Forced Change

Happy Sunday!

Bishop Alexis A. Thomas preached "Forced Change". He used several reference scriptures; Isaiah 6:1, Luke 22:41-42, and 2 Corinthians 12:8-9.

Bishop always mixes a bit of humor in his sermons. I appreciate that. He recounted the story of his flip phone. He loved that flip phone, and even in the age of smart phones he was hesitant to let it go. One day it finally died. He went to his service provider, assuming they would simply fix his phone and he would be on his way. But they couldn't fix it or replace it. He was forced to get a new phone.

He had his wisdom teeth removed last week. He admitted that he has been suffering with pain from his wisdom teeth for over a year! Now, before we start judging him...how many times have we been so comfortable in an area, or situation that we didn't want to move or change?

God's Best for us usually means we must leave the comfort of our current level and move forward into the unknown. The Word says, "We walk by Faith, not by sight". 2 Corinthians 5:7 (King James Version) God's Best requires that we leave the past behind. Everyday God invites us to the next level, "To achieve this, you will need to add virtue to your faith, and then knowledge to your virtue; to knowledge, add discipline; to discipline, add endurance; to endurance, add godliness; to godliness, add affection for others as sisters and brothers; and to affection, at last, add love." 2 Peter 1:5-7 (Voice Translation) The writer of Hebrews wrote, "let us drop every extra weight, every sin that clings to us and slackens our pace, and let us run with endurance the long race set before us." Hebrews 12:1 (Voice Translation)

Bishop used Isaiah 6:1 as one of his reference scriptures. My daughters and I chuckled. I think that scripture is probably one of the most preached and used scriptures in the church world. Isaiah lets the readers know when he saw the vision. He saw it the year that something changed in his life. A great man, King Uzziah died. CHANGE. Perhaps you have experienced the death of a loved one, the death of a relationship, or the death of a dream. God wants to take you to the next level. 1Thessalonians 4:13 says, "First off, you must not carry on over them like people who have nothing to look forward to, as if the grave were the last word. Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will most certainly bring back to life those who died in Jesus." (Message Translation) We have hope! 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness." (Message Translation)

Now don't beat yourself up about not wanting to change. The Disciples wanted things to stay the same as well. They asked Jesus, “Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?” He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.” Acts 1:6-8 (Message Translation)

Let's embrace change this week, and not wait to be forced to change!

Love and prayers, Cynthia


*** Change is inevitable. Change is constant. - Benjamin Disraeli
*** All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. - Anatole France