Change

It's not a word people like but you do it in life all the time. Do you still as an adult walk around in diapers and drink out of a baby bottle. Of course not unless you have a circumstance that requires it but that's not a common practice. We love and embrace our changes. We like to broaden others horizons. But the thing that can strain a relationship is when we don't honor and respect the change in others. We all have our mindsets for living. If you are a Christian this is supposed to be shaped by the Word of God. The fact is we mix philosophy, tradition and many other things with the Word to make our mindset and then want others to see it that way. God creates people for purposes and assignment and those "quirks" and nuances that some of us try to get rid of in a person is needed. The goal of the Word of God is to renew your mind from the world's way of thinking and to form Christ in you. This does not give everyone the same gifting, talents and personality. The world has created a stigma against those who want to live by the Word of God. When you live what you say there is no hypocrisy the problem comes when you claim to live as a Christian and don't. When somebody keeps a standard they are labeled "holier than thou" because of the changes in their life. As a child I thirsted to see people who really lived out this Christianity that was taught to me from the pulpit. I studied and seeked God fervently. I wanted examples in my life and was disappointed. As I grew up and pursued being a minister I found many Christians didn't believe God in a sense that the Bible described him and settled into something I personally call "Christianease". I also discovered that when you didn't agree with certain Biblical belief in groups your were omitted. The Word of God never came into play. As people mature into what the Word says this change in them changes who is around them if their current circle doesn't thirst for truth and just answers that stimulate their philosophy. What I found if you are unteachable and closed off to the change of the Word of God and basically following other streams of thought and trying to balance that and Christianity you are heading into a trap. God has presented us with an opportunity to have a relationship with him. A daily fellowship. He doesn't want our relationship with him to be based on ministers or other people. He wants us to grow and be led by the Holy Spirit. He wants us to fellowship with other believers for encouragement and strength but wants us to draw closer to Him and not them for what we need. He wants the change in our life to come from fellowship with Him and His Word. The closer I get to God the more I respect the power of choice. That's what God gives to us. "Chooes ye this day who you will serve." You see how far you go with God is your responsibility. When we point fingers and disapprove of people's changing we fall into the trap of selfishness which doesn't take responsibility for it's actions. God loves us unconditionally regardless but He still gives us a choice to either be changed by His Word or embrace the lie of this world system. As I say in one of my songs, "Don't believe the lie."