August 31, 2005 – SET IN STONE
God wrote the 10 commandments on stone to signify their lasting importance. Many today are setting their hearts in stone so that they cannot be pierced by God’s Spirit of truth.
The subject “set in stone” was laid on my heart by God over one week ago. Since then I have studied and prayed over it. I know that in myself I cannot give an in-depth spiritual message on this subject (or any other) apart from the gifting of the Holy Spirit. I now rest in God alone for His anointing and truth.
This message is probably one of the most important subjects the Lord has placed on my heart. As you and I look around us, we see the hardness of man’s heart as he freely and fearlessly sins against God. Hebrews 3:13 but encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. A heart hardened by sin, results in a “hardness of heart” that causes a person to be “God resistant.” Romans 2:5 but because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.
The heart is central to a person; we speak and act from our hearts. Nearly all Bible references to the heart speak of some aspect of human personality. All emotions are experienced by the heart: love and hate, joy and sorrow, peace and bitterness, and courage and fear. Proverbs 4:23 above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Matthew 15:18 but the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ 19 for out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. Imagine what happens when our heart begins to be hardened by sin. Many years ago, I seriously contemplated divorcing my husband because I felt his behavior warranted it. I prayed, and knew that it would not be God’s highest and best for my life. Instead, I asked God to heal and restore my marriage, which He did. I have thanked God repeatedly, and rejoiced that I did not file for divorce out of anger. God is faithful and I praise His goodness and mercy. In the eyes of the world I had every right to divorce my husband, but I knew God did not give me the right to take matters into my own hands. I would have lost many blessings had I not bowed to God’s will. My children would have also suffered as a result of my sin. The rule for marriage should be: “God can fix it, don’t throw it away.” Make prayer the balm for your soul as you wait for God to “fix it.” Our God calms the troubled waters, creates something out of nothing, can make all things beautiful, and brings good out of evil.
There are many issues to address, and the one that distresses me greatly is that there is no restraint on sin in the world today – our culture condones everything! People sin without fear of the detrimental effects it will have upon their souls and their testimony. We reap what we sow! We can lose God’s highest and best in our lives through disobedience. When we do not recognize God’s right to invoke His laws upon us and refuse to listen when He speaks to us, our heart is hardened and we stubbornly rebel against God’s will. The television inoculates our children against righteousness. Parents often do not take a stand because they excuse themselves by saying everybody does it or allows it. Even as Christians, we are not always a hedge against sin and sometimes allow it into our lives. We are not standing for truth as we should and as a result, satan has blinded the eyes of our children and the world.
Standing for righteousness glorifies Jesus, capitulation glorifies satan. We should always intercede in prayer for the souls of the lost and ask for a revival of righteousness. God gave us Jesus Christ to free us from sin’s control. Who else but our creator could be our law giver and the righteous judge of all mankind? Romans 14:12 so then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. ~The coming of Christ, Revelations 19:11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called faithful and true. With justice he judges and makes war. 12 his eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 he is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the word of God. 14 the armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” he treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God almighty. 16 on his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and Lord of Lords. It is a certainty that we will not escape the penalty for sin unless we accept God’s son who paid the penalty for us.
We are to live by God’s commandments and we will be judged by Him. You may not think He has the right to judge us because we are given “free will,” but the word of truth and the Spirit testify to the fact that we will be judged as to whether our names are written in the book of life and for every word and action. Hebrews 12:22 but you have come to mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the Spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 see to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?
There are only two paths to take: the one that takes us to heaven or the path that leads to eternal separation from God. You can try to carve out another path by pleading “goodness or ignorance,” but God has decreed, Psalms 53:1 the fool says in his heart, “there is no God.” they are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good. 2 God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. 3 everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. 4 will the evildoers never learn – those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on God? As to ignorance God says: Acts 17:30 in the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 for he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”
Do you want a “blameless” heart or a “stubborn and rebellious heart?” It all depends on whether your heart is totally given to God for “safe-keeping” or you keep your heart all to yourself for your flesh to destroy. Hebrews 12:12 therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. 14 make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be Holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 see to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16 see that no one is sexually immoral, or is Godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 17 afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.
Every child of God is a witness that God is true and His word is “truth.” 1John 5:10 anyone who believes in the son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his son. 11 and this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his son. Therefore, we should proclaim “truth” and stand for “righteousness” at all times. Speak from your heart so that the world can know Him. Romans 5:5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. No wonder God said, Matthew 5:8 blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Don’t let yourself fall victim to sinful ways. Sin is like sugar – you eat a little and the next thing you know you “crave” more. The Bible says a little leaven (i.e. sin) leavens the whole lump. Guard your heart! Remember that the pure in heart are blessed and they shall see God. It is the stubborn and rebellious heart that turns from God. Jeremiah 5:23 but these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away. Sin will set your heart in stone! Give your heart totally to God to be His treasured possession. Mal 3:17 “they will be mine,” says the Lord Almighty, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him.
