WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:00.959 So much. 00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:04.080 Those are two really good songs. 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:06.799 And thank you for going with the theme on those. 00:00:06.799 --> 00:00:09.519 I haven't heard that first song in a long time. 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:12.320 It was it was really lovely to sing that. 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:13.759 So thank you. 00:00:13.759 --> 00:00:15.119 I'm Anna Moore. 00:00:15.119 --> 00:00:16.320 I'm happy to be here. 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:22.879 Just honored that Royal would call and ask me to do this and have been looking forward to it for a long time. 00:00:22.879 --> 00:00:28.000 It's really great seeing some familiar faces and then meeting some new ones already tonight. 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:31.839 And I look forward to getting to know some more of you tomorrow. 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:40.960 Um we uh yeah, it's uh it's always it's always tough on a Friday night, and I'm really happy to see you. 00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:51.840 When you come into a conference or a retreat on a Friday night, you're tired, but you've been refreshed with sweet treats that were absolutely delicious. 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:57.600 I love how you cut them so small so that we didn't feel so guilty eating multiple ones of them. 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:00.240 And we got to taste them all, and they were delicious. 00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:01.200 Thank you for that. 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:05.280 We've had sweet fellowship, and now I hope we have a great time around the word. 00:01:05.280 --> 00:01:07.280 So let me pray as we begin. 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:13.359 Father, thank you for these ladies that have come out after a long week and I'm sure are tired. 00:01:13.359 --> 00:01:19.280 Lord, would you just refresh us tonight as we listen to your word, as we fellowship together? 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:23.519 Thank you for the hard work that's gone into planning this conference. 00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:27.760 Thank you for all of the ladies on the ministry team that did this, Lord. 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:30.239 How beautiful it is for us to come and enjoy. 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:35.120 And now, Lord, help us to focus as we listen to your word, as I teach your word, God. 00:01:35.120 --> 00:01:43.200 I pray that you would cause me to rely upon you and help me to say what you want me to say and not say what you do not want me to say. 00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:51.280 And Lord, please just cause us to have open ears and open eyes and an open heart because of you tonight. 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:54.640 May we leave here different than when we came. 00:01:54.640 --> 00:01:56.319 Uh may we leave here changed. 00:01:56.319 --> 00:01:57.519 In Jesus' name I pray. 00:01:57.519 --> 00:01:58.319 Amen. 00:01:58.319 --> 00:02:00.719 So you have that handout. 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:01.920 I I am blown away. 00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:05.439 That's like first class stuff that I've never seen before, this packet. 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:12.000 So uh just for the sheer fact that it is so nice, why don't you just use it tonight? 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:12.560 I don't know. 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:14.960 Maybe it's too pretty to write in or something. 00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:21.039 But yeah, if you are accustomed to following along with a handout or want to write or take notes, you have a lovely space to do that. 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:22.319 So please do so. 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:24.560 Some of the verses will be on the screen. 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:31.039 Matthias has been so great to take those, and because I'm not technologically savvy and has put those up. 00:02:31.039 --> 00:02:33.280 Some of them I'm gonna say will not be behind me. 00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:39.439 Some you have on your handouts, some maybe not, but listen attentively as you do hear the word tonight. 00:02:39.439 --> 00:02:47.280 Hopefully, we will have lots of verses, lots of scripture throughout our lessons, and um, and so make note of those. 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:54.560 Um and and we, yeah, we'll we will we will get through tonight and have two great sessions tomorrow, I hope. 00:02:54.560 --> 00:02:56.639 A wonderful day, lots of good small group time. 00:02:56.639 --> 00:02:57.520 I love that as well. 00:02:57.520 --> 00:03:06.319 Royal did say if I wanted to tell a little bit more um about myself, Ed and I have we actually met at the University of Georgia. 00:03:06.319 --> 00:03:08.319 I'm a Georgia native, Go Dogs. 00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:10.719 Anybody in here care about college football? 00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:11.439 I don't know. 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:14.879 All right, and um, but Ed is from Western Pennsylvania. 