Be Like Him: The way to transformation

Introducction

The person you are today is what you were yesterday and the person you will be tomorrow is what you are being today.

One of my great sorrows in ministry is seeing how Christians have learned to live lives divided between the spiritual and the secular. When, in reality, EVERYTHING, we do affect our spirituality.

I have come to the conclusion that God is not interested in my spiritual life but in MY WHOLE life. Everything I do in my days interest God and at the same time affects me in my growth as a disciple.

ALL YOU DO IS INVESTMENT IN WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BECOME.

Who are you becoming? It doesn't matter if you're aware of it or not, we're all becoming in someone.

Every thought that goes through your head.

Every emotion that you allow to shape your behavior.

Every attitude you allow to rest in your body.

Every decision you make.

Every word you speak.

The habits that shape your days.

How you use social media.

How you respond to suffering.

How you handle failures and successes.

The way you use money.

And how you treat people, special your family.

All these things and many more make us someone unique on this earth.

Let me give you an example:

I was working in my office at home, my one-year-old son began to cry. My wife told me that He heard me sneeze in my office and went out to look for me, as He did not find me, He started crying. It was about 11:00 am. He wanted to go out to the yard to play. But I needed to finish writing. My wife was busy too. How was I going to react? At that moment, several thoughts run in my mnd

She should take care of him, I'm in something very important

Hers can wait.

I picked up Dael, we went out into the yard for a few minutes, and then he fell asleep in my arms. I breathed; I enjoyed that moment with him. I thought about how to write and shape the teaching and of course, I took a step further for my training with patience.

Do you understand how everything you do experience contributes to your spiritual growth?

Here's a key word: INTENTIONALITY

Who or what do you want to become?

What kind of person do you want to be?

Are you living the best version of yourself?

A more interesting question:

Are you living like Jesus? What does it mean to live like Jesus?

I know, there are many questions, it is impossible to answer them all in a single teaching. But today I want us to focus on this.

How the human being becomes what He or She is.

What is Jesus' plan to transform me.

What Jesus wants to transform me into.

UNINTENTIONAL FORMATION PROCESS

Now the Slices to show the process

1. The stories we believe

Proverbs 4:23 “Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.”

Human beings were created by God to believe stories. The revelation of the scriptures are stories. Great preachers and speakers are those who handle the art of storytelling. The stories we believe shape the way we live. It all starts with the world of ideas. Ideas enter our minds.

Satan came to Eve with a deceptive idea. Jesus came to earth as a teacher to teach new ideas. Ideas that teach how life works. How does this affect spiritual growth? Let me explain:

In your mind you have what psychologists call a “mental map”. This is what you use to get from home to work, bake an apple pie, take a shower, eat, watch TV News, etc. You have an idea that something is real, and you do it. As we grow through life, we begin to believe stories and ideas of the way things are. We learn about money, relationships, sex, work, family, God, church, and everything.

Imagine the boy who grew up believing that in order to be loved by his demanding father he must work hard, hard as an animal. In his mind he has the idea that only by working will he earn Dad's love. Then he gets married and starts a family, but in his head, He has the same idea. Work is what makes me valuable. So, he puts work above his wife, children, God, and even his own health. He believed a false story. This makes him a selfish person. This is just one example.

The human being is formed by the stories and ideas we believe.

2. The habits we have

What we constantly do is what we become. It's like a mystery. But the things we do little by little do something in us; These things go to the root of our being and shape what we love and the desires we have.

You may think it's just another night of watching movies, another beer or buying new clothes but more than just an action, we're doing something that directly affects the heart.

Today more than ever we have seen the power that habits have on human beings.

We admire Judy and Suzanne as they play but how many hours they dedicate. We enjoy the result of hours of practice.

Habits are the way we access to a superpower. Robin Bang and the super power of baking cakes.

3. The relationships we have

Someone said, "Jesus is in your heart, but your grandfather is in your bones." The influence of your parents, good or bad, is strong. You are what you are because of them. This is undeniable. The people you admired as a child impact your life. The friends you hung out with made you who you are today. The culture around us shape the way we think…

All of this happens in your life whether you want to or not. You are unintentionally being formed into someone, so being transformed is a process of taking the old for the new. To be a new creature is to go against this process.

