1. Regaining Your Heart” 2019

4. “A HEART OF STONE”

5. September 1993 Dinosaur hunter Michael Hammer find in Hells Creek SD

6. “A Heart of Stone”
Having a stone heart usually is not a good thing. Cher had a line in a song that said: “don’t you wish sometimes you had a heart made of stone?” Having a heart made of stone is not exactly something we should long for. We see that in the book of Ezekiel the prophet was calling the exiled people of Israel back to the living God. He spoke of their hearts that had been turned to stone. God warns us about the hardness of our heart and it’s effects throughout scripture.

7. “A Heart of Stone” “A Heart of Stone”
Ezekiel 11:19 (NIV) I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

8. “A Heart of Stone”
Jeremiah 31:33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Heb.8:10)

9. “A Heart of Stone”
Matthew 13:15 (NASB) For the heart of this people has become dull, With their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes, Otherwise they would see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I would heal them.’

10. “A Heart of Stone”
John 12:40 (NAS) “He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and be converted and I heal them.

11. “A Heart of Stone”
Acts 28:27 (NAS) For the heart of this people has become dull, And with their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes; Otherwise they might see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return,And I would heal them.”

12. “A Heart of Stone”
Before our lives can change, Christ has to penetrate through more than just our minds. Most people acknowledge the reality of God and the fact that Jesus is Lord, but it doesn’t always move from a head knowledge into the heart. Jesus needs to penetrate into the hearts of those in the Body of Christ.

13. “A Heart of Stone”
One of the main functions of the prophets God raised up was for them to call the people back to God. They would call the people to repentance, they would call the people to turn away from their idols and false gods, and to turn back to the one true God with their whole heart. Ezekiel was one of those prophets. (Ezk.36:26)

14. “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.
“A Heart of Stone”
Heb.3:8, 15 (NAS)
Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, As in the day of trial in the wilderness,
Hebrews 4:7b
“Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.

15. “A Heart of Stone” Matthew 19:8 (NIV)
Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning
Mark 3:5 (NAS)
After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He *said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

16. 1. How can you identify a hard heart?
When you go to the doctor for a persistent problem many times a diagnosis brings a lot of comfort. A lot of times it is relieving to finally learn what was causing all of the trouble so then you can look towards the next step, which is treatment of the problem.
This morning I hope that we are able to identify a problem that may exist in our lives.

17. 1. How can you identify a hard heart?
Psalms 139
David prayed, search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts, see if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. 

18. How can you identify a hard heart?
Jesus was really hard on the Pharisees, and the main reason was because of their hardened stone hearts. It blows me away how people who possessed so much knowledge about God, and a people who did so much in the name of God, could have hearts as hard as they did.

19. How can you identify a hard heart?
The Pharisees had hearts of stone. They could find joy in the disgrace of a woman caught in the act of adultery and take pride in the fulfillment of the law to stone her to death. Yet they could look at the situations of Jesus doing good and find fault in them. Their hearts were made of stone.

20. Symptoms of a hardened heart.
Lost Compassion for lost and hurting people.
A lost passion to Grow and do God’s will.
A greater difficulty in hearing God’s voice and feeling His presence.
Lost excitement in serving the Lord’s Body.
An inability to come in touch with your emotions - feeling numb.

21. 2. How does our heart turn to stone ?
The Continued Practice of Sin hardens the heart (Quench the Holy Spirit)
Unforgiveness, bitterness, anger
Hurt, pain, disappointment
Time away from God’s Presence
Demonic Attack

22. 3. How can my heart be softened ?
Spirit of God Chisels away the stony heart
HOSEA 10:12 (NLT)
I SAID, ‘PLANT THE GOOD SEEDS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,AND YOU WILL HARVEST A CROP OF LOVE.PLOW UP THE HARD GROUND OF YOUR HEARTS,FOR NOW IS THE TIME TO SEEK THE LORD,THAT HE MAY COMEAND SHOWER RIGHTEOUSNESS UPON YOU.’

23. How can my heart be softened ?
2. Forgiveness and removing the root of bitterness
Ephesians 4:32 (ESV) 
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you

24. How can my heart be softened ?
3. Heart-felt repentance and humility
Vulnerability

25. How can my heart be softened ?
Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones