The Last Word

"We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed - always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." -2 Corinthians 4:8-10

In America, we are blessed to be able to take advantage of religious and economic freedom.  We are able to go to any church we choose, build a business, go to school, or pursue a dream.  Even though there are things we might want to change, on the whole, American is unlike many other countries in the world.

I heard a story just the other day about Christians in the underground church in China.  A couple who worked with Campus Crusade for Christ had just come back from 30 years of ministry there.

Many Chinese Christians are still persecuted for their faith in China. So, they often live underground with the faith. Before their death, many of the Chinese Christians would record their testimony on video and request to have it played during their funeral service. During the funeral of the person, many people would accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior because of the testimony of their loved one who had passed, but had never been permitted to share this faith until now.

Isn’t that amazing?  What could you do now with the religious and economic freedom you have available to you?  Let's remember to be thankful for the freedoms we have, and do the most we can to magnify Jesus Christ in our lives and share His kingdom with others.

A New Heart

"And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations." Ezekiel 36:24-28

You know, when we begin to think about the New Year, there is a lot of talk about New Year’s Resolutions.  In 2007, Richard Wisemen from the University of Bristol did a survey of 3000 people to see how many actually fulfilled their New Year’s resolutions.  According to his findings, a staggering 88% of people do not fulfill their New Year’s resolutions.  What does that say about us?  I think it says that only 12% of us keep our promises to ourselves!

Right before the time of Jesus, Israel had been stuck in a cycle of idol worship. The prophet Ezekiel prophesied that the people of Israel would become brand new: “I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you.”  Ezekiel prophesied the transforming power that Jesus would have in their lives.

Today, this hasn’t changed.  Jesus is changing lives & hearts all over the world, in every nation, in every kind of community!

Have you ever wanted a new heart, or a fresh start? If you want an authentic change in your life, and a new heart, why not ask Him to give you that today, even if you’ve already asked Him into your heart.  God is in the business of giving away new beginnings, because of His son Jesus who died, so that we might be live completely free and unfettered by our past.