Deceitful heart

Today I read Jeremiah 17:8-20:5 and 2 Timothy 2:16-3:10. My favorite verses are:

Jeremiah 17:9-10 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

2 Timothy 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

It is sometimes difficult to recognize the voice of God when Satan is working so hard to draw our attention to himself. If we rely on our own strength and our own knowledge, we may be taken captive by the devil; he is very good at deceiving mankind. God searches our hearts which tend to wickedness to decide whether we are seeking Him and His will. If we are not actively seeking God, He may allow us to bear the fruit of our disobedience. Being a Christian is not the easy way of life; it is the best and most rewarding way of life, but it requires us to be constantly on the alert for Satan’s traps. Safety comes when we draw near to God and let him live in our hearts. He can drive the wickedness out and take up residence in its place.