July 2, 2009
“I’ll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that is God-willed, not self-willed.” Ezekial 36:26 The Message
Where does real freedom begin in your life …?
… It begins with God doing something inside of your heart … It begins with God changing Your-will into His-will … It begins with Jesus shaping your life into His full time residence. A self-willed life is constantly stuck … fighting a losing battle … living out of weariness … willing to settle for just enough faith … just enough marriage … just enough everyday life. A God-willed life is continually new … finding new strength … living with Christ at the center of his or her faith … at the center of their marriage … at the center of their everyday life. This is God’s freedom for your life … a new heart and new spirit. He is the only One capable of taking away the old stuff in your life that just hangs on or hides in the corners. The good news is He is the One who does it. You get to relax and let Jesus go room by room through your life. We’re not wired to relax. The Grand Lie is that it is up to you .. there is no help outside of yourself .. and no one’s perfect. It really isn’t up to “you” to tear down the old house and wear yourself out building the new house. Yes .. you enter into what God is doing. You may even find yourself getting in God’s way as your life takes shape. He’s building a permanent residence in your life. He’s doing it right now .. today … right in the world you live in. Real freedom is Christ .. not a holiday .. but a holy way .. of life .. of love .. and new beginnings. It only takes a moment …
“Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day — a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.” Ephesians 2:21-22 The Message
Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to God-willed followers of Jesus and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)
