Jeremiah 13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Spiritual Dishonesty
.. It’s interesting isn’t it that some for a while give up all the worldly things and that they’re going to follow The Lord and obey Him and everything, but after a while it doesn’t continue. Why because it doesn’t hold that true affection in the heart. Some professing Christians who have gone back have been dishonest because they have never allowed The Spirit to search their hearts. And He will search your heart if you ask Him – if you let Him..
Psalm139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Self Deception
.. That’s what King David was asking God because he knew his heart could deceive him. It seems there are some who profess Christ who are quite willing to live in that deception. And who are they deceiving at the end of the day – themselves! Even the Devil can see whether we have an affection for God or not – whether we want to change into His likeness or not. This is why The Lord says when you become a believer you sit down first and count the cost..
Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Counting The Cost
.. In other words you sit down and you say ‘ Lord I am willing for you to change me, to chastise me, to correct me, to change this heart of stone to a heart of flesh. ‘ This is what it means when you sit down, and some don’t have a clue with regard to that. They just go off with it, and do you know why – it’s because it’s emotions, it’s feelings – but it doesn’t last.
Trials And Affections
.. As I say so often – roots have to go down deep and penetrate before you get any growth. But of course we can also recognise this by our actions. And this is why God allows us to go through the trials and tribulations. He’s allowing us to go through these to show us where our heart and affection lies.. .. ..
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
Galatians 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
