LESSON 21
Writing the Word on Your Heart
God never intended for
us to struggle. There are those who
struggle through their Christian walk, and those who have tapped into something
and just ride the wave.
Eph. 2:1-3 And
you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to
the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the
spirit that now worketh in the children of
disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past
in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind;
and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
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All of us, before we
came to Jesus Christ were controlled and operated by a sinful nature. This nature is contrary to the things of
God. This nature is in us from birth,
but it grows and manifests. The very
nature of our being is created by the situations, circumstances and teachings
that are around us. The belief structure
of the sinful nature forms our habits, actions and the basis from which we
approach everything we hear, see, touch, smell or taste. Our belief structure comes from the culture
and society around us.
We are by-products of
our environments. People that are taught
killing a cow is wrong cannot be talked into killing a cow. If they were to see a cow be
killed everything inside of them would react.
They were trained in their society and culture that there are certain
things that are right and certain things that are wrong.
We do everything we have
done based upon the foundation of beliefs that our whole life is built
upon. Before we come to Jesus, our
belief system is based upon a lie and not upon truth. Our belief system is based upon the cravings
of the carnal nature and not upon the Spirit of God. Those things, that
are deep in our hearts cause us to view everything through the eyes of the
sinful nature and not through the truth of the Word of God.
Prov. 22:6 Train up a child in the way
he should go, And even when he
is old he will not depart from it.
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There are things that we
were taught and grow up with as children that become a part of our nature. We react according to those things whether
they are based upon truth or not.
Many of us were taught
not to talk back to our mother. Even if
we know she is wrong, we do whatever it takes to not talk back to her. What we
have been taught to do, is so ingrained in us, that it
determines how we react.
The very basis of your
belief system (the very things that are written on our heart), will determine
the way you will naturally react. It will
motivate your actions.
Children who have grown up in dysfunctional homes, have
learned to put themselves first. They
have no regard for leadership or authority.
By nature, they rebel against authority because that is the belief
system that they were brought up with.
This generation has no
regard for life. If they get pregnant,
they abort the child. This generation
has been taught that they don't have a lot of value. Thus, they place less value upon others.
People will only place
as much value on another as they feel valued themselves. We see this happening in gangs. They were taught that their life does not
mean anything, so they disregard the lives of others as well.
These belief systems
become written on their hearts. As a
result, they function not by a conscious decision, but rather by nature.
Many of us have
experienced a change in our nature after we have become born-again. It became natural to praise the Lord or speak
the Word. Why? A rewriting of our belief systems is taking place
so that by nature, we begin to do the things we ought to do.
When we were born-again,
we came to God with a belief system that was according to the carnal nature
(opposite to the structures of the
Rom. 12:2 And
be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and
perfect, will of God.
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We are being transformed
from an old carnal nature to a new spiritual nature. That which is in your heart is your actual
nature. Many of us come to God with such
a deep, embedded belief system, that we still tend to do those things that are
contrary to the Word of God.
The older you are, the
deeper embedded your belief system is.
This is why 95% of all people who give their life to Jesus, do it before
the age of 25 (in
God wants to take our
hearts and minds, remove all of our old nature and
write upon our hearts a new belief system.
If the Word of God
becomes written on your heart, you will act according to the Word of God by
nature. God's Word has to become written
on your heart. The Word must move from
the soulish realm into the spiritual (your
heart).
When the
Word of God becomes written upon our hearts it so becomes our nature that we
don’t want to do those things contrary to that Word.
It’s no longer a
situation of wanting to sin, but not doing it, because we know God doesn’t want
us to. It reaches the place were we are
no longer tempted to sin because it is against our nature.
Most of us go through
the first stage of Christianity where we do things that are contrary to God out
of ignorance. Then as we come to Christ
and begin to read the Word, we begin to see those things that we were doing
contrary to God. Now, there is a
conflict between the Word and your desires.
When the Word becomes written on your heart, the desire to do those
things contrary to the Word of God goes away.
In Review:
1. Where
does our belief structure come from?
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2. What
things were you taught growing up that you still hold on to?
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3. Are
they based upon truth or a lie?
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4. When
do people place value on others?
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5. What
is the carnal nature?
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7. What percentage
of those who give their life to Jesus are under the age of 25? _____________
Why?
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