PEOPLE CHANGE, BUT NOT MUCH!
Wednesday 01-18-12
~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.”
~It Isn’t Enough Merely To Have Bible Knowledge, We Must Be About Transformation… ~Knowledge Alone Will Not Save Us And Knowledge Alone Will Certainly Not Change Us.
~You’ve Got To Do Something With The Knowledge You Have.
~Key Point: Most Of Us Change Very Slowly, If We Change At All. ~“People Change, But Not Much.”
~We Must Be Transfigured On The Inside.
~The Greek Word For “Transformed” In Romans 12:2, Is Related To The English Word Metamorphosis.
~It’s A Gradual Change On The Inside That Produces A Total Transformation On The Outside.
~Mark 9:2, “Now After Six Days Jesus Took Peter, James, And John, And Led Them Up On A High Mountain Apart By Themselves; And He Was Transfigured Before Them.”
~Transfigured Means To Be Changed Or Transformed From One Thing To Another.
~Think Of It This Way… When Jesus Was Transfigured, He Did Not Cease To Be Jesus… ~But The Disciples With Him That Day, Were Able (For A Moment) To See Who He Really Was… They Saw His Divinity.
~Consider What Happens When A Caterpillar Enters The Cocoon, Only To Emerge Later As A Butterfly.
~The Caterpillar Doesn’t Change Its Basic Nature. ~Metamorphosis Simply Reveals What Was Always There In The Genes Of The Caterpillar.
~1. All Behavior Is Based On A Belief: ~If You Cheat And Lie, It’s Because You Believe That Disobeying The Principles Of The Word Of God Will Cause Less Pain Than Being Honest.
~2. Behind Every Sin Is A Lie I Believe: ~It Starts With The Mind.
~At The Moment You Sin, You’re Doing What You Want To Do And What You Probably Think Is The Best Thing For You.
~3. Change Always Starts In The Mind: ~You’ve Got To Start With The Belief… (Or The Lie)… Behind The Behavior. ~If You Want To Change The Way You Act, You Must Change The Way You Think.
~If You Want To See A Change In Your Life – Change What You Know!
~Hosea 4:6, “My People Are Destroyed For Lack Of Knowledge…” \
~Changing What You Know, Will Change Your Beliefs.
~John 8:32, “You Will Know The Truth And The Truth Will Set You Free.”
~4. Trying To Change Your Behavior Without A Change In Your Belief Is A Waste Of Time.
~If You Ask A Person To Change His Ways Before His Mind Is Renewed, It Won’t Work.
~He Must Internalize God’s Word First. ~The Word Of God Tears Down The Strongholds Of The Enemy.
~5. The Bible Called This ‘Change Of Mind’ Repentance.
~The Word “Repentance” In Greek – Metanoia – “To Change Your Mind.”
~Repentance Is Not A Behavioral Change. ~Change Is A Result Of Repentance.
~Philippians 2:5, “Let This Mind Be In You Which Was Also In Christ Jesus,”
~The Prodigal Son Has A Change Of Mind. Only Then Did We See A Change In Behavior.
~Luke 15:17, “But When He Came To Himself, He Said, ‘How Many Of My Father’s Hired Servants Have Bread Enough And To Spare, And I Perish With Hunger!”
~The Renewed Thinking And Action That Followed Was The Fruit Of Repentance… And It Happened In A Pigpen.
~How Do We Get The “Renewed” Reprogrammed Mind Paul Speaks Of In Romans 12:2?
~The Answer… “Desire Must Be Combined With Discipline”.
~Spiritual Growth Equation…
~T + HH + GE= SG
~Time Plus Habits Of Holiness Plus Godly Encouragement Equals Spiritual Growth.
~Romans 12:2 Teaches Us About Spiritual Metamorphosis.
~God Intends That We Will Slowly But Surely Be Transformed Into The Image Of Christ.
~It Will Not Happen By Accident. ~It Does Not Happen Overnight. ~It Cannot Happen Without The Holy Spirit.
~It Happens When We Make A Personal Commitment. ~It Happens With The Godly Encouragement Of Other Christians. ~It Happens As We Allow God To Chisel Us To Help Us Become What He Wants Us To Be.
|
