A New Heart, A New Spirit (Ezekiel 36:24-28)

Video by Rich Crowe

Speech That Comes From Partaking

Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. (Eze 3:1)

Wherever the source, the speaking that we mostly do is the sum total of our experience and understanding which reside in our heart (Matt 12:34). Every useless words uttered will be judged (Matt 12:36), i.e. words that doesn’t have the capacity to bear fruit. We can guard our mouth all we want but can anyone true lay claim to taming the tongue (Jam 3:8)?

The fruit of our lips depicts the reverence in relationship we have with the LORD (Prov 8:13). If we are not undone by the froward-ness of our speech, ask the LORD for a revelation of His Glory (Isa 6:5). This experience is by far the most lasting antidote to our idleness in speech. But there may be a cost of a permanent ‘scarring’ of our mouth by the coals from God’s altar that will no longer permit idle speech. The warning to us is that ‘a man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence’ (Pro 13:2). It is not a wonder that the first visible gift of the coming of the Holy Spirit is the speaking of tongues, hence walking after the Spirit (Rom 8:1) will bring about fruitfulness of speech.

I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. (John 8:38)

Our Lord Himself only speaks that which is uttered in the Presence of His Father, hence no room for careless speech. The power of His utterance since ‘Let there be light’ (Gen 1:3) still resonates (Psa 19:4) and will continue to ring throughout creation and we who are destined as sons of glory (Heb 2:10) also inherit this privilege. We need to understand that ‘If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God’ (1 Pet 4:11). Ezekiel took in whole the scroll of the Bread of Life (John 6:48) and prophetic came forth. ‘So I prophesied….that they may live’ (Eze 37:7-9), have we partook of the same Daily Bread or we feast on other idle sources? Only our speech will tell.

Preservation in Keeping our Heart

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. (Pro 4:23)

Jude addressed his letter to those sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ, and one of the encouragements at the end was to keep ourselves in the love of God. Can we walk out of Christ’s preservation? Didn’t Jesus say ‘neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand’ (John 10:28)? Careful reading will tell us that He will not allow anyone to pluck us out, but we can come out of the realm of His protection.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (Mat 24:12)

The critical part of our soul that can cause our drifting and eventual back-sliding is the heart. Relationship requires whole heartedness in love, lest unfaithfulness creeps in. All of life’s greatest significance lies in the heart (Luke 12:34). Losing our first love can result of our removal from Christ’s church (Rev 2:4, 5); as the light requires a lamp stand, so the Holy Spirit requires a temple (1Cor 6:19).

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. (Mat 15:18)

The seat of our will and emotion need to come under the subjection of the Lordship of Jesus Christ and filled with love for our Redeemer. He will not tolerate any competing affections with that which is evil and even that which is good. The good and sweetness of our soul can be the breeding ground of self-righteousness.

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (Jude 1:21)

Keeping ourselves in the total affection to our Lord results in singleness of heart; singleness to please only One. Sadly there are those who have join Christian fellowships and assemblies with self serving attitude, bearing no fruit of repentance (Jude 1:12). Keep our hearts in the right stature in reverential love to the Lord and He will do the rest to preserve us until the day of His coming.

Waiting Zone (Video by Rich Crowe)
Oswald Chambers