Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Choosing to Change

In a day where there are so many people with a lack of taking ownership for their own actions and a lot of "blame storming" going on - the Bible provides lasting solutions for standing on your own two feet, owning up to your actions, then avoiding the same mistakes and sins in the future. 

Sin no longer needs to rule your life!

Check out this entry from Pastor MacDonald.
 

In His Steps,

Randy

Choosing to Change
via Vertical Church by James MacDonald on 7/12/11

Look at Romans 6:10, “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all. But the life that He lives, He lives to God.” Some Bible teachers argue that change is all about God and not about us at all. All we really need to do in order to experience the transforming power of the Gospel, they say, is lean back in our recliners, put our feet up, and let God do it all. Now hear this: That is not what the Bible teaches! Of course we need God’s help, but we cannot be changed without making the choice to change ourselves. Notice Paul’s command in Romans 6:12: “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body.” What’s that if it’s not a choice?! Do not let sin reign in you! Make a choice.

“Well, sin has been ruling my life,” you say. Listen; it doesn’t have to. Don’t let it; make a choice. The power of sin is unplugged—don’t plug it in. Don’t let it rule you.

The next time temptation steps up to you and says, “Do it! Go ahead, do it! Go ahead,” just answer: “Get off me! You are not in charge! Shut up! Stop bossing me around. Don’t tell me what to do! I’m not that person anymore! I’m a new creation in Christ!” That’s what Paul meant when he said, “Don’t let sin reign.”

Get involved! Choose to change! With your commitment and God’s help, you can.

Maybe you’re saying “Well, how do I choose? Teach me how to choose. I want to choose.” Here’s a neat little story my mom gave to me, called “Choosing to Change in Five Days.” I don’t know the source, but it’s helped me out of a few “holes” in my life.

Day 1: I went for a walk down a street. I fell into a hole. I didn’t see it. It took me a long time to get out. It’s not my fault.
Day 2: I went for a walk down the same street. I fell in the same hole. It took me a long time to get out. Why did I do that?
Day 3: I went for a walk down the same street. I fell in the same hole. I got out quickly. It is my fault.
Day 4: I went for a walk down the same street. I saw the hole. I walked around it.
Day 5: I went for a walk down a different street. I can’t handle it when I go down that street. Every time I go down that street, I feel something sucking me down that hole! I’m not going down that street anymore! I don’t like what happens on that street. And when I get there, I can’t handle it. I don’t want sin to reign in my body so I’m not going down that street anymore.

Living for God is day by day. Choose it.

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