Latest / Dwelling Place: The Bible for Moms / #175. Godly Sorrow vs. Worldly Sorrow: Repentance Matters in Ezekiel 31-36

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#175. Godly Sorrow vs. Worldly Sorrow: Repentance Matters in Ezekiel 31-36 · Dwelling Place: The Bible for Moms

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  This is the Dwelling Place from Entrusted Ministries.
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  I'm Stephanie Hickox.
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  Today, we're going through Ezekiel chapters 31 through 36.
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  God will reveal how jealously and tenderly He loves His people, and He'll continue to disclose the drastic measures He will providentially enact to punish those who mistreat the nation of Israel.
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  That's beautiful news for you and I who have also been knit into the family of God We'll also press into the benefits of restoration that repentance brings us.
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  In chapter 31, God continues his oracle against Egypt as he explains how he chose Assyria to rise in power to be an instrument of judgment, he has sovereignly cut down their kingdom and made another rise up When Egypt
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  is faced with this reality, Pharaoh should realize How foolishly his pride has been placed so in chapter 32, God explains how he will humble the pride of Egypt.
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  in chapter 33, God calls Ezekiel to be a watchman over the people imagine how crucial that role would have been in these Old Testament times As any nation could appear at any time, they didn't have drones or aerial
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  footage.
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  the watchman was a pivotal person to give warning for when the people were in danger I'll read a portion of this call beginning in chapter thirty-three verse seven.
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  So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel.
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  Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me."
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  If I say to the wicked, "O wicked one, you shall surely die," and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity.
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  But his blood I will require at your hand.
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  But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity.
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  But you will have delivered your soul.
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  And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, thus have you said: Surely our transgressions and our sin are upon us, and we rot away because of them.
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  How then can we live?
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  Say to them, as I live declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live.
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  Turn back, turn back from your evil ways for why will you die O house of Israel What a comfort this reality is to us.
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  God does not have wrath and anger stored up that He's waiting to dole out to whomever He wills.
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  His heart is to spare and to extend mercy.
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  We are the ones that choose punishment and discipline from Him when we walk in our sin.
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  I love that he's repeated this phrase to ensure that we know the forgiving nature of his character.
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  He is a gracious, gracious God, that's why he's been so faithfully warning about the downfall of Jerusalem, and that pivotal newsflash finally comes in chapter thirty-three.
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  In verse twenty-one, we're told that in the twelfth year of their exile, a fugitive from Jerusalem came and told them that the city had been struck down This date equates to January 19th, 585 BC, but the fall had
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  happened on August 14th, 586 BC.
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  It took several months to escape and to reach hundreds of miles away to Babylon to let the exiles know what had occurred.
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  But all who had ears to hear would not be surprised by the message, as Ezekiel has been proclaiming and warning of this for years.
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  And next, because God is such a holy, loving leader of his people, in chapter thirty-four, he rebukes the unrighteousness of Israel's leaders.
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  This includes the kings, the priests, and the prophets that have led the people astray.
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  Though it's heartbreaking to watch leaders of God fall into sin It also creates an opportunity for the perfection and character of God to be glorified after God rebukes the leaders for three specific sins, which included exploiting the people
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  for their own financial gain, treating the people cruelly, and their failure to protect the people from harm.
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  Then God explains how his shepherd will be different.
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  And this is our main reading for today, beginning in Ezekiel thirty-four verse ten.
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  Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep.
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  No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves.
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  I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them."
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  For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out.
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  As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day
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  of clouds and thick darkness.
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  And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel by the ravines and all the inhabited
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  places of the country.
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  I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land.
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  There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel.
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  I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God.
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  I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy.
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  I will feed them injustice As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between goats and male goats, between rams and male goats.
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  Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture that you must tread down with your feet the rest of the pasture?
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  And to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet?
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  And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet Therefore thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and
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  the lean sheep.
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  Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns till you have scattered them abroad, I will rescue my flock.
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  They shall no longer be a prey, and I will judge between sheep and sheep.
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  I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them.
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  He shall feed them and be their shepherd.
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  And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them.
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  I am the Lord.
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  I have spoken."
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  I will make with them a covenant of peace and banish wild beasts from the land so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.
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  And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing.
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  And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase.
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  And they shall be secure in their land, and they shall know that I am the Lord when I break the bars of their yoke and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them.
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  They shall no more be a prey to the nations, nor shall the beasts of the land devour them.
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  They shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid.
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  And I will provide for them renowned plantations so that they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land and no longer suffer the reproach of the nations.
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  And they shall know that I am the Lord their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel are my people declares the Lord God.
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  And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God," declares the Lord God Did you hear how selfishly and unjustly the leaders were shepherding the people?
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  And this is contrasted with how God himself would shepherd.
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  It's exactly the context Jesus was speaking into in John 10 In 10:14, he says, "I am the good shepherd.
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  I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep."
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  I've mentioned it before, but in the original language, Jesus said, I am the shepherd, the good one."
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  He's aware that there were other shepherds over the flock of Israel, And he separates himself from their wicked reputation.
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  Consistent with what we read yesterday, Jesus humbled himself repeatedly to be the leader and the ruler that his people required, that his people needed Surely you think, surely when you hear this, you think of Psalm 23 and that
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  the Lord provides all that we need.
