Compiled By: Lisa K Gonzales
From: The Life Application Study Bible
12 “Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living GOD. 13 You must warn each other every day, as long as it is called “today”, so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against GOD. 14 For if we are faithful to the end, trusting GOD just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. 15 But never forget the warning: ‘Today you must listen to HIS voice. Do not harden your hearts against HIM as Israel did when they rebelled.’” ~ Hebrews 3:12-15
Our hearts turn away from the living GOD when we stubbornly refuse to believe in HIM. If we persist in our unbelief, GOD will eventually leave us alone in our sin. But GOD can give us new hearts, new desires, and new spirits.
22 “Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign LORD – I am bringing you back again but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect MY Holy Name, which you dishonored while you were scattered among the nations. 23 I will show how Holy MY Great Name is – the Name you dishonored among the nations. And when I reveal MY holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign LORD, then the nations will know that I am the LORD. 24 For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new obedient heart. 27 And I will put MY Spirit in you so you will obey MY laws and do whatever I command.’” – Ezekiel 36:22-27 – GOD wanted to protect HIS Holy Name – HIS reputation – among the nations of the world because HE was concerned about the salvation of not only HIS people but also the whole world. To allow HIS people to remain in sin and be permanently destroyed by their enemies would lead other nations to conclude that their pagan gods were more powerful than Israel’s GOD. – “I will rescue you for MY sake – yes, for MY own sake! That way, the pagan nations will not be able to claim that their gods have conquered ME. I will not let them have MY glory!” – Isaiah 48:11 – Therefore, to protect HIS Holy Name, GOD would return a remnant of HIS people to their land. GOD will not share HIS glory with false gods – HE alone is the one true GOD! The people had the responsibility to represent GOD to the rest of the world. Believers today have that same responsibility.
GOD promised to restore Israel not only physically but also spiritually. To accomplish this GOD would give them a new heart for following HIM and put HIS Spirit within them, to transform them and empower them to do HIS will. Again the new covenant was promised, ultimately to be fulfilled in Christ. No matter how impure your life is today, GOD offers you a fresh start. You can have your sins washed away, receive a new heart for GOD, and have HIS Spirit within you – if you accept GOD’s promise. – Why try to patch up your old life when you can have a new one?
Father, we ask that YOU would purify us from our sins, and we will be clean; wash us, and we will be whiter than snow. Oh, give us back our joy again; YOU have broken us – now let us rejoice. Do not keep looking at our sins. Remove the stain of our guilt. Create in us a clean heart, O GOD. Renew a right spirit within us. Do not banish us from YOUR presence, and do not take YOUR Holy Spirit from us. Restore to us again the joy of YOUR salvation and make us willing to obey YOU. Then we will teach YOUR ways to sinners, and they will return to YOU. (Psalm 51:7-13)
Photo: The Great Smoky Mountains (Pigeon Forge, TN)
Photo By: Lisa K Gonzales
Click on the photo to enlarge
