Our Wicked Hearts – 11.27.07

The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5)

We will every one do the imagination of his evil heart. (Jeremiah 18:12)

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man. (Mark 7:21-23)

Outside the influence of Jesus Christ in our hearts, the Bible characterizes them as…

1. Wicked, but not just wicked...desperately wicked.

2. Evil, but not just evil...continually evil.

3. Deceitful. Who can know it? We can't understand our own hearts' wickedness.

Sam Gipp comments on the words of Jeremiah 17:9, "Have you ever been near death? Almost drowned? Been trapped in a burning building? Remember the near panic you felt to survive? That's called desperation. That is the word God chose to describe the wickedness of your heart. Your heart is desperate to do wickedness. If you have trouble admitting that, it shows just how very wicked your heart is."

In light of this…

1. Ignore the advise you hear to follow your heart. Your heart cannot be trusted. Follow God's word instead.

2. Don't always let your conscience be your guide (regardless of anything Jiminy Cricket has to say!). Allow God's word be a lamp to your feet and a light to your path.

3. Remember the need to keep your heart with all diligence.

Don't underestimate the depravity of your own heart. Continually guard it because it's continually evil. Diligently keep it because it's desperately wicked.