they made promises and vows to someone else. I’m learning more and more that this walk with God really is like a marriage. As Christians, we are married (in a committed relationship) to God, we belong to Him. When we commit spiritual adultery or idolatry we give ourselves over to someone or something other that God. In other words spiritual adultery is when we have a lover or a mistress. Basically you are being unfaithful to God, having someone or something on the side. We’ve got to learn that we can’t be in a relationship with/married to God and flirt with the world (the world is your boyfriend) #cantdothat!!! That’s spiritual adultery!

When most couples get married they express vows to one another. For example, here are some traditional vows:

         

“I ______, take thee, ______, to be my wedded husband/wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, til death do us part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith/myself to you.”

Most couples promise to remain faithful to each other, forsaking all others for one another until death. It hit me a while back that the bible is filled with God’s vows and promises to us. One of my favorite is Hebrews 13:5, “…Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” God is so faithful to us. He is always there, but we can be unfaithful to Him sometimes. Its hard sometimes to grasp faithfulness and what it means in your relationship with God when the world bombards us with: (1)how no body stays together anymore. Marriage isn’t seen as sacred anymore, people take it too lightly, (2) how marriage is portrayed in the media, no one is faithful anymore. There are television shows centered around adultery. My favorite show used to be Scandal, and a huge part of the show was the main character, Olivia Pope’s, adulterous relationship with the married president of the United States. And I was so sucked into that show I found myself rooting for this man to be unfaithful to his wife?!? (Now, I’m not judging you if you watch Scandal, that was one of my personal convictions and I don’t watch that show anymore.) Another show I saw a commercial for that’s supposed to be coming on is Mistresses and I’m just like really though, a show centered around mistresses?!? Where are the shows celebrating marriage and how beautiful it is?!? The shows that depict couples, though not perfect, that are in it for the long haul and faithful to each other. It seems as if the world is preaching unfaithfulness, that its ok to have a lover or a sidechick, but that’s not the case! Faithfulness is what God is to us and what he desires and requires from us in return. This relationship, this marriage to God takes two. God will always to His part. We have to do ours as well. When we get saved and begin our relationship with God it shouldn’t have been something that we took likely. Commit to being in this relationship, this walk with God for the duration, put into practice faithfulness to God because you want to hear Him say, “Well done, thy good and faithful servant.” But also remember that nobody is perfect. We will all slip up and fall into spiritual adultery at some point, but recognize it when it happens, repent and turn away from it. Do heart checks and life checks making sure that God is your #1 and that you haven’t given yourself over to anyone or anything, thus creating an idol. Remember who you belong to. You belong to God. And even in those moments when you are unfaithful to Him, when you commit spiritual adultery, He still loves you like crazy and is waiting for you to come back to Him. That was what I ultimately took away from the book of Hosea, how much God loves me. His love for you is so intense, unfailing, unconditional, all-consuming, etc. He loves you through everything. I pray you know how much God loves you!!!

I hope this blesses you! I love you bunches!

Mariah 

Here's some music for ya'll. These songs bless me and wreck me.