Tag: heartbreaking

A New Heart From Jesus

Carl Pollard

As fall’s soft breeze turns to unexpected warmth, we feel the stir of change. But pain and loss are felt by many. These tragedies of the past week show our world needs Jesus, badly. Without Him in our homes and families, we see brokenness. Ezekiel 36:26 gives hope: “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.”

Ezekiel spoke to God’s people in exile, far from home because they turned to idols. Their hard hearts led to trouble (Ezekiel 36:16-20). But God promised mercy, a new heart and His Spirit to help them obey (v. 27). This promise comes true in Jesus and the Holy Spirit (John 3:5-6). Charlie Kirk was a young father and husband, killed at a school event over political disagreement. This shows us what hard hearts can do. Yet, God can soften our hearts, filling them with His love. 

Change starts inside. We give our hearts to Jesus, and He makes them new. John 16:33 says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”That’s our peace, when the world is knee deep in anger and despair, Jesus wins over death. No matter the pain, we can trust Him and stay steady.

Romans 12:21 tells us, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Evil, like the violence that took innocent lives comes from Satan (John 10:10). But we’re called to love, forgive, and share Jesus’ hope. In Luke 19, Zacchaeus met Jesus and changed, giving generously, fixing wrongs. His new heart showed. We’re to shine like that, letting our lives point to God (Matthew 5:16).

Our country needs Jesus. Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” Without God, we get chaos. But 2 Chronicles 7:14 shows the way: pray, humble ourselves, seek God. Healing starts in our hearts and homes.

Come, Lord Jesus. Let’s let Him change our hearts, rest in His promises, and do good to fight evil. When we put Jesus in our families, we bring His hope to our nation, one new heart at a time

One Of The Hardest Biblical Positions To State

Neal Pollard

There are few statements or pronouncements that are clearer than Jesus’ words in Matthew 19:9, yet perhaps none, in our current culture, is more intimidating to state. Jesus contrasts His will on marriage, divorce, and remarriage with the already existent stance of the Law of Moses. He says, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery” (19:8-9).  From this brief response (the Pharisees ask the question, testing Him in verse three), we see:

  • The teaching transcends time and culture—“From the beginning…and I say to you”
  • The teaching transcends all other authority—“I say”
  • The teaching transcends only believers—“Whoever”
  • The teaching transcends the caveats and conditions men have tried to place on the matter of marriage, divorce, and remarriage (not the specific law with its exception).

Yet, despite the clarity of Jesus on the subject, in the spirit of Christ we want to always approach this with utmost compassion, patience, and tenderness. Souls are at stake. Often, children are involved. Emotions are inevitably involved. A cold, callous treatment of people’s lives will surely draw Divine disapproval. That’s why Jesus’ stated position on this matter is one of the hardest to take. But, that cannot mean that we refuse to stand with Him in His teaching. However, we should ask why it is so hard to stand where the Bible stands on this matter?

—Learned men have stated different positions from this.
—Divorce is so prevalent in our culture.
—All of us have family members who are in marriages that violate Matthew 19:9.
—Marriage involves one of mankind’s greatest drives and needs (cf. Gen. 2:18-25).
—Leadership in more and more congregations refuse to deal with marriage, divorce, and     remarriage in the classroom, pulpit, or the hands-on shepherding of the local church.
—Few of us relish the role of being “the bad guy” (the one who has to break heartbreaking news to husbands and wives).

I could lengthen the list of reasons, and you could add several to it, but if the list grew to hundreds of reasons, we have one sobering, gut-wrenching question to ask, “Do any of them nullify the strength of Jesus’ teaching?” If Matthew 19:9 were not in the Bible, fewer preachers would have lost jobs, fewer elders would have lost favor, and fewer churches would have seen members go to congregations accommodating their marriages. But, Jesus warned that His way was difficult (cf. Matt. 7:14). He tells aghast disciples that discipleship requires whatever sacrifice is necessary to follow Him (Matt. 19:10-12). That message must be shared lovingly, gently, and patiently. There can be no other way (cf. Eph. 4:15). The harsh, unkind, or mean-spirited will deal with the Judge of all (cf. 1 Pet. 4:5; 2 Tim. 4:1). However, what will be the case for those who neglect, change, or distort what Scripture says to accommodate people? Perhaps there’s no way to ask that question without evoking a visceral reaction from those who have reinterpreted Jesus’ words, but in light of eternity it must be asked. Balance looks for biblical truth in between unbiblical extremes. However unpleasant a position that may put us in, that is the place we must always humbly stand. But, the only enduring place to stand is on the rock solid foundation of Christ (cf. Mat. 7:24-27; 1 Co. 3:11). God give us loving, but courageous, hearts to stand there.

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