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 give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26
From our hearts comes our response to God. Apart from the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit, our hearts are extremely deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). David prayed that God would cleanse him from the ravages of his sin and purify his heart (Ps. 51:10). God’s greatest desire is that His people love Him with all their hearts (Deut. 6:5). Jesus said we are blessed if our hearts are pure (Matt. 5:8).
Sin hardens the heart (Matt. 13:4, 19). The more sin we allow to pass over our hearts and through our lives, the more resistant we become to a word from God. The sin of unforgiveness stiffens our hearts. We cannot continue to resist the prompting of the Holy Spirit without becoming hardened against Him. Exposing ourselves to evil and ungodly influences desensitizes us to God and His word. Over time, our hearts become like stone, unreceptive to a fresh word from God. We become anesthetized to sin.
Has your heart grown hard toward God? Do you feel as though nothing could soften it? God has a solution. He will separate you from the influences that are destroying you (Ezek. 36:24). He will cleanse you from all filthiness and remove everything that has taken His place in your affections (Ezek. 36:25). He will remove your heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh, tender toward Him and His word. If your love for God is not what it should be, ask Him to renew your heart and restore your devotion to Him.
5 Comments
Jim
September 15
Mr. Blackaby knows the word of God so well. And God placed him in my life to help lead me and my family. When one of my grown sons was not doing too well, he went to look for a modest Christmas present for me at a book store. The store had a table of free books. My son picked up the book EXPERIENCING GOD. What a difference Mr. Blackaby’s testamony has made in my family’s lives. Today’s message is a prime example of his sound teaching!
Theresa Hardman
September 15
To Jim who posted today:
Thank you for your testimony.
It is an excellent picture of what our God can do.
An encouragement to my spirit that I needed.
TH
Kenneth
September 15
Amen
Eliz Lim
September 17
Thank You Lord for the beautiful devotional message today. Thank You for reminding how sinful am I in Your sight, a sinner saved by grace. Please continue to cleanse me and purify, help me to walk according to Your will, in Jesus Name. Amen! Amen
JVC
September 15
🎶 My God is an awesome God; He reigns from heaven above, with wisdom, power, and love; My God is an awesome God. 🎶
AMEN, AMEN, and AMEN!!! 🙏🏼🤲🏼
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