GOD HASN'T CHANGED, BUT HAVE YOU CHANGED, FROM A WORM TO A BUTTERFLY?

 In our daily walk with Jesus, we are changed from glory to glory.

2Corinthians 3:18

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,  are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

We live from Mt. Zion (grace) not Mt. Sinai  (law)

New Believers and some older Believers need to know their bibles. 

Not just the sermons that they like.  They need the whole counsel of God.

They need to see what angered God and what blessed Him.

The God of the Old Testament pointed to the coming of Jesus. (Isaiah 53) (Psalm 22) 

Jesus is concealed in the Old,  and revealed in the New Testament.

In the Old Testament the Jews had to face grave consequences for their sin, until the yearly sacrifice of an animal.

Animal sacrifices had to be made.

In the New Testament,  Jesus the Lamb of God was sacrificed for our sins and He paid for them all.

At different times in the Old Testament people can see an angry God.  One that does not tolerate sin.  

Yet He revealed Himself to Moses as a God of compassion and mercy.

3000 died for touching the mountain of God, and 3000 were saved by the preaching of the gospel of mercy and grace.

In the New Testament, we see a God of compassion, mercy and grace (unmerited favor)

We have Jesus who loves us so much.  Father sent Him to pay for all our sin, past, present and future.

Believers need to know the difference when they read God's word.  Rightly dividing the word of truth.

Is there consequences when we willing sin?  Oh yes!  But God's mercy and grace is still available to us through the shed blood of Jesus.

If you choose to willfully sin, your body and mind will be in turmoil.

There will not be any peace because our body will respond to the sin.  

If we don't repent, the Spirit that dwells in us will convict us, make us uncomfortable. 

There will be aches and pains and confusion in the mind.

Matthew 9:1-2

So He got out of the boat, crossed over, and came to His own city.

Then they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed.  When Jesus saw their faith,  He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer;  your sins are forgiven you"

Evidently this man had so much shame and guilt that it had parlayed his body.

Can willful sin cause sickness and disease?

Yes, according to God's word it can.  Sin brings death and destruction, it effects our brain, muscles, and nerves, every cell in our body will be effected.

James 5:13-15

Is anyone among you suffering?  Let him pray.  Is anyone cheerful?  Let him sing psalms.

Is anyone among you sick?  Let him call for the elders of the church,  let them pray over him,  anointing him with oil in the Name of the Lord.

And the prayer of faith will save the sick,  and the Lord will raise him up.  And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Not all sickness is from sin. Some are because we have abused our body. Not eating right, and eating things and drinking things that damage us.

Jesus makes all things new.  Yes we are to change in every area of our life.

Our body is the temple of the Lord.  We are to treat it with the utmost respect by keeping our emotions under the control of the Holy Spirit.

Allowing the Holy Spirit to make changes that are needed to keep us in health.

God doesn't change, but we certainly do.

Hebrews 13:8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Changes must be made when we hold bitterness, and unforgiveness toward anyone, that is sin.

Sometimes we are not aware of any unforgiveness, but the Lord knows it is there and will allow something to happen that will expose it. 

Sometimes we speak forgiveness from our head, and that is a start, but it has not made it to our heart. 

 When it makes it our heart, confessed, then it is over, washed away by the blood of Jesus.

Yes Beloved, we must change.  We can't change ourselves, but we can submit to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to make those changes.

We start out a worm, we go into the cocoon of life wrapped in God's protective love. 

There is much pulling and turning and twisting, a lot of activity in our cocoon of life,  where the flesh fights the Spirit.

Romans 8:5-6

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh,  but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

That cocoon is a protection while the changes are being made. As we have the protection of the blood of Jesus, until we come to maturity.

Finally, the change is complete and we become more and more like Jesus, a beautiful butterfly emerges. A child of God that is like Jesus.

Transformation is a complete change.

We cannot do it ourselves, but we can submit to the Holy spirit and He will do the work needed little by little, and soon we will walk and live in the peace that Jesus gave us.

The love the analogy of the worm and butterfly, God gave the  idea to me, when I saw a bright green caterpillar on my driveway.

I love how the Lord speaks to us through nature.

Beloved, do not try to do  for yourself what God says He will do!! Let go and let God.

Philippians 1:6

being confident of this very thing, that He who begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3:20-21

For our citizenship is in heaven,  from which we also eagerly wait for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body,  according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Beloved, realize how much God loves and cares for you.

Enjoy the changes and do not fight them.  You will come easy or hard, but you will come, because you are no longer  in charge of your life,  Jesus is.  

When you gave Him your life and accepted His grace and mercy,  forgiveness of your sins, you were no longer your own.

1 Corinthians 6:19

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

Beloved, relax and let the work begin or if it has begun, let the process continue.

The sooner you allow the Holy Spirit to make changes, the sooner you will find a peace and joy in this life. 

You will enjoy your salvation and sanctification.

Being set apart for the work of God on this earth until Jesus comes for us.

Remember you are wrapped in the cocoon of God's love while the  process of change is taking place.

For those of you who are new in the Lord, reread this message and see that you are in the New Covenant. Covered and protected by the shed blood of Jesus.

There is much to glean in the Old Testament, and if you look for Him you will see Jesus there also. From Genesis to Revelation.

He is in the beginning, and He is at the end.

The whole Bible is food for our soul.  The Holy Spirit is the author.  He will teach you.

God Bless your day

Jesus loves, you.

Love in Jesus

Joy