Stone and Flesh

My summer reading took me in some interesting directions. I'm still plugging through the One Year Chronological Bible, which found me in Ezekiel a few weeks ago. For more in-depth study (since BSF is out for the summer), I found myself digging into the book of Revelation. Some of the personal applications and challenges I jotted this summer include:

• How can I wait in expectancy for Christ's return?
• I need to be more faithful about writing and journaling the things God is teaching me.
• When our passion for Jesus wanes, our passion for His people wanes.
• How can I be an encouragement to a suffering Christian?
• What wrong belief or teaching am I following, and how can I replace it with truth?
• What wordly influence is turning my eyes from Jesus?
• He who overcomes will have his name forever in the book of life and be acknowledged before the Father and angels.
• Where do I need to persevere?
• Jesus still has complete authority over the church. He has not changed. The church is a living organism today. Likewise, He still has complete authority over my life as part of the church.
• Today I will meditate on Christ's magnificence and turn my heart toward His holiness and worth-ship.
• Pray with expectation, worship Christ as the only One worthy, turn my focus from myself.
• Thank God & pray for those who serve our country in war to bring right and justice to others.
• God's judgment is sure - I need to continually pray for the softened hearts of _____________.
• Today I will thank God that He chose to soften my heart and call me His child.
• I'm trying to imagine the incense with all of our prayers rising before God. His judgment silences the heavens and earth. The "mini" judgments now don't silence people...they add fuel to the fire.
• God means business! Will this get the attention of those left behind?
• I praise God that nothing can touch His redeemed without His permission. He is in control - even in chaos and destruction.
• The more you refuse to repent, the bigger the judgment becomes, and the harder your heart.
• Revelation may taste sweet because God is victorious, but His judment should give us all indigestion.
• Thank you, God, that nothing can harm your children unles it is allowed by You.
• Jesus is established on His throne to rule forever.
• Satan will fight hard for us, but we are overcomers in Christ!
• How easily our world is led astray - even now - by powers of evil. God, give me discernment and a heart that only worships You.
• Lord, help me to not be deceived by imposters.
• God gives another chance to hear the gospel of grace. Why is it so hard for me to give _____________ another chance to experience grace?
• Hell is eternal and conscious. Why do I find it so hard to care? God - give me Your eyes and heart for those perishing around me.
• True praise to God is timeless - from Moses to Revelation.
• God, soften my heart toward those who have hardened their hearts toward you.
• Our pride is so great that we rail against God and are blind to our own sin.
• Our world is filled with blatant, horrible sin. Why does that surprise me?
• I do not understand all I read, but this I know: GOD WILL WIN THE VICTORY!!!
• God has announced His judgment - it is sure. But, He also warns His children so they can escape judgment.
• God brings down the proud. What we value above Him will be rendered useless.
• Thank You, God, that You tell us how the story ends.
• Eternal torment waits for those who defy God. I pray for the urgency to share with others about salvation.
• All will be judged for actions and fall short. Only Christ's blood gets you in the Book of Life.
• No matter the odds, God will always win! "Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just." (From 4th verse of the Star Spangled Banner)
• How I long for a day with no more goodbyes.
• God made all this for us, so we can dwell with Him forever.
• Finally, the curse of sin and death is broken! Praise be to the Lamb!

I have a couple of days left to finish chapter 22, but as I reflect back on some of these notes, I see the grave sin of apathy and grudge-bearing. I'm being brutally honest with myself here. There are some people I just flat-out struggle with in my life. No matter how I pray for them, I just find myself hard-hearted toward them...even to the point of not caring about their eternal destiny. "They've made their choice" is the attitude of my heart.

This brings me back to Ezekiel:

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (36:26)

Please join me in prayer that God would soften my heart first.