Verse of the Day 6/23

Through the Bible - Esther 10 - Job 2, Acts 7:23-34

 

Good morning,

We've seen over the past couple of days how Jesus came to the world not to condemn but to save.  He's the God of the second chance and has the power to change a life, change the course, put the seeker on the right path.

 

Today's "Today in the Word" devotional was in Ezekiel 36 where we find a couple of my favorite verses in the Old Testament.  We'll go there for today's verse.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (Amplified Bible) 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.   ²⁷And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall heed My ordinances and do them.

In saving us, God gives us a new heart, a living pliable heart, replacing a cold dead heart.  John MacArthur writes,"The gift of the new heart signifies the new birth, which is regeneration by the Holy Spirit.  The heart stands for the whole nature.  The spirit indicates the governing power of the mind which directs thought and conduct.  A stony heart is stubborn and self willed.  A heart of flesh is pliable and responsive.  The evil inclination is removed and a new nature replaces it."

Verses like these cause us to examine our own hearts.

 

What has been governing your thoughts and actions lately?  May we be filled with the Spirit to govern our spirit to direct our thoughts and conduct today and may our hearts be pliable to do His will.

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

 

Ezekiel 36: ²² "Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered among the nations. ²³ I will show how holy my great name is—the name on which you brought shame among the nations. And when I reveal my holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign Lord, then the nations will know that I am the Lord. ²⁴ For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land.

 ²⁵ "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. ²⁶ 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. ²⁷ And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.  NLT