A Beautiful Mess

A New Spirit

Ezekiel 36:26 (AMPC)

“A new heart 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 give you a heart of flesh.”

Yesterday we focused on the dangers of a hardened heart. Today, I’d like to talk about God’s promise of a new spirit. Did you know that you’re a three-part being? You are a spirit. You have a soul (mind, will, and emotions). And you live in a body. It’s often easy to focus on one part and ignore the others, but we are truly whole when we acknowledge the needs of all three parts.

When you come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life, the part of you that instantly changes is your spirit. That sinful nature within you that was the result of Adam’s sin has been taken away. Paul tells us “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17).” That “new” thing is a new spirit. This new is in tune with the Holy Spirit. The new spirit wants what God wants. It is in perfect alignment with the things of God.

The parts that remain unchanged in the moment are our soul (our mind, will and emotions) and our bodies. That’s why we have added instructions to renew our minds with the Word of God and to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God. It takes all three parts working in harmony together to have a transformed life.

God changes the deepest part of who we are when we come into relationship with Him. The rest is up to us. We have the choice to listen to that new spirit and allow it to govern our lives or to do things the way we’ve always done them, listening to our souls that are still in need of transformation and renewal. Which will you choose?

Prayer: Father, thank you for the new spirit. Thank you that you bring the deepest part of me into alignment with your will and your way for my life. Help me to listen to the direction my spirit receives from you. Give me a heart that is willing to obey the direction you are leading. Thank you that you don’t just stop there! You have given me your Word so that I might have a renewed soul as well. If my spirit and soul are in alignment with you, I know my body will fall into place as well. Thank you, Lord, that you love us enough to give us everything we need to live a godly life, one that is pleasing to you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

A New Heart

Ezekiel 11:19 (AMPC)

“And I will give them one heart [a new heart] and I will put a new spirit within them; and I will take the stony [unnaturally hardened] heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh [sensitive and responsive to the touch of God,]”

I have always been a bit sensitive. Tenderheartedness is a terrific quality to possess as long as your relationships are safe spaces, but tenderheartedness in the presence of abuse doesn’t tend to end well. When you’re led by your emotions or you take things to heart, it can result in some serious scars on your heart. In those moments, I prayed to be “tougher” or to have “thicker skin.” We don’t usually think about “thicker skin” as being a negative thing, but what if thicker skin is the result of hardening our heart?

We no longer want to hurt when we see others hurting so we avert our eyes and walk on and ignore that prick of conscience. Paul, the apostle, tells us that if we ignore those pricks of conscience enough our conscience will become seared and scarred. We will develop a hardened heart.

Hard hearts might feel protective. They certainly did to Pharoah. When he felt threatened by a potential uprising among the Israelites, he ordered every male baby killed. Then when Moses comes on the scene requesting the release of his entire work force, Pharoah felt threatened again. The Bible tells us that the result was that Pharoah hardened his heart. And the result? The destruction of his kingdom and the death of his firstborn! I’m sure the outcome was far worse from his hardened heart than it would have been had he simply let God’s people go.

And it’s the same with us. When we harden our heart against the things that hurt us, we risk being cut off from being able to hear God’s voice. We are separated from God, and the things we fear come to pass because we’ve cut ourselves off from the only true source of ultimate help. Isn’t it wonderful that God specializes in changing hearts? He can take the protective coating we’ve put around ours and give us a heart that is tender toward Him. He can show us how to trust Him for protection and keep our hearts soft.

Prayer: Father, I don’t want to have a heart of stone. As much as I might believe it will help me, I know that a heart hardened against you is not protective at all. It’s going to do far more damage in the long run. So Father, I ask for a new heart. I ask for a heart that’s able to hear you and obey. A heart that is soft and tender towards the things you are soft and tender toward. Thank you that you give me a new heart. And father in those times when I feel threatened or hurt and my gut reaction is to harden my heart, remind me that you are my defender and strong tower. You will handle the battles that come my way. I just need to rely on you. Thank you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

New Every Morning

Lamentations 3:22-23 (AMPC)

“It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness.”

I don’t know about you, but I often struggle with perfectionism. I like to do a job right the first time. I like to be the best or to do the absolute best that I can do. I am always striving to be better and do more. Maybe it’s my competitive nature. Maybe it’s my personality and upbringing. Whatever it is that drives me to reach father and accomplish more, perfectionism is exhausting! The other issue with perfectionism is that I often measure my worth by what I accomplish or how I stack up to others. It makes it difficult to start a job that feels overwhelming or to start something I am not sure I can do well the first time. Perfectionism often feels like bondage, and it keeps me from accomplishing anything when the outcome is uncertain.

This often spills over into my walk with the Lord. I will find myself unwilling to try again, feeling as if all hope is lost if I’ve made a mistake or fallen into sin. The voice of the enemy is right there in my ear, reminding me how much I’ve screwed up and how far from perfection I am.

