Gotta Be A Heart Change

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

How is your heart? I am not meaning are you going to have a heart attack or stroke but how is your spiritual heart? Is it filled with joy and happiness or darkness? Only God can change a heart from evil to good. You can look around you at the world and see that there are many 'dark hearts'. When police are routinely killed, when babies are murdered in the womb, when evil is called good and good evil, you know the country is in need of a major heart transplant. 

Even the recent seemingly innocent holiday of Halloween has roots in evil practices and is more about darkness than light. We have to choose what type of things we feed into our hearts as that is the kind of person we will be. The tool most people have in their home to combat darkness is the Bible. But it cannot just sit on a bedside table as a decoration. It needs to be opened regularly and read and meditated upon do do any good. Satan loves it when Christians think all they need to do is own a Bible but rarely use it to help them in their life.

Do you want to have a happy, content, peaceful and joy filled heart even when and stuff is swirling all around you? Then get into God 's word each and every day. Spend quality time getting to know God and hearing from Him through scriptures. You have time for everything else that you think is important. Shouldn't God be first?

Start today and pick up that Bible and get your heart renewed. Start off reading the book of John. Next read some Psalms. Study and think about what you read. Above all keep fervent in prayer and ask God to protect your heart. 

PRAYER: I delight myself in your word Lord. I want my heart to stay pure and out of darkness. Help me recognize evil and stay away from it. Help me keep my heart focused on the goodness of the Lord. Keep me away from evil. In Jesus' name.Amen.

HEART CHECKUP

How is your heart? I am not speaking of your physical heart, but how
is your spiritual heart? Is it turned onto things of the spirit of God
or is it cold, hard hearted, and deceitful?

The Bible says in Proverbs 4:23( NIV) 'above all else guard your
heart, for out of it flow the issues of life.' Further in Matthew
6:20-21(NIV) says 'But store up for it yourselves treasures in heaven
where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break
through and steal. For where your treasure is there will your heart be
also.' Now that verse makes lots of sense. If you are in love, your
heart is "sold out" to your beloved. You want to be with them and want
to do nice things for them. In a similar way, a heart "sold out" to
Jesus can not get enough of His word or praising Him. A person who has
a heart for God wants to spend time with Him and please Him.

Do you need a heart check up? Is your heart growing cold and hard
towards things of the spirit? Would you rather spend more time doing
worldly things than spend time with God? Have you given your heart to
Jesus? Does He live within your heart? Sin can cause a heart to be
hardened and separated from God.

Jeremiah 17:9-10(NIV) says 'The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart
and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their
conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.' What does God find
out about you from your heart? Is it storing up anger, revenge, hate,
bitterness, jealousy, or is it filled with peace, joy, mercy and
forgiveness?

If you do not know and you want Jesus to come live in your heart just
say this simple prayer that follows. Lord Jesus I love you. Forgive me
Lord for my sins. I want to live a life pleasing to you and serve
you. Come into my heart Lord Jesus and transform my cold hard heart
into one conformed to your image.

Let me close with a great Bible verse about the heart from Psalm
51:10(NIV) and it could also be a prayer. It says 'Create in me a
clean heart oh God and renew a right spirit within me.' Ask God and
He will come into your heart.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I want you to be in my heart. I do not want to live
a life to make Satan happy but I want to make you happy. Search me oh
God and cleanse me from any unrighteousness in my life. In Jesus'
name. Amen.

Click link below for a wonderful song to go along with this writing.
http://youtu.be/KjifPOBLowk

YOUR ACTIONS TELL WHAT IS IN YOUR HEART

What do you love to do? What are you passionate about? How do your treat people?  Usually what is in your heart is what comes out in your actions and speech. Luke 12:34 says "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." You spend time doing what you love and you hang out with those who mean the most to you. Obviously if married, that should include your spouse and if engaged your fiancee. For friends it should be your special friends. You treat others the way you want to be treated. Luke 6:31 says "Do to others as you would have them do to you."  The Golden Rule of sorts.

Galatians 6:7-9 says "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." So being nice to people in a sincere way has its' rewards.

Who hasn't been to a sporting event in an arena where the crowds get excited and do 'the wave' in a circle through the crowd. You are so excited to be at a game or event and screaming and cheering. Do we get that excited about the people  in our lives? How about Jesus? Are you excited about Him? Do your actions show it or can you hardly wait til that one hour on Sunday is over so you  can assume your other role in life of 'secular human being' who occupies space wherever you go?

When you have the chance would you rather read the daily newspaper or get into God's word and learn some truths? The Bible can build you up and spiritually train you but the daily paper is only full of things to cause anxiety and worry in most cases and what does it matter in the end anyway? Getting to know God, for a Christian, should be where your heart is. If it is not you can ask God to put that hunger for Him in your heart. Don't just be a 1 hour a week Christian. Saturate your life  with the things of Christ that will cause you to let go of the cares of this world and stay focused on Him.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I want my heart to be totally yours. I do not want to be driven and controlled by situations in the world around me but I want to be equipped and prepared to face each and every day. I know I can do that if I stay in prayer and the word of God. Help me each day to make you the 'first love of my life' by starting the day reading your word and praying .Forgive me when I have gotten so busy I completely shut you out of my day. Help me not be a Sunday Christian. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Included in the link below is an awesome praise and worship song by Christian artist Jeff Deyo. Click on link and get ready to worship the Lord. Be blessed.

http://youtu.be/6Jo3y_XoHHQ