Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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The Holy Spirit Who Renews Everything
Ezekiel 36:25-30
Vs. 26 "A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
Ezekiel 36:25-30 is a prophecy to the mountains of Israel. These verses focus on how God is going to bring together and renew the people of Israel. During the time of this prophecy, the people of Israel had sinned, and Israel was practically desolate, and her people were exiled. God is promising them their cleansing through forgiveness of sins, regeneration, and the reception of Holy Spirit. None of these was available under the Law of Moses. Hence this prophecy teaches that cleansing of Israel would be through the New Covenant, as in Jeremiah 31:31-34. This would follow the return of Israel to Canaan, where, in time, the people would accept the Messiah as their Savior through whose death sin would be forgiven; their former iniquity would be remembered no more; they would despise themselves for their former sins; and in possession of a new heart and the Spirit of God, they would lead righteous lives."[12]  
Regeneration refers to new spiritual life which God can only give -bring a person from spiritual death to spiritual life. Renewal and regeneration come through accepting the Holy Spirit and only through that it will be possible for us to hear God's voice and live by His commands. Regeneration is a work of the Spirit. The Spirit brings renewal through cleansing and it is through the Spirit that we are given a new heart. It is the Spirit of God working in us that enables us to follow the will of God. As Christians we need to understand and believe that it is God alone who can forgive us from our sins and cleanse us. He is the only one who can bring a change of heart and remove our stone heart and replace it with a heart that is God-willed, not self-willed. When God works in a person's life and transforms him and love him and enables him to follow His commands, it is miraculous!!!
PRAYER
Dear Lord, we thank You for Your Holy Spirit who alone can renew and regenerate us and enable us to lead a life that is pleasing in Your sight. Lord, just like the Psalmist David we pray "Create in me a clean heart O’ God and renew a right spirit within me". Amen.
 
Thought for the day
“No self-help program can change your heart. Only God can do that.”
-Rick Warren.
Nisha Philip
Carmel Mar Thoma Church, Boston

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