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:23.039 However, he met a girl on a campus crusade summer project way, way back in the early 80s, uh, that was from Georgia. 00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:27.120 So he decided to transfer from the University of Pittsburgh to the University of Georgia. 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:31.599 That girl was not me, but thankfully that did not that did not work out. 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:36.960 And I yeah, the Lord brought us together in his providence down there. 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:45.919 So um, but we are we have uh enjoyed being at North Shore for these uh last 33 years. 00:03:45.919 --> 00:04:04.960 So very, very happy to um be continuing in the ministry there and thankful for what the Lord is doing in our evangelical community in this area, this region, it's really so encouraging to see churches that are strong, gospel preaching, Bible teaching churches. 00:04:04.960 --> 00:04:10.400 So thankful, very thankful for New Hyde Park Baptist Church for many, many years. 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:11.599 Um, all right. 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:15.520 How many of you watch home improvement or renovation shows? 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:16.560 You have some that you like. 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:17.600 Boy, I hope so. 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:18.720 Somebody raise your hand. 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:19.279 Okay. 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:25.920 Well, if you're like me, and I'm totally dating myself on this one, but you would watch Extreme Makeover Home Edition. 00:04:25.920 --> 00:04:27.519 I don't even know if that still exists. 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:29.759 I think they tried to revive it at one point. 00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:35.279 But there are plenty of them out there, many that are you know popular today. 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:42.319 Some of them start with a dilapidated house, like it they just totally demolish it, and then they build a new one. 00:04:42.319 --> 00:04:50.639 Some remodel a specific room, like a bathroom or a kitchen, maybe the yard or the deck or the you know pool area outdoors, whatever. 00:04:50.639 --> 00:05:01.279 And in two days or two weeks or two months, all of a sudden you have this finished product, a totally renovated, beautifully decorated, whatever. 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:04.639 And it just appears on the screen for you. 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:14.720 But we're not dealing with a house here, we're dealing with our lives, our hearts to be more specific, the heart of a godly woman, and that's what this weekend is about. 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:19.680 It's the extreme makeover heart edition instead of home edition. 00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:35.279 So tonight we're gonna look at God's word, the Bible, and we're gonna see what our heart actually is, what God has to say about it, and we're gonna look to him who is the only one who can change a heart for his glory and for our good. 00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:43.120 Tonight we're gonna lay some theological groundwork, if you will, for the more practical lessons that we will have tomorrow. 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:51.519 And just as on Extreme Makeover Home Edition, some of you may need a complete heart transplant tonight. 00:05:51.519 --> 00:05:54.959 Removing the old, making something brand new. 00:05:54.959 --> 00:05:59.439 But some of you may only need some renovations and a little remodeling. 00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:06.959 But whatever the case, I believe that a sovereign God has brought us all to this place at this time for his purposes. 00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:10.639 And our first order of business on your outline is Roman numeral one. 00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:13.600 What is the heart and why is it so important? 00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:20.639 Well, to clarify, we are not talking about the four-chambered muscle that's pumping blood through your body. 00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:25.360 Actually, just yesterday fittingly, I went for some routine medical tests. 00:06:25.360 --> 00:06:26.800 Thankfully, nothing wrong. 00:06:26.800 --> 00:06:28.720 And I had an echocardiogram. 00:06:28.720 --> 00:06:33.040 Have you ever had one of those where they're doing like the sonogram ultrasound on your heart? 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:33.839 Wow. 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:50.079 I thought, first of all, how appropriate when I'm about to teach this lesson that I have this illustration, but how fascinating to listen to my own heart beating and to see the four chambers on the screen of my heart. 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:54.399 And it just, I mean, praise God, our creator. 00:06:54.399 --> 00:07:05.519 I just thought, how can anybody, I don't know the spiritual condition of the gentleman that was the, you know, the technician, how could anybody do that and not believe that there is a God? 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:07.279 It was just amazing. 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:10.959 But ladies, that's not, we're not talking about that organ tonight. 