251019_MADE_NEW_Part_1_A_New_Heart.docx

Devotional

Day 1: Letting God Replace, Not Repair, Our Hearts

God’s promise is not to simply mend what is broken within us, but to give us something entirely new—a heart that is alive and responsive to Him. Spiritual transformation is not about self-improvement or trying harder to be good; it is about surrendering our old, hardened hearts and receiving the new heart God offers. This new heart is not something we can create or earn; it is a gift that only God can give.
When we stop trying to patch up our old ways and instead open ourselves to God’s complete work, we experience true change. The journey begins with a willingness to let go of our attempts to fix ourselves and to trust that God’s way is better. He desires to do a deep, lasting work within us, making us new from the inside out.

“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” — Ezekiel 36:26 (ESV)

Reflection: Where in your life are you still trying to “fix” yourself instead of letting God do a new work? What would it look like to invite Him to replace your old heart today?

Day 2: Recognizing Hidden Hardness Beneath Spiritual Activity

It’s possible to look like everything is fine on the outside—attending church, serving, or saying the right things—while our hearts remain distant, cold, or wounded. Sometimes, our hearts harden not because of open rebellion, but because of disappointment, pain, or unmet expectations. We may keep busy with religious activity, but deep down, we are protecting ourselves from being hurt again or from facing our true feelings.
God invites us to be honest about the places where our hearts have grown hard. He sees beyond our outward actions and desires to bring healing and warmth to the places we’ve closed off. The first step is to recognize and name those areas, allowing God to gently soften and restore us.

“For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: ‘Seek me and live; but do not seek Bethel, and do not enter into Gilgal or cross over to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Bethel shall come to nothing.’” — Amos 5:4-5 (ESV)

Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you are going through the motions spiritually, but your heart feels distant or guarded? What might it look like to let God into that space today?

Day 3: Receiving, Not Earning, the Gift of a New Heart

The new heart God offers is not a reward for good behavior or spiritual effort—it is a gift of grace. We cannot earn or manufacture it by our own strength. This truth humbles us and frees us from the pressure to perform or prove ourselves to God.
God’s grace initiates and sustains our transformation. He loves us first, and His work in us is always rooted in His love and initiative. When we receive this gift with open hands, we are set free from striving and can rest in the assurance that God is at work within us, shaping us into His likeness.

“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” — Titus 3:4-5 (ESV)

Reflection: In what ways have you been trying to earn God’s approval or love? How can you practice receiving His grace as a gift today?

Day 4: Living by the Spirit’s Power, Not Our Own

God does not leave us to figure out the Christian life on our own. When He gives us a new heart, He also fills us with His Spirit, empowering us to love, forgive, and obey in ways we could never manage by ourselves. The Holy Spirit’s presence is what makes our faith vibrant and alive, rather than just a set of rules or rituals.
As we learn to listen to and depend on the Spirit, we find strength to do what we could not do before. The Spirit enables us to respond to God’s love, to extend grace to others, and to walk in obedience—not out of duty, but out of a transformed heart.

“And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” — Ezekiel 36:27 (ESV)

Reflection: Where do you feel powerless to change or love as God calls you to? Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you and empower you in that specific area today.

Day 5: Embracing the Lifelong Journey of Being Made New

Receiving a new heart is not the end of the story—it is the beginning of a lifelong journey of transformation. Salvation starts the process, baptism declares it, and sanctification continues it daily. Even after God gives us a new heart, we need to continually invite the Holy Spirit to soften, guide, and shape us into Christ’s likeness.
Transformation is ongoing, requiring daily surrender and openness to God’s work. There will be days of progress and days of struggle, but God is faithful to complete what He has started. Each day is an opportunity to say “yes” to His ongoing work in us.

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” — 2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you sense God inviting you to deeper transformation? How can you surrender that area to Him today and trust Him to continue His work in you?

Sermon Summary

of the Sermon:**

Today’s message, “A New Heart,” launches our two-part series, “Made New.” As we prepare for next week’s water baptisms, we focused on the foundational truth that before we can declare new life in Christ, we must first receive a new heart from God. The sermon explored the difference between mere belief and true obedience, highlighting that God doesn’t just want to patch up our brokenness—He wants to replace our hardened hearts with hearts that are soft, responsive, and alive to Him. Drawing from Ezekiel 36, we saw that God promises not only to give us a new heart but also to fill us with His Spirit, empowering us to live in obedience and love. The invitation is for everyone: to let God do the deep work of transformation, whether for the first time or as a renewal, and to respond to His call with surrender and openness.

