Weekly Memory Verse

Wow!! It's hard to believe that it's Monday again already!! How did everyone do with last week's verse? I had a lot going on last week and I'll be honest--I really didn't spend a lot of time memorizing this verse. So, here we go--let's see how I did:

The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick, who can understand it?.....Jeremiah 17:9 (NASB)

Well, not too bad--just missed that one punctuation mark!!

When I read this verse, I knew I was going to have to look a little further into it. What is this trying to tell me? So, I read a few verses before and a few verses after our particular memory verse.

This is what the LORD says:


"Cursed are those who trust in mortals,
who depend on flesh for their strength
and whose hearts turn away from the
LORD.

They will be like a bush in the wastelands;
they will not see prosperity when it comes,
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
in a salt land where no one lives.

But blessed are those who trust in the LORD,
whose confidence is in Him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit."

The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?

"I the LORD will search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward everyone according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve."

Jeremiah 17: 5-10 (NIV)

Hmmm....As I'm looking and studying this verse (along with the added verses), I'm coming to the conclusion that the problem is in our hearts--our very own hearts which can deceive us. We can easily deceive ourselves that "everyone sins--everyone does this or that and doesn't get caught--so shouldn't I? Can't I?"

The first few verses state what our lives will be like without the love and law of God in our lives--cursed, not prospering, lonely, joyless and hopeless.

But when we place our hopes and trust in the LORD what happens? We flourish, we are blessed, we give our worries and fears to God. He will see that we bear fruit in our lives.

Our hearts are sinful in nature, even before our birth. No wonder Jesus says we need to be reborn!

Jesus says "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'" (John 3:6-7) Without Jesus our hearts are not just sinfully diseased, they are not even beating -- they are spiritually dead.

The LORD is looking at our hearts--searching them. He is examining our minds--He knows our very thoughts. And someday, we each will answer to Him for our lives here on this earth.

Where am I placing my trust and hopes?

What have I done with what the LORD has given me? Will I hear "Well done, good and faithful servant?"

Now, we'll move on to next week's verse which will be the King of Diamonds:

Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.....Psalm 119:11 (NASB)

We're using Mr. Linky, so if you're participating (and I hope your are!), please remember to post and link up!!

Looking forward to seeing how everyone did with last week's verse!

Beth