00:07:10.959 --> 00:07:23.120 We are talking actually about our heart, as we know, is the seat of our emotions of all human operations of human life. 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:30.160 Easton's Bible Dictionary says the heart is the center not only of spiritual activity, but all the operations of human life. 00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:41.360 Last week, Christina Cook did a great job speaking to our ladies at North Shore Baptist Church, and she did a much better job of like breaking down the Greek word and telling all about the heart. 00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:48.079 So you can listen to that on our website if you want a better explanation of heart stuff like that. 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:54.959 But often you will hear the heart described as our mind, our will, and our emotions all wrapped up in one. 00:07:54.959 --> 00:08:00.079 There's a wonderful sermon I found by Charles Spurgeon titled The Heart of Flesh. 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:03.920 And Spurgeon says, the heart is the ruling power of manhood. 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:10.000 If the heart is renewed, the judgment will before long follow in the same track. 00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:18.800 But as long as the heart is wrong, the affections govern the will and bias the character of the man towards evil. 00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:20.800 Great quote. 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:25.519 So, ladies, we see that our hearts are extremely important. 00:08:25.519 --> 00:08:29.680 And having a right heart is extremely important. 00:08:29.680 --> 00:08:34.799 And we need to take matters of the heart very seriously because God does. 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:38.080 So let's see what he says in his word about our hearts. 00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:55.519 In Ezekiel chapter 36, verse 26, he says, And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh, and give you a heart of flesh. 00:08:55.519 --> 00:09:01.440 So what is this heart of stone, and why would we want it out or need it out? 00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:04.159 Roman numeral 2, the heart of stone. 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:07.919 And I happen to have a heart of stone tonight. 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:14.399 This came from, I was talking to some of the sisters from Jamaica, and I said, Oh, you're gonna love the lesson tonight. 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:15.120 Listen carefully. 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:17.039 You'll get a Jamaica illustration. 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:28.000 About 20 years ago on our mission trip, we've gone there in the same area, worked with the same pastor, same church, churches there for about 35 years, a long time, and since 1989. 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:29.120 What did you say that was? 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:30.639 How many years ago was that? 00:09:30.639 --> 00:09:31.440 I don't know. 00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:39.679 Anyway, the this came from Orange Bay, uh, Jamaica on the beach, and one of the kids on the mission team found it. 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:42.480 And they're collecting shells, and they're like, wow, look at that. 00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:46.000 And I said, Wow, look at that, is right. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:50.720 That is such a perfect illustration of our heart, and it is so hard. 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:51.679 You could come feel it. 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:56.639 It is a stone, a hard heart, a heart of stone. 00:09:56.639 --> 00:10:00.559 And it's the perfect illustration that I've been able to use all of these years. 00:10:00.559 --> 00:10:02.879 I did take it away from that child. 00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:06.080 I did let them keep their shells, however, to go home with. 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:09.200 But I took this thing home. 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:13.039 So, as it was just too good of an illustration. 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:20.639 Um, without Christ, ladies, without a supernatural transformation, this is our heart. 00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:24.240 It's just like this rock from Jamaica. 00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:26.399 Hard hearts, stony hearts. 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:28.000 The heart of a man is dead. 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:32.879 There's no sensitivity, there is only a propensity to do evil. 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:37.679 Now you've got to get this point, or nothing else will make sense. 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:40.000 We are totally depraved. 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:48.720 And you say, you just acknowledge that we had a long, hard week, and I came here and gave up my weekend for you to tell me that I am totally depraved. 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:50.559 You say, I'm not that bad. 00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:53.200 Well, let me define before you get too upset. 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:54.960 Let me define total depravity. 