(Mark 7:20-23) “And he said, 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.” We as believers need to protect our hearts above all else, for the heart will either lead you into sin or away from it. There is no such thing as a sin gene! Man is no more predisposed to be a thief than he is to be an adulterer or homosexual. Sin is always a choice and never does God say in His Word that it’s natures fault. (Pr. 4:23) says: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” 1) The Heart is part of our Human Nature. So, it needs to be given over to Christ, controlled by the Holy Spirit, and fed God’s Word, or it will produce the above sins on its own. The heart is not naturally good, but rather evil by nature. (Jer 17:9) “ The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”2) The mind controls the heart. (Rom. 8:7) “the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Therefore, if our mind is given over to worldly things so will our heart be. That’s why we must renew our minds daily and keep our hearts clean through God’s Word. 3) A clean heart and mind is your choice. (Phil. 4:7) “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. If you decide to fill your mind and heart with sinful things, don’t be surprised when sin becomes a part of our actions. So, What’s in your heart these days?
“Matt. 6:13) “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” The above verse is the ending words of Jesus’s example on of how to pray. In the Lord’s prayer we are first taught to honor and glorify the Father and His Holy Name or (His Person). Then we are commanded to seek His will or (His Purpose) in life. After which, Jesus taught us to (Petition) him for our needs or “ daily bread,” as well as “forgiveness” and “deliverance from evil” when tested, but there is also another aspect of this prayer that most people miss; and that is (His Praise). You see the temptation to do sin or “evil” is as much a part of our daily life as breathing. We are tempted daily to lust, lie, steal, gossip, cheat, become jealous, hate, etc., so we need not just the forgiveness of God, but also His power in faith. Brethren, we have someone in heaven who knows the feel of temptation in the flesh, and his name is Jesu
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