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Key Takeaways

1. A New Heart Is Not Self-Improvement, But Divine Replacement: God’s promise in Ezekiel is not to repair what is broken, but to remove our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh. This means that spiritual transformation is not about trying harder or fixing ourselves, but about receiving something entirely new from God. True change begins when we stop patching up the old and allow God to do a complete work within us.
2. Hardness of Heart Can Hide Behind Religious Activity: It’s possible to look spiritual on the outside—attending church, serving, or saying the right things—while our hearts remain cold, resistant, or wounded. Sometimes, our hearts harden not out of rebellion, but out of disappointment, hurt, or unmet expectations. Recognizing where our hearts have grown hard is the first step toward letting God bring healing and warmth again.
3. God’s Grace Initiates and Sustains Our Transformation: The new heart is a gift, not a reward for good behavior. We cannot earn or manufacture it; we can only receive it by grace. This truth humbles us and frees us from striving, reminding us that God’s work in us is always rooted in His love and initiative, not our performance.
4. The Holy Spirit Empowers Us to Live Differently: God doesn’t just give us a new heart and leave us to figure things out. He fills us with His Spirit, who empowers us to love, forgive, and obey in ways we could never manage on our own. The Spirit’s presence is the difference between lifeless religion and vibrant, responsive faith.
5. Transformation Is Ongoing—Not a One-Time Event: Salvation starts the process, baptism declares it, and sanctification continues it daily. Even after receiving a new heart, we need to continually invite the Holy Spirit to soften us, guide us, and shape us into Christ’s likeness. The journey of being made new is lifelong, requiring daily surrender and openness to God’s ongoing work.

Bible Study Guide

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: “A New Heart” (Made New, Part 1)**

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### Bible Reading

- **Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NIV)**
> “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

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### Observation Questions

According to Ezekiel 36:26-27, what does God promise to do for His people?
In the sermon, what are some signs or descriptions of a “heart of stone”?
What is the difference between a heart of stone and a heart of flesh, as explained in the message?
How does the sermon describe the role of the Holy Spirit in the process of being made new?

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### Interpretation Questions

Why does God choose to replace our hearts rather than simply repair them? What does this say about the depth of our need?
The sermon mentions that religious activity can sometimes hide a hard heart. In what ways might someone appear spiritual on the outside but be distant from God on the inside?
How does understanding that the new heart is a gift of grace (not something we earn) change the way a person approaches God?
What does it look like, practically, for the Holy Spirit to “move you to follow” God’s ways in daily life?

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### Application Questions

The message asks us to consider where our hearts may have grown hard—toward God, others, or even ourselves. Is there a specific area in your life where you sense your heart has become cold or resistant? What might have caused this?
The sermon says that sometimes our hearts harden not out of rebellion, but out of disappointment or hurt. Can you identify a disappointment or wound that has affected your openness to God? How might you invite Him to bring healing there?
The difference between belief and obedience was highlighted. Are there areas where you believe in Jesus but struggle to obey Him? What is one step you could take this week to move from belief to obedience?
The Holy Spirit empowers us to love, forgive, and obey beyond our own strength. Is there a relationship or situation right now where you need the Spirit’s help to respond differently? What would it look like to ask for and rely on His power?
The process of being made new is ongoing. What is one daily practice you could start (or restart) to invite God to continue softening and shaping your heart?
If you have already received a new heart from God, how can you encourage someone else who may feel stuck or spiritually cold?
For those considering baptism or a public declaration of faith, what fears or hesitations do you have? What would it mean for you to take that next step of surrender and openness to God’s work in your life?

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**Closing Prayer Suggestion:**
Invite the group to pray the closing prayer from the sermon together, asking God for a new heart, forgiveness, and the filling of the Holy Spirit.

Sermon Quotes

God’s promise isn’t to patch up a broken heart, but to replace it with a new one that responds to Him. He’s not offering self-improvement; He’s offering new creation.

We can appear spiritual while secretly being spiritually stuck. You can attend church faithfully, yet be emotionally distant from God. Sometimes our hearts harden not out of hatred but out of hurt.

When our hearts grow hard, worship becomes routine, prayer becomes duty, and serving becomes effort. But God’s desire is not performance — it’s presence.

A freezing bird won’t sing, but if you give warmth it soon starts to sing again. That is what God does. He brings us close to His presence until we feel again, hope again, and sing again.

This isn’t something we earn or work for; it’s something we receive. It’s not self-help — it’s divine intervention. You don’t give yourself a new heart — God does.

Sometimes before God gives us a new heart, He has to break the old one — not to destroy, but to heal. What God breaks, He rebuilds for His glory.

The Holy Spirit doesn’t only inspire us; He empowers us. He’s not just beside us; He lives within us. He gives power to love when we’d rather hate, to forgive when we’d rather hold on, to obey when it costs us something.

You can’t live a new life with an old heart, and you can’t sustain a new heart without the Holy Spirit.

Don’t leave here with a patched-up heart when God wants to give you a brand-new one. Let Him do what only He can do — take what’s cold, hard, and closed off, and make it alive, soft, and responsive.

Salvation begins that change. Baptism declares it to the world. Sanctification continues it daily as the Holy Spirit shapes us more and more into the likeness of Christ.

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