00:10:54.960 --> 00:11:04.240 Total depravity does not mean that we are as bad as we possibly could be, it means that our whole being is infected with sin. 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:09.120 Like every area of us got infected with sin at the fall. 00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:14.559 And within us lies the propensity to do more evil than we could ever imagine. 00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:19.360 Take Romans 3, 10 through 12 as your proof. 00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:28.320 As it is written, none is righteous, know not one, no one understands, no one seeks for God, all have turned aside. 00:11:28.320 --> 00:11:30.159 Together they have become worthless. 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:32.399 No one does good, not even one. 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:33.679 I love it in scripture. 00:11:33.679 --> 00:11:42.720 Some I guess sometimes I don't love it, but it's very helpful in scripture when you see very clearly from that passage, there's no way to wiggle out of that. 00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:47.200 None, no, not one, no one, no one, all, no one, not even one. 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:52.159 And you're probably familiar with Romans 3.23, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:57.360 So, ladies, no one is exempt from sin from this stony heart. 00:11:57.360 --> 00:12:01.759 Every one of us is born with a hard, dead, stony heart. 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:04.159 What does the Bible say about our hearts? 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:06.320 Jeremiah 17, 9. 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:10.879 The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick. 00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:12.879 Who can understand it? 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:16.240 We cannot trust our hearts. 00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:20.799 Follow your heart is really bad advice to give to someone. 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:25.840 Did you know that you know more about yourself than anyone? 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:28.559 But you don't truly know yourself. 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:38.639 According to Scripture, you are more wicked than you know, you're more wicked than you think you are, and we don't even have the capability of knowing how wicked we really are. 00:12:38.639 --> 00:12:57.360 You and I are so wicked that in order to redeem us, the perfect one, Jesus Christ, God's only Son, had to leave the splendors of heaven to come to this wicked earth to die a cruel death on the cross to forgive us of our sins and to appease the wrath of a holy God. 00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:59.840 Let me ask you a question tonight. 00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:02.000 I do not know most of you. 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:06.240 Do you see yourself as wicked? 00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:12.639 Unless and until you see yourself as God sees you, you will never look to Christ, the mediator. 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:16.720 Because why would you need him if you don't see yourself as wicked? 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:25.279 Some may listen to this hard-hearted explanation and say, Well, it doesn't apply to me, Anna, because I've got a really soft or tender heart. 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:26.960 So let's look at the difference. 00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:31.360 Look at Roman numeral three: the soft heart versus the heart of flesh. 00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:36.720 You say, I cry at Hallmark Christmas movies. 00:13:36.720 --> 00:13:43.039 Well, I happen to cry at those, and I cry when I see them do the big reveals on the renovation shows. 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:44.559 It just takes my breath away. 00:13:44.559 --> 00:13:45.519 I don't know. 00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:50.879 You may take in stray pets, to see your child's suffering breaks your heart. 00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:56.879 I understand all of those things, but that's not what it means to have a heart of flesh. 00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:59.360 It's not bad to be emotional or tenderhearted. 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:02.480 That's a good thing, but it's not the same as the heart of flesh. 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:04.000 The Bible is talking about. 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:07.039 And here's a very scary thought. 00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:17.840 Matthew 15, 8 says, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:21.840 So let's take it into the church realm or to the things of God. 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:36.240 Just because you are emotionally moved by a worship service on Sunday morning and the great music and the accurate preaching, and you can say all the right things, that's not the true measurement of a heart of flesh. 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:42.320 I know ladies that will cry and be so moved by a Sunday morning service or a conference like this one. 00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:45.279 They give God lip service, but there's no heart service. 