A New Heart

 Ezekiel 36:26-27

 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh…And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

There is something about things that are new. It implies a fresh start. As we begin a new year, we look forward to maybe doing things differently to improve our lives. When God gives us a fresh start, it is more than turning over a new leaf. It is more like letting the old leaf die and letting a new leaf grow. God wants to take the old heart of stone, hardened by sin. The callous heart of unbelief removed and replaced by a heart of flesh, full of faith compassion. The new heart has new desires and affections. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” The Spirit of Christ now dwells in the new heart of flesh, a heart ready to receive instructions, wanting to keep his commandments. Yes, the law is now written in our hearts, and our conscience bears witness that hearts belong to Him.

The Heavens Declare His Love

Ps 19:1  The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament show his handiwork.

At night during a cloudless evening away from the city lights, you only have to look up into the sky and wonder at the vastness of the universe. Hard to phantom that those stars are light years away. God is not bound by time, everything to God is in the present. For God is the creator of time and His creation declares His greatness, presences, and holiness. The denial of His existence is futile, who among men can deny in their right mind that there is not a God. Knowing that this God cares for humanity is mind blowing. His love reached down from the heavens to have fellowship with His creation. Through Jesus, we are His new creation, made to love and serve Him. I may not understand how He did it all, but I understand that His love made me a new creature.  The heavens declare His love, and the firmament show His power to work in our lives if we give it to Him.

Transformation in Christ

Acts 9:18  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

Transformation is not always instantaneously, Like Paul there are many who do a 180 degree turn from a life that destroyed to a life that heals. It is certain that God can clean up a sinner, breaks the habits of sin and make a new creature in Christ. Transformation of the heart is always done instantaneously, but life style and knowing how to live for Christ is most often done over time. God changes our heart, but learning to walk with God is a journey that we all take. Habits are sometimes broken like chains that bind, but not always. God is always working on us, molding us, and shaping us into His image. God has opened our eyes to see clearly the mysteries of His word. Our eyes have been open to a spiritual world once bond in darkness. We have been transformed by the renewing of our minds, and now walk in the light to live and do His will. 

All Things Are Passed Away

2 Corinth 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The old things before coming to Christ are those things that kept us from being one in Christ. What are those old things? We all have things in our past life that were contrary to God’s will and His purpose. The old habits of sin and living each day thinking only of ourselves. Paul also refers to the old things as the old man. The old man desires to hold on to the old things. The new man who is now in Christ now sees the world through a different lens. His ideas are no longer shaped by the viewpoint of a Godless culture, but are formed by understanding the principles of God’s word. All things in life are now based on what God’s word has to say. The things we now do, we do for the sake of glorifying Jesus and living our lives in His footsteps. We follow a different path, our hearts no longer seek to please self, but to reach out to please others with love and kindness. This is the transformation that take place in a person’s life when he becomes a new creature in Christ, and all things are passed away, and all things become new.

You Must Be Born Again

John 3:6,7  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

A new chance at life. Born again is a new beginning with a new heart. The old heart was dead in trespasses and sin, it was sold under sin and a servant to the nature of sin. The old life has been put to rest with its deeds of unrighteousness. The old life was burden down with guilt and shame, but the Spirit of God through Christ has removed the load of sin and it has been cast into the sea of God’s forgetfulness to be remember against us no longer. His blood now cleanses us from all sin and we have been born again through His grace and mercy. Born again and there has been a change in me, old things have past away, and all things have become new. We now see life through different lens, our world view and what is important in life is now set on things above and not on things of this world. Being born again is not turning over a new leaf, but having the experience of growing new from the branch, a new leaf in the vine of God’s love. Being born again is more than just believing that Jesus is God and came to the world to save sinners, it is allowing His Spirit to make us what we ought to be, a new creature in Christ Jesus. If eternal life is your desire, Jesus said, you must be born again!

Transforming Power

Roman 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”-

The transforming power of God to change a life the is wrecked by sin and make it new again. A transformation that is permanent and everlasting. The heart is changed instantaneously by the grace of God. Old things are past away and all things become new. A new life is recreated in the person who puts their faith in Christ. Once I was blind, but now I see. Once I was lame, but now I walk, once I was deaf, but now I hear, once I was lost in darkness, but now I the light shines in my path. What a glorious transformation is made when we come to Christ. Then God begins a holy transformation in our lives as we present ourselves in complete surrender to His will, giving our lives in holy consecration, set apart, sanctified to live blameless without sin. We no longer conform to the ideology of this world, but we now see things through the eyes of God and righteousness. Over time as we walk with God, He shows us how to walk and how to live holy. He imparts the 3rd person of the holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit giving us the power to live acceptable and do the perfect will of God. 

New Life in Christ

2 Cor 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new.”- 

It was Feb 21st, 1974 that I began my spiritual journey as a new babe in Christ. The life I lived before Christ was a short 15 years. The sins of my life were washed in the blood of Christ. I became a new person, and slowly my life style started to change as I grew in the knowledge of my Lord. Life now had new meaning and purpose as my eyes were open to spiritual truths. I now look at life through the eyes of God’s Word. Christ became the center of my Life and everything I did was focused on pleasing Him. Almost 40 years later, and I don’t regret the path that I choose to take. A life of full surrender and adventure as I journey this earth with the Lover of my Soul by my side. 

From Death To Life

 From Death to Life

Born in Sin

Romans:3:23-For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

 

We were conceived in sin and born into this world with the sin nature. As children, we were trained to suppress the nature of sin and discipline our lives to exhibit good behaviors. We came into the world as a self-centered being demanding the attention of others. Although involuntary, our human and sinful nature is focused on survival of self. 

Brought Up “Right”

 Eph. 1:8,9-For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

As we grow and mature, we begin to make voluntary choices. If we are trained properly, the choices we make will be founded on Biblical principles of right and wrong. It would seem, that if we continue on this path of doing good, that God would be pleased with us and for such good living we should not be denied the reward of eternal life. It is this premise that many in the world have rooted themselves in the soil of self-righteousness. As long as I am a good person who treats all mankind with love and respect, I have no need for any kind of savior. Religion (Salvation through Christ) is for those who have made bad choices in life and have messed up. This was the mentality of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus and asked, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life”. He was raised in a good home that followed the moral standards of good behavior. What else did he need? 

Born Again- A man name Nicodemus

John 3:7- Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Nicodemus also inquired about the kingdom of God and seemed to understand that there was more to eternal life than living a good moral life. Unless made clear from the pulpits of churches, many find security in going to church following the creed of religious rituals, and adhere to exhortation of good behavior to obtain the approbation of God. 

Become a New Creature

2 Corinthians 5: 17-Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Eph. 2: 3- Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

The new life in Christ brings about many changes in the life of the believer. Some of these changes will occur instantly and others, like the metamorphosis of a butterfly will occur slowly over time. What kind of changes can a believer in Christ expect?

• A clean conscience- Guilt of sin is gone- Like Christian in PP- Load sin is gone
• Peace of mind- Anxiety of one’s eternal destiny is at rest
• Desire to talk with God- Sweet communion with the lover of your soul
• A need to be with God’s people- We have fellowship one with another
• Manifestation of the Fruit of the Spirit- often added to our faith/new life
• Lifestyle changes- With the help of the Holy Spirit and good Bible teaching, we begin to alter our conduct and behavior so as to be consistent with Biblical principles of godly living. Such changes are made willingly as individuals completely surrender their life to God is full consecration and abandonment to the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is given complete right away and control in all areas of a person's life. It is no longer my will, but the will of Him who gave His life for me that guides and directs life.