That’s why this verse is so meaningful to me. God isn’t expecting perfection from us. We are fallen creatures. We sin. We fall short. All of us. All the time. And while that can feel a bit hopeless and overwhelming, it’s the reason God sent His Son Jesus to die on our behalf. Because we couldn’t save ourselves. We couldn’t do anything in our own power to overcome the chasm that sin had created. So God did it for us! He did what we couldn’t do. He still does. Every single day.

Everyday I can bring to Him my failures and my flaws, and He will overcome them by His own mercy and grace, and so it’s never been about my performance. It’s always been about His love and mercy! Always! And that’s freeing!

So if you’ve fallen short….if you’re struggling with the voice of the enemy in your ear reminding you of all the ways you’ve screwed it up….take comfort! God’s grace and mercy is new every morning. It never gets old. It never wears out. It never runs out. It’s a never-ending, new supply. Every. Single. Day!

Prayer: Father, thank you for all the ways you bridge the gap between where I’m at and where you are. Thank you that it isn’t about performance and it isn’t about perfection. Instead, you desire a relationship with me. You want me to come to you with my broken and bruised, so that you can make it better. Thank you that you did for me what I could never do for myself. And thank you that your mercy is new every morning. There’s not a limit. There won’t be a day when you tell me I’ve fallen to far, I’ve done too much, and that there’s no mercy or love left for me. No! It is never-ending. It is always new. It is always abundant. That’s amazing grace. Thank you! In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

A Good Father

Jeremiah 29:11 (AMPC)

” For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.”

What is your image of God? Do you see Him as a judge, waiting to condemn you for all the mistakes you’ve made? Do you see Him as a divine accountant, tallying up all the good deeds and weighing them against all the bad deeds to see which comes out on top and blessing you when the good outweighs the bad? Do you see Him as a kind of genie in the sky? A vending machine God? Prayers go in and whatever you want comes out?

Our image of God is extremely important!

The Bible tells us that God is a good Father. If you didn’t have the greatest example of a father in your life, that image may be anything but comforting. You may struggle to see God as a father if your own father was absent, distant, abusive, etc. But the Bible tells us that whatever the perfect father is, that’s God. God is a perfect father! And just as a perfect father is just the right amount of discipline and love, the right balance of present and parent, God is that balance as well.

Jesus said, “If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more your heavenly Father?”

Today’s verse shows us that God’s desire is to bless us. Instead of picturing God as some kind of cosmic judge looking for a reason to condemn and smite you, picture God as a perfect father looking for a reason to bless you. He wants the best for you. His plans for you are perfect. They’re life-giving. They’re fulfilling. They’re filled with hope and blessing.

So picture the perfect father in your mind. Then, realize that whatever that image is….God goes above and beyond to be your perfect Father in heaven. Believe in the blessings of God and His good plans for your life. Trust in Him. He’s trustworthy!

Prayer: Father, I thank you that you are the perfect father. You desire to give good gifts to your children. Your Word tells us that anything good comes from you because you ARE our measure of goodness. Thank you that your plans for us are for our benefit. They are for our good. They are plans that fulfill us and plans that prosper us. We can have hope when we look at your plans for our life. We can trust in you because you love us and you care for us and you desire the best for us. Thank you! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

New Heavens, New Earth, New Life

Isaiah 65:17 (AMPC)

“For behold I create new heavens and a new earth. And the former things hall not be remembered or come into mind.”

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that one of the attributes of God is His creative power. It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that “creation” was a one time deal. That it’s over and done with. But God is a Creator. He is continually creating. Another trap we tend to fall into is believing that the earth and this life is just temporary as well. We often picture this ethereal existence in heaven with angels sitting on clouds playing harps, but the Bible makes it clear that God’s plan has always been for us to live on the earth and experience life here.

In Isaiah and again in Revelation, God reveals that in the fullness of time He will create a new heaven and a new earth. Why would He create something that was not a part of the plan? Why would He create a new earth if earth was not where He intended for us to be?

It’s the same with our lives. We can get caught up in the idea of “tomorrow” or “someday.” Someday we’ll be happy. Someday we’ll get to do all the things we want to do. Someday life will be better. And we can spend so much time looking for this “someday” that we forget to live today.

Make a plan to live intentionally today. Partner with God to make life right now the best that it can be. I believe in the process, you’ll see God’s creative power at work as He makes over your current life into your best life. And when God gets to work creating, the new is so powerful it erases the negative that came before it. One day, you’ll look back and it will feel like a different life! So partner with God, and let Him give you a new life today.

Prayer: Father, I thank you that you’re a Creative God. You make all things new. Lord, I don’t want to spend my life dreaming about what might be. Instead, I want to partner with you today to make my life everything that you intended for it to be. Take control of my path, Lord. Create a new life in me. Help me to live intentionally. Help me to make my dreams a reality today. Lord, I know with you, my life can be so amazingly remade that these things of the past won’t even come to mind. Thank you for your work in my life. Thank you for a new life today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Expect the Unexpected

Isaiah 43:19 (AMPC)

“Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

Sometimes we fall into the trap of thinking we have life all figured out. Maybe we have a terrific five-year plan, and everything is right on track to reach our goals. Maybe things couldn’t be better, and we are on cloud nine. Or maybe the opposite is true. Maybe things have been bad for so long that this has become our “normal.” We just don’t remember any other way of living than in this dark and gloomy place.

It’s easy when life hits a routine to feel as if we have it all figured out. In those moments, we may even think that we have God figured out. But we would be wrong. As I considered today’s verse, I was reminded of an idea from C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Aslan, the lion, is a picture of Christ, and Mrs. Beaver reminds the children that Aslan isn’t a tame lion, but that he is a good lion.

I love that picture of the Lord! When I think I have Him figured out, He surprises me with something new. Maybe I’m believing rightly about who the Lord is, but I’m limited in my viewpoint, so He shows me another level of His character. But sometimes, I find that I have believed a lie about who God is or how He sees me, and in those moments, He can surprise me with correction and beauty just as easily.

When it comes to walking with the Lord, we should always expect the unexpected. After all, we’re talking about the God who created the heavens and the earth and absolutely everything in them down the minutest detail. He is a creative God, and He enjoys variety! Just look at the world around us. God gives beauty for ashes. He turns mourning into dancing. He can take the brokenness and ugliness that we have to offer and turn it into the most beautiful testimony imaginable.

He makes a way in the wilderness–a way where there seems to be no way…a moment of light in the midst of darkness….a way out of a place where moments before there was no hope at all. And He makes springs in the desert….places of refreshing…moments of peace and rest and great beauty. That’s the kind of God He is.

So whether today finds you in the place of abundance or whether it finds you in the wilderness of longing….God is there….and He is doing unexpected things….new things…..good things…with you in mind!

Prayer: Lord, you are a creative God. You are a God who gives attention to detail. I consider the things that you created, and I am amazed at the detail you put into each and every one of them. Thank you that you pay that kind of attention to the details of my life as well. There is nothing in my life that is so small it escapes your notice. There is nothing in my life so big that you can’t handle it. Thank you, Lord, that no matter what season I find myself in, there is always new beginnings and new things when I am walking with you. Open my eyes to the new things you are doing in my life today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Stuck in the Past

Isaiah 43:18 (AMPC)

“Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old.”

There are lots of places in Scripture that tell us to remember. The Israelites were given festivals in order to help them remember–Passover, Purim, Feast of Tabernacles, etc. So if we’re supposed to remember, why does this verse tell us not to remember the former things?

There’s a difference in remembering the things God has done in the past and looking forward with hopeful expectation to what He will do in the future and in remember the past in such a way that it becomes the highlight of what God can do. It’s like a former highschool football star who spends the rest of his life looking back on the “good ol’ days” and never pushing for success in adulthood.

We all know people who have become stuck in the past. Maybe they look at the past with rose-colored glasses, glossing over the struggles of the past and making the good times better than they actually were. Maybe they are stunted in their growth, living off the highlights of the past and not pushing for greatness in the present. Maybe they are stuck in past trauma and are unable to heal and move forward.

God wants us to remember His promises. He wants us to remember the things He has done in the past. He wants us to remember in order to have faith that He will do those things again in the future. It’s a remembering that looks with expectation. If God parted the Red Sea for the Israelites, what wonders will He come up with next? If He got me through difficulty before, I can’t wait to see what He will do this time!

We need to keep looking forward. Paul said it this way: “I keep pressing on toward the mark.” Don’t get mired down in the past. No matter how good it was or what great things you accomplished, God has more in store if you press ahead to the future. Don’t settle for what was! Press on to what God will do next!

Prayer: Father, thank you that we can look at your Word and see all the wonders and miracles that you did and know that you will do them again. You are a wonder-working God. You are a God of miracles. Help us to remember, Lord, without getting stuck in the past. The best is not behind us. The best is still to come. Jesus, you said that the works you did in the past–as wonderful as they were–were just the beginning. You said there were greater works coming through your church. Help us to be excited for what you’re doing next and to look with expectancy at the road ahead. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

On Eagle’s Wings

Isaiah 40:31 (AMPC)

“But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall life their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.”

So many of God’s promises throughout the Bible relate to strength in times of weakness. We often think that when we are serving and following God, nothing bad will happen in our lives. We think that our good deeds are tallied up on some divine accounting spreadsheet and that if the good outweighs the bad, then we will be blessed. In times of trial, it’s easy to think that God is punishing us or that we weren’t good enough. We might go through a checklist: “If I just read my Bible more….”, “if I just pray more….,” “if I just go to church more…..” We tend to think that if we do something for God, He will be obligated to do something for us.

