January 12________________________________________
The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.
-Jeremiah 17:9 (NLT)
THE LORD EXAMINES
A poem and essay by ILMA
The human heart can be wicked and misleading
It can conceal what is true about something
The Lord searches all hearts and examines
He knows exactly what caused us to sin.
Be careful what your heart desires
It can keep you longing and be on fire
The Lord examines motives and intentions
Make sure that it is free from deception.
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According to the bible, the human heart can be deceptive and wicked. If we can only be honest in looking closely into our hearts, we can admit that it is evil. What usually comes out of our mouth knowingly or unknowingly is what is in our hearts (Matthew 15:18-20 paraphrased). Mark 7:21 says: For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery. This is why the Lord examines our hearts. That is the reason for God warning us to guard our hearts and our tongues because they are naturally wicked. They can only be supernaturally pure when we allow God to work in our hearts. The Lord rewards according to what our actions deserve.
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PRAYER
Lord, give me wisdom to guard my heart from wickedness.
REFLECTION
What happens to us when our hearts are full of unconfessed sins?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com