"I Cannot Regulate the Hands Unless I Have the Heart!"

2Co 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

God said through the prophet Jeremiah that eventually, His Laws should be written in the hearts of Men, instead of on stones.
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
(Jer 31:31-33 KJV)

King David declared, “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts” Psalms 51:6.

Paul asked the Colossians who were supposed to know the Lord and all the principles mentioned above, why they subjected themselves to carnal ordinances as if though they were not “dead with Christ”, meaning regenerated.
Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
(Col 2:20-23 KJV)

The answer is actually quite simple!

How many of us would rather hide behind an external show of religiosity, than having to subject our hearts to the Lord for Him to actually take and change it?

That one does not kill does not necessarily mean that he is not a murderer.

That one does not steal does not necessarily make one an honest man.

If one only submits himself to these laws because he is afraid of the retributions be they legal, ethical or spiritual, shows that the person is still influenced by the “old man” and needs the external “crutches” of the Law as Paul mentions “the law is for the disobedient”. (1 Timothy 1:9)

During a fund-raiser, a man told that he would like to help the mission in some way, so I asked what is his trade and he said, ‘I am a carpenter/handyman” . I then jumped on the opportunity to ask him, “can you come put in half a day a week of maintenance work at our mission?”, To which he replied, “Can I give you a twenty and we’re quit?”

Jesus was right, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also!” This man would rather give his money, than be infringed on his time and person! This is a good example ot those of us who would rather give an external show of religiosity rather than have God meddle in our hearts!

There is a story of a coloured man who came to a watchmaker and gave him the hands of a clock, saying: "I want yer to fix up dese hans. Dey jes' doan' keep no mo' kerrec' time for mo' den six monfs." "Where is the clock?" answered the watchmaker. "Out at de house on Injun Creek." "But I must have the clock." "Didn't I tell yer dar's nuffin' de matter wid de clock 'ceptin' de hans? And I done brought 'em to you. You jes' want the clock so you can tinker with it and charge me a big price. Gimme back dem hans." And so saying, he went off to find some reasonable watchmaker.

Foolish as he was, his caution is very like that of those who try to regulate their lives without being made right on the inside. And their reason for not putting themselves into the hands of the Lord is very similar to the reason the colored man gave. They are afraid the price will be too great.

They say, "We only wish to avoid this or that habit."

But the Master Workman says,

"I cannot regulate the hands unless I have the heart."