Jeremiah 29: 11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Right now we are going through the change of Fall. Fall is such a beautiful time of the year as leaves change colors and begin to fall off of the trees.
As we go through Fall and Winter and then enter into Spring there is a Renewing of leaves and grass.
When a person comes to faith in Christ there will be some evidence of this faith and change in their lives. You won’t see perfection in a Christian, but what you will see is something different in that person. You will see some evidence that a person has a relationship with Christ.
It is very important that we understand that we are not talking about being saved by works. You are not a Christian because you don’t curse or smoke or cut people off in traffic or because you go to church or give money to charity or in the offering plate.
Everyone sins and falls short of God’s glory, but through Christ we are forgiven of those sins. A Christian is someone who calls on Christ to save them from their sins. (Rom 3:23-26)
As Christians we are all a work in progress and we all grow in Christ at different rates. But eventually the person who is following Christ will:
1) Love Christ
1 John 4:19
We love Him because He first loved us.
We must first love Christ because He gave His life for us on the cross.
2) Hate Sin
Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. (Rom 12:9)
There are things that go on around us that we should not be a part of. There may be an evil movie on TV that evil spirits attach their selves too. This is something that we should be careful of watch for we must hate evil.
3) Pray
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
We have to be on our knees in prayer. We must be in communication with Christ for Him.
4) Read and Apply the Teachings of the Bible
James 1:22
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. We need to make sure that we are doing (living) by the word of God.
5) Turn from the Works of the Flesh
Galatians 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
6) Produce the Fruits of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
7) Live by Faith
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
God has a plan for everyone however, it is up to us to accept and follow his plan.
God is making changes within our lives and our churches. It is not by circumstance that you are here tonight. God has placed you here for a reason.
He is strategically placing people in particular church's for a reason. He is wanting to rise up a church on a stable foundation.
We must be the ones to start the change. First we must commit our heart and lives to Christ. And that starts with:
Ephesians 2:8
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.