Lasting Change

April 28, 2017 Thoughts 0 Comments

 

 

How does lasting change work? What is the difference between having an experience and living out of that experience?

In Philippians 4:9 Paul was writing to the saints in Philippi and encouraged them to keep going “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Today’s’ culture teaches us we need to know more. Read more books, get more degrees, gain more experience, get more training. The church is not exempt from this mentality. How many books, conferences, trainings and sermons have you attended, heard or read? All of that is like spiritual food. When we eat rich food and do not exercise we can get out of shape and obese.

Even if the only thing we do is attend one church service a week,  do we put into practice what we were taught? Do we challenge ourselves to gain further freedom, breakthrough and maturity?

3 His divine power has (already) given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. 4 Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may (now, without waiting) participate in the divine nature, having (already) escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5 For this very reason, make every effort (daily and consistently) to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:3-8 NIV *(author added)

Let’s make consistent choices to put into practice what we have already been given.

The best part about this is that we are not going at this alone. The Lord is near and is actively involved in our lives. Allow Him to highlight what He wants to do next, and then just keep telling Him yes. He provides the strength needed so you can persevere with Him. We can’t have lasting change without him.

Blessings to you, today.

 

Humility is Needed for Change

April 28, 2017 Thoughts 1 Comment

The following is an except from “How to Stay on God’s Surgery Table” written by Haley Johnson. 

“Yet now, I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so we were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death…”. 2 Corinthians 7:9-10

There is a difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. Godly sorrow’s fruit is repentance that leads to salvation – hope, heart change, and life transformation. Worldly sorrow leads to walking in the flesh and spiritual death. Worldly sorrow is characterized by “sorry, not sorry.” I am sorry I got into trouble, I am sorry I was caught, I am sorry that I hurt you, and it stops there due to passivity, over-valuing comfort, hardness of heart and pride.

One of best prayers you can pray in the midst of conviction is “God, don’t lift your hand of discipline until it’s accomplished what you intended and help me to stay under it well.” Be careful though – because you just gave God an open door to meddle and the outcome is so magnificent that your enemy HATES it. The enemy’s number one game plan is pride. Pride keeps up from humbling ourselves and that stops the flow of grace.

The first tool needed to stay on the surgery table is humility. It takes humility to recognize that we don’t have the ability to change on our own. We can be great at behavior modification – but a heart change is done through God’s great mercy. Behavior modification only lasts so long until what is in the heart pours out. Matthew 12:34 puts it this way “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” Humility is what allows us to even get onto the surgeons table and then stay there. Surgery can be painful as we allow God to bring out of darkness what was hidden. Humility is what keeps us from closing up and getting off the table when we face our fears, shame, lies we believe and the rush for comfort.