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The Fire of Transformation
Brian Mashburn
September 3, 2006
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God's Agenda: To Make Us Like Him
Jesus Christ is the only human being who can ask everyone else to conform their lives around him and it be an act of love.
There is no one who has ever existed that has lived a happier, more purposeful, meaningful life that Jesus Christ. No one has ever been filled with more joy, more peace, more passion, or more satisfaction in any part of their life that Jesus Christ. That's one reason we dedicate our lives to letting God make us like him.
God wants us to be like Himself. He sent Divinity into Humanity in order to transform Humanity into Divinity.
Are you submitted to this process? Are you less like you used to be and more like Christ than last year? Here are some common obstacles that keep us from throwing ourselves into the fire of God's transforming work:
Fear. Fear of change. Fear of being a "Bible Banger". Fear of failure. Fear of losing material stuff. Fear of losing titles. Fear of losing positions. Fear of giving up things about myself that I value. Fear of losing your Self. Fear of the unknown.
Guilt. Guilt about not being like Christ already. Guilt about only starting the journey now. Guilt about not being worthy. Guilt about not wanting to be more like Christ. Guilt about past or current sin. Guilt about not believing change can happen.
Apathy. Apathy about Christ's so-called "abundant life". Apathy about sharing it with others. Apathy about long-term thinking. Apathy about the potential work it would require.
Certainty. Certainty about who I am already. Certainty that I don't need to change. Certainty that admitting I need to transform means that I'm not acceptable just as I am.
I noticed our sign out front has a saying on it that is good for us today: God loves you just as you are, and He loves you enough to not let you stay that way.