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:46.480 There's no change. 00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:55.759 Now, please do not think that I want or that God wants you to sit unmoved during this during this conference as the spirit moves. 00:14:55.759 --> 00:15:02.399 I'm not asking you to sit here and listen like the rock of Gibraltar or to sing with a stiff upper lip. 00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:04.159 That's not what I'm asking. 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:06.559 Because you may even see me cry and get emotional. 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:11.200 Sensitivity to the spirit is a good thing, and it will often lead to being emotional. 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:13.120 But you see, ladies, here's the key. 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:23.840 It's not just emotion, it's not just those soft, tender feelings, although they can be good, but a heart of flesh is one that conforms in word and deed to the will of God. 00:15:23.840 --> 00:15:24.799 I'm going to repeat that. 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:30.720 A heart of flesh is one that conforms in word and deed to the will of God. 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:38.879 Not one that just talks the talk and cries buckets, but one that is a doer of the word. 00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:44.720 James 1, 22 through 24 says, But be what? 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:50.080 Doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:58.879 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:03.039 For he looks at himself and goes away, and at once he forgets what he was like. 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:05.279 There's that word deceiving again. 00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:10.480 Just like in Jeremiah 17, 9, we are easily deceived by other people. 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:11.440 And guess what, ladies? 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:14.320 We're easily deceived by ourselves. 00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:22.559 We're gonna look more later at what this heart of flesh in obedience looks like for a Christian. 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:28.080 But for now, remember, we're building that foundation, we're laying the theological groundwork. 00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:31.519 Number four, Roman numeral four. 00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:34.080 A heart of flesh is a work of God. 00:16:34.080 --> 00:16:37.440 A heart of flesh is a work of God. 00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:41.360 We cannot muster up a soft heart, meaning a heart of flesh. 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:45.600 I don't want, I'm using these terms kind of interchangeably, so I don't want to confuse the issue. 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:52.000 When I'm saying a soft heart here, I'm talking about the heart of flesh, soft versus hard. 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:56.000 We can't muster up this soft heart, this heart of flesh. 00:16:56.000 --> 00:17:12.319 We can muster up emotions and tender feelings, but remember it's more than emotionalism, and it doesn't matter how hard we try on this, we're never going to be able to uh to muster up our heart of flesh. 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:31.200 You know how on some of the home improvement shows, the homeowners actually help with the demolition and the renovation, and they'll pull them in for you'll see them painting and sawing and sledgehammer demoing, you know, like that's but they'll always say, you know, the ladies, oh, this is so fun. 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:32.000 I've always wanted to do this. 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:39.920 And I'm thinking, I don't even know how you pick the thing up, but they're doing the work on their own houses and their own renovation projects. 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:43.519 They must contribute their time and energy. 00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:45.599 They must work for it. 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:51.680 Well, that is absolutely the opposite with our salvation. 00:17:51.680 --> 00:18:00.240 It's absolutely not the case with our hearts, with our with our transformation, because God does all the work. 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:05.200 We do not do any of the work. 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:10.880 We cannot make the swap from this heart of stone to a heart of flesh. 00:18:10.880 --> 00:18:16.400 It is a sovereign act of God to which we contribute absolutely nothing. 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:21.440 Remember back in Ezekiel 36, 26, we looked at that early on. 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:24.640 God says, I will give you a new heart. 00:18:24.640 --> 00:18:25.599 I will. 00:18:25.599 --> 00:18:30.400 Not you're gonna get one, but I will give you a new heart. 00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:33.200 God's the one who takes out and puts in. 00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:40.480 God is the one doing the heart transplant, the extreme makeover in us, and that is such a good thing. 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:44.720 Because, ladies, he's going to do a perfect job at that. 