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 a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Ezekiel 36:26-27
Last week’s blog included a line from the Wizard of Oz. This week, once again, I am going to refer to another line from the Wizard of Oz. But this time it is something that the Tin Man said, “If I only had a heart.” The Tin Man desperately wanted a new heart inside of his empty chest. Like the Tin Man, do you want a new heart?
You know that everyone has to have a heart in order to survive physically, but do you also know that you must have a new heart (a changed heart) in order to survive spiritually? I am not referring to a heart that can be surgically implanted inside of your chest. No, I am referring to a new heart that you can only get by a spiritual rebirth through Jesus Christ. You must be spiritually reborn (John 3:1-17).
In order to be spiritually reborn, you need a new Lord. What I mean is that you have to willingly submit yourself to the lordship of Jesus Christ. Webster’s Universal College Dictionary says that a lord is, “a person who has authority, control, or power over others; master or ruler.” Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord, giving Him complete authority and power over all areas in your life?
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Jesus came not only to be your Saviour, but He also came to be your Lord. In order for Him to be your Saviour, you must first accept Him as your Lord. You have to give Him control over your thoughts, actions, and words—surrendering everything to Him. You must accept Him completely as both, or you have not truly accepted Him at all.
When you accept Christ completely as both Saviour and Lord, God then creates within you a new heart. Your old life fades away and is replaced with a new life (2 Corinthians 5:17). No longer are the passions of this world your lord. Those evil passions are replaced with a new Lord.
Jesus Christ as your new Lord and Saviour, breathes His Spirit into your heart, which, in turn, offers you a new life. You evil conscience is purified through His blood sacrifice, and your sins are washed away(Hebrews 10:22). Progressively, as you learn to follow God’s Spirit, you begin to reject the wickedness of your flesh. Now as you follow His Spirit, you evolve into a new creature with a new life. You begin to bear the good fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, and faith (Galatians 5:23-25).
Just like the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz sang, “If I only had a heart, I'd be tender—I'd be gentle and awful sentimental.” Do you have a new heart, one that is tender and full of love? Today, will you allow Jesus to be your Lord so that He can be your Saviour?
Three key concepts:
1. Jesus Christ has to be your Lord in order for Him to be your Saviour.
2. In addition to a physical birth, you must undergo a spiritual birth.
3. God’s Spirit creates within you a new heart, which in turn, leads to a new life.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10).
