INVEST FOR CHANGE

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

“In order to experience transformation one must make the INVESTMENT to change.”

That is a little paraphrase from one of my mentors, Tom Thompson.

Had the privilege of offering my 40 or 41^st gentlemen (I will be honest I lost count and had a couple “repeat customers”) the OPPORTUNITY of the REFUGE ministry yesterday. (http://www.mensliveschanged.org/).

This is a truly remarkable place as I have said on several occasions. I would ask that you join me in prayer for Derek as he begins his journey.

But as Tom was presenting to the current induction class and the families and support teams of the incoming fellows, I gleaned this little nugget from his exhortation.

That is a powerful statement.

Many believe that we can change through “conformation”; follow the rules, step and fetch, do the “deal” and change will follow. But real change only happens when we are willing to INVEST in an “inside out” change; a “from the ground up” change; a transformational change; a biblically supported change!

Romans 12:2

…Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking (conformation). Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out (transformation). Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity (conformation), God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you (transformation).

You see it is “easy” to conform.

Right clothes, right look, right words, right “company” and we can blend in, fit in and adapt to the “culture” around us. But no real change occurs. GOD wants more. He wants us to embrace HIS leadership even when it doesn’t suit the culture around us. He wants us to take HIS direction; to go left even when the rest of the planet is going right.

And that begins in the heart and mind. It starts with our motivations and our thoughts!

Psalm 51:10

Create in me a new, clean heart, O God, filled with clean thoughts and right desires.

Often in my ministry I encounter the phrase “He is tore up from the floor up”. Translated that means that a person is “messed up” from head to toe; from the inside out.

Well I believe GOD wants to see us “bore up” from the floor up.

1 Peter 2:24

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

Jesus has “changed” the landscape for us at the cross it is now our job to let that amazing truth TRANSFORM the way we live by directing our hearts and actions to be more like His. And that starts with “dying” to our old selves and embracing the NEWNESS that CHRIST’s death burial and resurrection affords!

2 Corinthians 5:17

When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person INSIDE. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!

So today can I encourage you to invest in the change that CHRIST offers? Can I encourage you to continue to tune your heart and mind to HIS TRUTH and HIS direction; to take HIS healing for your life; robe yourself in His righteousness?

Ephesians 4:22-24

…throw off your old evil nature—the old you that was a partner in your evil ways—rotten through and through, full of lust and sham. Now your attitudes and thoughts must all be constantly changing for the better (INVEST). Yes, you must be a new and different person, holy and good. Clothe yourself with this new nature.

If you do, real transformation will begin!

Have a great day!

I love you all!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney