Jeremiah 23:29 “Is not My word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”
a fire.
a hammer.
this should cover all that we encounter….for ourselves and others.
a fire, consuming all the dross of our old nature…(Zechariah 13:9)
a hammer, breaking all the rocks of our inbred rebellion. (Jeremiah 5:3)
This is the Word of God.
Our hearts are naturally full of other things…like the dross intermixed with silver or gold.
Malachi 3:2-3 “But who may abide the day of HIs coming? And who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap:
And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver:…”
God can purify our hearts…from all other desires and loves.
Our hearts are naturally as stone…hard and almost impenetrable.
Zechariah 7:12 “Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in His spirit by the former prophets:…”
But God can give us a “heart of flesh”.
Ezekiel 11:19-20 “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new Spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh:
That they may walk in My statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.”
(There have been times, I have felt unappreciated or distressed by others reactions….when I can feel my heart hardening. It seems to say, “I won’t care. I will just do what I must…and leave the rest.”
When this has happened….I try and stop right away…and ask for a heart of flesh….not of stone. He often works to show us our hardness…and HIs mercy.
Or shows us, from the Word how He was treated, without cause….and the many times He gave good words, and good works….no matter His approval. His Word softens my heart….keeps me focused on Him, and HIs pleasure for me. Praise God for His abundant mercy.)
And as He works in us….He can work, through His Word to any and all others….no matter how “hard” they seem.
Isaiah 55:11 “So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
Prosper here means to “push forward”….God’s Word does that. He sees an end in view, and pushes forward to see it done.
First it pushes forward…in our hearts. (I love this verse…for it explains the immediate…and the delayed “push” in our hearts by His Word…spoken, read, heard.)
Isaiah 55:10 “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater.”
The rain is sometimes gentle and soaking….and sometimes hard and furious, causing dry places to overrun….so the Word of God waters the heart….and brings forth buds and fruit.
The snow, sits on the frozen ground….and though it seems to do nothing, at first….then it melts, usually slowly…and soaks into the thawed ground….our hearts.
This rain, and this snow is the Word of God, used by the Holy Spirit….and it softens our hearts and leads them to receive His Word and Will.
Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”
And faith sees God….and moves the heart to reach out for Christ…receiving Him and HIs Word.
How important for all of us to know the Word of God….to be able to speak about His Word to others!
And for preachers, and teachers:
1 Corinthians 1:21, 23-25 “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by (worldly) wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and to the Greeks foolishness;
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdsom of God.
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
God’s Wisdom ordained that preaching Christ and His Word is the way to save others.
“Is not My Word like a fire? Saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”
Is there something in us that has become intertwined in “things”…and needs to be purified?
Is there something in us that has become hardened, just a little, in dealing with others, or with God, HImself?
Let His Word soak into your ears and hearts…
Ephesians 5:25-26 “…as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it;
That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of the water by the Word,”
….read, pray over, and let it cleanse your hearts and minds….(sometimes memories, sometimes idle thoughts, sometimes vengeful thoughts)…let His Word to you, be the invigorating of your affections and diligence for Christ.
And then…
1 Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 