22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.  Ephesians 4

The Christ bore our sins for us, and made us new, and he pleads with us to put off the old corrupted self and have a new attitude.  It’s this change that is so fundamental to following the Christ and can create so much freedom and power in your life.

What part of your old self are you holding on to as your identity, that would be better off with a replacement?

Well, we are in the digital age, so cast door frames to the wind.  Check out what this film maker has done with his son and daughter.  He has captured their growth from infancy to current day ( 9 and 12) a week at a time. It’s a fascinating few minutes as you see them pass through the stages of live and transform right before your eyes.

As a parent these video’s are just a tad depressing when you realize that those 12 years seemed to have passed in a mere 120 seconds!

But at the same time, it’s incredibly inspiring, and encouraging.  We work everyday for change and transformation, but sometimes we don’t have the correct perspective to see it.  Keep working to transform yourself each day.  I am sure that if you could see yourself a week at a time, you would be wowed, just like these videos.

¹⁸ And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 English Standard Version (ESV)

 ¹ Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2 New International Version (NI

That reminds me of this quote I read on the Twitters last night:

“People don’t resist change. They resist being changed!” – Peter Senge

Don’t resist!

Yeah, it’s the first day of Spring.  It was pretty cool to come out of the mountains of Kentucky where there were no leaves on any trees into the Tennessee Valley and see the bright vibrant colors of green everywhere last night.  That’s an awesome transformation!  That’s way I love spring.

Speaking of transformations, today is also Alien Abduction Day!  Yes, and if you are worried, you can buy insurance to protect against any mishandling by the extraterrestrials.

That’s one encounter I don’t plan on having.  I am not so big on having a creepy alien burst force from my rib cage.  But talking about transformations and thing inside of you, here is a transformation that even blows away the fantastic yearly surprise of Winter moving to Spring.

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ; and 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 up for me. Galatians 2:20 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

As the flowers bloom and grow, think about you is living with you!  Let his presence bloom and transform you!

I picked Stretch as my word for the year, and that has helped me focus on change. Personally, my muscle flexibility has increased tremendously, I’ve cleaned up the basement a little bit ( not as much as I had planned), I’ve lost a few pounds, ( not as much as I had planned), I’ve gone the whole month without a carbonated beverage and we’ve eaten at home most of the month according to the plan.  (Applause, Applause!)

It’s been a pretty good month for transformation in our home.  Now, there are several other transformations that are faltering – organizing the office, keeping focused on exercise, letting the spirit lead, and always being peace in the storm.  But they are moving along little by little.

How about you? If you change has been gentle or overwhelming, don’t quit.  The first month is over, and it’s done – take stock, and move on.  Keep changing a little bit each and everyday.

Oh and keep that one word that you picked for the year right out of you each day.

 ¹⁶Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.2 Corinthians 4:16 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

So let’s get this year going.  Let’s see some risk taking.  Let’s see some transformation.  and most importantly, let’s take advantage of every opportunity that we are given to bring glory to Him!

 “So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12 NASB

One group could not stop talking about it

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken unto them.” Luke 2:20 ASV

and the second group decided they would leave a different way then the way they came:

¹¹ After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. Matthew 2:11-12 NASB

So after experience Christ this Christmas, will you keep him on your lips?  Is it time to go another way?

And so should it be with us, each day changed from a boring selfish person, to someone who emits that light of the Father.

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 New International Version (NIV)

That sticker is from Chattanooga Stand, which is a non-profit whose work was to encourage people to think about the city and to create new ideas and changes that move the city into a positive future direction.

But hey , I like the message.  Because it’s so fitting.  If you want change, you can’t just wake up tomorrow and be like – “hey, I am different now!”  No, you future depends on what you do today.  It’s the same idea that I expressed earlier in the week with the braces post.

So what do you want to be like to tomorrow?  Start that today.

²Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  Colossians 3:2 New International Version (NIV)

 

I wrote down one note during the week.It was on a hike where the instructor was telling the children about different types of rock.  She mentioned one particular type of rock – “Metamorphic”.  I took off my pack, open the zipper, grabbed my Moleskin and scribbled down these words:

Metamorphic -> changed by the environment.  A type of rock, or a type of Christian?

It’s the idea of being changed, and helping others to change that struck me. It was as  if her words were a rock thrown toward my head.

I have come back to those thoughts several times, and since that time the book of Colossians seems to find its way in front of my eyes.  In Colossians we can find this somewhat famous line:

You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.  3:7 NIV

Changed!

Changed, not by the environment as much as by the mercy of God and the love of Christ.  But changed none the less.

Colossians 3 continues with this:

…since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 9-10

and then it ends when the results of the change

 ¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Colossians 3:12-14 New International Version (NIV)

 

If you were a rock, would you be classified as metamorphic?