Living with a New Heart
OPENING PRAYER:
Father, as we wrap up our week, we ask for Your continued guidance in living with a new heart. Transform us by Your Spirit and help us to reflect Your love in all we do. Amen.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
God promises to give His people a new heart and spirit, removing their heart of stone and replacing it with a heart of flesh. This transformation enables them to follow His decrees and live according to His will.
Ezekiel 36:26-27
REFLECT:
The promise of a new heart is central to the Christian faith. In Pastor Elliott’s message, we learned that the early church's transformation was a result of the new hearts they received through the Holy Spirit. This new heart enabled them to live in unity, generosity, and integrity, reflecting the love and grace of God.
Ezekiel's prophecy speaks to the transformative power of God's Spirit. A heart of stone is hard and resistant, focused on self-preservation and control. In contrast, a heart of flesh is soft and responsive, open to God's leading and willing to follow His will. This transformation is not something we can achieve on our own; it is a gift from God, made possible through the sacrifice of Jesus.
Living with a new heart requires ongoing surrender and openness to God's work in our lives. It means allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts, actions, and desires, aligning them with God's purposes. As we live with a new heart, we experience the fullness of life that God offers, marked by love, joy, and peace.
I WILL STATEMENT:
I will focus on Jesus and not myself as I make my commitment to All Things New.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Gracious God, thank You for the gift of a new heart and spirit. Transform us by Your love and help us to live according to Your will. May our lives reflect Your grace and bring glory to Your name. Amen.