~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bible Verses ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is
incurable; who can know it?
Eze 36:26 says, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new
spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony
heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.“
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Words of Ministry ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Because we are fallen and sinful, our psychological heart is
corrupt and deceitful. Our heart is corrupt, rotten, to such
an extent that it is incurable. This is the condition of the
psychological heart of all descendants of Adam.
But God in His salvation promises to give us a new heart. The
new heart in this verse does not refer to another heart; it
refers to a renewed heart. The first characteristic of this
renewed heart is that it turns to God. The turning of our
heart to God is a very healthy sign that He has renewed it. A
corrupt heart is always away from God. If our heart is away
from Him, that is an indication that our heart is still
corrupt. Therefore, we can know if our heart has been renewed
by whether it is turned to God or away from Him.
In God's salvation the renewing of the heart is once for all.
However, in our experience our heart is renewed continually
because it is changeable. Perhaps when you were saved, your
heart turned to God in a very strong way. But after a period
of time, your heart may turn away from Him somewhat. Through
fellowship with a saint, through coming to the meetings, or by
some other gracious means, your heart may turn to the Lord
once again. When your heart was turned away from Him, it
became somewhat corrupt. But when your heart came back to the
Lord, it was renewed. We need to say, “Lord, I thank You that
in Your mercy You have visited my heart and turned it back to
You.” This turning to the Lord is the first characteristic of
a renewed heart.
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Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible
and Words of Ministry, from Witness Lee, Life- study of
Thessalonians, pp. 183-184. Both are published by Living
Stream Ministry, Anaheim.
