THE HEART IS
DESPERATELY WICKED
The heart is deceitful & desperately wicked
Prov 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
Prov 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Prov 28:26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
Eccl 11:9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
Prov 3:5-7 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
*****Thus, the Bible clearly states that man generally does what he thinks is right, trusting in his own heart to guide him. God will hold each one accountable for every so called “right” thing that man has done. We shouldn’t rely on our own understanding, but rather consider ourselves fools, and with fear look unto the Lord for direction.
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Matt 15:17-20 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
Eccl 9:3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
Gen 6:5 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.
Jer 16:12 And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:
Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
*****The heart is the root of our problems with wickedness. This evil eventually comes out and shows itself from within. Mankind is generally full of evil all the days of their lives and then they die. Their thoughts are continually evil before the Lord. They don’t want to listen to any authority figure but just do that which pleases themselves. Their evil heart usually keeps them from ever coming to belief in the living God, Jesus Christ.
*****Everyone thinks that they are basically a “good” person. They won’t believe for a second that they are actually a very wicked person. It is not “natural” to. They have “deceived” themselves into thinking all this. We are not just talking about the lost here, but also the Christian. The Christian has a new nature, but also retains the old. Jeremiah 17:9 explains the horrible state of affairs for man’s heart.
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
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DESPERATELY WICKED:
***You are much worse than you would or could ever imagine.
***You are not just a little wicked; you are desperately wicked!
***It is so wicked that you should be in a state of “desperation”!
***It is constantly bent on doing evil.
***We are desperate because we are without hope for resolving the breach that this wickedness has brought between God and us. God knew we are without hope and decided to give us hope anyways.
Social norms, civil laws, personal expectations help keep it somewhat governed and tamed; but without these check points it would cause you to run wild. God and His Word is the ultimate checkpoint.
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DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS:
You can not “know” your heart or self; you will be self deceived if you try to. Most Christians and lost people are the same, in that they will trust their own heart on whether or not something is right or wrong. Many will say “I think that abortion is ok”; or “I think that you don’t have to go to church, just as long as you love God…He understands”; or “I think it’s wrong to expect people to give so much of their money and time to church”, etc.
***You have deceived yourselves into thinking that you are doing pretty good; and that God is content with you right where you are, so just sit back and relax and get all the gusto out of life that you can.
It deceives you in thinking you understand yourself well; promotes little introspection; just wants to be happy. It doesn’t want you to evaluate and critique yourself, but just accept yourself the way you are and get on with life. Party on!
***Its goal is elevation of itself. It has no time for anything that doesn’t satisfy it. Look at society around us…it is soley focused on one key thing, that is self-gratification.
***There is nothing more deceitful around. This verse declares this very plainly. Why do you trust it so?
***It has deceived generation after generation with this pursuit of happiness. Each generation gets worse and worse. Today, there is more than ever before to try to satisfy you. It has made the Bible to be considered as ridiculous, and made what man thinks as the standard.
*****The Bible is clear about our state of desperation. We are not to trust our heart but put all our trust in the Lord and His Word. You need to admit that you are wicked and you don’t have the answers…that you indeed need help and guidance. The only one who can help you is God, and He does this thru the truth of His Holy Word, and this is proclaimed every Lord’s Day and Wednesday here at this church meeting place. Stop trusting yourself and instead put your trust in God via His Word, the Bible. Your heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked!!!!
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