And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the new wine would burst the wineskins,
spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine must be stored in new wineskins.
—Luke 5:37–38, NLT
Two things that do not mix are new wine and old wineskins. The reason is simple: old wineskins cannot grow and stretch to hold the new wine.
The new wine God wants to fill you with is a picture of God’s Spirit, and this wine is expansive. A container that is dead, dry, stiff, and shrinking cannot be trusted as a storehouse for God’s valued treasure. Our vessels must be prepared for the fresh, dynamic, living presence of God, because everything we do will flow from that.
God’s new wine always changes us by expanding our faith, enlarging our purpose,
and bringing renewed vision.
This preparation comes through prayer and fasting, during which we produce a container that is ready for the new thing God wants to do. God’s new wine always changes us by expanding our faith, enlarging our purpose, and bringing renewed vision.
God is not into old wineskins; it is up to us to shed them. As we seek Him in this season, let’s shed the old wineskin and ask God to fully prepare our hearts for what’s to come.
God became man to turn creatures into sons; not simply to produce
better men of the old kind but to produce a new kind of man. —C. S. Lewis
Bible Reading Plan: John 20: 1-31
You can finish the book of John tomorrow with John 21: 1-25 and start a new reading plan.
We will be looking at 1 Corinthians after Easter/Resurrection Sunday if you want to join us.
Prayer Focus: What has caused you to shrink back in your expectation of what God wants to do in your life? Are you ready to be expanded beyond recognition? That’s what God’s new wine will do in and through you. Pray that the Lord will expand your life to glorify Him, giving you boldness to step out and be used by Him.
Covenant Church - Pastor Terry Crawford
Shepherdstown, WV
All content adapted from Awakening by Stovall Weems,
WaterBrook Press © 2010. Used by permission.
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