“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: http://thoughts-about-god.com/biblestudies_/spiritfilledlife
By Katherine Kehler
Used by Permission
FURTHER READING
• Hard Hearted by Charles Spurgeon
• Keep a Soft Heart – by Gail Rodgers
• A Bit Like Pharoah by Julie Cosgrove