The Necessity of Change

Romans 8:29

Over the last few days we have seen A great change in our weather. We went from running the air conditioner on New Year’s Day to now running our heat and covering up with a blanket. That just how fast our weather can change in North Carolina. It has often been said that If you don’t like the weather in North Carolina just wait a day or two!

I myself like consistency. It’s supposed to be cold in the winter and hot in the summer. But these last few years weather our patterns have been inconsistent. As much as this can be frustrating in determining what to wear or how to plan an event, it is a good reminder that there is one thing that does not change and that is God!

Another thing that it reminds me of is that in order to fulfill God’s will in our lives by conforming to the image of his son we must be willing to change. Many of us don’t like change because of makes us feel uncomfortable and out of control. But If we as Christians haven’t changed and aren’t willing to then we can never be transformed.

There are three things that we must be willing to experience change in when it comes to discipleship.

First we must be willing to go from faith to faith. (Romans 1:17) Our faith at the beginning begins as a grain of mustard seed. It is enough faith to move mountains but yet faith must grow and enlarge itself in our life as different stages in life require at times an extra measure of faith.

Second, we go from strength to strength. (Psalms 84:7) One of the greatest temptations in life to to depend on our on strength. Prior to our salvation experience we often leaned toward self-help programs to make us better or help us overcome some addiction or malady in our life. But once we surrendered to Jesus and began to rely on his grace and mercy, we gradually began to relinquish that grip we have on helping ourselves, relying less on our strength, leaning more and more on his everlasting arms. Remember our Lord told Paul “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

The third way of growth is from glory to glory. (2 Corinthians 3:18) To glorify God is to behold his glory in the person of his son Jesus Christ and become more like him every day. John said “The word was made flesh and we beheld the glory of the father…” John 1:14. God demonstrated his glory in many different ways in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament, he revealed his glory through Jesus and the works he did. God wants to do the same in us, but the only way we can be truly effective in this is to look into the face Jesus, read his word, and pray the Holy Spirit would bring about the change in our life.

Change is hard, but if we are not changing then that means God is not working on or in our life to bring us to the image of his son for which he predestined us for.

Pastor Robby