Praise the Lord everybody! This is Minister Novice. The message that Apostle Holcomb preached this Sunday is entitled The Metamorphosis of the Mind: "Change and Become Something Different." The scripture text is found in Romans 12:1-3. Our mantra for this year is 2010, We're in. We are getting into what we're into. It is written in Acts 17:28, "For in Him we live and move and have our being." This means that our dependency is not on the world. Our dependency is on the Lord, the Kingdom of our God and the Power of His Christ which is the blessed ministry of the Holy Spirit. Also in Acts: 1-7, the scriptures tell us of how the people of that day were making an impact on society. They turned the world in a different direction. It was actually the right direction. As they did, so must we declare and proclaim with our lives that there is another King, one Jesus. In this particular message, we are being taught in reference to having the Kingdom mindset.
The question becomes, how can we change ourselves into something different? We cannot. Only God can change a man and transform him into a new creature. The Greek word for transform is (metamorphoo). It means to become something different. The example given is that of a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly. The dimensions and altitudes of the butterfly are different from that of the caterpillar. Once the transformation has taken place, it can never return to what it previously was. So it is with us, once we have accepted Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord. Bishop also talked about the word, repent. He has been teaching us God's Theology of "Re." The Greek word for repent is (metanoia). It means to modify or change the mind by association. Repentance carries the connotation of changing the mind by renewing the mind to the mind of Christ. In essence, when we repent, we turn from our old lives and turn to Jesus. He makes us into another vessel. The Bible teaches that if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away and all things become new. Be not conformed to the world or the world's way of thinking and living. But be transformed by the renewing of your mind. In essence, do not allow yourself to be modeled, molded and fashioned into the pattern of the world's way of doing things. We must repent and change according to the likeness of God. Remember that in order to repent, we must think differently about sin. We must feel differently about sin. We must also choose to live differently as a direct result of the Holy Spirit's conviction that Jesus is Lord and King. Remember to remain in the place of grace. Remain
in the place by Jesus.
From the message "The Bill of Rights of the Christian Faith"
The Manacarta
Repentance
- Regeneration 6. Reformation
- Redemption 7. Revived
- Reconciliation 8. Reproved
- Rejoice 9. Reasonable
- Restoration 10. Remember
Repentance begins with regeneration. We become regened because of redemption. We have been bought with a price by the finished work of Calvary through our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. He brought us back and reconciled us to the favor, which is the grace of God. We can therefore rejoice! This is good news!
God has restored us by fixing us. He has reformed us by changing and transforming us into a better state. God locates us where we are, but He doesn't leave us the way He finds us. He has revived us by bringing us back to life, back to the high point with Him.
God rebukes those that He loves. Therefore we should never despise the reproving of the Lord. Because of all that was previously stated, it is only reasonable that we would serve Him. It is only the appropriate, respectable and proper response that we would always remember the Lord as we continue in communion with Him. Therefore we must repent from what has kept us from considering Jesus.
