Daily Devotional: Friday, Nov 27
Speaker: Ben Sigman
Theme: Dangerous Dreams
Weekend Music links on iTunes: Run by Hillsong United; The Time Has Come by Hillsong United; Cannons by Phil Wickham; Hosanna by Hillsong United.
Read: 1 Peter 1:6-7; 2 Corinthians 3: 17-18
Think: As we wrapped up our Dangerous Church series at Timberlake, we talked about transformation... Now I don't know about you but I love watching the whole transformation process take place. My favorite reality shows are The Biggest Loser and Extreme Home Makeover because I get to see the before and afters and a lot of the transformation as it progressed. Those shows are the best! There's just something so inspiring watching someone change their lives so dramatically or better yet, to have their lives changed for them! It makes it seem almost possible for all of us.
And it is possible for us - through the power of Jesus Christ.
One of my favorite authors is C. S. Lewis. In Mere Christianity he says this:
"God's work in our lives can be painful, but His ultimate goal is to transform us into something better. Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is he up to? The explanation is that he is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards.
You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but he is building up a palace. He intends to come and live in it himself."
So don't be afraid of the pain or discomfort that comes from the transforming process... because the results are going to be good, I mean really good!
Do: What hard things in your life might God be using to transform you to be more like Him? Instead of fighting the difficulty or resenting it, grab a hold of it, and ask God to use it to transform you to be more like Him!
Pray: Father, please change me! Each day I want to become a better and better reflection of you, to be the person you created me to be! As you use the painful and difficult things in my life, help me to see your hand at work and to trust you in the middle of it. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen!
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church. |
