May 18 2026 … Avoid Hardened Hearts

May 18 2026 … Avoid Hardened Hearts 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...        and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics from the group, Petra,  singing Don’t Let Your Heart Be Hardened … exporting believers to avoid letting their (our) hearts be hardened to the leading of The Lord.

========================

Highlight Passage: … Hebrews 3:7-8 … [NLT]

… 7 That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear His voice, 8  don’t harden your hearts … “ 

… God, thru the Author of Hebrews, exhorts Christians to avoid letting their (our) hearts be hardened (see photo) by their (our) selfish desires.

Reference Passage: … Hebrews 3:7-15 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …   

… The Author of Hebrews shows the tendency of believers to let their (our) hearts be hardened by their (our) human desires.

 ================ 

Reference Passage: … Psalms 95:7-8 NLT] … USE THIS LINK …                                          

… The Psalmist, likely King David, calls on believers to soften their (our) hears and follow God faithfully.

Reference Passage:… Proverbs 3:5-6  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Solomon promises that God will direct the paths of those who trust and follow The Lord faithfully.

Reference Passage: … Jeremiah 17:9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jeremiah warns believers of how hard the human heart can be.

 

Reference Passage: … Ezekiel 26:36 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  God, thru Ezekiel, promises to one day God’s Messiah will give mankind new hearts which faithfully follow the Lord.

Reference Passage: … Mark 8:17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus challenges His followers to avoid letting their hard hearts follow their own desires rather than to follow Jesus.

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 4:14-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul teaches truth to fellow Christians about the effect God’s Spirit will have on those who surrender faithfully to follow Christ.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from Adam R Holz …  USE THIS LINK    wrote about his heart doctor giving the ODB author the opportunity to see the hardening of the arteries in his heart, showing the atherosclerosis and the calcium build up in his arteries.  This clear view of his damaged heart motivated him to change his diet and exercise more to avoid further damage to his heart.

And if my readers, as I have, take in the linked song and the Scriptures shared above, I pray we all “take to heart” the truth God shares with us to avoid letting our hearts be hardened and to avoid following God’s call to let Him lead us to follow His ways rather than our own.  That’s why I’m here again today, letting my eternal “heart doctor” (i.e., His Spirit) show me the way, thru His word, how to keep my Spiritual heart healthy.  Are you with Him, as well, my friend?     

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for showing me through Your word how to keep my Spiritual heart heathy for Your glory.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, for Your call to avoid a hardening of my Spirit-filled heart.   …  Amen 

=============

Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.