There is a part of me that has some sadness when I see people that I haven't seen in awhile because they remember what I used to be like...not what I am like now. It particularly brings some sadness when I hear them say, "You haven't changed a bit!" My first thought is, "I look in the mirror every day and I know that isn't true." My second thought is, "I hope I have...otherwise everything I've been through and what God has been placing down in my Heart isn't working."
I have two younger siblings. Neither of which are involved in my life very much due to their own decisions and choices of drug and alcohol addiction. My brother is finally receiving help and God is doing amazing things in his heart and life right now. Praise the Lord! Prayers have been answered and I continue to see God speak to my brother and bring him back to the way God has made for him. My sister needs continued prayer. God's word doesn't return void and I know He will answer my prayers for my sister just as He has in the life of my brother.
But, when we are together, they will say things and make assumptions about how I will respond to a situation because they only know the "old" me. They haven't walked my journey with me. They haven't been around to see that transformation of the work of the Lord in my life, my thoughts, and in my heart. Do you have anyone in your life like that? DO you have someone in your life that has been there with you and still doesn't recognize the work of the Lord in you? I have those peope in my life, too. This is why it saddens me. I know what God has done. I feel different. My heart has a love within it that hasn't been there for His people, for those that are less fortunate, hurt, lost, and dying. I often wonder why people don't don't see what I feel. Am I acting the same? Am I saying the same things? I don't think so...but it does cause me to reevaluate and continue to pray to God and ask Him to show me areas that I need to remove.
I think the reason we as humans don't recognize true change in a person is because we are preprogrammed to believe that people can't change. Once a liar always a liar. Once a thief always a thief. And I could go on and on with that list. We has humans I think just don't believe that anyone can experience a true change and make a full 180 degree turn. I mean, that is what repentance is, right? Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Bible Theology says that repentance is "to turn or to return." More specifically, it's sub-meaning is to "turn from evil and to turn to good."
I hear frequently from people I share this topic with, "I am who I am. I can't change." Nothing would irritate me more when I first married my husband than when I would try to talk to him about something he was doing that would hurt my feelings that I didn't agree with and his response be would be "I am who I am. Just deal with it." Now, 21 years later...He is who he is...but he is striving to be who God has made him to be. Isn't that what we all try and do? Just try to be who God has intended for us to be? People can change and we have to be careful when we use phrases like I mentioned earlier. The enemy can use us to instill a measure of doubt into a person about what they are doing. The word is very clear about what happens when we believe on Him and as we walk through this journey. Look at the scriptures below.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (27) I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
1 Peter 1:22-23 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, (23) having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
I think from these 4 scriptures it is evident what happens when we choose to believe on the name of Jesus, when we choose to walk in His paths. He gives us a new heart and a new spirit. He replaces the old with something new. It is different. He plants within us an incorruptible seed because we have born into His Son. That seed cannot be corrupted..it is pure. We can be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Jesus Christ cleansed us from our sin. He washed away the dirt and filth that we were wallowing in before we came to know Him and made us clean.
But that's all internal. For those around us to know, see, and recognize the changes within us, there are certain things we have to do.
Ephesians 4:21-24 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: (22) that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, (23) and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, (24) and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
"Put off your former conduct..." We have to put off, we have to stop doing and saying the things we would have prior to being born again. It takes practice to break habits. It takes bringing thoughts captive to the subjection and authority of Jesus Christ. Once we have put off, what are we supposed to put on? Verse 24 above says we are to put on the new man. Colossians 3:8-10 says that we are to put off filthy language and other old behaviors and put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge in the image of the One who created Him.
1 Peter 1:13-16 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (14) as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; (15) but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, (16) because it is written, "BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."
"Gird up the loins of your mind..." Protect your mind. We are to put on the helmet of salvation in addition to the other pieces of armor found in Ephesians chapter 6 every single day. Putting on the armor and understanding that we have to prepared and ready at all times for attacks from the enemy that may not look like we think they should, such as someone saying we haven't changed a bit or assuming they know how we will respond to a situation.
2 Peter 1:5-8 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, (6) to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, (7) to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. (8) For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If we are studying in the Word every day and spending time with the Lord in prayer and conversation, then we 2 Peter 1:5-8 becomes something we can do. We can add all these characteristics to ourselves through the leading of the Holy Spirit. AND we have to make sure that we conduct ourselves in a manner that can reveal the transformation within us. We have to be able to reveal our new hearts born out of that incorruptible seed that dwells within us. We have to act and think differently. Remember, we are to be a city on a hill...a light that draws men to us so that they may see the love of Christ through us. It is not an impossible task. It does require us to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, speak to us, show us where we need to walk...all the while He is teaching and revealing to us all truth as Jesus said He would.
So, this week make it a point to look at those close to you and those you have known for awhile. Is their behavior different? Have they changed at all? Can you see the Lord working in them? If you can, give them encouragement..let them know you see the Lord working in them. Praise God with them for how far He has brought them. Open up a dialogue that would encourage you, too. Also examine yourself and your own conduct. If you went to your high school reunion today would you hear, "You haven't changed a bit"?
Make this a great week, my friends. Look for the good and positive, not the bad and negative. Give thanks to God this week for the good things He has done and the good things He will do.
