Change necessitates the expenditure of energy. For most people, any form of change is a huge task. Jehovah, on the other hand, requests that we modify our ways and do things his way. It is a difficult task!
"Strip off... the old man, ... and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and... put on the new man, formed in righteousness and true holiness after God." (Ephesians 4:22-24) "Be transformed by changing your attitude, so that you may demonstrate to yourself God's good, acceptable, and perfect will."
Change is unavoidable in your daily life, especially in our fast-paced world of culture, where technology develops rapidly, and you must continually adapt. It is drawn in a variety of methods and when the adult is stretched. You become accustomed to doing things a specific way and are unable to accept external pressure to change our way of life. Changing one's responses to everyday tasks can generate tension and worry, especially in the elderly.
When the Lord requires you to make a lifestyle change, He not only equips you to do so, but the end result is even more powerful! Some people claim to adore God yet refuse to commit to Him because they are "not ready" yet! If only they had recognized that all was wonderful, peaceful, and pain-free in the Lord! Yes! Really!
First and foremost, it is your love for Him that motivates you to change. Second, the Holy Spirit has been given to you to be your comforter, counselor, and helper. (Luke 14:26) Simply place your life in His hands and ask Him to change you into a valuable vessel for Him to use. You can't change on your own. You are the potter, and you are the potter, and you are the potter, and you are the potter, and you are the potter while the king adjusts and shifts the clay until it is just right, it remains a lifeless thing in the potter's wheel. All that is asked of you is a willingness to follow in His footsteps.
The more you give yourself to Him. The more quickly the transformation will take place. It all starts in your mind. Once you have aligned your thoughts with those of Christ and understand His Word and His ways, then all old habits and ideas fall apart. Suddenly they are no longer so important. When you are in the world, your mind, alienated from God because of ignorance and blindness, encourages you to do things your way. Once you know the Truth, you will want to get rid of all bad habits and let your mind be cleansed by the Word.
In addition to the Holy Spirit, the Lord recognizes that you require practical assistance on this planet. That is why He has ordained you as a member of His Body, the church, having been called out of the earth. "Until we all come to oneness in the faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of stature that belongs to the fullness of the Christ," he said, "to perfect the work of the saints, and to build up the body of Christ."
I hope that the Spirit of God strengthens you, Paul, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, rooted and anchored in love, may come to an understanding of His love and be filled with all of God's fullness! According to his power at work in us, he has the ability to achieve far more than we could ever ask or conceive!
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