Given A Changed Heart

The Spiritual Transplant

Ezekiel 36:26

 A new heart also 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 I will give you an heart of flesh. 

    Every time we try to change ourselves to be a better person our attempts fall short and many times we fall back into our old ways. We have not changed one bit.But when God changes us, we begin to be a changed person: from the inside-out. That's the only way we can begin to heal, begin to grow, begin to love.

The Christ-Filled Change

Romans 10:8-10

But what does it say? “The Word is near you; It is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved. 

    Neither our good deeds, acts of kindness, nor our charitable donations will grant us access to the heavenly places where God's eternalness is. Only this in Romans 10:8-10>Believe with our hearts and Speak our belief out loud. Justification takes place in the heart; Salvation takes place in the mouth. 

    If, when we come to Christ for our salvation, but do not shout it from the rooftops nor whisper it in someone's ear nor speak what we believe aloud, are we then not saved? Have you told someone about the change God has wrought in you? And how God is still changing you? Does your life reflect your belief?

The Holy Spirit Changed Lifestyle

1 Peter 1:14-16

As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Isaiah 35:8

And there will be a highway called The Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it--only those who walk in the Way--and fools will not stray onto it.

2 Corinthians 7:1

Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

    Holiness is a process. Like the seed that becomes a full grown plant (flower, tree, grain), time is essential to become holy. Patience is not only a virtue, it is required. Contentment with the portion of faith in God's ability to keep His promises to us is part of the process. 

    Holiness is a necessity. Without holiness no one can see God. And who doesn't want to see God? I want to see God and live with Him eternally. I believe that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. And I want The Holy Spirit to continue to work in me, on me, and through me to perfect me in holiness. I will raise in life triumphant. Will you rise with me? 

LORD I OFFER MY LIFE TO YOU 
CHANGE MY HEART O GOD 

CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART

GIVE ME JESUS

WELCOME HOLY SPIRIT

A Crucified Life - - Walks In The Power of The Holy

 

2 Corinthians 6:7

By the Word of Truth, by the power of God, by the armor of Righteousness on the right hand and on the left. 

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3696

Armor: tools, implements, weapons

From the Greek word 'hoplon' (pronounced hop'-lon): God always gives all the resources we need to engage in spiritual warfare.

    The Word of Truth is the gospel, the Full Gospel, the Whole Complete WORD of GOD, in all its fullness. 

    Having His WORD living in us and us living in His WORD makes us bold and should make us fearless while we serve God in this life. 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us to study diligently that we may be able to 'righty divide the Word of Truth', in other words that we might clearly understand and know the Word in order to explain and share it with others.

    Ephesians 1:13 "In Whom you also trusted, after you heard the Word of Truth, the gospel of your salvation: in Whom also after you believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise."

As the song declares, "Living He loved me, Dying He saved me, Rising He justified freely forever. One day He's coming, O glorious day!"

    Galatians 3:14

He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.    

    This Holy Spirit of Promise is the Power of God in us who have received this Promise. God promises the believer many precious and wonderful gifts; the Holy Spirit is by far the best gift God could gift to us after Christ ascended into heaven.

    It is impossible to live in the Power of God if we don't have the Power of God living in us. The workings of the Holy Spirit are essential to a confident, overcoming life in Christ. He is God's seal of Authority on us. 

    Lastly, we are shown that we have been given weapons for both of our hands to grasp. Ephesians 6:16,17 show us that in our dominant hand is the Sword of The Spirit, the Word of God. In our other hand is the Shield of Faith, which has the power to extinguish all of the flaming arrows/darts which the enemy of our souls throws in our direction. This is why we bring our hands together when we pray; for one must work with the other to succeed in the endeavor. 

    Being fully clothed in His Righteousness (Romans 13:14), and in our right minds (Titus 1:8), we are now prepared -- on a daily basis -- to face that which is coming against us as we take our stand in the Word of God.

    We are not alone. We have God's angels battling hell's demons (Daniel 10:13), we have God's Son interceding on our behalf (Romans 8:34), and we have God's Holy Spirit, who not only aids us in our work, but utters the deepest prayers of our hearts to God (Romans 8:26). 

