TOPIC : HARDNESS OF HEART
TEXT : Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Memory Verse: Romans 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God
FOCUS
Today, we are looking at another enemy of faith and it is, hardness of heart. What does it mean to have a Stony heart? It is a heart that is not responsive to divine instruction, a heart that is hardened, no matter the counsel, it will still go ahead and do that which it desires. When your heart is hardened, you cannot exercise godly faith.
Faith is of God, a stony heart is of the devil and that is why He said; I will give you a heart of flesh, will take away the stony heart that does not allow you to exercise godly faith. God wants us to have a heart of flesh, that feels, that understands, that does not ignore to do right things, a heart that is passionate about the kingdom of God, that loves God. A Stony heart does not like God, does not like light, it likes darkness.
You have to check what type of heart you have. There are so many people, their conscience is dead, even when they are doing evil, they will still be claiming right, when God rebukes them, they don’t respond, they feel it’s their life and will do whatever they like. God does not want us to have such heart, God wants our heart to be soft so that when He corrects us, when He speaks to us, we can carry out divine instructions.
LESSON
Mark 10:5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
The heart of man is desperately wicked, who can know it. Christ understood from the scripture above that, the heart of the people is a stony heart and will not receive the word with joy. No wonder, the Bible says; to the froward I will appear froward and to the just I will appear just. Sometimes, we need to x-ray our heart; the things we do is a pointer to the type of heart that we have. The bible says, a good man out of his good heart, will bring out good fruits but a bad man out of his bad will also bring forth evil thoughts.
So, it is not far fetched. When you see someone who is evil, the heart brings forth bad thoughts but when you see someone who has a good heart, the heart brings good thoughts. God did not create anyone with an evil heart, it is the choices we make that determine the fruits we bear. When you keep entertaining negative thoughts you are likely to get your heart filthy. Your choices and decisions it’s what makes your heart with good or bad.
God wants you to have a good heart. Ask God to purge you, to purify your heart and before your know, your heart will be free and your faith can work. Stay Blessed!
PERSONAL CONFESSION
I receive a heart of flesh as against stony heart.
PRAYER FOCUS
Father deliver me from hardness of heart.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Except your heart is flesh, your faith can never grow.
Nothing grows on a stone, Be wise!
Don’t forget to share with friends and family.