Mountains and a Beach

We are undergoing a few changes in our household. I’m painting a couple of rooms. I’m moving furniture from upstairs to downstairs and vice versa. I’ve purchased a few new pieces. There are a lot of changes going on.

 

You see Mom will be visiting shortly and she will be here for a while. She’s got a bum knee which makes it difficult to walk up and down stairs. For her safety and to relieve some of her pain, I’m making my office into a bedroom for her.

 

Now you may think I’m giving up something pretty special. My office. But my new office will be much cooler. It’s the front bedroom of our home which faces the mountains. And it’s my beach-themed room. So I get the view of the mountains plus the feel of sitting on the beach. To be honest, I don’t know why I didn’t choose that room in the first place.

 

Daytona Beach 021mBut to be honest, right now I’m overwhelmed with this change. Monday morning I woke up thinking, “I have to do all of these projects today.” Hah! No wonder I’m overwhelmed.

 

So I’ve prioritized the changes that need to be made. I’m working on them one at a time to get them done in an orderly fashion. And I’ve already crossed off two items on my “to do” list!

 

Change will always happen. There’s no way around it. Our spiritual lives must always be changing as well. If we aren’t changing, we become stagnant. We aren’t following God’s instructions for our lives. God’s plan clearly includes change. He speaks of a new creation, transformation, taking off the old, putting on the new, and spiritual maturity.

 

Change

In Matthew 18:3, Jesus tells the group that change must occur. That change must include trust and great faith in what God is able to do. “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Without change, the kingdom of heaven is a far off dream.

 

New Creation

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) With Christ, we become new. A new creation. He created us. He redeemed us. He fulfills the re-creation of us through His sacrifice.

 

Transformation

Paul shares with the Corinth church that being transformed into Jesus’ likeness is part of the process. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” Transformation is accompanied by radiance that is from the Lord.

 

Taking Off the Old, Putting On the New

Ephesians 4:22-24 tells us that we must take off our old lifestyle and put on a new lifestyle. Not just at the moment of salvation, but for always. “You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by it is deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

 

Spiritual Maturity

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” (Colossians 2:6-8) We move toward spiritual maturity when we live in Christ and are rooted and built up in Christ. Our faith is strengthened so that we are less susceptible of being deceived by false teachings.

 

We must not become stagnant in our spiritual lives. We must continue to learn, study, and apply all that God’s Word has to say to us. We must also share our story with others. Who have you shared your change of heart with?

 

I can’t wait to get these changes done in my home. I look forward to sitting in front of the window and looking out toward my beautiful Rocky Mountains. But like anything worthwhile in our lives, it takes effort on my part. So all I can say is, let’s “git ‘er done!”

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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