God Can Change Your Heart

“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 17:9‭-‬10 NLT

This morning, after reading the Bible and praying, I asked the Lord what He was calling me to do. He said I was to give a word. I asked Him who the word was for. He said, “Everyone.”

I asked Him what the word was. He said, “Repent.”

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 4:17 NKJV

To repent means to change the way you think and act. It means to stop doing what you’re doing and go in the opposite direction. It’s an about face. It means turning 180° from living a self-willed life of sin and disobedience and turning back to God and living a life of humble submission to the Spirit of God.

Let God be your Master. Let God be your Teacher. Let God be your Lord. How do you do that? By humbling yourself, confessing your sin and praying to God that He would lead you and guide you.

Faith is not a religion. Faith is believing in God and entering into an eternal relationship with the Creator of everything. God is real. God is all-powerful. Nothing is impossible for God, even changing human hearts from stone cold to on fire for Him.

There was a time when I didn’t believe in God. I was raised in secular materialism. Life was about stuff. The trouble is, stuff doesn’t satisfy the needs of our soul. It only distracts us and keeps us stuck in our misery. If secular materialism is the defacto state religion of our nation can we examine the fruit of our ways and see there is something woefully lacking?

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, the solution to all of our problems is repenting of our sin and living a life of obedience to God’s Word. We can’t fix this world. It’s only temporary anyways. Everything you see will disappear. So what truly matters? The condition of our souls.

Souls are what matters. Stuff does not matter. Souls are eternal. Stuff is temporary. When our values are out of line with what God values, we will experience discomfort at the very least.

I’ve repented. If I can do it, anyone can. I was once a horribly lost sinner with no hope. Then, God got a hold of my heart. He has, and continues, to transform me. My values have changed. My thoughts have changed. My actions have changed.

I’m constantly amazed at how faithful, patient, merciful and kind the Lord is. He rescues sinners when they least deserve it. His heart is always to save. He doesn’t want anyone to perish. He wants to give everlasting life to everyone. Life is only found in Jesus. He is eternal life.

“Come to Me and live,” He says.

God can change your heart. He can do the impossible. You just have to be ready and willing to accept His help. We cannot make ourselves righteous. Only by believing in Jesus and receiving the Holy Spirit can God effectively work in our lives.

Living a holy life is mostly about getting out of God’s way. Quit trying to be in control. Surrender to God. Truly let Him be Lord of your life. Then, you will experience true freedom from sin. Learning to obey God isn’t pleasant to our flesh and its desires, but true joy is only found in God’s presence.

Lord God, I want to know You. I want to obey You. I want to live my life for You. Change my heart, O God. Take away everything that is not of You. Change my heart. Renew my mind. Heal my body. Deliver my soul from the oppressor. Give me newness of life. Fill me with Your Spirit. Lead me in the way everlasting. For Your glory. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.