This was an article I had published in the Fellowship of Ministries and Churches magazine. It is affiliated to Christ For the Nation’s Bible College, where I graduated.
We are in a time like no other. We see the things of this world that we once valued with less significance, but now we can see what truly matters. We are making decisions on what is truth, and what isn’t. We need to ask ourselves, what hill are we willing to die on? I hope our answer is, “I’ll die on the hill of Calvary with Jesus!”
As much as we have all learned about eschatology, I still find myself in disbelief watching prophecy play out right before our very eyes. The Lord said there would be apostasy before His return. We read about this in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 2 Timothy 4:3, and Hebrews 3:12. But even though we know these things must take place, we can’t sit back and wait for someone else to do something about it. WE must rise up, and we must believe God’s Word is 100% infallible.
We cannot only believe the Word; we must be doers of the Word as well.
Deception is absolutely on the rise. Satan always overplays his hand.
I believe we are in a time when the Lord is separating the wheat from the tares, the sheep from the goats. But praise be to God—He will have a pure and spotless bride.
In my research of church history, I have read about a period of time when the Church had a strong influence in every sphere of society. In fact, there were times when legislators conferred with pastors on laws yet to be passed. We sure don’t see that happening much anymore! In fact, some churches have resorted to preaching an anemic Gospel—removing the things that sinners need to hear in order to be convicted of their sin; and to allow the flow of the Holy Spirit to convict sinners of what separates them from God, and from the things Paul said, “so easily ensnare us.”
These days, rather than the church influencing the world, the world is influencing the Church—and it’s time for it to stop!!!
So, I am writing this article to remind all of us that Jesus transforms—PERIOD!
We read in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”
The word “transformed” in Greek is metamorphoo, which is where we get the English word, metamorphosis, which means to change or to be transfigured.
While it is true, we were all born separated from God and in need of a savior; and we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God—each one of us needed (and still needs) a Messiah! So, why is it that so many people in churches believe God created the entire world and galaxies; they believe God can heal the drunkard, the fornicator, and the prostitute; but they don’t believe He can transform someone like me who was transgender for over three decades?
Either we believe God and His Word are truth, or we don’t.
After Jesus was baptized, He went out, fasted, and was tempted in every way. After 40 days, He went to the synagogue, opened the scroll, and read Isaiah 61, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”
The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in every one of us who has been baptized in the Holy Spirit. He didn’t withhold part of Himself from any one of us!
To whom did Jesus say, “Those who believe will do great exploits?” Those who BELIEVE!
Everyone has experienced brokenness or trauma, and we often come to a place where we just learn to live with our brokenness, or to live out of that brokenness. One example is prostitution. Many people who prostitute themselves have experienced some sort of trauma. Not only sexual trauma, but trauma in general.
We develop coping skills, but is that what God wants? Coping skills? NO. HE SETS US FREE!
Beloved, Jesus transforms! God can’t help but transform people. It’s who He is, it’s what He does. It’s the nature of God to transform people into His image. Why do you think we have the Gospel? Was God just being cute? Emphatically, No! “It’s the POWER of God, onto salvation, for everyone who believes.”
At Agape First Ministries, we train and equip churches and ministries to understand the nuances that are associated with people who (like me at one time) need help connecting to Jesus. It is not my responsibility to make a gay person straight, it’s my right—my responsibility to connect people to God. It is the responsibility of all of us, to bind up the brokenhearted and to set captives free.
It was the prayer of Jesus’ heart in John 17 that we would know we are one! United in Him! When we are united, strong, and working together, we establish God’s authority in the land, and there is nothing that can stop us.