The Abiding Life: Part 3 Ezekiel 36: 26-27

Yesterday I spoke of the need for a new heart. Fortunately for us, God is willing to give us that heart AND a new spirit as well.. He is willing, in fact he truly desires to do just that, to remove our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 

27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

God promises us three things in these verses..

1. 1. A New Heart
2. 2. A New Spirit
3. His Spirit.

In one promise He says He will basically renew us, not repair the old heart and spirit but give us NEW ones. 

*an interesting side discussion came up during our class & something worth noting. God says He will remove our heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh. We as Christians often refer to the flesh as being part of our sinful nature. God is NOT replacing our hearts of stone with a heart with a sinful nature, we already took care of that.. Here it means He will replace it with a softened heart open to Him

Another explanation is he will take away Satan's pride. 

IS 14: 13-14

13 "You said in your heart,“I will ascend to the heavens; 

I will raise my throne above the stars of God;

I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. 

14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High.”

Think about how a heart can harden into stone and make these statements or lead us to lead such a prideful life. 

Our pride will offer cold comfort when we are cast from God's presence. But God offers to remove that dead and hardened heart and to replace it with a living breathing part of Him.

Seriously!! Hallelujah!! 

Shauni

*remember these are my thoughts on this verse and what I took away from my Bible study.. feel free to add yours to the discussion.