Verse of the Day 9/29

Verse of the Day 9/29    

Ezekiel 36:26-27

New King James Version

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

Our Monday Men's Bible Study reviewed Ezekiel 36 and 37 this morning, the chapters contain the prophecy about the "dry bones".  God is able to restore, bring back to life the seemingly impossible.  He can take the heart of stone and give life, restore the "dry bones".  The heart of stone is a dead heart, it is not responsive to spiritual matters. It is insensitive and impenitrable. The sharpest knife will not cut into it, strike it hard and you'll break the knife but not the stone.

God, only God can give us the heart of flesh.  It is sensitive to His promptings.  It has feeling, it senses when God's Word pricks it, letting it know it needs to change.  God gives us His Spirit "within" us to lead and to guide, to walk in His ways.

It is similar to what Paul writes about in Ephesians where my read through the New Testament plan is.  Tomorrow's reading there will be in Ephesians 2 where Paul states that we were dead in our sins "but God" made us alive.

Ephesians 2:4-10

New King James Version

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Gone is the guilt of my sin,
Peace is now reigning within;
Since I believed, pardon received,
Happy, so happy I've been!

Chorus
New Life in Christ! Abundant and free!
What glories shine, what joys are mine,
What wondrous blessings I see!
My past with its sin,
The searching and strife,
Forever gone, there's a bright new dawn!
For in Christ I have found New Life!

Brighter the journey each day,
Tho there is much to dismay;
Heaven awaits - Bright pearly gates,
There at the end of the way.   (New Life In Christ - John W. Peterson)

Blessings,

Mike

Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Ephesians 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 36:22-32

New King James Version

22 "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God: "I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. 23 And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord," says the Lord God, "when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. 24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. 29 I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you. 30 And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will [a]loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations. 32 Not for your sake do I do this," says the Lord God, "let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!"