An Evil Heart.

Hebrews 3:12

” Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an EVIL (póneros) heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; ”

What does Paul mean by “an evil heart?”  That’s a fair question. 🤔

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If someone were to ask you to define evil, you’d probably answer, “something bad,” right?  That’d be the first thing to come to my mind probably because that’s what we been taught all our lives. However…..if that is your sole understanding of the word, and you came across this verse in Hebrews 3:12, you would most likely misunderstand, as did I at one time, what God is saying here.

So, the question is, how does God’s word define it? 

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Illuminating Definition.

Every time you see the word, “evil,” being discussed in the New Testament it is always this Greek word, “Póneros.” It could be an evil man, an evil conscience;” evil this, evil that, etc.   Let’s look up the definition and see what it says.

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Thayer’s defines “Póneros” as meaning, “bad” secondary. The primary meaning of the word is as follows:
1. Full of labors, annoyances, hardships. a) pressed and harassed by labors.
2. Bad, of a bad nature or condition.

When God says, “Don’t have an evil heart,” He means He does NOT want us to “be full of WORRIES, CARES and CONCERNS, minds swirling with anxieties.”  

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Forms Of Work.

Did you know that even spiritual things, like like prayer for instance, can be turned into a form of work.  How so?  When you are pleading and, especially, begging over and over again, “Oh God, oh God, help me! Please deliver me! Don’t let me go!  Remember your servant…….” When you pray like that, you’re acting as if God were distant.

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Remember what He said? That He would NEVER leave you or forsake you.  But when you go on and on and on, it becomes all about you and how hard you are praying. You’re acting as if your long-winded sweating and straining can convince God to act on your behalf.

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Church, there is no need for that.  Don’t you understand that our Daddy is even more willing to help us than we are to be helped?  Just look at Psalm 91.  He is as close as your breath.  He never told you to beg and plead.  He does, however, tell you to ask and KEEP ON ASKING, seek and KEEP ON SEEKING, knock and KEEP ON KNOCKING, but to remain internally at rest, trusting He will perfectly provide, just like the small child pictured below.

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You Are God’s Beloved.

If you really have a solid understanding of how much you are loved by God, you’ll trust that He not only wants to answer your prayers, HE WILL. Every time that need comes back to your thoughts, you will confidently thank Abba for the answer you KNOW is coming.  Why?

BECAUSE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST.   You stand in the perfection of His Son.  How will Our Father not give us all things because of Jesus?

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Church, Daddy doesn’t want you and I to have a conscience filled with worries and cares, but to be at peace, resting in His love and provision; to be free from AN EVIL HEART! ♥️.