But the Bible makes it clear that God is not some divine vending machine. You can’t put good deeds in and expect to get blessings out. That’s not how it works! God isn’t a divine accountant, tallying up your good deeds and your sins to see which comes out on top so He can bless you or smite you. No! God is full of grace and mercy. He gives us more than we deserve. When God’s in the equation, all that comes out is good! His desire is to bless us. The Bible tells us that because of Jesus Christ, God is no longer holding our sins against us. We are forgiven!

Rough weather will come our way. That’s the nature of life in a fallen world. But when we wait on the Lord, when our focus is on Him, we will rise above the rough weather. We will come through the storm. God will give us divine assistance to persevere and be better on the other side. That’s the promise!

Prayer: Father, when things around me are chaotic and stormy, help me to remember who you are. Help me to remember that you are a good, good father. Remind me that every good and perfect gift comes from you and that it is the enemy that seeks to steal, kill and destroy. Thank you for the promise that you will support me and help me make it through whatever comes my way. I put my trust in you. Help me to wait well. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Right Time

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (AMPC)

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men’s hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy], yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”

In the movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, one of the characters Sonny says, “It will be all right in the end….if it’s not all right then it’s not yet the end.” That’s the same thought behind today’s passage from Ecclesiastes. Solomon tells us the God “has made everything beautiful in its time. (emphasis mine).” In it’s time…..not at the time.

Many times when we are going through life, things happen that are the exact opposite of beautiful. It can be hard to remember beauty when you’re in the midst of trial. When life is falling apart around you, when you’re struggling will illness or tragedy, when the wicked seem to be prospering while the righteous seem to be languishing, when bad things are happening to good people, it is easy to doubt the presence of God. It’s easy to say that if God exists, He can’t be a good God. Those are the moments when our faith comes to the top. We’re confronted with what we really believe about the nature of God, and we’re faced with the choice to cling to our faith and strengthen it or to let it fall by the wayside.

But God promises us that when the time is right, He makes it beautiful. It’s on the other side of the storms in life that we see the most beautiful sunrises. At the time, it may look anything but beautiful. But in God’s timing, it becomes beautiful. That’s what Paul tells us in Romans when he says that God works “all things together for the good” of those who love God. If we put our faith in God, He promises that no matter what life throws at us, He can make it good. He can make it beautiful.

Are you trusting God for His timing? Are you pressing in during the rough seasons and looking expectantly for the time when God makes it beautiful? You can begin today.

Prayer: Father, thank you for the promise that you can take the ugly things in our life and make them beautiful when we trust in your timing. Help us to remember that you have a time for everything and that we need to wait on your timing if we want to see the full picture of what you are doing. Help us to press into your presence and to seek a closer connection with you when times get rough. Thank you for walking with us through every trial. You never leave us to figure it out on our own. You are faithful. We can put our trust in you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Direction When You Need It

Proverbs 3:5-6 (AMPC)

“Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.”

Have you ever wished for a check list of what to do and what not to do in life? Have you faced a decision and thought, “if only there were some kind of sign or roadmap that told me which direction to go!” ? I certainly have!

In life, we are inundated with choices. Research shows the average adult makes 35,000 decisions every day. 35,000! In one single day! That’s mind-boggling to me. And while most of those decisions are relatively easy and have few negative consequences, like what we’re going to wear or what we want to eat for breakfast, others can have long-lasting impact on not just ourselves but those near us. How do we navigate it all? How do we see the bigger picture?

This passage of Scripture tells us that if we will learn on and rely on God, He promises to give us direction. And not just give us direction, but give us clear and plain direction. God speaks to us! We don’t always know how to listen to what He has to say, but He is always speaking. God knows us. After all, He created us. So He knows exactly how to speak to you in a way that you can understand.

And God is perfectly positioned to tell us which path to take and which way to go because He sees the bigger picture. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God “knows the plans” He has for us, and that they are good plans. God’s desire is for us to prosper and live in abundance of life. When we seek His direction, we will be led in the path that ultimately leads to life, and life abundantly! That’s an amazing promise.

Whether it’s a big decision or a little one, practice asking God for direction every day. You’ll be amazed at where it takes you!

Prayer: Father, thank you that you have a plan for my life. Thank you that your plans for me are good, to prosper me and not to harm me. Lord, sometimes I don’t ask for your opinion on the decisions I make. Remind me that you see more than I see. You know more than I know. Thank you that I can come to you with the little things as well as with the big, and you will be just as faithful to give me guidance and direction. Father, I’m leaning on you and trusting that the path you lead me on will lead farther than I ever dreamed! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: