Monday, May 6, 2024

Christ Changes the Heart

Since we do not change our own hearts Christ gets all the credit for who we have become when He saves us! We only change our mind He does all the work in us!
Ephesians 2:9-10 "…9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life."
What a blessing to know that we do not have to "try real hard" to be what we should be, we merely have to ask God to do it and He will answer that prayer.
James 1:5-6
"5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind."
It is wisdom in the heart that leads to right actions. No one can be different on the outside than what is in their hearts.
When we fail in our heart, then is when we fail in our actions, attitudes and responses. If we show an angry heart then we have an angry character that Christ needs to cleanse. He will only cleanse us if we admit our problem and ask Him to change our hearts.
1 John 1:9
"9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
A very important phrase in this passage is "if we confess", Christ will never force us into anything, but He will bring circumstances to bear so that He breaks our will, we give up our stubborn pride and decide to confess.
Those who think they can intimidate, mock and demean someone into changing do not understand the ways of Christ. He wants us to choose because we are ready not because someone shamed us into it for an outward confession that is not an inward desire.
1 John 1:5-10 "5And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
6 If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us."
It is not possible to have fellowship with Christ or any other Christian as long as we harbor dishonesty, disrespect for God's Word and resistance to His principles.
There are believers who do not have fellowship with Christ and other Christians because they resist the Holy Spirit when He speaks causing the Holy Spirit to go silent. God will not speak to someone who will not listen. But beware, He will bring about corrective circumstances to break a stubborn will if someone is born again but harbors pride in their heart.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22
"19 Do not quench (extinguish the fire of) the Spirit,
20 do not utterly reject prophecies (divinely inspired Word of God), 21 but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good,
22 abstain from every form of evil."

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