Good Morning Deep-Rooted, Supple, Fruit Producers in Christ! Amen! This salutation flows from Our Daily Bread (below). It reminded me of Jonah's hard heart we studied and God's pursuing love, mercy and grace. God has sent us as His prophets to pronounce the good news and the fate of the non-repentant. We are commissioned to bring His Good News alive and His offer of mercy and forgiveness and His willingness to turn hearts of stone to ones of flesh. Who is God sending you to with His message of redemption and justice? Are you running away like Jonah? Is there someone or a people group that you hate so much that you would run from God's CALL TO YOU TO GO?
God sent Jonah to over 120,000 people who were doomed and despite his half-hearted effort a whole city repented and God spared them. Jeremiah 17:7-8 reminds us that we can be blessed by trusting God and we grow and produce good fruit as we sink our roots deep into Him and His Word. Do you sink your roots deep and draw up living water and then go bring living water to the people of this parched and weary land? That's our mission and why we are still here. Our message is repent and believe the Good News. Draw strength from the depths of your connection with God and go water and fertilize, seed and harvest. God is ready to bring revival and He will use people like us to go. Watch, prepare, and go do your part in His Good News Delivery Company. And we need to remember we are a team sent to change this nation one soul at a time. We need each other to pray, fund, encourage, and go together. We are one in Christ sent to invite others in. We are even sent to refresh and love enemies and offer them some of God's grace. Let's keep working on that together. I'm praying for you and us to be used mightily by God and for multitudes to hear His warning and repent. So, what's your part and who are your partners? Let's go! Daylight's burning!
many in this nation gave it back to God as we repented for past sins and dedicated ourselves and our country to God. As a result, God has heard and His heart is moved to our people. He is sending you with His message of hope and love and to make disciples. pray into that and for this nation and prepare to go do your part and even to disciple others for how to sink their roots deep too. Don't force God to bring a fierce storm and big fish that will barf you out where He has already sent you. Turn your hearts of stone to ones of flesh and allow God to use you. Revival is at hand. Let's celebrate and join Him and do what we can with what He's given us for such a time as this! Amen!
ODB:
Anatomy of a Hardening Heart
, if you hear [God’s] voice, do not harden your hearts. Hebrews 3:7-8
It’s fascinating to see your own heart. Recently, I did. Chest pain led me to see a doctor, who ordered tests that allowed me to see that my heart has calcium buildup. More than I should have. Atherosclerosis, the doctors call it: hardening of the arteries.
I’ve made big diet and exercise changes. But I’ve also realized that my cardiac concerns didn’t emerge overnight. In my case, they were the fruit of unhealthy choices. In time, those habits couldn’t help but impact my heart’s health.
Scripture uses similar language to describe being spiritually unhealthy. Our hearts can gradually grow hardened toward God—one day and one choice at a time. Hebrews 3:7-8 (referencing Psalm 95:7-8) says, “, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” After God delivered His people from Egypt, they “tested and tried [Him]” (v. 9) during their time in the wilderness.
God had faithfully provided for His people, but they refused to see it (vv. 9-10). What about us? What habits nudge us away from God—day by day hardening our hearts against Him? We all make some of those choices. So I’m thankful that , right now, God offers to exchange our hearts of stone for those softened by His love (see Ezekiel 36:26).
By Adam Holz
REFLECT & PRAY
How is God drawing you closer to Him? How can you learn to hear His voice?
Dear Father, sometimes my heart gets tired. Please forgive me for choosing the wrong things. Help me embrace Your offer to cleanse and soften my hard heart.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Hebrews 3:7-15 is a reflection on the ongoing relevance of the terms (vv. 7, 13) and rest (v. 11) from key Old Testament passages. in Psalm 95:7, for example, captures a moment in Israel’s wilderness sojourn when they hardened their hearts and didn’t respond with belief—a related theme developed further in Hebrews 4. A whole generation missed the rest that the promised land graciously offered to those who’d take God at His word. The writer of Hebrews compares this rest with the seventh day of creation, which is itself an invitation into God’s rest (vv. 4-6). To completely trust in His work, rather than our own, is literally our ultimate “Sabbath-rest” (v. 9). , we can ask God to soften our hardened hearts and rest in His love.
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