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