A New Heart

A NEW HEART

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NIV)

Overview of the message

This message is about having a new heart and spirit. Year after year, we make different resolutions, and as our experiences would show us, we fail to keep them. Spiritually, what do we really need to be able to follow God’s will everyday? Our main verse is found in Ezekiel 36:26-27: I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Condition of our hearts

Physically, “heart” for us tends to be one of the following: (1) an organ which pumps blood around the body; (2) feelings of romantic love; and (3) our sentiments, affections and desires.

Spiritually, “heart” is the center of the whole human personality. It includes our thoughts, imagination, desire and wills. The heart wants what it desires (Woody Allen). The prevailing desires of our hearts will govern the direction of our life. Thus, it is important to know the condition of our hearts before we enter 2014.

King Solomon, in Proverbs 4:23, advises us to “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” If our heart is unclean, it will bear unclean fruits. If our heart is right and good, it will bear right and good fruits that glorify God. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). The condition of our hearts determines the kind of life we live.

Jeremiah 17:9 says that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Mark 7:21-22 also says “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.” A crooked heart is an abomination to the Lord (Proverbs 11:20)

Heart of stone

What is the condition of your heart? Is it still obedient and fearful of God? Check it now; you know it best. If we continue to neglect the sinful condition of our hearts; if we continue to disregard the convictions of the Holy Spirit to depart from our evil ways; if we continue to sin or disobey God, it would not be too long to become a heart of stone or stony.

Who had gone into a cave? There are stalagmites and stalactites. Stalagmites are formed by water droplets that have leaked down through the cave cracks. The minerals solidify and make stalagmites over time. The same is true with sin in our hearts. Sin can turn our hearts into a stone or a stony one.

There are different kinds of stones. There are diamonds, rubies, granite and sapphires. These are precious stones and we like to have them. However, when it comes to the “heart” whether it is a precious or ordinary stone, the same is displeasing and unacceptable to God.

A “heart of stone” has no spiritual life in it. It does not love, think nor desire a God centered life or direction. It cannot breathe; move; and grow. It is dead! We often say that a person has a “heart of stone” because he is unkind, harsh, unloving and without compassion.

A “heart of stone” means more than that. A “heart of stone” does not only mean a person who is unkind, unmoved by circumstances or a callous person. Instead, it means a heart that is unmoved by God himself and his words. A “heart of stone” cannot incline itself to love God and keep his commandments. No matter how great the grace and goodness of God each day are, a “heart of stone” remains unresponsive; unrepentant; cold; senseless; ungrateful; and unbelieving. This is why God was angry at the Israelites because despite his presence, provisions and miracles, they still had a “heart of stone.” Even us, we are frustrated with people with a hard heart. How much more God who deserves our praise and worship.

Someone with a “heart of stone” could show great kindness to people, family and friends. It can love many excellent and praiseworthy things; it can appreciate sermons or hymns; it can love and highly esteem Christian people. But spiritually, it has no life and does not love God.

It could be that our hearts are not yet solid stones. It could be stony only with some flesh left. This is as abominable as a “heart of stone” is. Remember the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:5-6 which says: “Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had nor root, they withered away.” A stony heart is likewise hopeless; it is not in a better position.