Life to the Full
All three of these together mean a changed life. New Heart + Renewed Mind + Changed Actions = Life to the Full
Our Dad has given us a new heart (EZ. 26:26). He has provided both His Word, written and in Jesus (John 1) and the individual revelation of that Word’s application in our lives (Eph 1). He has created a new nature within each of us, we are a new creation in Christ. Now we are asked to change the way we think and act. Both are my responsibility. He knows our true hearts and who we are more than anyone. He loves us more than we could ever imagine, but he won’t force us. The choice is ours to choose the new or old. Life or death.
If we choose to put new wine into the new nature of our lives and heart, renew our minds by calibrating our thinking to God’s truth, our actions will change. It starts in the heart and moves to our hands! Always remember that you are not expected to do this alone…he has sent the Holy Spirit to empower, guide us BUT we have to choose!
Why is this important? Because without all three we can never have Life to the Full promised to us in John 10! We cannot simply be “saved”, live in our old ways and experience the fullness of freedom, healing, goodness and blessing. We will still feel loved but stuck! So what will you choose? New wine in an old wineskin or new wine in a new wineskin?!?
“...to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds.”
Ephesians 4:12-32 (22-23)
Calibration:
- Do you believe in the “new nature” you have in Christ? Why or why not?
- If you TRUST in this new nature and allow it to bring new things into your life, what do you think that will do for you? How do you think it will make you feel?
- What’s one thing you can do this week to actively renew your mind?
- How can this above lead to a change in your actions?
Our Dad has given us a new heart (EZ. 26:26). He has provided both His Word, written and in Jesus (John 1) and the individual revelation of that Word’s application in our lives (Eph 1). He has created a new nature within each of us, we are a new creation in Christ. Now we are asked to change the way we think and act. Both are my responsibility. He knows our true hearts and who we are more than anyone. He loves us more than we could ever imagine, but he won’t force us. The choice is ours to choose the new or old. Life or death.
If we choose to put new wine into the new nature of our lives and heart, renew our minds by calibrating our thinking to God’s truth, our actions will change. It starts in the heart and moves to our hands! Always remember that you are not expected to do this alone…he has sent the Holy Spirit to empower, guide us BUT we have to choose!
Why is this important? Because without all three we can never have Life to the Full promised to us in John 10! We cannot simply be “saved”, live in our old ways and experience the fullness of freedom, healing, goodness and blessing. We will still feel loved but stuck! So what will you choose? New wine in an old wineskin or new wine in a new wineskin?!?
“...to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds.”
Ephesians 4:12-32 (22-23)
Calibration:
- Do you believe in the “new nature” you have in Christ? Why or why not?
- If you TRUST in this new nature and allow it to bring new things into your life, what do you think that will do for you? How do you think it will make you feel?
- What’s one thing you can do this week to actively renew your mind?
- How can this above lead to a change in your actions?
Posted in Wine and Wineskins
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