Transformation

Dear Worshippers,

So as you keep listening for that “new thing” that God is revealing to you…do so from a posture prepared for transformation. I have been thinking a lot about change lately, particularly the change that God wants to produce in me as I continue to offer my life in service to Him. I want to be prepared for what the Lord wants to do in me.

You may have heard me say something like this before, “The Christian life is a life of transformation.” Obviously, we are ever being formed into the likeness of the Savior. This requires constant change from us. It is constant in that it is a process and not a single event. We see this contrast of single event and process in Hebrews 10 which speaks of Christ’s sacrifice once for all. In verse 14 the writer says, “by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” How cool is that? By His sacrifice we are made perfect forever [past, present and future position] and begin the process of being made holy [present experience].

This concept of sacrifice is clearly applied to our response to God’s mercy in Romans 12:1-2. Here we are urged “to offer [our] bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is [our] spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of [our] mind[s].” This is a process, breaking from the world’s pattern of evil and corruption and entering into God’s pattern of holiness and perfection. Seem like too lofty a goal for you? Do you think this kind of process is reserved for the spiritual giants?

Allow me to offer one more “shining” example of this transformative process as described by Paul to the church at Corinth. You should remember that in his first letter he described this church as immature and unspiritual [3:1-4]. He what he had to say in his second letter [3:18], “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

Yes, Jesus wants to shine through you. The songwriter of “Shine, Jesus Shine” voiced the beautiful prayer this way. “As we gaze on Your kingly brightness/so our faces display Your likeness./Ever changing from glory to glory/ mirrored here may our lives tell Your story/Shine on me/Shine on me.”

There is hope for you. It is found in the process of transformation as you yield to the work of the Holy Spirit. He will change you to be more and more and more like Jesus, to the glory of the Father. What an exciting propect!

But we can become comfortable, can’t we? Unwilling to enter into this process on a daily basis, we convince ourselves that we are satisfied with the glory we have received and reflected. But Jesus is calling us deeper.

I have been reflecting on what that means for me lately and over the next few weeks I plan to share that with you. I have been thinking much about talents and investments and strengths. Come with me on a journey that I pray will help you become excellent in your gifting and deeply satisfied in your calling. Sound good? It will cost you. But it’s worth it.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott