A supernatural heart

Watchman Née said in his book The Normal Christian Life[i]:

The heart, God says, is "desperately sick" (Jer 17:9) and he must do something more fundamental than cleanse it: he must give us a new one. We do not wash and iron clothing that we are going to throw away...the flesh is too bad to be cleansed it must be crucified."

God said in Ezekiel 36:26, "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you."

God didn't come to save our flesh yet so much time and energy is spent on our flesh. The cosmetic, diet/exercise and medical businesses are billion dollar enterprises that help us feel good and some changes are even beneficial for our health.  I thank God for the wisdom and creativity he has give to those in the medical profession for life threatening diseases and surgeries. God created us with a desire to fight off illnesses and diseases lest we easily give up and die.

We all want to look and feel our best.  Our bodies are the instrument through which we live in this world...we need our bodies.  But could the need for constant self improvement have its root in wanting to satisfy our spiritual hunger and desires our own way?  If we could change the outer appearance to get a sense of accomplishment or receive recognition would that truly satisfy the deeper longing?  Lasting change starts from the inside out.  Lasting change starts with not a renewed or laundered heart, but a new heart...a new spirit within us.  

God can't live in a heart that is partially clean or filled with greed, self pride, deceit, lies, anger, self inspired morality, drunkenness, quarreling, and lust.  These hearts have no room left for him.  A new heart comes with God's presence which is the opposite of our 'self natured' heart.  His presence fills our hearts with endless love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.

How does this happen?  It isn't a physical heart transplant but a spiritual. No man in and of himself can accomplish this transformation.  Our part is recognizing we can't do enough good deeds or recite enough religious prayers or liturgies or be morally good enough to clean or fix a broken heart. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. (Psalms 51:17 NLT) 

No one has ever physically witnessed one of these heart transplants, but the proof is demonstrated through the outward expressions and life changes of the recipients.  Jesus said, "A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. (Luke 6:45 NLT). This will give proof of what condition our hearts are in...the old natural heart or the new transplanted heart.

Once the new heart is received and the old natural heart tries to rear its ugly head (make no mistake it will!), this new heart is able to be cleansed with the 'soap' of the Holy Spirit because the contents are not filled with the old ways but the new ways of God.

No one is ever beyond hope of receiving this new heart. So which heart will speak and act through you and me today?

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[i] The Normal Christian Life, ©Angus I Kinnear 1957 by Gospel Literature Service, Bombay, India

Go deeper

When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:4)

At the height of Peter’s need he meets Jesus.  He has no clue the answer will become the catalyst for a life transformation.  But before Jesus provides the solution he asks Peter to help him…to give of his resources (the boat).  We know the end result but Peter didn't.  We also get glimpses of what may have been some of the teaching Peter heard that day.  Whatever Peter heard Jesus say caused him to try again, to ‘go deeper.’   Peter was a professional fisherman; he didn't need anyone instructing him in his trade. 

“We worked hard all night and didn't catch a thing, but if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.”

Several observations:

 Jesus asked Peter for something before he provided for Peter.    “…Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it (the boat) out into the water.  So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.”  This observation is not to be taken as a “1-2-3 step for receiving”.  Peter was in the midst of washing his nets—he was working and took time away from his work.  I often wonder if we get so focused on ourselves and the expectations for our needs to be met before we are willing to give or help others. What would Jesus want from me before____________?

Peter’s transformation begins.  He was willing to give, to leave behind exactly what he needed.  What if God answered our most desperate need today?  Would we be willing to give back to God totally and without reserve the very means by which that desperation was met? Would we clench with closed hand the blessing God has given us?  Going deeper is costly.  Fear and worry are replaced with trust and faith; surrender takes the place of resistance. Going deeper requires leaving the usual for the unusual.

“And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.”

‘I’ is not part of ‘we’.  “..I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you…All who love me will do what I say.  My Father will love them and we will come and make our home with each of them….I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart.  I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.  Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 14:16,23,27; 16:33)

We fall prey to stinkin’ thinkin’ when we believe ‘I need to take care of myself… better myself…cleanse myself…before I can give out to others.’    In the presence of Holy, Peter was overwhelmed by his own sinfulness and he was awestruck with the answer to his need.  Jesus said, ‘Don’t be afraid!’  Peter was not going to become and do what Jesus was calling him to do by himself.  Nor did Jesus require Peter to fix himself before he could be used.  Jesus doesn't call us today to be or do for him by ourselves.  Peter abandoned ‘I’ to become part of ‘We’.  Are we truly willing to abandon the ‘I’ to be overtaken by the ‘We’?

There will no doubt be readers of this blog going through difficult situations. 

“Teacher, we have tried everything we know to do and it just isn't working.”   What if Jesus were asking us to, “go out where it is deeper.”    What would that ‘deeper’ look like?  Would we trust him enough with no excuses and no answers needed to go there?

What are we desperately praying for and when he answers would we be willing to leave everything and follow Jesus?