    Prayer is an absolute necessity in our lives. It is our base of communication with our God and Savior. Faith, believing God, activates our prayers. Why pray if we are not going to believe that our prayers will be answered as long as we pray according to God's will? 

>James 5:16

>1 Timothy 2:1

>Ephesians 6:18

>Philippians 4:6

    Wake up! Wash the sleep out of your eyes and Rise up! Now is the time to awaken out of the slumber into which we have fallen. Now is the time to let our lamps burn brightly that the Light of the Word of Truth would shine into the outer darkness, revealing the bright and wonderful Light of God's Love to a dying world.

WORD OF TRUTH

The Gospel - Ryan Stevenson

Jesus Said It - Eddie James

Word of God Speak - Mercy Me

Holy Water - We The Kingdom, Tasha Cobbs

Come Holy Spirit - Steve Kuban

Fire of Your Spirit - Sarah Lieberman

Sound The Alarm - Instrumental

Whom Shall I Fear - Chris Tomlin

House of Prayer - Eddie James

Rise Up - Cain

    

A Crucified Life - - Operates In The Realm of The Holy Spirit

 

2 Corinthians 6:6

In purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 1722

In:  in, on, at, by, with

From the Greek word 'en' (pronounced en). A preposition meaning 'in the realm of, in the sphere of, in the proximity of': the condition wherein something, someone operates from within, from the inside.

    As born again Christians who are baptized in and filled with God's Holy Spirit, we work together in conjunction with God's Holy Spirit. Nothing we do is done in and of ourselves. It is the believer's job to preach (share, expound) the gospel of salvation. It is the Spirit's job to convict and convince the unbelieving heart to believe. 

>1 Thessalonians 1:5

>Romans 15:19

>John 16:7-15

>2 Timothy 3:16,17

>2 Peter 1:21

>Revelation 22:17

   

    Unless the Word is first written on our spiritual hearts by faith in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation, the Holy Spirit of God cannot be present in a person. God is the God of order and purpose.

    The old adage says, A place for everything and everything in its place. If there is no room in a person's heart and life for God's only begotten Son Jesus Christ, then there is no room in that person's life for God's Holy Spirit. 

   

    The mystery of God is Jesus Christ. It is the Spirit Who reveals this to us. It's up to us to decide if we are going to believe it is the Truth. I believe. And so God has written His Word on my heart. But that I may walk out this life in God's power, God has also answered the desire of my heart to be filled with His Holy Spirit.

    To be saved by the Word and not be baptized by the Spirit is to live as a spiritual infant, requiring only the milk of God's Word (easily digested) and not the meat of God's Word (that which is more difficult to digest). It is why some pick and choose which Scriptures they will believe and which they will not. It is a sad existence and just a shadow of who they could be. 

SPIRIT OF GOD 

    

A Crucified Life - - Is A Sealed Life

 

2 Corinthians 5:5

And God has prepared us for this very purpose and given us the Spirit as a pledge of what is to come.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 728

Pledge: installment,  down-payment

From the Greek word 'arrabón' (pronounced 

ar-hrab-ohn'):  a large part of the payment, given in advance as a security that the whole will be paid afterwards.

SEALED WITH HIS PROMISE

    A life lived on purpose in Christ is a life worth living. 2 Corinthians 1:22-23 "Now it is God who establishes both us and you in Christ. He anointed us, placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is to come." 

    Ephesians 1:11-14, specifically verse 13 as relates here: "And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit." 

    Abraham believe God before God gave him the sign of circumcision (Romans 4:10), which was an outward sign of what God was doing on the inside, on Abraham's spiritual heart. 

    Romans 4:11 "And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them." 

    Why is this important to know and understand? An uncircumcised heart is a heart that does belong to God. But when a person believes God for his or her salvation, then God circumcises the believing heart from the body of sin and death.        Circumcision is a cutting away from, a removing from. It separates the clean from the unclean. Just as Christ in the mercy of God separates the believers, His sheep, from the unbelievers, the goats, when we come to Him for our salvation (Ezekiel 34:16,17; Matthew 25:32,33). 

    As David wrote in Psalm 23:1, "The LORD is MY Shepherd, I shall not want (lack)." He was able to say this because He believed God, and like Abraham, David's faith was counted to him as righteousness, though the Righteousness of Christ had yet to be revealed.

