CHANGE YOUR HEART
1. Change is the key
2. The change is in the heart
3. The curse for trusting in man
4. The blessing for trusting in God
All of us want to achieve something in life. While some people reach their goals, others fail to make a difference. Winning demands a change. If a person has to achieve something in life he has to change many things in his life. For e.g.: if a person has to secure first place in a competitive exam, he has to undergo rigorous training. He gets coached in the best institute, he has to give up all his recreations, friends and he has to put aside all his desires and interests. He has to change his mind, his attitude to learn what has been given to him in order to reach the goal. This is how every person in this world begins to prepare to win in his life. God has called us for a blessing. He teaches us how to win regardless of what we are and what our qualification is. God trains us through His word. As we get coached with His word, we grow spiritually and God picks us from one spiritual level to another. God blesses us according to spiritual level we are in. But if we don’t change our habits, pleasures, interests, according to His word, we remain in the same old place. We don’t grow spiritually. So if we ask God for a higher blessing, God doesn’t give it to us. Before we get the blessing, we need to change. How long are we attending the church? Is there a change in the way we speak, the way we think, our decisions, our associations etc.. The truth is, when people come to God, they don’t change. They cling to their old habits, desires, interests and expect God to do a miracle and give them what they desire.
One must bring change in the heart. Heart is the storage for all our desires, interests, habits, plans, pleasures etc.. The Bible says in Mark 7:20-23 “What comes out of a man that defiles a man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” The heart is the gate through which we bring in things which the devil shows to us in this world. We desire them. So the devil knows what is present in our heart. He operates the heart through the mind. If heart is filled with good things – good comes out and if our heart is filled with evil things – evil comes out of us. Heart is like a sponge. It absorbs all that in which it is soaked into. So when the pressure is applied to it, whatever is present inside, it comes out: Whatever is the input of the heart, so is the output. According to the word of God, the heart is filled with all the unclean things. Without a change if God blesses us, it will only ruin our lives. For e.g.: If God blesses a drunkard, by providing money to clear off his debts, he becomes happy. He gives thanks to God. Because there is no change in his habit (drinking), he starts making new debts and drinks even more. In this way, he brings in more trouble to himself. It only makes him more sinful and wicked. The Bible says in Luke 6:45 “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[a] brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” The heart is connected to the mouth and speaks the condition of the heart (the desires we are running with, the interests that have influenced us, the hurt that we are into etc..) Whatever the heart is filled with, that is what we speak. Treasure is something that is held precious in one’s eyes. Our heart runs after it and we are slaves of that treasure. The treasure consists of things that we like the most or the things that we want to have in our lives. That treasure forces us to take decisions. Even though we want to do good that is right in the sight of God, we can’t do it, because the treasure inside us is evil. Any work that starts with good only ends up into evil.
The Bible speaks in Jeremiah about the curse and blessing that comes on people according to condition of the heart. Jeremiah 17:5 says “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD.” Curse is coming upon a man who is trusting in man. The reason for his trust not resting upon God is because his heart has departed from God. God looks at the heart more than our prayer, or great pompous words of God. The Bible says in Jeremiah 17:6 about the effect of the curse : “ 6 For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited.” When good passes by, we cannot recognize it. It is for this good (blessing) we invest our money, time, we seek God for help. Jesus was passing by the city of Jericho and in the city there was a blind man, who wanted healing so that he can see. When he heard that Jesus was passing by, he shouted with a loud voice ‘Son of David! have mercy ‘. He addressed Jesus as the Son of David: the name that was prophesied about the Messiah in the Scriptures. He spoke the word of God. Jesus heard it, came to him and healed him. When Jesus was passing by, the blind man recognized it. He got connected to God through the word. Word of God brings God into the areas where we are facing problems. So, everyday when we prepare our heart with the word of God laying aside all our pleasures, desires we will be able to connect to the blessing and will find answers to the tough areas in our lives. But curse doesn’t allow us to see when good comes by us.
The Bible speaks about the blessing that comes on people who trust in God. Jeremiah1 7:7-9 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear[b] when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.” Trust is always connected with the heart. When we give our heart to God, trust comes on Him. Everyone who lives in this world believes in rain for raising a crop. Any change in the environmental conditions, results in drought and scarcity of food. And when things become scarce, people get into anxiety and fear. But because of the blessing, when we have to face unfavorable and impossible situations in life (drought and the heat) we bring solutions and will produce things. Indication of trusting in God is absence of fear and anxiety. The Bible says in Proverbs 24:13-14 “13 My son, eat honey because it is good, And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste; 4 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; If you have found it, there is a prospect, And your hope will not be cut off.” We will not lose our hope under any circumstances. The blessing continues in all seasons. The Bible says in Proverbs 22:17-21”… That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth to those who send to you?” During the difficult times, we speak the words of truth: Whatever we say will happen. God wants to develop these words of truth in the inside of us. Joseph stood before the Pharaoh and spoke the words of truth – the famine that is going to come. Daniel interpreted the dream of the king and spoke the words of truth of the things that are going to come in the future. Words of truth are the key that will lift us up in our offices, organizations etc..The Bible says in Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;”
If we give our heart to God, God does wonders. But God doesn’t give us things until we get trained and change our heart. Is your trust in God or in man? Give your heart to God and do His word. The word brings a change in your heart and you will see experience and will live in the blessing of the Lord all the days of your life.
No comments:
Post a Comment