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:50.480 He's going to do exactly his will, and he's going to do it exactly how it should be done. 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:56.640 Wouldn't it be awful number one if it was left up to us and we had to work for our salvation? 00:18:56.640 --> 00:19:01.039 And wouldn't it be awful number two to see what a poor job we did at that? 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:06.240 But we don't ever have to know that because it is none of us, it is all of God. 00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:13.279 If I was contributing to my house renovation, it would be pathetic. 00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:15.359 I would not do a good job. 00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:19.599 All the more so, I would not do a good job contributing to my salvation. 00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:21.359 So thankfully, we cannot. 00:19:21.359 --> 00:19:22.880 It's an impossibility. 00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:24.480 God does it all. 00:19:24.480 --> 00:19:34.240 Romans 9:18 says, So then he has mercy on whom whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. 00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:35.920 It's up to God. 00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:52.480 And as the hymn writer so accurately put it in the second verse of Jesus paid it all, Lord, now indeed I find thy power and thine alone can change the lepros spots and melt the heart of stone. 00:19:52.480 --> 00:20:01.039 An impossibility for us, but not for a loving, powerful God who is sovereign over all. 00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:19.680 A few years ago, a pastor from out of state came to visit with us, and he was describing his talking about his brother and how he had over the years just shared the gospel and witnessed to his brother so many times, and just shared the word and sent it through various means. 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:25.839 Over and over, his brother had heard from his mouth all the truths of the gospel. 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:27.519 Never responded. 00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:29.599 It was like one ear and out the other. 00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:34.079 He did not in any way, he was not moved in any way. 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:39.680 And then he said, My brother came to visit us recently, hadn't seen him in months. 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:45.359 We're riding in the car together, and it was like I was sitting with someone I didn't even know. 00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:46.720 It was a different person. 00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:55.039 He started speaking about what the Lord was doing in his life, and that he had heard this wonderful gospel from I don't know who. 00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:58.880 And and and his brother turned and looked at him and said, Hang on a second. 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:01.359 I've been saying this to you for 20 years. 00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:03.440 And he said, I didn't, I don't know. 00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:05.920 I didn't know that kind of thing, you know, kind of response. 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:07.839 But isn't that the way it goes? 00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:09.119 The Spirit of God? 00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:13.519 Perhaps you can relate and have stories in your own life about people like that. 00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:17.599 Perhaps you can look back at your own conversion and think about that. 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:20.960 You were blind and now you see. 00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:23.839 It just happened because God did it. 00:21:23.839 --> 00:21:27.759 You were lost and now you are found because God did it. 00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:35.119 And so, yes, ladies, we are to faithfully and joyfully share the gospel. 00:21:35.119 --> 00:21:41.920 We are to share our testimonies, we are to pray for people to be saved, and then we are to point them to Christ. 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:47.359 However, ultimately, do not forget that we are not the ones changing their hearts. 00:21:47.359 --> 00:21:49.359 That's up to the Holy Spirit. 00:21:49.359 --> 00:21:52.880 So we pray in that uh manner. 00:21:52.880 --> 00:22:02.240 Listen carefully as I read a quote from Charles Spurgeon from that same sermon, The Heart of Flesh, and this is on your handout if you want to follow along as I read. 00:22:02.240 --> 00:22:10.480 A heart of flesh is a gift of sovereign grace, and it is always the result of divine power. 00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:16.799 No heart of stone was ever turned into flesh by accident, nor by human persuasions. 00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:21.839 You might argue with a rock a long while before you would persuade it into flesh. 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:25.920 Neither is such a change worked by a man's own actions. 00:22:25.920 --> 00:22:30.160 How shall a stone being a stone produce in itself flesh? 