Transformation
Do you want to be new?
All around the world, humans long for change. We long to throw off old habits and ways of thinking if they aren’t serving us anymore. Thousands of self-help books, podcasts, articles, and all kinds of media exist for this very reason. We want to change! And yet, it can feel impossible. Paul, one of Jesus’ disciples, shares this powerful truth in Romans 12:2 (NIV):
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.
Transformed by the renewing of our minds. What does this mean?
Transformation is a massive change. It’s thorough. Complete. A total difference. Like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, transformation brings an end to the old and a beginning to the new.
Paul is showing us that transformation isn’t work we do from the outside in. Transformation happens from the inside out. It begins with our mind. And for our minds to change, we need Truth to grab hold of.
God’s Word is this Truth.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God…”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 NIV
“... Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Matthew 4:4 NIV
God’s Word guides us when we are lost, strengthens us when we are weary, challenges us when we are compromising, and encourages us when we are overwhelmed. God’s Word changes everything.
And this very moment, you hold God’s Word in your hand. Transformation is in your grasp. Read the Bible closely, dig into its verses, wrestle with its teachings, and treasure what you discover about the love and grace of God.
The best place to bring your desire for newness is to God and His Word. God’s Word renews our minds. Transformation begins here.
The Greater Light
From the gentle morning sun rays that break through your window to the headlights that guide you on your way home at night, light is a constant presence.
Yet, there is a greater Light than any physical light we know…
In Isaiah 60:1, the prophet speaks of this greater Light. And his words are more than pretty poetry and a prophecy; they are a call to action, an encouragement for God's people to find hope—Light, in the midst of darkness (Isaiah 59:9-10):
"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you."
Isaiah 60:1
This Light is a beacon of hope, the picture of salvation and spiritual awakening. This Light is the true Light, the Messiah—Jesus Christ. He is the light God’s people needed then (Isaiah 59:9-10), and He is the light our hearts desperately need today.
In a world that sometimes can feel like it’s drowning in darkness—disasters, wars, injustice, and suffering—Isaiah's message is an invitation to embrace God’s true Light of ...