Wednesday, January 8, 2020
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the
glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to
glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18 NASB
Every day
that we live is a day of transformation.
There is not a day that goes by that God is not doing something in our
lives, even though we not feel like anything is happening. Some days it even feels like God has left us
altogether, but that is never the case.
God loves
us unconditionally, no matter what. He
died for us before we even knew who He was.
But His heart for us is to be changed.
It is what He can do for us that no one else can – not in the same
way. He can help us grow and become more
like His Son, Jesus.
How Can
God Transform Us?
New Thinking – The way
we think affects the way we feel and the way we feel affects the way we act. Sometimes instead of changing our thinking,
we just change our actions. When we do
this without allowing God to change our way of thinking, we are just putting a band
aid on the problem. True change happens
from the inside out. Instead, let the
Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. ...to be made new in the attitude of your minds; Ephesians 4:23
The Right Community – We need
a community that will encourage and enable us.
The right community will make a difference in our lives and will be a
direct source of growth for us.
Truth - Truth
is not simply a principle – it is a person.
Jesus said, “I am the truth.” (John 14:6) Because
Jesus is the truth you can trust what He says.
Why does God say you’ve got to know the truth if your life is going to
be transformed? Because Every
self-defeating behavior in your life, is based on a lie you’re believing. It may be a lie about my past, worth, present
or future. It may be a lie a lie about
God other people. But what Jesus says is
truth we can build our lives on and if He loves us and thinks we are worthy,
then we are worthy. That truth has to
drown out every lie of Satan and the world.
Make Room - throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of
life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.
Ephesians 4:22 NLT
We have to
clean out our mind, body, and spirit, and make room for the new thoughts and
ways we must adopt for true transformation to happen. We need to get rid of old ways of thinking and also take a look at the people and situations that we allow to take up our time. Are they godly influences?
Faith - Transformation
begins with faith. We must believe we can be different - with God’s help – or we won’t be different. Motivation is an emotion and like other
emotions it is fed by fear or faith. Fear produces negative motivation responses
- restricts, inhibits, tightens, protects. Desire is positive - opens, reaches,
encourages plans, achieves. Fear looks
to the past and desire to the future.
Here’s what the Bible tells us in Ephesians: Now, by his mighty power at work within us, God is to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes. All good things in us come from God. Only His power is strong enough to transform us. In our own power we cannot change anything. Notice none of that has anything to do with will power; you are not forcing yourself to change - this is God working in your life!
We get to choose how much God blesses our lives. You get to choose. What will you choose?
