HOW ABOUT YOUR HEART, IS IT RIGHT WITH GOD?
Do you remember the day you had your “spiritual heart” transplant? Ez. 36:26-27 NLT And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.
God used Ezekiel and other Prophets to declare that God was going to institute a New Covenant with His people and Ezekiel describes it as a heart transplant.
Remember before you were born again, you heart was cold and indifferent towards God, and you saw no need or had any desire (or ability) to change and repent, you felt sadly, you were self-sufficient in every way. The reality is though that unless a person receives a new heart He cannot respond to God.
We thank God for that “incorruptible seed” we received, whether by someone witnessing to us or through the preaching of the Word of God. We read about it in 1 Peter 1:23 AMP N.T. You have been regenerated (born again), not from a mortal origin (seed, sperm), but from one that is immortal by the ever living and lasting Word of God.
Hearing and receiving that “incorruptible seed” changed EVERYTHING, that is when spiritual surgery took place.
Jeremiah 17:9 AMP O.T. tells us that The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]?
Without our “new heart” we are incapable of responding to God. We thank God today, for the Ministry of the Holy Spirit who convicted of our sin and our need of Saviour, and then placed grace and faith in our new heart (Eph. 2:8-10) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
We inherited a sinful nature from Adam & Eve and this is still part of us to this very day, we, I am sure all wonder why God didn’t restore our heart to the type of heart that Adam & Eve had before their fall, but God had another plan that He designed in eternity past. I am so glad that when Jesus died and took the Father’s wrath and all mankind’s sin upon Himself through His death and resurrection dealt forever man’s sin problem. also procured for us the ability and power to walk in victory and purity and holiness.
Ezekiel prophesied that with the new heart, God would place His Holy Spirit within us, and He would give us the ability to obey and walk in righteousness.
Next Wednesday we especially celebrate Christmas Day, which was the public beginning of God’s eternal plan, next April again we especially celebrate Easter where God’s plan was fulfilled. Then on Pentecost Sunday, we will especially celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I would encourage you not to wait for these special occasions in the Church’s calendar but to spend time regularly meditating on all that was accomplished on these three occasions.
Let us make complete use of our new heart, and enjoy the outworking of our “new heart” transplant” amen.