A Heart Issue

Ezekiel‬ ‭36:26-27‬ ‭- 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. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

I say this a lot! Coming to Christ is not about anything we can do. Our works, the Bible says, are as filthy rags. Our church or denomination can do no more than point us in the right direction. It is purely something that takes place between you and God by the absolute power of God. He initiates it.
You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. (John‬ ‭15:16‬)

It’s a heart issue He deals with. He changes them to turn to Him and receive Him. He then is able to  teach the truth.His power to do this is amazing. Thinking about Jesus’ ministry, His preaching touched some people’s hearts. Then again those religious leaders who knew the laws of the Old Testament would not be changed. They could not humble their hearts to the truth that Jesus preached. So stubbornness can linger in some and prevent God from doing a better thing in those lives.

I was doing a Bible study recently and two things I was reading and something posted on Facebook that morning were all on the same subject...the change of heart by God. It has little to do with us but a lot to do with God.

• ...His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue... (2Peter‬ ‭1:3‬)  
• This power is not given us apart from Christ, but it is in the knowledge of Christ, in our union with Christ, in our communion with him…that we have these privileges and blessings secured to us. - Hudson Taylor
• On Facebook:  https://youtu.be/38yMUYoX38w    (an excellent video)

The Lord your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love Him with all your heart and soul and so you may live! (Deuteronomy‬ ‭30:6‬)

If this all sounds uncomfortable, giving your heart over to Him to change that you would follow Him, know this: sometimes we can fight against this all we want, but sometimes He can break through even a stubborn heart. He did that with me in a split second and I knew without a doubt it was Him because I was resisting terribly until that moment. He did that with the Apostle Paul on the road to Damascus.

Many suggest that leniency for illegals or stricter gun control or a pro-choice option will help change situations. Some causes definitely are good but the root of evil will always be a heart issue and is one which we all have to start out with in life. But Jesus came to change all that. He came to allow us to be born again...it starts with a change of heart to receive Him in the most intimate (not sexual but spiritual) way. We might think we know Him but many really do not because their heart has not changed. Some don’t want to change. I get it. But I’m certainly glad mine was because I can be assured of a life after this physical life is over.

Let me ask this question: Are you absolutely sure you will go to heaven? Remember, you have to remove those works that are as filthy rags from the equation. And if what Romans 3:23 says is true, that all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory, what is left? Think about it.

Psalm‬ ‭51:16-17‬ ‭- For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise.

Oh the Questions

John ‭6‬:‭25-40 - And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?” Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” ‬

Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” 

Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 

Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” 

All these questions!

When did You come here?
What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?
What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? 
What work will You do? 

Jesus' answer: Do not labor for that which does not satisfy but only believe in Me, the bread of life.

How many times has He approached you and you did not notice? How many times have you thought you needed to be a better person before seeking Him? (Pride) Or how often do you consider all your good works will get you to heaven? (Pride) What sign do you need from Him before you will believe?

The sign He performed was His work done at the cross. All He asks is that we humble ourselves and believe in Him from the very depth of our souls. Yet it's our pride that tends to get in the way.

If He was willing to come down from heaven to us, to die for us, shouldn't we be willing to bow before Him?

Here's another chance to see Him and believe. Read His words above again. They are life. They satisfy. Nothing else will. If you can't believe me, believe Him.

Romans ‭4‬:‭2,4-5 - For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness...‬

Believe, Pride, Works, The Cross, Bread of Life, Humble Yourself