11/7/25

Many Christians struggle to understand how another Christian can stray away from God for a long period of time.

Actually, the more you stay away, the easier it becomes to stay away and the harder it becomes to come back.

Some people even stray away while attending church.

The writer of Hebrews speaks of such people. Hebrews 3:13 NASB95 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

This verse makes me think of JB Weld. I have had to use this product many times in my previous employment. For those who have never used it, JB Weld, has a resin that you squeeze out of a tube. It is made to seal a hole or crack in metal.

When you squeeze this resin into a bowl, it will remain pliable and soft; however, over time, it will start to firm up. It never really gets hard but it does stiffen over a long period. It becomes no longer pliable to spread over the hole or crack. This is kind of like the heart of a person who is in church but doesn't get involved. They only come one hour a week and don't really grow in Christ or serve Him. Their heart isn't hard but it isn't pliable, moldable, or usable. This is because of the separation from God. Lack of time spent with him caused the separation.

However, if you squeeze the resin in a bowl and then add the hardener, which is the second tube, and stir them together, the JB Weld can be spread over the hole or crack, and it will harden and appear that there is no longer a crack there. Oh, it is still there, but it is hidden by the rock-hard JB Weld. That hardener is just like sin to a Christian heart that is not spending time day by day in fellowship with and in service to Christ. This heart has a hole or a crack where it is attempting to stray away from God and the sin covers this hole up and makes it rock hard. This type of heart is often unusable to God. The sin has joined in with the resin of separation and hardened the heart to the point that God has to completely break it to make it usable again.

This is a painful thing. God hates to do it, and the person hates the pain it causes, but just like the needle must pierce the skin to stitch up the cut, God must break the hardened heart to make it usable again. Once it is healed the cut feels much better. Once the heart is put back together in the hands of God peace is felt. Because of this pain and suffering the writer of Hebrews gives us this warning so we might avoid the resin of separation and the hardening of sin in our heart. Hebrews 3:13 NASB95 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Let me encourage you today. You can come back to God. If you do you will find mercy, grace, love, forgiveness, and peace. The longer you stay away the more painful it will be to come back.

Some will wait until the judgment seat to return I hate to think of the breaking of that hard heart.

Others have never come to Christ at all. For you, if you come now, He will give you a new heart.

For the one who has strayed let me just say.

JB Weld works great on metal, however, the warning label says, Causes skin irritation," "Causes serious eye irritation," and "May cause an allergic skin reaction". Wear protective gloves and eye protection, wash hands thoroughly after use, and avoid eating, drinking, or smoking while using this product. If contact occurs, wash the affected area with plenty of soap and water for skin, and flush eyes cautiously with water for several minutes. 

I'm fairly certain that means you shouldn't apply any part of it to your heart!

Resin = separation from God.

Hardener = sin.

These make it difficult for God to use your heart. Plus it is extremely painful for Him to fix it for you. It takes a chisel, sandpaper, and sometimes a grinder to remove JB Weld.

Love Bro. Scott