Can’t you hear the voice of wisdom? She is standing at the city gates

and at every fork in the road… Prov 8:1

God isn't late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn't want anyone lost. He's giving everyone space and time to change. 2 Peter 3:9

The issue with embracing change:

• Our need for change is not based on others.

• Change will always Costs us something.

I'm here inviting outsiders, not insiders—an invitation to a changed life, changed inside and out." Luke 5:32

If you grasp and cling to life on your terms, you'll lose it, but if you let that life go, you'll get life on God's terms. Luke 17:33

When it comes to change:

1. We can’t expect new results from the same actions.

2. We can only change ourselves, not others.

3. We should always Change.

They will appear to have a godly life, but they will not let its power change them. Stay away from such people. 2 Tim. 3:5

…did you think that because he's such a nice God, he'd let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he's not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life change. Romans 2:4

4. It requires small steps, and includes failure.

Each of you is now a new person. You are becoming more and more like your Creator, and you will understand him better. Col 3:10

So I’ve discovered this truth: Evil is present with me even when I want to do what God’s standards say is good. Rom 7:21

My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?

The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different. Rom 7:20-25

"God who began the good work with you will keep right on helping you grow in His grace until His task within you is finally finished." Philippians 1:6

• What is the change God wants for you?

Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Romans 12:2

Connection Group Questions:

These questions also work well for personal time with God.

• What is one area of your life that you would like to change? Explain

• Is there an area of your life that someone else would like you to change?

• Is God leading you to change something in your life?

• How are you responding to that? (fighting it, trying, letting God.)

• Do you find it difficult to allow God to make changes in your life? Explain.

• Write down some of the changes you have allowed in your life within the past 9 months.

• Do you see change as a “Health decision” or an inconvenience? Explain.

• Rom 2:4 speaks of a “Radical life change”, what do you think this means?

How does that look in our daily lives? Explain.