The Most Effective Heart Surgery

The Heart Defined: The heart is the center of human thoughts and emotions, the most important part of the body. Even though it is a strong muscle, it can become sick if not properly cared for. Medical statistics from all over the world show that a lot of people die daily from heart-related problems. The heart, as the center of both good and evil imaginations, is not only prone to physical ailments but also to spiritual ones. It all began in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve disobeyed God's commandment which carried a death sentence: ''Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die'' (Gen. 2:17 NKJV). As a result of this sin of disobedience, man became carnal, selfish, wicked and spiritually dead. David, the king and psalmist of the Old Testament, unlike many today, knew exactly where man's problem in relating effectively with his Creator lies. He knew that ''the carnal mind is enmity against God'' and thus cannot please Him (Rom. 8:6-8). He also knew that only God can purify the heart of man, and therefore cried, ''Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me'' (Ps. 51:10).

Hypocrisy Exposed: God the curator of every human, and therefore the one who knows him best said, ''The heart (of man) is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?'' (Jer 17:9). Since the Fall man's heart has been spiritually sick and defiled, with an in-built tendency to sin: ''For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication, thefts, false witness, blasphemies'' (Mt. 15:19). Proverbs 30:12 says, ''There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness.'' Often people claim to be born again after hearing God's salvation message. But unfortunately there is no sign of change in their lives. Yet 2 Corinthians 5:17 states,"If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new.'' Does God lie? Of course not! The truth is that such people have never surrendered their hearts to God. They confessed with their mouths while their hearts were still unwilling to follow Him. Human beings are full of deception. But no man on earth can deceive God. His Word says, ''Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows that he will also reap'' (Gàl. 6:7). God Himself says," I , the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings'' (Jer. 17:10).

The Surgery Prescribed: The solution to man's problem is not found in self-righteousness, religion or denominational affiliation: ''Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit'' (Ti.3:5). The solution to man's problem is found in the Word which tells us ''there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus'' (1 Tim. 2:5). Lord Jesus Christ, the Great Physician, wishes to perform a surgical operation on your heart. If you believe Him and confess your sins now, with desire in your heart to forsake them, He will forgive, purge and cleanse you with His blood (Prov.28:13 1 Jn. 1:7-9). He promised, I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness . . . I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh, and l will give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you'' (Ez. 36:25-27). Only then can you really be saved and worship in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:24). If you realize like David, that something is lacking within you, God will bless you as you let HIM operate and give you a new heart. Amen!