A New Heart and Spirit - Lee Brainard

Man loves gain. He expends a lot of ingenuity and strength pursuing new things, bigger things, better things. He pursues money, toys, vacation homes, and recognition. Those that are a little deeper focus on the pursuit of experiences, education, friends, and family.

But what is the purpose of all this gain? It has value only for this life. Then we are gone — not in the sense of ceasing to exist, but in the sense of departing to our eternal destiny. We will stand before God on his ground — his terms, his moral code, his law, his book. What good will our gold, our education, our memories, our friends and family do us in that day? None at all. Zilch. Nada. (Mark 8:36).

What is the only thing that matters in that day? Whether or not your name is found in the book of life (Rev. 20:11-15). And how does a man get his name in that book? He must have eternal life from God — he must be born-again. As we read, “From all your filthiness and idols, I will cleanse you. A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. I will … cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments.” (Ezek. 36:25-27).

Make sure your priorities are right. The only thing in life you absolutely must obtain is the new birth — the new heart and spirit — which gives you eternal life and gets your name in the book of life.

~Lee Brainard, April 4, 2015