No Longer Me..but forever You (Process of Transformation)

There is a transformation that takes place when Jesus initiates a call to follow, and as we respond by laying down our lives.  We transform by dying to our old self and living a new life through Christ at the helm.  I must confess, that I wish this was an instantaneous transformation.  Yet, it is described in Isaiah 64:8, that He is the potter and we are his clay.  We also have seen the skits of God being an artist who is slowly sculpting his masterpiece (us). These comparisons show us the transformation process, something that identifies 3 main things to me.  The first being that we as followers are to look different that we did before.  It is no longer a life slave to sin and purpose for self only, but a life that is a slave to righteousness with a definitive purpose from the creator of the universe.  Second, we see that the potter/artist (God/Jesus) is the only one who does the molding/sculpting.  The clay/sculpture is not the one making changes to itself.  Clay doesn't mold itself.  Yet, ironically most of us try to cleanse ourselves, or try to act the "Christian way" to appease the Lord.  This is foolish!  We are too sinful to ever be able to live a holy life on our own.  We cannot fight temptation, we will lose every time.  Our thoughts are not pure, we cannot love unconditionally.  This is important to identify as followers of Christ.  Jesus is the only way we can be reconciled of sin, and following Him is the only way to pursue holiness.  He will take control and weed out the sinfulness.  The potter will mold his clay, the artist will chisel away at the masterpiece, for He wants His followers to experience the abundant life through him.  Lastly, I see that this transformation is a process on God's timing.  The illustration of the potter and the clay is an accurate way of showing us the type of care God has for our lives.  The potter uses his own hands in a intimate process where he spends time erecting his piece from a lifeless clay.  He spends time adding and removing, spinning and molding, and doesn't stop until he has his finished product.  Then like any good potter, He is pleased with his work.  This is the same process that God uses to work in our lives.  We are on earth only for a fraction of a second, compared to eternity.  God uses that time whether it's 30 minutes on your death bed to 70 years of life to mold you into his masterpiece.  Give up control, do not be the believer who doesn't follow.  Satan and the demons acknowledge who Christ is, we are not only expected to believe but to respond to the call to follow and be transformed. Allow God to take control of your life and begin a work in you.  He aims to bring you an abundant life, fill you with his Spirit of peace and purpose. It is a process, that is on his time, but it is not for us to worry about.  The God of the universe is our potter.  We were wonderfully made by the creator of the heavens and earth, and for us followers He has promised to continue His work in us, and has given us the reward of eternity with Him.  No longer be you, controlled by self, living for you, but be a new work in Christ, be transformed, fulfill a divine purpose for your life. 

Sharing is Caring

Sharing is Caring.  I laugh when someone says that phrase sarcastically as a joke.  Yet, there is truth in that statement, especially when you apply it to the biblical truth that we are all as followers, called to share the Gospel of Christ around the world. We are to take it all the way to the Amazon in Brazil, and back to the house directly behind your very own home.  I believe everyone who is a true follower should be able to share the gospel.  Now there are some people who I believe have more of a passion than others to go and share the gospel, maybe even label it as a spiritual gift of specifically sharing Christ with others. Yet, we are all suppose to share.  But.  Can we share without the care?  Can we share the Gospel of Christ without truly caring/loving others?

Sharing Christ to others has to start with a love for God, and through Him a love for the lost.  See the caring part of sharing is the hardest.  We are from birth a slave to our sinful nature, and caring/loving for others as Christ calls us to do is naturally against our makeup.  Anyone can share information to someone about anything.  Besides getting beyond the nerves of talking to others, sharing the gospel story to others would be fairly easy for those who know it well.  Yet, if you are not sharing God's love as well, or if they can't see true joy in you, what would make anyone want to believe, let alone listen to what we have to say.  I love the example used over again in the bible that we are to be a light in the darkness just as Jesus was the light.  People are drawn to light....Especially if it is dark.  The world can be such a dark place.  We as followers of Christ should be a radiant light of hope to the lost.  We should look different, act different, be approachable, and known for loving others no matter the circumstances.  Sharing the Gospel doesn't start with telling the story, it starts with sharing the love of God.  You have to meet the lost where they are.  Befriend the gay man, give shelter to the homeless, forgive the drunk driver, tell the prostitute she is worth more.  In your everyday life, be a light in the darkness.  Give the boss the respect you might not think he deserves, be humble, be approachable, do things the right way at all cost, love your children and raise them up in the knowledge of Christ, love your spouse with a unwavering love, and be a man of integrity in your community not to raise your status, but to promote Christ.  This....this is how you start to share the gospel, you have to CARE.  We used to have a conference when I was in youth called Dare2Share, this is kind of like Dare2Care.  Dare to love the lost.  Dare to think about others. In our missions committee at church, one of the biggest things we spend time on is putting the lost people of the world in front of our congregation to create awareness.  Then you challenge the followers to respond.  Dare them to Care.  Sharing is Caring.  You will never be able to effectively experience the true blessing of sharing Christ with others without Christ's love.  We are proclaiming a personal relationship with Jesus, that involves us being personable.  As John Mark McMillian says, "You can't hold on to love." Love is essential for sharing the gospel.  We don't' have it naturally, but we can ask God for the love to grow in us for the lost.  Ask God for a passion to share His love with others, which develops a passion to share His gospel.  They go hand in hand.  You can't truly love someone without wanting them to know that Christ saves, and that he conquered sin and death. For those who have faith and choose to follow him, he has raised up over the chains of sin, he has paid their penalty of death, and provided us with a path to the Father.  This is great news! I can't think of any better news to share with those we care about, and again as Christians we are to care about the lost.  Ask God for a heart for the lost, and passion for spreading the gospel of Christ. Sharing is Caring!

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works, and give glory to your Father in heaven."    Matthew5:16