|
Heart Failure
“A human being is part of the whole, called by us “The Universe”, a part limited in time and space. Man experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest - a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole nature in its beauty” – Albert Einstein.
Until our hearts change, we will always be in a kind of prison – a prison that restricts us to the delusion of our own selfish desires. However, God has a remedy for this. He wants to remove the present heart and give us a new heart.
Ezekiel 36:26 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
Behind every major global problem is heart failure – it is not your upbringing, your education, your environment or your culture – it has to do with the heart! Jesus said in Matthew 24, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will go cold…" When a man's heart is hardened, it becomes cold and insensitive. God's love cannot abide in a cold heart.
A famous French novelist once said, “It’s only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” This is true but the condition of the heart will effect its vision - whether seeing good or bad.
Let’s look at three characteristics of the heart:
[1] The heart is the seat of rebellion and pride. God says, in Genesis 8:21, "...For the imagination of a man's heart is evil from his youth." Since the fall of Adam man is born with a faulty heart - a rebellious heart! It is natural for man to sin.
[2] The heart is the source of all that man does. Proverbs 4:4 tells us to "let our hearts retain God's Words; keeping His commands, and we will live [we will produce life]." All our thoughts, desires, words and actions flow from deep within us. Without the circumcision of the heart [by the Holy Spirit], this source can only pour out evil. Man's only hope is in the promise of God which says, "A new heart also I will give you." Your old heart is of no value to you or God!
[3] The heart of man is the fountainhead of man's deeds. Therefore, the spirit of man must ultimately be the main source of this fountainhead. The fountain draws its substance from the spirit of man. But, the source of anything controls its flow. Therefore, the old heart must become new in order to draw new-life from the rivers of living water.
For the benefit of this message, I would like to give you my own personal amplified translation of 2 Corinthians 5:17.....
“Therefore, if any person is in Christ, he is a new species [made from new substance and with a different nature]. He has been made in heaven and is therefore a totally new creature. The old previous heart of stone has been replaced by a heart of flesh [of love]; his moral and spiritual condition is also changed and has now become the exact representation of Jesus the Christ."
We have been made in heaven and have divine origins. John 1:13 says, "Children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God."
Yes, you are made in heaven of divine substance, and you now have a new 'heart of love' which desires to share Christ with all those in need. |
Chris Demetriou, 09/07/2006 |
|
| |
