The Life of Renewal (Renewing Our Hearts This Easter Week 6)
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Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. Jeremiah 17:5, ESV
Sing praises to God. There’s something about music that fills our souls and hearts with joy and gladness, as well as teaches us essential truths of the Gospel. Music, from worship songs to instrumentals to hymns, can renew our hearts as well. It’s one of the reasons I included a hymn with each of these lessons.
“Praise the Savior Now and Ever,” written by Venantius H.C. Fortunatus in the sixth century and translated by Augustus Nelson, might not strike you as an Easter hymn, but it sets forth the simplicity of the Gospel through Christ who died being raised in victory to set us free from sin.
Praise the Savior now and ever; praise him, all beneath the skies; prostrate lying, suff’ring, dying on the cross, a sacrifice. Vict’ry gaining, life obtaining, now in glory he doth rise.
Man’s work faileth, Christ’s avalieth; he is all our righteousness; he, our Savior, has forever set us free from dire distress. Through his merit we inherit light and peace and happiness.
Sin’s bond severed, we’re delivered; Christ has bruised the serpent’s head; death no longer is the stronger; hell itself is captive led. Christ has risen from death’s prison; o’er the tomb he light has shed.
For his favor, praise forever unto God the Father sing; praise the Savior, praise him ever, Son of god, our Lord and King. Praise the Spirit; through Christ’s merit he doth us salvation bring.
During the past six weeks, we’ve examined how our hearts remain stony without the supernational intervention of the Holy Spirit. Our need for renewal rests in the fact that we cannot change our hearts of stone to hearts of flesh on our own.
God had a plan for this renewal since the beginning of Genesis. His provision for our ultimate renewal began long before you or I were born and will continue until Christ’s return to earth. Jesus’s work on the cross and his resurrection fulfilled the promise of that renewal and cleansed our hearts of sin.
But Jesus doesn’t leave us without a way to be renewed. His calling to a life of renewal is one that we’ll continue to experience as we walk in newness with him.
So, cling to these precious promises and claim your heart renewal today!
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/torwai