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:33.359 A power from above the man must work upon him. 00:22:33.359 --> 00:22:39.759 According to the language of the Scriptures, except a man be born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:46.480 The Spirit of God must change the nature, or the heart of stone will never become a heart of flesh. 00:22:46.480 --> 00:23:00.640 Ladies, just like I do not have the power or the ability, I don't possess the power to turn this heart of stone into a pile of jello, or even just a harder, rubbery substance, just get a little loose. 00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:02.319 I can't do that. 00:23:02.319 --> 00:23:09.119 Just like I can't do that to this heart, I don't possess the ability to change my own heart. 00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:13.200 But praise God he does, and praise God he did. 00:23:13.200 --> 00:23:18.079 And do you know one of the many things that is so wonderful about this? 00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:21.599 Truly, all the glory must go to God. 00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:24.960 There is no way we can take any glory for this. 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:27.119 We cannot take any of the credit. 00:23:27.119 --> 00:23:31.519 Ephesians 2, 8 and 9, verses that are very familiar to you. 00:23:31.519 --> 00:23:34.400 For by grace you have been saved through faith. 00:23:34.400 --> 00:23:43.519 And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:52.000 We cannot boast or take the credit, because it is all 100% not a smidgenless, a work of God. 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:55.039 Now, there are many things this heart of flesh looks like. 00:23:55.039 --> 00:23:58.240 It's soft, not just emotional. 00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:04.160 It is pliable, it is teachable, it's sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit of God. 00:24:04.160 --> 00:24:11.279 And we're going to end with a few statements that will summarize and then some application within those. 00:24:11.279 --> 00:24:15.599 So, number one, these are the last things on your handout, I believe. 00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:22.240 A soft heart means a change in behavior, not just emotionalism. 00:24:22.240 --> 00:24:26.880 A soft heart means a change in behavior, not just emotionalism. 00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:29.839 You want application? 00:24:29.839 --> 00:24:31.440 Obey. 00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:33.200 Obey. 00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:34.640 A changed heart. 00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:49.839 Look, our works are not getting us to heaven, our works are not saving us, but a saved person, once they are saved, will have good works and will look different than the world looks. 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:53.839 And so that's what we want to do as Christians. 00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:55.920 We want to obey. 00:24:55.920 --> 00:24:57.759 Obey the word of God. 00:24:57.759 --> 00:24:59.839 Don't just listen to it, but do it. 00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:04.400 Speaking of building houses, let's look at Matthew 7, 24 through 27. 00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:07.920 A little lengthier, if you want to turn in your Bible, you can. 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:10.000 I know that it'll be on the screen as well. 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:12.960 Matthew 7, 24 through 27. 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:21.279 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 00:25:21.279 --> 00:25:27.920 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 00:25:27.920 --> 00:25:33.200 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:39.599 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. 00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:43.200 We often put kind of the wrong emphasis on this verse. 00:25:43.200 --> 00:25:45.200 We kind of miss some of it, I think. 00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:47.359 We'll say, Well, Christ is the rock. 00:25:47.359 --> 00:25:49.440 Build your house on the rock. 00:25:49.440 --> 00:25:51.519 The foundation must be Christ. 00:25:51.519 --> 00:25:59.200 And we sing the Sunday school song, which I love, and I'm sure you know the wise man built his house upon the rock, the wise man, you know, the foolish man built his house upon the sand. 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:06.480 And all of this is true. 00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:09.440 We must have Christ as our solid rock and our foundation. 00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:10.880 But how does this come about? 00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:14.000 You gotta look at the first, the phrase in in in there. 00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:15.759 There's it's twice, you see it. 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:18.880 Look carefully at that. 00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:25.680 Remembering that Jesus has just preached the Sermon on the Mount, saying some very tough stuff in Matthew 7. 00:26:25.680 --> 00:26:28.559 It says, Forgive others if you want to be forgiven by God. 00:26:28.559 --> 00:26:31.440 Where your treasure is, there's your heart. 00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:33.920 Don't give and pray to be seen. 00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:38.799 Eye for an eye, turn the other cheek, love your enemies. 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:41.279 And then what are the two verbs in the first phrase? 