Change: September 16, 2010

Today's Word for Thursday September 16, 2010

CHANGE

DEFINITION

To make different in form; to transform; for exchange of another; to become different.

SCRIPTURE

"For I am the Lord, I do not change." Malachi 3:6

"God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind." Numbers 23:19

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." Hebrews 13:8

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

Every day we see people change their mind. It is good that we can change our mind because we often make a better decision when we think the situation through or obtain more information. We change but God never changes. God, who is all wise, all knowing and without sin never changes His mind nor withdraws His promises. He gave Moses the Ten Commandments and they are still valid today. God's plan for salvation has never changed and His promise for eternal life through Jesus Christ has never changed.

When we see someone make their decision to accept Jesus into their life, we always see a dramatic CHANGE in that life. As a result of Adam's and Eve's sin we are born with a sinful nature. God is without sin so our sin separates us from God [Isaiah 59:2]. God can not change who He is so we are the ones that must change if we are to have fellowship with God. Our unrighteousness must be changed into His righteousness [Romans 3:22]. That change takes place when we come to Christ and receive His righteousness, which is a free gift.

The apostle Paul tells us that when we come to Christ we become a new person and the old person is gone [II Corinthians 5:17]. Paul's life is evidence that this is true. His life was completely changed when he met Jesus. His old life was persecuting the Christians and his new life was preaching the gospel and being persecuted himself because of his faith in Christ. His life was completely changed. He considered the gift of life offered by God was well worth any persecution that he may have to endure. God does not change but He does change us.

I [Ken] can remember seeing dramatic changes in people's lives, years ago, when I was in a different church every night for 90 days in a row for three summers showing a Billy Graham Crusade film. Every church was filled to capacity and at the end of the film I would always give the audience a chance to accept Jesus as their Savior. It was remarkable to see individuals of all ages respond night after night and after we prayed with them and answered their questions we literally saw hearts changed after they asked Jesus into their lives.

Over the years, both of us have been part of city wide crusades and we have seen people from all walks of life make a decision for Christ that brought a dramatic change in their life.

I can remember meeting a man who made his decision to follow Jesus in the Los Angeles Billy Graham tent crusade. This man soon became a dear friend of our family and I watched his life change. It was about as a dramatic change as we will ever see in our lifetime. His name was Jim Vaus. He worked with Mickey Cohen who was known as an underground gangster. Jim was his specialist in wiretapping, so he was living what we may call an "evil life." When he found Jesus as his Savior, his life changed and he left Mickey Cohen because of his new found faith and soon opened up what he called Hells Gate Station in New York. This was a program to reach the teenage criminal element on the streets of New York and to bring them the gospel message. What a change Christ made in his life.

When we think of the word "CHANGE" another thought comes to mind that we want to share with you. In recent times family values have changed and family is no longer a priority. Many families today seem to be disintegrating because of many different reasons. Some of these reasons are:

• Preoccupation with an occupation to the exclusion of family needs. This goes beyond work. It can include watching TV, being with associates such as in a club and many other things. Family needs to come first.

• Refusal to face the seriousness of a child's action. How many times has a situation come up and you have responded by thinking that it is not that serious or say to yourself that I just decided that I do not want to deal with it or I am too tired to face that today?

• Refusal to respond quickly and thoroughly to the warning of others. This could be a neighbor, a relative or a spouse warning you and you just do not have time to see if it is a problem or you just do not care.

• Rationalizing of a wrong therefore becoming part of the problem.

When things are not going well in one's life, especially within your family, it is time for change, a change for the better. To change we must want something more than what we have now. What is better than to make a change in how we live our life today so that we can spend an eternity in Heaven with our Lord? If you are willing to make a change then God is waiting for you to come to Him and He will change you.

LEARNING

Our memory verse for this week is found in John 3:7.

"Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'"

PRAYER

Open my heart today to change. Help me to want to spend my time doing the things that honor and glorify Your name. Give me wisdom in my decisions. Give me assurance that I have eternal life. Give me the courage to make changes in the things I do that do not honor You.