    We who live now live in the Age of Grace, a time when the outpouring of the Holy Spirit of God is prevalent and fills all believers that we might walk in the power of God and accomplish His purpose in us and for us. It is now that the Spirit of God prepares us for what is to come. 

    And what is to come? Life, an eternal life which has no end. Life in Christ is lived in Christ. And as I stated in the beginning of this discourse, A life lived on purpose in Christ is a life worth living. 

    Let us live that life with God's Seal upon us.

SEALED LIFE 

Welcome Holy Spirit

Let The Weight of Your Glory Fall

Holy Spirit

Come Holy Spirit Fall On Me Now

O Lord Send The Power Just Now

Holy Spirit Rain Down

Heart & Soul - - God's People

 

Psalm 7:9

Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 7451

Wickedness: badness, evilness, adversity

From the Hebrew word 'ra'' (pronounced rah).

REPENTANT PEOPLE

    In this part of David's prayer, he prays for the end of sin in his own heart and in others' hearts. He prays, "Let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end."       Here, too, the Christian desires the same thing: I turn my heart and my face to You, Lord. I turn my back on the unlawful things I have done and I commit to obeying Your Word and following Your ways. I repent of the wickedness of my heart and ask that You remain in me and clean Your tabernacle, that I might be made presentable to God. 

    "We pray that adversity towards God be overthrown and that our hearts be made clean and pure for His Name's sake. We determine in our hearts and our minds to be steadfast and sure, not moving from our foundation of faith in God through Christ."

ESTABLISHED PEOPLE

    David asks that God establish the just, that He build a firm immovable foundation in the believer. The deeper we dig into the Word of God, the longer and deeper our roots will be. As oaks of righteousness (Isaiah 61:3) we need to know this. We are the planted of The Lord. We plant (read and study our Bibles) ourselves in His Word and He plants (John 15:4, 5) His Word in us. 

    Being both planted in Him and built up in Him we are stronger than many of us realize. Just before The Lord ascended into heaven, He gave instructions  to His disciples (and to us):

Matthew 28:18-20

Mark 16:15-18

Luke 24:45-49

John 20:21-23

Acts 1:8

    Being planted in Christ through His death and His resurrection, we are now being built up in Him through the power of His Holy Spirit. As long as we trust God and obey His Word and live a holy life, we will see God and remain with HIm when we die. God is holy. His holiness demands a holy people, for sin cannot be present where God is. 

    1 Peter 2:9 tells us that as believers, as God's people, we are not like the people of the world, the people who still live in darkness. We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people. The chosen generation is the generation of they who seek Him (Psalm 24:1-6). 

    He has called us to be His royal priests. We are a holy nation. Though we are to pray for the leaders who rule over us in this world, that they may be saved and sanctified, our allegiance is to our God. His laws are higher than men's laws. When the law of the land is lawlessness, the law of God must still be obeyed. Know you that we are living under such laws even now? It's only going to get worse.

PECULIAR PEOPLE

    We are a peculiar people. Strange. Odd. Weird. To many people God's people are foolish. Why? We believe God. It is more than believing God's existence, it is believing God's Word is Real, Faithful, Truth. It is a knowing and an understanding. 

    But to the people who live outside of God's reality we are unusual. And so we should be. We should shine as lights in a dark world, shining with the light of God's love bursting through us. Radiance lights up our faces from the Joy that is within us: the love of God in Christ which we received when we believed. 

    For "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world that He might shame the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world that He might shame the strong." (1 Corinthians 1:27). To quite a few folks, God's plan of salvation is foolishness. Unable to recognize their own sin they refuse to believe that God's Son would die in such a shameful manner, if they even believe that God has a Son. 

POWERFUL PEOPLE

    We are fools for Christ, as Paul says to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 4:10). We choose to live in obedience to God's Word and God's commands. We choose to share Christ, the Light of God's Love, with everyone whom God places in our path. We choose to live a life that glorifies God. 

    And we are able to do these things because Christ is our foundation, the Chief Cornerstone upon Whom our lives are built. We are trees whose roots are planted near a living flowing water, and whose strength is in Him. We are the established of God. And we have overcome the wickedness of this world.