00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:45.920 All of you English teachers or homeschool moms, what does it say in the first line? 00:26:45.920 --> 00:26:48.880 But be doers of the word and not hears. 00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:50.559 I'm sorry, I'm reading the wrong line. 00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:51.920 Where is it again? 00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:54.960 Everyone, who has your Bible open that has it there? 00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:58.160 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them. 00:26:58.160 --> 00:26:59.599 Where are your two verbs there? 00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:00.400 Look up there. 00:27:00.400 --> 00:27:01.440 There. 00:27:01.440 --> 00:27:02.559 What is it? 00:27:02.559 --> 00:27:05.599 Hears and does. 00:27:05.599 --> 00:27:06.559 That's right. 00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:08.319 Hears and does. 00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:30.640 Not hears and knows them, not hears and teaches them to others, not hears and remembers them, not hears and can repeat them, but the man who hears and does them. 00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:34.720 Obedience. 00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:36.960 That's what makes you a wise man. 00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:40.559 You hear the commands of scripture and you do them. 00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:43.519 A foolish man. 00:27:43.519 --> 00:27:49.440 Yeah, he builds his house on the sand, but why did he get to that point? 00:27:49.440 --> 00:27:52.319 He heard the word and did what? 00:27:52.319 --> 00:27:55.440 Did not do them. 00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:58.720 There's your key in that passage. 00:27:58.720 --> 00:28:00.559 Be a hearer and a doer. 00:28:00.559 --> 00:28:04.000 Same as it is in James 1, 22 through 25. 00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:07.519 But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 00:28:07.519 --> 00:28:16.559 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he's like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror, for he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 00:28:16.559 --> 00:28:31.039 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets, but a doer who acts. 00:28:31.039 --> 00:28:33.200 He will be blessed in his doing. 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:35.839 Doers, persevere, a doer who acts. 00:28:35.839 --> 00:28:42.799 Ladies, a heart of flesh is a changed heart, and it is one of obedience. 00:28:42.799 --> 00:28:47.039 Obeying the word of God. 00:28:47.039 --> 00:28:49.920 That's what our heart of flesh looks like. 00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:55.200 Number two, a softening of the heart is a sovereign work of God. 00:28:55.200 --> 00:28:56.240 We've talked about this. 00:28:56.240 --> 00:28:57.839 We are summarizing. 00:28:57.839 --> 00:28:59.359 Here's your application. 00:28:59.359 --> 00:29:02.720 Dear Christian, be thankful. 00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:10.240 Remember what has been done for you, something that you could not do and you did not deserve. 00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:17.039 Your hard heart has been changed into a heart of flesh by a loving, loving, sovereign triune God. 00:29:17.039 --> 00:29:19.279 Be thankful. 00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:30.240 And number three, not contradicting number two, a soft heart is something we are commanded to have and we are responsible for. 00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:31.279 Hmm. 00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:43.359 Hebrews 3, 7 and 8 say, Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion on the day of testing in the wilderness. 00:29:43.359 --> 00:29:52.400 Oh dear ladies in this room who might not know Jesus, you might not be born again, you have not trusted Christ for your salvation. 00:29:52.400 --> 00:29:54.559 Here is your application. 00:29:54.559 --> 00:29:58.640 Cry out to God for mercy, for grace, for forgiveness. 00:29:58.640 --> 00:29:59.759 Do not. 00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:01.599 Harden your heart. 00:30:01.599 --> 00:30:04.240 Now, are we able to do what I just said? 00:30:04.240 --> 00:30:05.599 We're responsible. 00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:07.279 Are we able? 00:30:07.279 --> 00:30:08.559 We're not. 00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:10.720 Our hearts are stone. 00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:12.160 We've made that point. 00:30:12.160 --> 00:30:14.000 We're completely dead in sin. 00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:16.079 And we are responsible. 00:30:16.079 --> 00:30:16.799 Why? 00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:19.039 Because in Adam we all fell. 00:30:19.039 --> 00:30:22.160 In the garden, we were all infected by sin. 00:30:22.160 --> 00:30:24.160 We are all sinners. 00:30:24.160 --> 00:30:27.440 We looked at Romans chapter 3, several verses in there. 00:30:27.440 --> 00:30:31.359 Here's an illustration that I'm sure you've heard dozens of times. 00:30:31.359 --> 00:30:38.240 A guy robs a bank, steals a lot of money, but he loses all the money. 00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:41.440 Is he able to pay it back? 00:30:41.440 --> 00:30:42.400 No. 00:30:42.400 --> 00:30:44.720 Is he responsible? 00:30:44.720 --> 00:30:47.039