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 starting to go through the changes of Fall. Fall is such a beautiful time of the year as temperatures change, 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.
When I walk outside our house I can already start to see the change in the weather and trees around us. It has now in the last 3 weeks dropped from 103 to a high of 88 and will only get cooler in the next week or two. The leaves are starting to fall and the air just feels so much better.
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. This is the kind of love that most people would never give, but Jesus did.
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.
I have been amazed at some of the things that I find that go on in this world today. I saw a video where a tattoo artist said that they pray to Satan and do a sort of witch craft over their ink before the day. They pray that the ink regardless if it is of an evil face, scripture or cross that it will enter your body with nothing but Satan to take over your life.
This does not only happen with tattoo's but, also in Hollywood and many other places. In the movie "The Craft" in 1996 (if I have the correct movie?) they actually brought in witches to help pray before the set and actresses and teach of course.
These are the things that happen that we never know unless God tells us not too participate.
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.
Jeremiah 29:11-13
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.
12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
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.
When we talk about Fall often times we don't even pay attention or realize that even though the leaves fall that they will be back. And when they return the air is refreshed and they are renewed. As they are renewed they begin to bring forth new fruit that will supply the need of humans and animals.
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.