Goodmorning and welcome in everyone. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to share something with you.
Andrew and I have spent many years cutting firewood in the woods. When we moved out here 20 years ago, I didn’t even know how to use a chainsaw. We split most of our wood by hand for many years, always burning wood in our home for heating and for cooking. We have become very accustomed to hauling in large arm loads of wood on a snowy afternoon to prepare for the cold night ahead. Most people who burn wood keep a close eye on the thermometer outside. Occasionally on cold nights, you need to get up to fill the woodstove, reviving the flame back to life once again. If you don’t, the fire can die, and you will slowly feel the cold beginning to creep its way back into the house.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
Our love for God has to be renewed each day. Like putting sticks into our old cook stove, we must keep the embers glowing inside of our hearts. But what happens at a campground when you decide to leave in the morning? You pour water on the fire to put it out completely. This is what sinful living does in our lives. It’s like putting water on a fire that was once glowing inside of us, until it no longer produces heat, and the flames slowly extinguish. In the church we are called to be tender hearted, walking in love towards God and each other, but when people get involved with sin, the harder the heart becomes. What was once loving and kind becomes hateful and mean. What was once filled with warmth and forgiveness, turns cold and bitter. What was once soft and pliable becomes hardened through the deceitfulness of living in sin.
Hebrews 3:12-13 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Departing from the living God has to do with a state of impenitance in a person’s heart. It’s a state of non-reconciliation with God or others that you have wronged. It happens because of a refusal to accept the truth for sinful actions, and they slowly start to believe a lie instead. When someone is impenitent, they have no feelings of genuine remorse, resulting in so much pride that they begin to boast about their sinful behavior openly. They really don’t regret or even care about what they have done. Because of this, they don’t feel apologetic enough in their heart, to recover themselves from the error of their way. Even though people are aware that they are living outside the parameters of the teachings of Christ, their heart becomes hardened, refusing to express any sorrow or regret. They just don’t care.
In this state, it causes a refusal to confess fault, and admit sin. God is ready and waiting to forgive us, but impenitence prevents a person from receiving that grace. This is why if we make a mistake towards God or others, we need to admit fault quickly, because the longer time goes by, the harder the heart becomes, eventually becoming impenetrable to the truth.
Romans 2:5-10 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
Impenitence is like building a brick wall around your heart. The further you delve into sin, the higher and thicker it becomes. Instead of believing the truth, you begin to be deceived, accepting and believing the lies of the devil. The more lies you believe, the higher that wall becomes. God is on the outside waiting to show us mercy, so that we can be reconciled with him once again, but the refusal to be penitent and contrite, prevents the healing from Gods grace.
Psalms 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Psalms 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
The humble publican was filled with contrition, and confessed His faults, while the Pharisee was so filled with religious pride, that he wouldn’t admit his own.
Luke 18:9-14 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
God revives those who humbly recognize the error of their way, admitting the truth before Him, and fearing Him and His Word.
Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
The more sin that one gets involved with will only result in the heart becoming colder. Instead of producing love, it produces hatred. It causes betrayal, not only to the will of God, but others who care for the redemption of your soul.
Matthew 24:10-12 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
What people have to do in the church is break down that wall of impenitance, and recognize there own sinfulness. The wall of pride must be knocked down through humility, confessing faults to God and others so reconciliation can take place. Dont allow your heart to become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Don’t allow the warmth of the truth of God’s Word to grow cold in your heart. All you need to do is to humbly put some more…..
…… Sticks in the Stove.
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
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