    Unless a person is a born again, Spirit-filled believer they will not be able to fully and faithfully serve God in the way in which He has ordained His people to serve Him. Every organization, whether small like a club or large like a nation, must have a set of rules by which to live in peace. So it is with God. He has set up the ways in which His people should walk, should live, should serve. 

    It takes an immense amount of power to live God's way. This power is only available from God and it is in the form of His Spirit living and moving through His people by faith. If you don't have His Holy Spirit, just ask God for it. He knows what we need and He's waiting for us to ask because He's not a pushy overbearing God who rams His way into people's hearts and lives. He's a patient (longsuffering) God who waits to hear from us. 

    Now is the time to talk with God. And remember, a conversation is a two way street, not a monologue. 

     

GOD'S PEOPLE 

Heart & Soul - - Anointed By God

 

1 John 2:20

But you have an unction from the Holy One, and you know all things.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 5545

Unction: anointing

From the Greek word 'chrisma' (pronounced khris'-mah) (from 5548 /xríō, "anoint with oil") . Referring to the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit, guiding the receptive believer into the fullness of God's preferred-will. [This anointing functions through faith (4102 /pístis), i.e. God inwardly persuading the believer of His preferences.]  

    The Holy Spirit is that unction, that unguent, poured out on the Christians. He is represented in Scripture as Wind (1 Chronicles 14:15; Acts 2:2), Breath of God (John 20:22), Dove (John 1:32), Rain (Hosea 6:3; James 5:7), Fire (Acts 2:3) and Oil (1 John 2:20).

    The Spirit is the Oil of Joy: exuberant joy, wild joy, delight (Hebrews 1:9). God anoints us (2 Corinthians 1:21-22) with His Holy Spirit to accomplish the work He has set forth for His people to do (Luke 4:18-21, referring to Christ's anointing) and Acts 2:8, power to witness). The Holy Spirit is only given to God's people, none other are qualified to receive Him. 

   Having been born anew, experienced a new birth through the power of God's Holy Spirit and through the water, we are privileged to live our lives through Him, in Him and with Him. To serve God is one of the greatest honors we will ever know. The first greatest honor He bestowed on us was the gift of salvation through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. We are covered with His righteousness by placing our faith in Him. 

    The Holy Spirit is not the anointer: He is the anointing, our anointing. We are anointed with the Oil of Healing (Matthew 11:5). We are anointed with the Oil of Power to Preach the Gospel  (Isaiah 61:1. We are anointed with the Spirit of Wisdom (). 

    This anointing is for us, our children and our grandchildren; it is also conditional (Isaiah 59:20-21; Isaiah 44:3). This anointing of the Holy Spirit is the baptism of the Spirit given by Christ to His disciples, His followers (John 1:33; Acts 2:1-4). 

    God anoints His servants with His precious Holy Spirit to work in power and complete the works in Him. What are these works which only the anointing empowers? 1 Corinthians 12 outlines the different diversities of gifts in the Spirit. Whatever we do in the Spirit is not done just for ourselves but for all of us ( 1 Corinthians 12:7). 

    We are the body of Christ and the body has different functions, but all work together for the good of the body. Whether we speak of our physical bodies or our spiritual body. For in the Spirit there is one body and that is the body of Christ. As He served and suffered for us during He ministry here, we, too, now serve and suffer as His body for the benefit of each of us. 

    When one part of the body ceases to function in the way in which it was created to function, other parts of the body must step up and fill the void, if possible. We lose a limb, that limb can be replaced to some degree. But if a major organ fails, then the whole body fails. This is true in the body of Christ, as well. 

    When our hearts are not working in the way in which they should be, then we need a new heart. And God provides one. He removes the heart of stone and replaces it with a fleshy heart, a heart that can be molded and written on (Ezekiel 11:19-20; Jeremiah 32:39; 2 Corinthians 3:3). And in this new heart, God, His Christ and His Holy Spirit take up residence (John 14:23). 

    But because our hearts are unclean, this new heart, this new birth, must wash away our uncleanness, our sins, our unrighteousness. Every little nook and cranny must be dusted, cleaned and repaired that there are no breaches where the enemy of our souls can enter in.  

