The womb in which all evils are generated!

(Charles Simeon)  LISTEN to Audio!  Download Audio

Genesis 6:5, "The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time!"

Jeremiah 17:9, "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?"

Mark 7:21-22, "For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly!"

In the above verses, we see that the heart is the womb in which all evils are generated!

Scripture delves deep into the core of our being, uncovering the hidden recesses of our hearts. It exposes the reality that sin isn't just an external force acting upon us, but a corrupting agent dwelling within us! Our secret thoughts, desires, and intentions are laid bare before God. We cannot hide behind a facade of external morality, while harboring inward corruption.

God notices our thoughts as much as He does our actions—and considers them as characterizing our state before Him. As we think in our hearts, so are we!

In Holy Writ, we learn that God is concerned with the state of our hearts to the highest degree:

1 Samuel 16:17, "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart!"

Psalm 90:8, "You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence!"

Psalm 94:11, "The Lord knows the thoughts of man."

Jeremiah 17:10, "I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives."

Ezekiel 11:5, "I know every thought that comes into your minds!"

1 Corinthians 4:5, "He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts!"

Ecclesiastes 12:14, "God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil!"

In light of this, let us never be content with mere external morality, but earnestly seek the Spirit's inward transformation . . .
  purifying our hearts,
  uprooting the weeds of sin,
  and cultivating the fruits of holiness.

May we surrender our thoughts, desires, and ambitions to God—bowing to His supreme authority in every area of our lives.

As we meditate on the above Scriptures, may they serve as a call to self-examination, and a reminder of our desperate need for God's saving grace to wash away the hidden abominations of our hearts. May our hearts be cleansed, our minds renewed, and our lives transformed by the power of the gospel.

Proverbs 4:23, "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life!"

This wise instruction from King Solomon reminds us that our heart—the seat of our thoughts, emotions, and desires—is the source of all our actions and decisions!

Psalm 139:23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way!"