How To Change For The Better

HOW CAN I EVER CHANGE? GENESIS 32

Get attention by : Whats’ a sermon worth—3 sermons, 1,000 hk, 15 mins, 400 hk 30 mins, 50 HK (2 hours) lets all stand and ask the ushers to circulate the offering plate and know what sermon you would like to have today.

Most of us want some change, in our lives, we want an improvement. If I would ask you today what would you want to change in your life, what would it be? Your spiritual life, Amen, ako diyan. I want to serve the Lord more, I want to have more time with Him.

I want to change many things in my life, for those too kind, I want to learn to say NO!

For many more, they want to change their features, ayan! Your nose (too big), your ears (Too small), Your eyes (too droopy), Your skin (I want it to be fairer).

Illustration: There was an old woman about 65 and she was in the hospital, she asked the Lord, will I die now Lord how many years have I still got? And the Lord spoke to her in a dream and the Lord said, you will still have 15 more years. Wow! The woman was so happy that she decided, since I got a lot of more years that I want to change my looks. I like to look younger, so she asked for the Doctor to change her nose, change her skin color to tan, nag pa buttocks siya, tapos lypo suction. After all was finished she looked in the mirror and found herself 20 years younger. She was so happy and left the hospital, she walked jolly down the street, when a bus rammed into her, she died. When she got to see the Lord, she asked, Lord you told me I still got 15 years. The Lord looked at her intently and said, ay ikaw pala iyan di kita nakilala kanina. (Definitely this is not a true story)

But to we are all interested in Change, the best selling book is entitled 30 days to a new you. Many go to seminars, try diets, watch self-help shows, but somehow the effects of what we have learned does not last. Maybe we will change for a while but it does not have a permanent effect.—The main reason for that is, we work on the exterior (panlabas) and not on the iinterior (Inside). Any lasting change must come from the Inside and that’s the work of God.

In GENESIS 32, we see the process on how God changes us. In helping the person that we should be. You see its not only you who wants to change but God also wants to change you. Well see how to change by looking at the life of Jacob. It can serve as a dramatic example of how God can change us.

JACOB – not a so good person, even his name means cheater, “mandaraya”. But a turning point in his life came and the once “Mandaraya” became Israel. An entire nation named after him. Wow, that to me is a great transformatrion. From a manloloko to a Nation. This is a story is an encouragement to us that we should not stay in the rut but God can truly help us change our weakness into strength.

READ: Gen 32:24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." 27 The man asked him, "What is your name?"

"Jacob," he answered. 28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, [a] because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome." 29 Jacob said, "Please tell me your name." But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, [b] saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."

The First Phase in a NEW YOU.

I. CRISIS PHASE

A. Jacob had a long wrestling match with an Angel but it was a no-win situation. They were both struggling. It was day break , and Jacob was so very tired, it was a situation beyond his control.

We are always in situations beyond our control, we went to the immigration, we are at the mercy of the Immmigration. Your Employer terminated you for no reason, it is a situation beyond your control, you cannot go to your boss and say no I am not terminated, you are terminated get out of here. No, no, no it is a situation beyond our control. You are here nagkaloko-lokopamilya mo, it comes as a situation beyobd your control, I go t mumps, it’s a situation beyond my control.