    Lord, let this anointing be made full in me that I might finish my race, my course with grace and humility. Guide me through the obstacles in my path on this journey You have set me on. Be my Guide, my Light, my Oil as I walk Your Word out in my life. While I long to wear the crowns of victory You have set up for me, even more so, let me see Your smiling face when You call my name to the supper table. May I be Your good and faithful servant until then. Amen. 

COME HOLY SPIRIT

Guard Your Heart - - Be Wise

 

Romans 12:3

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.

*Strong's Ex. Con. No. 4993

Sober Judgment: be of sound mind, temperate, exercise self-control, think shrewdly

From the Greek word 'sóphroneó' (pronounced so-fron-eh'-o). A personal word/phrase: I exercise self-control, I am of sound mind, I am sober-minded.

    Self-examination of how we think and why we think thus and so is good for our souls. As in all other aspects of our life, we learn by observation. So we must watch ourselves. Not so much as to be self-involved, but to see ourselves for who we truly are: sinners who need a Savior. 

    Because we recognize we need a Savior, we are made aware that it is not only ourselves who need saving, but the people around us, whether we know them or not. We are the church and as the church we need to go out into the highways and byways to reach the lost and dying, bringing them into the body of Christ with us. None of us is greater or lesser than the other. "We are all members of one body" (Ephesians 4:25). And that body is Christ's (1 Corinthians 12:27).

    How do we exercise self-control in our thinking? Be wise/shrewd as serpents (Matthew 10:16). Be wise in knowing what is good and innocent (Romans 16:19). We can only know what is good and innocent when we know God's Word, so we must read it and study it out for ourselves. We need to meditate on God's Word, allowing God to write His Word on our hearts when we study and pray. 

    We exercise wisdom when we listen to the voice of Wisdom (Proverbs 1:33; Proverbs 2). Ignoring the voice of Wisdom is our downfall. Now, remember, Paul is writing to the church. So these words he pens about being sober-minded, he pens to the church, to us who believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation. 

    If we are going to boast about anything, it should be that we have received the salvation of God through the blood of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:17; 1:31; Psalms 105:3; Jeremiah 9:24): let us glory in The Lord. 

    Romans 12:14-20  gives us more insight on how to be shrewd Christians:

14. Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.

15. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.

16. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited.

17.  Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.

18. If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.

19. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”

20. On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

    Have compassion. Live in harmony. Enjoy the company of the humble. Do what is right. Live in peace. Don't be vengeful, petty or rise up against those who come against us. And, as verse 20 tells us, Feed our enemies, give water to the thirsty. 

    We are living in a world that is so self-centered and self-involved that doing the right thing in the eyes of God is becoming a criminal act. People are not only having their Bibles taken away and burned, but their churches are being demolished, their religious rights are being struck down in high courts. Children are separated from parents, the elderly are encouraged to die instead of receiving healing care.

    Yet, we are not to attack in any way, shape or form those who are coming against us. We are not to think of ourselves as better than the unsaved who desire us to vanish away, but to remember that they need a Savior, they need to be loved into the kingdom of God just like we were loved into the kingdom of God when someone prayed for us. 

    Love. The true love of God in Christ is our only hope, our testimony is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. That is how we are to love one another. whether or not they are a part of the body of Christ, for the body is continually growing. The Word says to us, "Love one another as I have loved you." (John 13:34). 

    When we love one another like that, we know we are being wise. Because a person cannot love like Christ unless Christ is living in them. We are directed by The Holy Spirit of God which direction to go in and He fills our mouths with the words we are to speak at the right time they need to be spoken. 

    Are you filled with The Holy Spirit? Seek God in prayer and wait on Him to fill you. Then you truly will be able to live a life of self-control, for He will help you. 

 O Lord fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we might walk in Your Spirit, live in Your Word and Your Word live in us. We need Your strength, Your wisdom and Your power to lives out these last days You have given us. Help us to make wise choices, lead excellent lives: for Your glory and Your praise. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen. 

Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns

Spirit Lead Me by Michael Ketterer

Abide In Me by Andrew Marcus

Ancient Words by Michael W. Smith    

Word of God Speak by MercyMe