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For Friday, November 21, 2014
“Biblical Principles for Our Hearts”
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Episode Transcript:
You’re listening to The New You, the daily broadcast for people who have been made new by the blood of Christ. I’m Robert Hatfield, and here is today’s Scripture:
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies (Mat. 15:18-19).
We’ve talked all this week about the heart. There’s a reason I wanted to devote an entire week to the heart here on The New You. That is because your heart dictates everything about who you are. Therefore, if you want to be conformed to the image of Christ, if you really want to be the new you, it’s going to begin with changing your heart.
As we conclude this week-long series, here are five principles that we need to remember about our hearts.
1. The Bible is designed to prick your heart.
The Hebrews writer describes the Bible as “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,” it pierces through right to the heart. The writer continues by saying that the Bible is “a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). When the gospel message pricked the hearts of those honest Jews on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, the word was doing exactly what it was designed to do. When you and I read the Scriptures and we come across a passage that steps on our toes and calls on us to change, we should know that the word is, once again, doing exactly what God designed it to do.
2. Following Jesus demands a change of heart.
Paul says that we are to have the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5). In Galatians 2:20, he stated that Christ lived within him. Jesus calls upon us to relinquish our wills so that the mind of Christ can dwell in us. We are going to think in accordance to the law of Christ.
3. If you take garbage in, you will produce garbage out.
That’s not just one of your grandmother’s favorite sayings, it’s a fact of life! The Holy Spirit gave us the positive side to that old adage in Philippians 4:8: “ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
Do your thoughts match what the Bible teaches? Do you allow your mind to be filled with the trash that our culture has to give or are you intentional and protective about what you allow into your heart?
4. Your heart reflects your true priorities.
Jesus said it: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mat. 6:21). So what about it? Do you derive great pleasure when reflecting on heaven and studying about that eternal home and how to get there? Or do you find it difficult to make time for regular Bible study? The old hymn asks, “Where is your heart, O pilgrim?”
5. Your actions and your words come directly from your heart.
Jesus stated on several occasions this truth: your actions and your words are representatives of your heart. So do you have a problem using your tongue in a Scripturally inappropriate way? Do you do things that are not becoming of the gospel of Christ? Let us take Jesus’ words to heart:
Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things (Mat. 12:34-35).
Let’s wrap it up: Christianity is a lifestyle of the heart. It is designed to change who we are and what we are all about. Thanks be to God for His mercy, love, and kindness which make that change possible!
Memory Verse: The end of another week means that you have potentially memorized another verse! I hope that you have 2 Corinthians 5:10 down by now. Ill say it once, and then ask you to say it again with me the second time.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad (2 Cor. 5:10).
The New You 10 Week Challenge for a Better Internet! This week I want us to answer this question: For what physical / material blessing are you most thankful? So head over to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like and compose a post which says, “The material blessing for which I am most thankful is ______ . #NewYouChallenge” This is week 8 of the 10 week challenge for a better Internet!
Over the weekend: Be sure to worship God on Sunday, the Lord’s day. Assemble with God’s people in your area and worship Him in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Need help locating a place to worship? Check out the interactive map (available from our friends at In Search of the Lord’s Way) that will help you find a congregation of God’s people in your area! Just go to thelightnetwork.tv/worship.
Thanks for joining me today for The New You. You can find us each weekday at thelightnetwork.tv. You’ll also find episode archives, transcripts, and more Christian podcasts there. That’s thelightnetwork.tv
Contact me by email at robert@thelightnetwork.tv or by voicemail, by calling 903-26-LIGHT, that’s 903-265-4448. I’d love to hear from you!
I’m Robert Hatfield. You are the new you! Go live like it!
