Happy Thursday! This weeks reading has been filled with challenges. Each verse I read caused me to reflect on my personal life and walk with Jesus. How about you? Today’s verses have me pondering on old things that have kept me from doing new things (e.g., old tradition, thoughts, and projects), aligned to what Christ is calling me to do.

Please feel free to share your thoughts on this weeks devotions  or scriptures and how they have challenged or encouraged you. Enjoy today’s devotion. 

BIBLE VERSE – Matthew 9:14-17 NLT

“14 One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?”

15 Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
16 “Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.
17 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.””

REFLECTION
Jesus did not mix his words, he was direct in his response and always provoked others to think deeper. Jesus was clear – he was doing a new thing. 

The Pharisees could not see or perceive what Christ was doing, they could only see with their limited background and vision. Christ was making all things new – healing, saving, restoring, etc. Some of the people missed what Jesus came to do and yet, even today someone is missing what Jesus came to do.

Jesus wants to do something new in you. He desires to make us new. Will you allow Him to make you new?_____

Will you spend some time in prayer today and ask the Lord to examine your heart and make you new?_____

PRAYER
Father God, thank you for your saving grace. Thank you for the opportunity to be made new in you. Lord, forgive us for desiring to stay the same old way and justifying it by our own thoughts about ourselves. Lord, we are tired of walking around in confusion and chaos. We are tired of believing the lies of the enemy. Lord, we don’t want to live our old ways or by the godless standards of this world. Lord, we want new wine skins – we desire for you to change us and make us new. So Father, today, we ask that you come into our hearts and our minds, and remove the things that are not aligned to your thoughts about us, or your will for our lives. Lord, expand our thinking and focus our eyes on you. Lord, make us new. Fill us up with your words, your Holy Spirit, mercy, grace, wisdom and compassion. Lord, continue to change us. In Jesus name, amen.

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