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. – Ezekiel 36:24
I remember the event as if it were yesterday. I was a new volunteer with Prison Fellowship Ministries that reached out to inmates in prisons all over the world. It was founded by the late Chuck Colson. He was speaking in Albuquerque at a fund-raising event and I had been invited to attend. He was a dynamic speaker and that night one thing he said has affected me more than anything else I have ever heard anyone say.
Crime in America
He was speaking about the Criminal Justice System and all the approaches to the problem of crime in America. He said that no matter what we do to help with the rehabilitation of prisoners, whether it be education, job skills training, counseling, mentoring, half-way houses and all of the myriad of programs, the end result is the same. Crime continues to increase and most inmates return to prison within a year or so of their release. Billions of dollars later and we’re still building prisons, jails, detention centers and juvenile facilities as fast as we can. This is confirmed by the fact that today America has more people in prison than any nation in the world.
“What’s the answer?” Colson asked the huge gathering at the hotel that night. Then he gave us the answer: “Crime is a matter of the heart and until the heart changes crime will continue to be our biggest problem in America. The only one who can change the human heart is Jesus Christ.” I’ve never forgotten that statement. I have used it many times in many applications because it is appropriate to so many situations and circumstances of life in which we fail or fall short of God’s best. Maybe it applies to someone you know today.
Sound Familiar?
A married couple fight like cats and dogs and have worn out every counselor they’ve ever been to and have attended a multitude of marriage seminars and have read almost every book on marriage, including the Bible and they’re still headed for divorce court. There’s only one thing that can save their marriage; their hearts have to change. Only Jesus can do that.
A middle age man is addicted to gambling and alcohol. When he runs out of money, he repents to all of the people he’s offended, promises to do better, goes back to work until he gets a little money again, then he’s back at the casino. He says he’s a Christian but you would never know it. There’s only one thing that will save him from a life of embarrassment and pain for him and everybody else in his life; his heart has to change. Only Jesus can do that.
A young man has wasted the last 12 years of his life addicted to drugs. He’s stolen from his parents, his grandparents, his siblings and friends and has been in and out of jail a half dozen times. He’s a master manipulator and has a way of making people feel sorry for him but he never changes, even when he hurts the ones who love him the most. He’s been through mental health programs, drug addiction programs, education programs and nothing has helped. There’s only one thing that will. His heart must change and only the Lord can do that.
How Does The Heart Change?
It can only happen through a relationship with Almighty God through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). When we become true believers, God reconciles us to himself and begins to clean us up from the inside-out by giving us a new heart and a new spirit as he promised in Ezekiel. That happens when we become born again which is imperative to the Christian life. Jesus said it emphatically, “You must be born again” (John 3:3-8).
So here are the questions of the day that we all must answer with conviction. “What is the condition of our heart? Have you truly been born again or do you need a changed heart?” If you’re not sure, you can invite Jesus into your heart right now and he’ll change it. He will set you free of guilt, forgive your sins forever and fill you with the promised Holy Spirit. All you have to do is confess him as the Lord of your life (Romans 10:9-10) and receive God’s free gift of grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). If you need further help in doing this just click on this link: Peace With God.
Before you go, listen to this beautiful worship song by Vineyard, which is so relevant to this week’s devotional. Just click on the graphic below. Enjoy. Maranatha!
Nuggets of Truth is a weekly devotional to help us
walk closer with God and to know Him better.
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