ESOCS Devotional 29 February 2024 – Remedy of a Deceptive Heart
MEMORY VERSE: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”Jeremiah 17:9
TEXT: JEREMIAH 17:18-19
Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.
19 Thus said the Lord unto me; Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem;
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Please understand that you may not be able to get rid of a deceptive heart easily. We live in a fallen world, and your heart is deceptive and will continue to be deceptive. But how can you keep from being led astray by your deceptive heart?
You need to profess, confess, admit that your heart is deceptive. You might think that you’ve matured in the faith and your heart isn’t really all that deceptive. Not so! Take Peter, for example. The night of his betrayal, Jesus told the apostles that they would all abandon Him and flee. Peter said, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” (Matt .26:35). Of course, Peter denied Jesus. His heart deceived him. Peter just couldn’t picture betraying Jesus.
You need to probe and examine your actions to see how badly you’re being deceived by your heart. Our Lord Jesus said, “Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person” (Matt 15:19-20). Since your actions originate from your heart, your actions are a window to your heart. As you look at your actions, just what do you see? Do you see a great deal of sin? If so, you need to take steps to cleanse your heart.
To understand how deceptive your heart is and that there is hope for a deceptive heart, you need to ponder, and study the truth of Scripture. The psalmist said, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word” (Ps 119:9). If you want to cleanse your actions, it comes from the heart. You need to know Scripture. Spend time in private Bible study.
You need to pray for a clean heart, a heart not clouded with sin: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Ps. 51:10). You need to spend time asking God to create a clean heart without you.
You need to plead with mature and trusted brethren to point out your sins and places your heart might be deceiving you. Mature brethren are to restore the one caught “in any transgression” (Gal. 6:1). Every Christian is to help his fellow believer bear burdens (Gal 6:2).
- If you protect your heart from storing up sinful desires, if would be difficult for you to commit sin. You should develop a consciousness for doing only righteous deeds. This is very profitable.
- Lord, I need the Holy Spirit now more than ever before. Please help me, O Lord.
Further Reading: 1 Samuel 24:1-end; Matthew 21:18-32; James 4:1-12
ESOCS Devotional 29 February 2024
