CHANGE OF HEART

 God’s promises in the Old Testament were generally, “If you obey me I will bless you.” The condition for blessing was often obedience – or what we would call “good works.” The New Testament, or New Covenant, is different. God’s promises are based on the condition of faith, if I will only trust God He will bless me. 

The old covenant was the covenant of law between God and the tribes of Israel. The new covenant is one of grace—Christ's offer to forgive our sins and bring us to God through his sacrificial death.

In Hebrews 8:10 it says; “This is the covenant I will make… declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

This covenant is new in that it offers a new way to forgiveness, not through animal sacrifice but through faith and a change of heart.

Today we want to give attention to our hearts. Have you ever sensed that you needed what we often call a change of heart? It’s one thing to change our mind, but it’s quite another to have a change of heart.

 If our heart is not changed, following God's rules will be unpleasant and difficult. Some might even rebel against being told how to live. With a new heart, we find that serving God can become our greatest joy. Under God's new covenant, God's law is inside us. It is no longer an external set of rules and principles. The Holy Spirit reminds us of Christ's words, activates our conscience, influences our motives and desires. Doing God's work is something we do with our heart and our mind.

So if you think you may need a change of heart, or maybe you are finding that you cannot find peace or any comfort in your life, why not consider a change of heart? God does work from the inside out, not from the outside in. The one big thing that Jesus does when He is invited into a person’s life is to give him or her new heart.

To find how you might invite Jesus into your heart you can join us at First Baptist Church. Sunday services are 8:00 am and 10:45am; located at 700 Hardy Way. We are right next door to the new police station. For more information, please visit our website at www.fbcmesquite.com.