Join the discussion on our Facebook page.
I would love to hear from you. Let me rejoice in your praise reports with you and let me pray with you through the tough times. Email me. God Bless, my friends.
I have two younger siblings. Neither of which are involved in my life very much due to their own decisions and choices of drug and alcohol addiction. My brother is finally receiving help and God is doing amazing things in his heart and life right now. Praise the Lord! Prayers have been answered and I continue to see God speak to my brother and bring him back to the way God has made for him. My sister needs continued prayer. God's word doesn't return void and I know He will answer my prayers for my sister just as He has in the life of my brother.
But, when we are together, they will say things and make assumptions about how I will respond to a situation because they only know the "old" me. They haven't walked my journey with me. They haven't been around to see that transformation of the work of the Lord in my life, my thoughts, and in my heart. Do you have anyone in your life like that? DO you have someone in your life that has been there with you and still doesn't recognize the work of the Lord in you? I have those peope in my life, too. This is why it saddens me. I know what God has done. I feel different. My heart has a love within it that hasn't been there for His people, for those that are less fortunate, hurt, lost, and dying. I often wonder why people don't don't see what I feel. Am I acting the same? Am I saying the same things? I don't think so...but it does cause me to reevaluate and continue to pray to God and ask Him to show me areas that I need to remove.
I think the reason we as humans don't recognize true change in a person is because we are preprogrammed to believe that people can't change. Once a liar always a liar. Once a thief always a thief. And I could go on and on with that list. We has humans I think just don't believe that anyone can experience a true change and make a full 180 degree turn. I mean, that is what repentance is, right? Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Bible Theology says that repentance is "to turn or to return." More specifically, it's sub-meaning is to "turn from evil and to turn to good."
I hear frequently from people I share this topic with, "I am who I am. I can't change." Nothing would irritate me more when I first married my husband than when I would try to talk to him about something he was doing that would hurt my feelings that I didn't agree with and his response be would be "I am who I am. Just deal with it." Now, 21 years later...He is who he is...but he is striving to be who God has made him to be. Isn't that what we all try and do? Just try to be who God has intended for us to be? People can change and we have to be careful when we use phrases like I mentioned earlier. The enemy can use us to instill a measure of doubt into a person about what they are doing. The word is very clear about what happens when we believe on Him and as we walk through this journey. Look at the scriptures below.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (27) I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
1 Peter 1:22-23 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, (23) having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
I think from these 4 scriptures it is evident what happens when we choose to believe on the name of Jesus, when we choose to walk in His paths. He gives us a new heart and a new spirit. He replaces the old with something new. It is different. He plants within us an incorruptible seed because we have born into His Son. That seed cannot be corrupted..it is pure. We can be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Jesus Christ cleansed us from our sin. He washed away the dirt and filth that we were wallowing in before we came to know Him and made us clean.
But that's all internal. For those around us to know, see, and recognize the changes within us, there are certain things we have to do.
Ephesians 4:21-24 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: (22) that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, (23) and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, (24) and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
"Put off your former conduct..." We have to put off, we have to stop doing and saying the things we would have prior to being born again. It takes practice to break habits. It takes bringing thoughts captive to the subjection and authority of Jesus Christ. Once we have put off, what are we supposed to put on? Verse 24 above says we are to put on the new man. Colossians 3:8-10 says that we are to put off filthy language and other old behaviors and put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge in the image of the One who created Him.
1 Peter 1:13-16 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (14) as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; (15) but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, (16) because it is written, "BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."
"Gird up the loins of your mind..." Protect your mind. We are to put on the helmet of salvation in addition to the other pieces of armor found in Ephesians chapter 6 every single day. Putting on the armor and understanding that we have to prepared and ready at all times for attacks from the enemy that may not look like we think they should, such as someone saying we haven't changed a bit or assuming they know how we will respond to a situation.
2 Peter 1:5-8 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, (6) to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, (7) to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. (8) For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If we are studying in the Word every day and spending time with the Lord in prayer and conversation, then we 2 Peter 1:5-8 becomes something we can do. We can add all these characteristics to ourselves through the leading of the Holy Spirit. AND we have to make sure that we conduct ourselves in a manner that can reveal the transformation within us. We have to be able to reveal our new hearts born out of that incorruptible seed that dwells within us. We have to act and think differently. Remember, we are to be a city on a hill...a light that draws men to us so that they may see the love of Christ through us. It is not an impossible task. It does require us to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, speak to us, show us where we need to walk...all the while He is teaching and revealing to us all truth as Jesus said He would.
So, this week make it a point to look at those close to you and those you have known for awhile. Is their behavior different? Have they changed at all? Can you see the Lord working in them? If you can, give them encouragement..let them know you see the Lord working in them. Praise God with them for how far He has brought them. Open up a dialogue that would encourage you, too. Also examine yourself and your own conduct. If you went to your high school reunion today would you hear, "You haven't changed a bit"?
Make this a great week, my friends. Look for the good and positive, not the bad and negative. Give thanks to God this week for the good things He has done and the good things He will do.
Join the discussion on our Facebook page.
I would love to hear from you. Let me rejoice in your praise reports with you and let me pray with you through the tough times. Email me. God Bless, my friends.
