Thursday, July 5, 2012

Verse of the Day 7/5

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (AMP)  A new heart 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 give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall heed My ordinances and do them.
 
Yesterday we celebrated our independence at the same time celebrating our dependence on God to sustain us.  Today's verses tell us how that independence from sin and dependence on God is achieved in our lives.  The preceding verse in Ezekiel speaks of "sprinkling" clean water on us, cleansing us from all of our idols, the same idols that deceive and capture our hearts.  Reading these verses brings to mind David and his confession and plea in Psalm 51:
 
Psalm 51:10 ESV  Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.
11  Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.
 
John MacArthur writes, "The "heart" stands for the whole nature.  The "spirit" indicates the governing power of the mind which directs thought and conduct.  A heart of stone is stubborn and self-willed.  A heart of flesh is pliable and responsive.  The evil inclination is removed and a new nature replaces it."
 
Who has the "governing power" over your life?
 
Jesus Christ has the power to renew, restore, refresh and uphold us with a willing spirit.  May we seek that and call for it as David did.  What a difference it will make in our lives.
 
"I'll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I'll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that's God-willed, not self-willed. I'll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands"  Ezekiel 36:27-27 The Message
 
In Christ,
Mike
 
Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV
Ezekiel 36:26-27
The Message (MSG)
 24-28 "'For here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to take you out of these countries, gather you from all over, and bring you back to your own land. I'll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I'll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I'll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that's God-willed, not self-willed. I'll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands. You'll once again live in the land I gave your ancestors. You'll be my people! I'll be your God!

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