Changed - Part 1 "Change Can Come"

If there has been one constant in my life it has been change. Much of the change is change from one good thing to the next good thing as life progresses. With each change comes a new reasons to praise and worship God, and also new ways to rely on Him. However there are inner character issues and flaws that I wish would change, that have not. I could, because there has been no change in those areas, choose to believe that change will never take place and I am who am. I must ask, is God limited by who I am? Can God change me?

Change is a heavy topic in today's culture. Prisons are charged with rehabilitating criminals, yet in so many moral aspect, we are told that to change someone is impossible and truly wrong. Which is it? Can true and lasting change really take place, or are we all to be left to be what we are? Perhaps you have been seeking to change something about yourself but change has not come. Perhaps you have been praying for someone else to change but still nothing. This new series “Changed” will address some of the ways by which change can come into your life even though it has been a long time coming. May you see that Change can come as we fully surrender God's way of transformation. 

From 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 we can identify several issues concerning real and lasting change. 

1. Identify that which is in the position of lord of your life. V.17

    

Verse 17 begins with the phrase, “Now the Lord is the Spirit”. In this statement, “the Spirit” is set in contrast to “the Law” (See 3:5-6). For the Jews of Paul's day, The Law was what guided them and through it they believed they had access to God. What Paul is pointing to here is that the Spirit of God is Lord. What took place in Acts chapter two changed the way God's people are guided and formed. For us today, we may not be focusing on The Law of Moses, but political correctness and individualism are the in the place Lord. Change can come into our lives when the Spirit of God has full reign in our lives to do the work of changing us and our circumstances.  

2. Live in the presence of the Holy Spirit. V.17

The presence of the Holy Spirit brings freedom. The question ought to be asked here, who is and what is present in your life. Change will God when we seek to live in the presence of the Holy Spirit. It is a common reality that those who admittedly need change stay away from the very source of change. This is also the reason why so many who are in need of change neglect going to a worship service or Bible study of any kind. If Satan can keep you out of the presence of the Holy Spirit he will keep you in bondage. 

3. Move away from temporal solutions. V.18

The fact that we view the glory of God with “unveiled face” makes the point that the glory of God as revealed through the Spirit is unending. This is in contrast to the temporary glory of the law (3:12-13). We see here once again that the Law was the major tool of shaping the life of a Jewish person. Here Paul is pointing out the reality of the Law's temporal nature. It is helpful for us to identify the temporal solutions that we are relying on and cast them aside for the eternal solution provided by the Holy Spirit. 

4. Behold the glory of God. V.18

As we behold the glory of God, we are being transformed. In other words transformation is the work of the Spirit to us, not by us. Notice the particular wording her, “are being transformed” As we place the glory of God at the forefront of our thinking it transforms us. This is true because the glory of God is God's way of thinking. Our own thoughts have us swirling down the drain of depression and despair. Our thoughts are the source of our need for transformation and it is only through exchanging our thoughts for His that we will ever change. 

5. Make your goal to bare the image of God. V.18

Our goals determine our steps. If your goal is to simply escape a situation then you are likely to end up in yet another bad situation. However if your goal is to bare the image of God, which is the original state of mankind prior the sin, you will follow the steps that lead to transformation. Transformation restores us as those who bare the image of God.

6. Seek progress when the end results seems far away. V. 18

We must accept the fact that transforamtion is progressive. The reason we often settle for temporal changes, is because they seem faster. As we observe many of the ways in which God works, we notice that God does use processes that evolve and take time. We also see that God uses seasons and each season has its own unique purpose. 

With all this in mind, the challenge concerning lasting change is to surrender to God’s way and goal. If we are not surrendered to these things, then in reality we are wanting to be God. We also cannot allow each other to give up. This type of encouragement is a major role of the church. Christians are no never allow those they love to remain in a state of pain.

May the Lord bring lasting change into your life and may you be bare the image of your Creator. 

Unique: Part 3 - "A Unique Unveiling"

I must admit that I am a bit jealous of those who have artistic gifts. How in the wide world do they paint light? I have looked at painting of cabins in the woods and some how the artist as captured my imagination as to what is going on beyond that light in the window. It's like that light makes me want to go inside and be warmed by the fire place. I suppose that what good artist do when they unveil a one of a kind painting. They draw us into the seen, and spark our imaginations. 

When Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us, He unveiled God. John said that we beheld His glory. With this thought in mind lets progress through John 1:14-18. In verse 14 we discover that the word (logos) became flesh and resulted in in three specifics truths. 

 1. People could now see the magnificence and wisdom of God in and through the person of Jesus. 

 2. This glory was the glory of a son which is a revelation based upon the fact that Jesus was 

     essentially God and the term Son refers to Jesus as coming from God not being inferior to Him.

 3. This glory was full of grace and truth.

In verses 15-17, John’s discusses his witness concerning Jesus. This witness of John of Jesus becomes our pattern and example of what is to be our witness as well. John witnesses of the following.

1. The importance of Jesus' rank due to His eternal existence. 

2. Concerning the receiving of grace. This grace being the empowerment of God into our lives even though we do not deserve it.

As we read verse 18 we see the reality that Jesus makes the Father known. Notice the particular wording as found in Young's Literal Translation of the Bible, “God no one hath ever seen; the only begotten Son, who is on the bosom of the Father – he did declare” (YLT). This expression "in the bosom of the Father denotes the highest form of unity, and the most intimate form of knowledge. This phrase also describes the nature ans essence of Jesus. 

Putting this all together we can draw the conclusion that, when we struggle to understand God and how He works, we are to read stories about how Jesus worked in people’s lives. These stories are accounts of how Jesus revealed the heart and manner of working withing the lives of His people.  For those who refuse to read the stories of Jesus, are to be able to look into the church and see Jesus working because we are the body of Christ at work in our community. Our community must see Jesus in us because Jesus is the unique availing of God. 

May He reveal Himself to the lost, through our church.