-World Hepatitis Day
TOPIC: GUIDE THE THOUGHT OF YOUR HEART
Read Mark 2 :1-12
1 And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house.
2 Immediately a many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them.
3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men.
4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,
7 “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?
9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘ Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’?
10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic,
11 “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”
12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
MEMORISE:
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you (Proverbs 23:7)
EXPOSITION
The heart is the seat of emotions, imagination and all forms of reasoning. Apart from its physical function as an organ that pumps blood to all parts of the body through the arteries and the veins, the heart is so essential, and out of it, flows the issues of life. Prevent your heart from any form of heart diseases and hepatitis, as the world commemorates World Hepatitis Day today, because no one can be better than the condition of his heart. It is the control room of our lives, hence the need to take care of it, both health-wise and spiritually (Prov. 4:23).
From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Your action, reaction, inaction, deed, speech and thought are products of your heart. The scribes in today’s dose of the living water had a serious battle in their hearts, which they could not say out, on why would Jesus say your sins are forgiven.
They are a replica of what goes on, in their hearts. They cannot come to terms with the message, teaching and the entire life of Jesus, because their hearts are not right with God, and His works are unreasonable to them. Isn’t this the true state of some of us today? God’s Word and work are senseless and meaningless to so many. Rather than glorifying God for His wonders, they sit back, condemn and castigate anything divine, or spiritual.
To solve the problems of your heart, let your heart, thoughts and emotions be submitted to God. Allow your heart to be circumcised (Deut. 30:6). Allow the Holy Spirit to control your thoughts. Don’t reason like an unbeliever, even when they seem to be doing what is right. Never allow the root of wickedness and bitterness to grow in your heart. Regularly fill your heart with the Word of God. Avoid vain thoughts. You have to train your mind to align with God and His holiness, if you want to succeed with, in, and through God.
PRAYER POINTS
1. O Lord, deliver my heart from the activities and atrocities of Satan, the enemy of my soul, and create a new heart in me.
2. Let Your Word rule my heart, and help me to have Your knowledge in my thoughts, always.
3. Father, deliver our teeming youths from vain thoughts, and circumcise their hearts for Your glory and the betterment of humanity.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY:
Job 16:16 – 19:19; Acts 22:17 – 23:8
HAVE A WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY………….SHALOM