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| Cart before the horse (obedience before the new heart) |
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11:19 “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 11:20 THEN they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. 11:21 But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols, I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
There is a definite chronology expressed in the words God gave Ezekiel. God gives us a new heart, THEN he gets our obedience. No obedience without a new heart. Problems obeying God? How’s your heart? He made the heart that seeks him, after all!
It doesn’t seem to do any good to judge and criticize those who fail to live up to God’s standard. Obedience is a side issue, a symptom of a deeper problem. God’s laws serve a much greater purpose than differentiating good people from bad. They reveal the true problem: heart disease!
It seems my heavenly Father doesn’t get mad at me so much for disobeying him. He’s made the provision for obedience…an undivided heart of devotion to him! The real sin is ignoring him.
Hounding and deriding people for disobeying God is like putting the cart before the horse, isn’t it? Expecting obedience from a heart of stone...
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| To add a comment to "Cart before the horse (obedience before the new heart)" |
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| September 23, 2009 |
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That's what I'm talking about! WANTING to follow Him is my all consuming desire. when I get tired I yell for help. And He helps. I don't ever want to go back to not WANTING Him. Sometimes, He's all I got. |
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| September 23, 2009 |
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| Figure out how to WANT him, and all your life issues completely disappear! |
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| September 23, 2009 |
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Good write Mike ;o) |
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| September 23, 2009 |
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A lot of truth here. It was my "Heart Disease" that kept me disobedient. I had the "Open Heart" surgery and now I'm Healing. I "Opened My Heart to Him" and I am praying for a complete recovery. |
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| September 23, 2009 |
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Terry....YOU have such a way w/words!! :-)
Thanks Jules. God lays some simple truths on us sometimes! |
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| September 23, 2009 |
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Mike, I believe Terry read my mind. Great post brotha. Blessings my friend. |
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| September 23, 2009 |
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That is the scripture He got me with, and I thnak Him today for my new heart and a new lease on life, i don't have to settle for anything that is less than what Christ said.
Amen
Be Blessed |
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| September 23, 2009 |
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Excellent word there Mike, I sure do enjoy reading your comments and you got some more on that link that I had sent you a few days ago. |
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| September 24, 2009 |
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| Hi Mike. You mentioned heart disease. If I am allowed to seperate it, its heart dis-ease that prevents people from fully obeying God. So if there's a dis-ease, it needs to be dealt with - so it can run in alignment with God's chosen path for our life. In a nutshell. That heart dis-ease is like putting the cart before the horse - which was never designed to be put that way. And although people go around with a heart of stone - thinking nothing will happen, its very easily broken, and sometimes it even shatters. A heart of flesh is more pliable, but it doesn't mean we're not open to a heart "attack" and in deep need of open heart surgery. Get my drift? |
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| September 24, 2009 |
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Outstanding!!! |
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| September 24, 2009 |
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Awesome Word Mike! Thank U God Bless |
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| September 24, 2009 |
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When your HEART is right indeed, you will not have a problem OBEYING His Laws and Commandments....I totally agree .... Unfortunately many in the Body of Christ have Heart Disease and don't even know it.....But we shall continue to to pray right Mike ;o) |
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| September 24, 2009 |
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Stevie, way to run with the metaphor, lol! Excellent! Yes I do get your drift :-D aw thanks Panda!! Yes, God's handling of us is outstanding! :-) Prayer Warrior...it is always a pleasure hearing from you :-) I can see why, Sheree! A new heart....then everything changes Blessings Tim....and yes, this site is FULL of mindreaders ;-) |
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| September 24, 2009 |
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Marg.....THANKS for your prayers on behalf of those God LOVES! :) Donna...nice hearing from you, thanks (and you're welcome) |
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| September 24, 2009 |
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Star! Star! Star! Star! Mighty words of wisdom! Lord, I want an undivided heart! |
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| September 24, 2009 |
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| Yep Brother Mike...God LOVES those who Keep His Commandments....That's what His Word says.....Amen ;o) |
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| September 24, 2009 |
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| September 24, 2009 |
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So do I Bev. Devotion is a gift....and a discipline!! Marg, his love is bigger than we can imagine! Our infinite God IS love (1 John 4:16), AND God's word also says that he loves his entire creation (John 3:16, 1 John 4:14, Rom 8:19-21). There is truth in what you say, God has reserved a special love for those with a new "heart of obedience" (1 Tim 4:10)! God's love is amazing and incomprehensible, truly worth our devotion! :-D |
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| September 24, 2009 |
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Mike this is good . Many songs come into mind but I like this one;
Change my heart O,God
make it ever true
Change my heart O God
may I be like you |
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| September 24, 2009 |
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Great blog!!! Thank you for sharing. :) |
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| September 24, 2009 |
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| September 24, 2009 |
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Good word Mike |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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Liz, I have such fond memories of that song! Used to sing and dance to it w/my children when they were little. I still would too, except they don't like to dance anymore :-( Thx Bren, Craftsreen, and Marcella...it really means a lot to me that you would bless me with a star :) |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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Mike you mean your kids don't like the "Dad dance" LOL, Your blog reminded me of how God Hardened the heart of Pharoah! "Let my people go", We have to be very carefull that we never allow our hearts to be Hardened? LOVE LOEV LOVE is the answer. The whole Christian principles can be hung on that one word LOVE and AGAPE love at that! Yeah? Love Stu. |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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Great stuff Mike! That's a tough scripture. We don't have to judge--God says they have made their own destruction through disobedience. Still, hard to watch people make those choices--especially people who profess to know the Word. |
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| September 25, 2009 |
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Yeah, I know exactly what you mean Birdie. Very difficult.
Stu, it's really easy for a heart to start getting hard. I've observed how subtle and incremental Satan's tactics are. And no, the kids aren't into the Daddy dance anymore. :-D |
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| September 27, 2009 |
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Excellent! |
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| September 27, 2009 |
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| Hey.....I was first on here. I forgot about that! I feel much better now. Ever feel like you are the last one to get 'it', Mike? Happens to me a lot. |
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