Acts 15:9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.

Scripture pulls no punches in Jeremiah 17 verse 9. We are told that the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. As we read on to Jeremiah 17 verse 10, we learn that only God can search the heart and mind and know its true intentions and motives. He alone can reward us for our deeds.

If we are inherently bent towards sin, it stands to reason that we will always need to swim against the tide of our natural inclinations – including our natural inclination to take up idols and swap God out for something else to worship.

In essence, our hearts can be idol factories, churning out the next best thing to worship rather than focusing our adoration on the One who deserves it and can handle it. The more aware we are of our human tendency to stray from God and worship Him alone – in whatever form that may take – the more we can battle against it. When work tries to become our focus, we can catch it before it becomes an idol and redirect our efforts to God and His Kingdom.

When our spouse, child, or loved one becomes our sole reason for living, we can be mindful of our errors and adjust our affections accordingly. There is nothing wrong with working hard or caring deeply for our loved ones, but when they become more important to us than the One who created us, we have an issue. Keep watch over your heart friends, remembering that left to its own devices it can lead us away from the One who loves us the most.

Confronting Self-Deception: Lessons from Jeremiah 17:9.

The heart is deceitful above all things—who can know it? Choose to surrender your heart to Christ. Surrender every area over to Him. Choose to let His Word wash you. Choose to let His Word cleanse you. Choose to let His Word heal you. Choose to let His Word transform you. Choose to let His Word set you free.

Jeremiah‬ ‭17:9‬ ‭AMPC‬‬ declares, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]?” Only Christ knows the inner workings of your heart. Let Christ guide your moral framework. Only He can transform you from the inside out. Only He can heal you and fill every void of your heart.

Let the framework of your heart be shaped by the principles and precepts of His Word. Let your moral character be shaped by the character of God. Let His Word purify you. Let His Word make you complete. Let His Word make you whole.

Jeremiah‬ ‭17:9‬ ‭NLT‬‬ declares, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” A carnal heart is hardened by the cares of this world. A carnal heart is stubborn. A carnal heart is deceitful. A carnal heart holds on to the bondages of the past.

A surrendered heart is molded by God. A surrendered heart yields to God’s Way of doing things. A surrendered heart is soft and pliable. A surrendered heart reflects the Heart of Christ. Choose to reflect the character of Christ, both in private and in public. Choose to reflect His heart in every season. Choose to surrender to Him. Choose to yield to Him. Let Christ lead your heart.

Jeremiah 17:5-11 Those who make God their Hope shall flourish like a tree always green, whose leaf does not wither. They shall be fixed in peace and satisfaction of mind; they shall not be anxious in a year of drought. Those who make God their Hope, have enough in him to make up the want of all creature comforts. They shall not cease from yielding fruit in holiness and good works. Bible Hub