Living the Word

Anita Delene Manthe
Apr 13, 2017
3 min read

Living out your heart sentiments – those concepts and ideals you meditate on will impact your environment. Your heart sentiments will determine your behaviors – how you act and interact in every situation. You cannot hide, you cannot escape the true reality of your heart – the way you think, the way you reason your way through life. You can’t. What is it that determines the way you live? Who and what empowers you to be whom and what you are?

Your relationships will be built and defined through what you value. What are the principles that condition your heart and acclimate you – guide and lead you – in any and every circumstance?

How can you change your conditioning – the thought processes that continue to determine your behaviors? Behavior modification can bring some satisfaction as you learn to mask your heart and present yourself in a different light. Many will be deceived, they may consider you well adapted to your environment. You may even deceive yourself for a season. However, over time your actions will war with the reality of your heart.

To bring about change – deep, abiding change you will need to work on your heart sentiments. On what do your thoughts rest – Truth – Biblical truth, or relative truth? To entrench Scripture on your soul – your heart – memorize the Word of God. Hide it deep in your heart. Meditate on what you memorize. Prayerful apply Truths deeply rested on your soul – let them be the reasons and sentiments that acclimate you. Let them govern and shape you. Let the Word indwell you, live out of it.

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward (Psalm 19:7-11).
Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints (Ephesians 1:18).
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. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules (Ezekiel 36:26-27).
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways (Psalm 119:11-15).
Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24).