As we are at the end of September and the final devotional for this month I will take the time for a review and summation of all that has gone before concerning our basic theme of ‘Inside/Outside’
At the ‘beginning’ all was pronounced as being ‘good’ and in the Garden of Eden, God with his creation, Adam and Eve, were in full communion and fellowship with their creator. This was to continue and would have but for the interruption. On the ‘inside’ of man Satan created a disturbance, doubt, denial, distrust and disobedience that was to work its way to the ‘outside’ for as a man thinks in his heart, so is He’ Proverbs 23:7 and has been there ever since.
From the ‘inside’ there is adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife, sedition, heresies, envying, murder, drunkenness, raveling, unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, strife, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful, haughty eyes, lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, false witness who pours out lies, a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
From the ‘outside’ there can and should be: ‘things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute and other things which are excellent, fruits of the Holy Spirit which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
God, the creator, desires and is able to accomplish a ‘heart transplant’ so that with a ‘new heart’ and an ‘outside’ manner of life can be the ‘fruit’ of a well cultivated and Spirit controlled life. Ezekiel 36:26-28
26And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.[a] 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
If your heart keeps right,
If your heart keeps right,
There’s a song of gladness in the darkest night.
If your heart keeps right,
If your heart keeps right,
Every cloud will wear a rainbow,
If your heart keeps right.