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.
Here are examples of stones that resist God: (1) love of money; (2) sin; (3) peer pressure; (4) loved ones when they keep you from following Christ; (5) work when it makes us busy from worshipping God; (6) comfort when it makes us forget God; (7) ourselves when we do not acknowledge God.
The most dangerous part of it is that a “heart of stone” becomes Satan’s throne.
Do we still wholly love, fear and obey God? Or do we love and obey God sometimes; lesser and lesser each time remembering him only when we are sick, in trouble and having problems? Or do we not love, fear and obey God at all? How about our relatives, family members, friends, spouses and children?
New heart and spirit
Whatever is the condition of our hearts, there is hope in Christ Jesus! In our verse, he will give us a new heart and a new spirit. He will take away the “heart of stone” and replace it with a heart of flesh.
A “heart of stone” cannot be transformed into a heart of flesh by human means. Every human effort at spiritual regeneration will fail. We can make various resolutions; have the power of positive thinking; training programs; and books. It will still be more difficult to find motivation to live a Christian life. Only the Holy Spirit can do it.
God will not repair our hearts and spirit because they are beyond repair! Ezekiel 36:26 says he will give a new heart and spirit! When we repair our house or something, the old parts are still there. God doesn’t want that. He wants a total make-over – a new heart and spirit. Brand new! Man may reform himself but only God can give a new heart.
When the physical heart is decayed and ill, a heart transplant is needed. The same is true with our life, when the spiritual heart is sinful and dead as stone, we need a new one. This new heart and spirit are free. Jesus Christ paid for it on the cross. Paid in full my friends. There is no shortage also.
Rick Warren, author of the Purpose Driven Life, says “God can create something from nothing. He can take a heart that is broken, impure or failed and turn it into a heart that is whole, pure and purposeful. God wants to see you pure, so he takes an active role in creating your new heart and bring order to the chaos of your life.”
A fleshy heart is (1) sensitive to the fear of God; (2) afraid of “white lies” and “little” sins; (3) sensitive to divine love; (4) obedient to the will of God; (5) worships God; and (6) the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.
With these new heart and spirit, we can (1) live better lives; (2) make better decisions; (3) select better friends, husband or wife; (4) receive abundant blessings; (5) mature relationship with God; (6) live a principled, purpose-driven life; and (6) have eternal life.
Some people would say that they are sinful beyond hope of salvation. This is not true. Know this: no matter how dark or sinful heart is, God can change a person by giving him a new heart and spirit. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come.”
God is ready to give us a new heart and spirit. Are we ready to receive it? Until we desire and receive these new heart and spirit which result from the acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, we could never have a life that God intended us to have. We will always have new year resolutions that fail. We will always be unfulfilled, confused and frustrated in life. Let us be like King David who prayed “Create in me a clean heart oh God and renew a right spirit within me.”
Holy Spirit in a new heart
Once we have a new heart and spirit, God will put the Holy Spirit in us to move us to follow his decrees and careful to keep his laws. The changing of our hearts comes first before the Holy Spirit dwells in it. Not the other way around. We can make resolutions to follow God, but such will still fail without the Holy Spirit. Temptations abound, but with the Holy Spirit in us, he will help us to overcome it.
Conclusion
What is the condition of our hearts? Is it a flesh, stone or stony? We need a new heart. Pray for a new heart and spirit. This will make the true difference. It is our identity in Christ.
Is it painful to have a new heart? Could be…especially when letting go of our pride. It takes humility to receive a new heart and spirit. But the joy and eternal life it brings surpasses any pain or humiliation.
While there is no shortage for new hearts, we do not control time. We do not know what tomorrow holds for us. Get it now while we can. Tomorrow might be too late.
Philippians 4:8 says “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Desiring a new heart is one of such things. This is precious in God’s sight.
PRAYER: Father, I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ died for me and you raised him from the dead for me. I accept him as my Lord and Saviour. I ask and accept a new heart and spirit in Christ Jesus. I accept your Holy Spirit into my heart, to move and lead me toward a new life of love from now on and beyond. I claim and receive it in Jesus’ name… Amen.