INTENTIONAL FORMATION PROCESS

Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

If you look at it, Paul gives us two choices: (1) you conform to the world (present passive imperative) or (2) you are transformed (present passive imperative). There is no third option. You need to make the decision intentionally, to allow The Holy Spirit to transform you. This starts with renewing the mind.

There are many theories about how human beings change, I don't think I have the ultimate answer. But there is one thing I do know: The Holy Spirit Transforms the human being. And, if the way we are formed unconsciously is stories, habits, and relationships. The transformation process is similar.

1. Teachings

That's knowing the ideas that flow from God's Word. Especially the words of Jesus. You know something, Jesus is and will be the smartest person who has ever walked this earth. Moreover, he rose from the dead, that is a real fact. The best thing you and I can do is learn from his words.

Jesus said, heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away (Mt 25:35). No teacher in history has said this.

Jesus taught us who God truly is.

Money, time, family, work, prayer and everything necessary to live fully and happily. God wants to transform you, and the Bible is a starting point. His words are Spirit and life.

To counter the false stories of life you need to get new ideas from the scriptures into your mind. Read, memorize, study, listen, share, read books, meditate, write.

Oh my God, stop... Get off the rush of life and take time to read. This is renewing the mind. If you don't, you will continue to live the false stories and what others tell you.

You remember the young man who was confused with his value as a person. Everything changes when He understand the story of God's love is the Bible.

So, to counteract the habits that form us we must:

2. Practice the Habits of Jesus

Jesus start and finish the most important teaching saying - practice

Matthew 5:19 ““Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 7:24–26 ““Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.”

Another day we will talk more in detail about spiritual practices. But I'll give you an example.

Example of the marathon.

Spiritual habits, practices, or disciplines are not an end in themselves, just as training is not the end either. You train for a purpose, whether it's playing an instrument or running or being healthy. In the same way, spiritual practices are practiced to open space for the Holy Spirit to transform our lives.

If you're in the habit of compulsive shopping, then practice the discipline of simplicity.

If you are struggling with lustful habits, practice fasting.

If you're struggling with criticism, the habit of silence and solitude.

If you're struggling with apathy, then start serving.

This is the freedom God has given you to change. You can't break your sinful heart desires, but you can start fasting. Then when you persevere in practice you will see how the Holy Spirit in time transforms you.

Our job is to open time for God. That is the freedom we have.

Finally...

3. Community

No one can follow Jesus alone. That is why Christ designed the Church. The community to grow together in faith. When we accept Christ, we are adopted into God's family.

Every Disciple of Jesus should have between 3 to 5 people who together can grow in love. A bond so close that you are not afraid of being condemned even for the ugliest things in your life. It's interesting how James tells us to confess our sins to one another. A healthy community is vital for change.

James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”

John 13:34–35 ““A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.””

Passive work on us

All of this happens actively in my life. Since I have been saved by grace, I decide to put myself in the right place to be transformed by the Holy Spirit. However, God works in other ways to transform me.

God uses suffering or trials, and all under the control of the Holy Spirit. The transformation process is long and slow. It will take us a lifetime.

Jesus healed the lame, blind, leper. He cast out demons and even raised the dead, all instantaneously, but Jesus never healed the soul instantaneously.

JESUS' DESIRE FOR YOU: Appeal

Galatians 5:22–25 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”

This is to be like him

Today I want to invite you to be part of a discipleship group. This coming year we want to start an intentional process of discipleship in our church and the first step will be a small group to grow as a true disciple of Jesus.

The Pastor and Elders will be the facilitators. We will learn together; we will practice the habits of Jesus together and we will do community together. And yes, when troubles come, we will suffer together but also, we will rejoice together.

The format will be around the table, so be ready to eat too… We are going to start January 22, 2025, right after TEN DAYS OF PRAYER.

Instead of Prayer meeting we will have discipleship meetings.

FAMILY…

I know it is a challenge, I know you are busy, but it is time to take up your cross and follow Jesus. Everything in this life have a cost, to follow Jesus seriously also have a cost. But. I promise… You will not regret it… You will never be disappoint to follow Jesus.

Who want to say: Sing me up!