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  even in times of exile or trial, we can look to God to provide exactly what we need spiritually and physically Moving on to Chapter 35, the second prophecy against Edom is issued.
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  But God addresses them as Mount Seir which was a synonym for the nation of Edom and that's why in chapter thirty-six God refers to the nation of Israel by speaking to the mountains of Israel.
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  It's in contrast to the people of Edom; and at the end of chapter thirty-six God delivers beautiful promises for the future of the Nation of Israel, and we're reminded that it's not because of the nation's worthiness that he
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  does so.
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  I know I've already read two longer portions but I really feel it's important to keep the context in mind as I read these words of hope and encouragement.
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  Beginning in thirty-six twenty-two: Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name,
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  which you have profaned among the nations to which you came.
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  And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them.
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  And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.
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  I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all
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  your idols I will cleanse you.
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  And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.
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  And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
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  And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
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  You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.'
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  And after God promises that he will deliver them from their uncleanness and bless their grain and their produce, He says, 'Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves
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  for your iniquities and your abominations.
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  It is not for your sake that I will act,' declares the Lord GOD.
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  Let that be known to you.
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  Be ashamed and be confounded of your ways, O house of Israel!
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  In hearing that we might feel, it was going so well.
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  We had that beautiful promise of the new heart and the promise of God's Spirit in them, and then God had to go and get historical and point out how they had completely blown it in the past.
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  And as I prayed about it and where to cut off the reading, the phrase came to my head, It can't be heaven unless we agree about holiness."
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  for God to bring us into this time of restoration and peace with Him We need to understand the wickedness of our former ways.
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  This renewal requires the acknowledgement of sin and repentance.
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  So it is actually truly beautiful that as they're receiving God's blessings, that they will be fully aware Of how they have previously fallen short.
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  As Jesus said, "He who has been forgiven much, loves much."
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  Then the people will be filled with gratitude for the blessings of the Lord instead of being entitled that they deserve them And when someone is truly walking in repentance, they don't mind acknowledging their former sin they're thankful for
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  the forgiveness that they've been issued And they press forward in the grace of the Lord.
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  This is one of the most practical Lessons in Entrusted With a Child's Heart.
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  And I'd just like to read a little bit about what worldly sorrow looks like versus godly sorrow this is from the couples version that's only $20 on our website, and if you purchase it, it comes with all 20
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  videos, and we're offering those for free right now Worldly sorrow regrets getting caught, but godly sorrow regrets the sinful choice.
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  Worldly sorrow excuses or rationalizes wrong behavior, but godly sorrow confesses their behavior as wrong.
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  Worldly sorrow continues to blame shift or accuse others.
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  Godly sorrow takes personal responsibility for their actions Worldly sorrow dodges or resists consequences and discipline, and resents correction.
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  But godly sorrow accepts consequences and discipline, and is grateful for correction and restoration.
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  Worldly sorrow seeks their own way.
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  Godly sorrow desires that God's will be done in their life.
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  People with worldly sorrow are stuck in a cycle of recurring sin.
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  But those with godly sorrow are in the process of being sanctified and bearing fruit Worldly sorrow expects to be let off, and godly sorrow expects justice to be done.
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  Those with worldly sorrow are unrepentant and have a stubborn heart, and all of these ultimately bring death but those who have been transformed by godly sorrow are repentant and have a humble heart, And ultimately, this brings spiritual life
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  Think about an argument you've had in your marriage.
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  Have you ever reached that point where you just say, "Let's agree to disagree," and you move forward but you both have tense faces and demeanors?
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  You're just trying to get beyond it.
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  Would you rather have that or would you rather have a situation where you both acknowledge where you went wrong, you apologize and move forward in unity?
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  That's exactly the concept of understanding and agreement Betsy talks about in Entrusted.
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  God wants that for us too, and it's important that we have that goal in our parenting, and that's why we call it Entrusted With a Child's Heart.
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  We want to get to the heart of the matter, not just brush things aside and move forward with behavior modification.
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  That's why I felt it so important that I include those verses around the beautiful promises of the new heart and the Spirit Christians aren't perfect, we're forgiven.
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  And as we parent, we should expect many opportunities to address sin in our own hearts and in our families But let's make sure that we do it while pointing to the tender, merciful forgiveness of our shepherd and savior
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  Because when we realize what Jesus has done for us, we can acknowledge our sin and yet choose to live differently through His Spirit so let's pray into those glorious promises we just read.
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  Heavenly Father, we thank you that You are a merciful, forgiving, gracious God.
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  We praise You that You are the Good Shepherd.
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  Though some nations look down upon this occupation, You humbly embrace it as a picture of Your tender love for us.
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  We rejoice that You have given us a new heart and a new spirit, and that You've replaced our heart of stone with a heart of flesh.
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  But we acknowledge that so often our bitterness and selfishness make us realize that the battle with our sin is still very present.
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  We long for You to be victorious in our hearts and in the hearts of our families, and we pray against the tendencies to be stubborn and stiff-necked.
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  Soften us through Your Spirit.
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  May we move forward in peace and restoration both with You and with those around us may we have godly sorrow, knowing that we have been forgiven by a very good God.
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  Jesus, we thank you once again for being the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep it's in your powerful name that we pray.
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  Amen