Do you have a stony heart or a heart of flesh?
According to the Bible, the heart is the center not only of spiritual activity; the heart is also the seat of the conscience. Ro 2: 15 Unfortunately the heart of fallen man is naturally wicked (see Ge 8:21 Ep 2:3) and hence it contaminates the whole life and character. Many people dare to speak evil of God and try to blame their own evil nature on God. They ask, “if God didn’t want us this way why did he create us this way?” The word of God says, “Lo, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.” Ecc 7:29 Our Heavenly Father only created one man and one woman and he created them in his own image. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Gen 1:27 All the rest of us are children of the fallen (disobedient) Adam and Eve and we have taken on their sinful nature and image. Ef 2: 2,3
Adam and Eve thought they would become wise knowing good and evil but their foolish heart was darkened. They failed to trust in God because they were not thankful. This made the lie more convincing to them. “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Gen 3: 4,5 They believed the lie and the opening of their eyes to evil brought darkness into their hearts. Satan who is an angel of light brought Satanic revelation that ushered man into eternal darkness.
The knowledge of good and evil captured the heart of man, because not only does he know good and evil, he loves them both. One day he wants to do good and the next he wants to do evil. The desires of the heart is the force that compels man to do what the heart desires, even if he knows that he should not do what his heart demands. He will do it even against his better judgment. Paul said; “ For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. Ro 7: 14,15 Sin is deeply rooted in the heart of mankind and only a miracle from the Creator can change it.
Many have a wise and understanding heart but not necessarily a pure or righteous heart. Not a new heart. In the book of Ezekiel we read about our Lord speaking to the rebellious house of Israel. “ I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 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 a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. Ez 36:21-27
A mans life will be lived out according to the dictates of his heart. He
cannot attain unto a higher level of righteousness than what is in his
heart. Jesus ask; “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil,
speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth
speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth
forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth
forth evil things.” Ma 12: 34,35
History continues to repeat itself for today not only has the nation of
Israel fallen away from God but also the Church of our Lord
Jesus. The Church claims to have a better understanding of the
salvation of God, but many of her members has profaned the holy
name of God through out the world. They gain some wisdom and
understanding then they set out on their own to convince others
what they themselves have no ability to do.
King Solomon was made King when he was young. When he
was asked of God what he would like, he prayed;
“Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy
people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to
judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord,
that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because
thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life;
neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine
enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern
judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have
given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there
was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like
unto thee.” 1 Ki. 3:9-2 Our heavenly father was pleased with
Solomon and blessed him more than all the other Kings before him or
after him. He became very famous for his wisdom. It seems that if a
man is given that much wisdom that all things would end well for him
but not so. Lets look at what happened in his later years.
“But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the
daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites,
Zidonians, and Hittites; Of the nations concerning which the LORD
said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither
shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart
after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven
hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his
wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was
old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his
heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of
David his Father. 1 Ki.3: 1-4
One might think maybe he didn’t understand so much after all. Oh no
he understood clearly. Solomon was very wise indeed; he wrote with
the anointing of the Holy Spirit; “ Keep thy heart with all diligence;
for out of it are the issues of life.” Pr. 4:23 He also knew that it was
only God who could accomplish the keeping of the heart. He wrote;
“The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue,
is from the LORD. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes;
but the LORD weigheth the spirits. Commit thy works unto the LORD,
and thy thoughts shall be established.” Pr. 16:1
He failed to commit his works unto the Lord. What can be the reason
that he failed? We read the answer in 1 Ki. 3:4 “and his heart was
not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his
Father.” 1 Ki.3: 1-4 His heart was not perfect in love with the Lord
his God. Remember, he loved many strange women. He had plenty
of knowledge but His heart was not after God he had lost his first
love.
All believers must learn how frail we are and how our own hearts will
deceive us. Our Heavenly Father spoke through Jeremiah;
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who
can know it? 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.” Jer.17:9,10
We should never trust in ourselves and when we sin, lets pray that
we can be humble and see that we need to call upon our Creator, not
just for forgiveness but for a heart renewal.
King David gave us a good example of true repentance and humility
after he had sinned with Bathsheba. He prayed: “ Create in me a
clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not
away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy
free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall
be converted unto thee.” Ps.51: 10-13
