When a am praying for someone to come to faith in Christ, Ezekiel 36:26 is almost always worked into the request for God to bring salvation...Oh God, remove the heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh to know you, love you and to walk according to your precious Word.
Eze 36:25-27 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
This is a beautiful prayer that we may pray for those we long to come to faith in Christ. In James 1:18 we learn that God "of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." In verse 21 we are commanded to "humbly receive the implanted Word, which is able to save you." So if God removes the heart of stone and gives a new heart and a new spirit it appears clear that HE does this by the Word of Truth...when the Word of truth is implanted in a heart of stone the moment God's Word springs for in life, the moment it is received in humility the heart is transformed, transplanted..."he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
As HIS followers, Jesus has called us to be sowers of the Word...sowers sow...that's what sowers do! Sowers are not responsible for the quality of the crop...sowers simply so the seed, the seed of the Word. "Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness (2 Cor. 9:10)."
Eze 11:19 Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh,
Eze 18:31 Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?
Jn 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Jn 3:5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
2 Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Sow the Word, sow the Word in your heart, sow the Word in the hearts of your children and your grandchildren...sow the Word...be sowers and doers of the Word and live. Remember Paul's command to Timothy? 2 Tim 4:2 "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction." Be ready to sow when it is convenient and when it is not convenient! Sow the Word!
love,
m