DO I BELIEVE PEOPLE CAN CHANGE AND WHY:
No, I do not believe people can change, I KNOW they can! Why do I state this as a FACT and not merely a supposition? Because I know the power of God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit!! I have seen people who have changed when they met our Savior and followed the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
I pray that I have changed since I turned my life fully to God. Since retirement 17 years ago, I have had/made time to study God’s word more deeply, to really STUDY and not just read the Bible. My prayer life has improved. It is such a JOY to talk to God, to praise HIM in song and I have been able to do more for others and not for myself. I have a closeness with all phases of Christian life and church work. It has been such a blessing to visit those who were unable to join the fellowship at church. What a JOY it is to gather together as we praise and worship God.
I've seen folks who have changed for the better. I have seen some who have changed and not for the better. Life is hard as a human and sometimes it is harder to walk with God and be a light unto others for Him if we are Christian. The opposition to all things Christian is growing and those who are ignorant of the power and love of our Savior are the ones who say “There is no God '' or “I am a God unto myself”. How about the ones to whom money and possessions are their God? HOW do these people survive hardships if they don’t know HIM? HE will change folks IF they realize that in denying HIM, they are denying themselves a much happier, more joyful life.
Am I rich? Is my health perfect? Are my actions always sweet and correct? Of course not! When things happen that are not what we thought we wanted, most times that is for a better outcome. God has a plan for our lives and we need to be adaptable to His will..
My grandparents were sharecroppers! They were two of the most contented and truly happy people I have ever known. They told me that before Ma came to know Jesus, her verbiage was not really great. One day my daddy who was three ot four came out with a four letter word and Ma told him if he ever used it again, she would whip him. Pa heard her and said, “Vanna, if you whip Bill, I’ll have to whip you because it came out of your mouth first”. Ma’s language was pure and sweet when I was a young girl. I never heard her say anything bad.
What about folks who were heavy drinkers of alcohol? When inebriated, their actions were not ‘nice’. Those who met Jesus stopped drinking and turned their lives around.
Folks who are abusive to others and physically and/or mentally abuse others? Can they change? Of Course. They can and do change.
My actions were truly those of someone who while still attending worship and living the Christian life to others, my verbiage was bad especially when I was upset. And, yes, I still slip and come out with bad words. I am concentrating on completely obliterating that from my life.
So, I will end this sermon with repeating the fact that YES, I do know folks can and do change.
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