1. MAN UP BIBLE SERIES New Things Lesson Three

2. The Real World In March of 2009 I went in for a routine physical. I was turning 50 and The Salvation Army decide that I needed a full physical. It was an event that changed my life. I went in feeling fine and left knowing that my heart was about to undergo a three way by pass surgery. I was never going to be the same. I would now have a new heart! What was the criteria for my operation? I needed it! My old arteries were totally clogged and in need of replacement. My old heart was ready to stop working. My new heart is as good as new. In the same way that I underwent by pass surgery we all need to get this new heart from God. Today we are going to look at this idea of a new heart as found in Ezekiel 36. It is my hope this lesson will inspire you to make some needed changes.

3. The Real Word Ezekiel 36:25 – 27 (NIV) 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 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. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

4. Real Talk Have you ever had a health issue with your heart? How would a health issue affect the way your lived? Are you ready to make some life changes?

5. Real Steps What is a Heart of Stone like as found in verse 26? COLD – Frozen to the things of God. HARD – Nothing can penetrate it. DEAD – Nothing of life is in it. What is this Heart of Flesh? TENDER to the things of God. OPEN to God’s Will. SURRENDERED to God’s Calling. FOCUSED in its affections. How to get rid of a Heart of stone? SURRENDER!

6. Time to Close Like all families we took those vacations in the summer with all four kids in the car. One of the favorite places to go was to the petrified forests. We would walk around and see the most beautiful, perfectly preserved pieces of wood totally petrified into rock. It looked like a piece of wood but was as hard as rock. And that is exactly where the Lord was taking us in the Scripture we looked at today. Our hearts can look like a heart of flesh but they are as hard as a piece of petrified wood. Hard Hearts are a lot like hard heads… Not much use except to crush cans on. So take a look inside of your old heart and see if the Lord can do some spiritual surgery in you today to soften up that heart and make it into something that the Lord can use. Let Go and Let God! It is time to MAN UP!