nightwatch: A New Heart and a New Spirit

Monday, February 26, 2007

A New Heart and a New Spirit

Ezekiel 36:26-27 NASB

"Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be and be careful to observe My ordinances."

Jeremiah 17:9

"The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?"

Proverbs 27:19

"As in water face reflects face, So the heart of man reflects man."

The concept of a new heart and a new spirit has been coming back to me, over and over again. I read these references and rejoice that there are things that I will never fully understand. That as I journey into this Life that is Christ ....there are the weavings and concepts in God's Word that I will never totally grasp. This and this...makes that and that....and in and of myself things need to be that way. In and of God, things are NOT always that way.

I found in Neil T. Anderson's book "The Daily Discipler", another account of these thoughts.

"We have been given a new heart because we have been made a new creation in Christ. In fact, it is the new heart that makes a new person. Our new birth means "a new heart" (see Deut. 30:5,6; Ezekiel 11:19). Proverbs 4:23 reads, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." The last phrase literally means "for out of it are the issues of life." This is seen in Ecclesiastes 10:2, " The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left." Jesus taught that what we do comes from our heart, (Matthew 12:34,35). Our new life stems from our heart. Godly thoughts, motives, words, feelings, attitudes and actions all originate in our heart. It is the mission control center of human life. The believer in Christ, through death and resurrection with Him, has received God's Spirit and a new heart, and thus a new control center of life."

What think ye readers of this blog on this? Just curious ....always curious.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...: CIA: pull out of your stash...Spark's book called The Centrality and Supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ. I read this after reading your blog...but I keep seeing 'heart' here is an excerpt from p 23:

" An then the next thing, the fourth thing. Eph iii. 17: "That Christ may dwell in your hears through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be strong to apprehend with all the saints..." "That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." Now he you have an advance from all the rest. You may not recognize it, but it is an advance. this is not saying, that Christ may take up residence in your heart. AThis is not saying, that Christ may come intor your heart. And this is not saying, that christ may find a lodgement in your heart. This is saying: "That Christ may dwell in your heart" and the Greek word there is, "to make His home" or settle down" in your heart. "That Christ may make His home in your heart." That is something more than a lodging, tha tis something more than just coming in and being there. Every house is not a home."

Also check the whole second chapter out p.16.

Also first chapter p. 13 "From eternity God had a secret in His heart - a heart secret. I say a "heart secret" because this term, this designation, "the Sone of his love" is linked with the mystery, the secret. ......

RoG; 12:56 p.m.
In Christ Alone said...: Thanks for the referral to Sparks, my brother...this is looking very good...more to come on this, I am sure. Reminds me of the little book "My Heart, Christ's Home". Gone reading now...Starting at page 1....talk soon. :)
In Him,; 2:17 p.m.
Mikey's God Talk said...: Well, my thoughts are not as elaborate as RoG, however, my two cents: When Christ left He sent "The Comforter" to dwell within us. The comforter of course is The Holy spirit who changes our heart. This is the changing of what we think, the way we treat others, the way we view, ect. It is a totall transformation and I believe, is without end. The indwelling changes our heart continuously. If not, then we most likely hardened our hearts or reverted to taking control. The changing of our heart takes place the more we aurrender to Christ who is our life. Mikey <>< <>< <><; 5:47 a.m.