Inside Out

Who's job is it to change people? The President? The Preacher? Who has the authority? The right? Even if a person did have the right and the authority, can a person really change another person? Maybe, if we're talking about outward change. A plastic surgeon can change a person's appearance. A personal trainer can make you loose pounds and change your weight and body build. But, does outward change really change a person? It may give a person more self-confidence. A person may feel better about themselves. We all know this to be true. But, where does real change begin? Where does lasting, enduring, transforming change take place? I grew up in a church where real change was looked at as something that affected you mostly on the outside. There wasn't a written list of "do's" and "don'ts", but you heard about them all the time. You knew what they were because they were mentioned in every sermon. When a person came to a service dressed differently, they would get the stare, or someone might even say something to the effect, like, "we don't dress that way around here." Growing up in that atmosphere, you always felt guilty, judged, and bound up. You really never felt "free". What I discovered over the years is that a list of rules that attempted to change me on the outside to conform to someones idea of holiness, never really changed me. In fact, it only made me desire to go against those ideas all the more. At Mosaic Church we don't hand people a list when they walk in the door. We don't tell people this is what you need to start doing and this is what you need to stop doing. It's not my job. I don't have that authority. But, there is someone here at Mosaic who does. His name is Jesus and by his Spirit he will change us from the inside out. That's what he came to do. We need to stop trying to do His job. Holy Spirit change me! Change us! Cut out everything in me that doesn't look like you.

As he preached he said, "The real action comes next: The star in this drama, to whom I'm a mere stagehand, will change your life. I'm baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism--a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit--will CHANGE YOU FROM THE INSIDE OUT."
Mark 1:7-8 (The Message)
Duane

Destiny

What is God doing? When I receive salvation by faith in His Son Jesus, is He done with me? Is the rest left up to me? Most Christ followers would say "no", but unfortunately most don't live their lives that way. I believe that many people who call themselves "Christian" live a performance based Christianity. Most would say that they believe in "grace" but their lifestyle says that they believe like the old saying, "if it is to be, then it's up to me". What am I talking about? What I'm saying is that a lot of Christians act like God does the saving (He gets the whole thing started) then He leaves it up to us to carry it out and make all the necessary changes. Some also believe that Christians are the agents of change in other people's lives...that it's our duty to change people over to our way of thinking...over to our way of living. Is that our job? I don't think so. We discover truth. We share truth. The changing of a life is up to the Spirit of God. The change that's necessary in my life is made by the Spirit of God. He does the changing. I'm not called to live the best I can and do the best I can to change in me what needs changing. My best isn't enough. Only He can change me. I need His best. I need Christ living in and through me by His Spirit. Christians who believe that God saves them, then the rest is left up to them are performance based Christians. They have their list of do's and dont's for themselves and especially for others. But apostle Paul said this, "By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge--a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete" 2 Corinthians 1:22. God gave us His Spirit...His pledge to us. We can't do it ourselves. That was the whole purpose of giving the Law. To show us that we can't live up to it. We need help. The Spirit is the "beginning of what HE is destined to complete." Who will complete it? HE will! That's a promise! It's a promise that I can't keep, but He can. He made my spirit new by making me alive with Christ and He's transforming my soul...my mind, will, emotions, personality, etc., to be more like Him everyday. That's our destiny.
Duane