How can we ensure our hearts remain receptive to God's message in Scripture? A Fiery Warning from Jeremiah 36:23 “ And as Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a scribe’s knife and throw them into the fire in the brazier until the entire scroll was consumed.” King Jehoiakim’s knife and brazier expose how a calloused heart can shred and burn God’s very words. We want the opposite response—soft hearts that treasure every line. What a Hardened Heart Looks Like • Dismisses inconvenient passages (Jeremiah 36:23) • Resists conviction (Hebrews 3:7-8 “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…”) • Hears without obeying (James 1:22) • Prefers human wisdom over divine truth (Romans 1:21-22) Habits That Keep the Soil Soft 1. Humble Reception – “Receive with humility the implanted word” (James 1:21). – Open the Bible expecting to be corrected, not confirmed. 2. Immediate Obedience – “Be doers of the word” (James 1:22). – Small, prompt acts of obedience prevent the crusting that delay brings. 3. Daily Exposure – Like manna, Scripture is for every day (Matthew 4:4). – Short gaps grow weeds of forgetfulness; consistent reading tills the ground. 4. Ongoing Repentance – “Break up your fallow ground” (Hosea 10:12). – Confess sin quickly; unconfessed sin packs the soil hard. 5. Spirit Dependence – “The Spirit of truth will guide you” (John 16:13). – Ask the Spirit to illuminate and soften before, during, and after reading. 6. Scripture-Fed Prayer – Respond to each passage in prayerful dialogue (Psalm 119:18). – Praying the text kneads truth deeper into the heart. 7. Christ-Centered Focus – “All Scripture…leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). – Seeing Jesus in every page warms affections and keeps the Word precious. 8. Community Accountability – “Exhort one another every day…so that none of you may be hardened” (Hebrews 3:13). – Discuss, memorize, and apply Scripture with others who love it. Warning Lights of a Closing Heart • Irritation when Scripture confronts a pet habit • Selective listening—skipping sections labeled “too hard” • Treating quiet time as a box to tick • More excitement for media than for the living Word When any light flashes, run back to the cross and reopen the Book. The Fruit of Receptive Hearts • Deeper joy (Jeremiah 15:16) • Stability amid storms (Matthew 7:24-25) • Growing likeness to Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18) • Ready witness to others (Colossians 3:16) Choosing the Scroll or the Fire Jehoiakim’s brazier still crackles in every generation. Each reading of Scripture presents a choice: slice away the parts we dislike, or welcome every God-breathed word as life. By humble submission, quick obedience, and Spirit-led devotion, our hearts stay soft—ready fields where the seed of truth can root deep and bear lasting fruit. |
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