“The only thing constant is change.” This saying is attributed to the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, one of the most significant Western thinkers to have lived before Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Change is one of the most frightening things many of us face in life, and yet we all encounter it every day. Everything that is created in creation will change naturally. In other words the power to change is in everything God created but here are the principles, human beings are the only creatures that can decide and manage changes for their benefits.
The point is to stop worrying about change and accept that things will not be the same tomorrow. When we do, we become a lot more appreciative of the moment we have right now. Some changes are predictable, but most changes are not. There are certain things which are beyond our control. Like we can’t challenge the changing climate, we just adjust ourselves according to that. Apply the same rule to our life. Life is constantly changing! The Lord built change into our world and we must not despise it. In Scripture we can see that free will has been available to mankind since the beginning of creation. The problem with the world right now is that everybody’s excited about change but truth of the matter is not every change is positive.
We are the only creatures God created who can actually sit down and plan what kind of future we want. We can actually control change this is called the power of the will. The will is a beautiful gift and yet it’s the most dangerous gift God ever gave man because the power of will gives us the ability to decide against God who gave the will. God had to give that creature the same quality that he has. This is why a man who was created by God could actually tell God he doesn’t exist. God could have made us like machines. Instead of creating machines or robots, God created children. And He gave us free will—the ability to think, reason and make our own choices. The phrase “free will” means that we were created with minds with which we independently think, analyze, draw conclusions and make choices.
Free will is what enables us to make choices, either for the good or the bad. Within this divine spark lies our potential to shape and change the world. Proper use of free will beautifies and perfects. Misuse of free will plunders and destroys. It is a uniquely human endeavor to learn how to use free will properly. Life is a constant stream of decisions. Your decisions shape your life and determine your destiny. Once you become sensitive to the fact that you are constantly making choices, and then you can monitor them. That's using your free will actively to do God’s will or Make your will God's will. People are hurt by their own lack of judgment and by the bad decisions that others make. Don't accept society's faith as your own unless you've thought them through and agree with them. Live for your purpose, not for society. Evaluate your past decisions. Start each day anew. Don't remain bound to guidelines and determinations you made years ago, or even to ones that you made yesterday. Free will is the choice between life and death. Attach yourself to God and you will be attached to eternity – the ultimate form of life itself. Make your will His will. If you do, you'll be a Partner with God in changing the world.
As the apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” Let us remember to use our gift of free will in such a way so that, come Judgment Day, we will gain the Reward of Heaven and everlasting life. It is also important to keep in mind that when Judgment Day comes, each person will be judged according to his or her deeds. Our free will is a dangerous gift if we use it against the will of God. Free will is a multipurpose gift. Not only can it make us happier by allowing us to have and do the things we like, it also shows an individual's true character. And one's use, or abuse, of free will speaks volumes. As we all encounter major changes in our individual lives, and as the world around us continues to change, we need a place to find hope in God Who Never Changes. The truth is there is one thing that never changes, the one thing that is eternal. The Bible tells us that....
The God Who Never Changes- "Have faith in God." (Mark 11:22).
Is there anything unchanging that we can hold on to in a world where everything is so tenuous and transitory? To find true stability and permanence, we must look beyond the created order to its Creator, for as Scripture tells us, God is unchanging. Yes, there is a God who will never cease to exist. But He is more than eternal. He is absolutely unchanging. Change never touches God, “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed” (Malachi 3:6) James said that our God is the “Father of lights, with whom is no variation, neither shadow of turning.” The writer of Hebrews said that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever.” God is unchanging – in His being, in His perfections, and in His purposes.
Because God never changes, his word never changes. All that he has said about himself remains true forever. Therefore there are some things you should never change, in other words there are some things that should remain permanent and I call them God’s eternal principles. God does not cause evil (Luke 11:11-13, James 1:13), He cannot tell a lie (Hebrews 6:18), and all that He does is righteous (Revelation 16:7). The only reason He cannot sin is because sin simply doesn't apply to Him. "Sin" is basically the falling short of God's perfect love. Since He is the personification of love (1 John 4:8), and love works only to the good (1 Corinthians 13:4-7), it is His nature to do only that which is good. God absolutely does have free will: He gives and takes away as He sees fit (Jonah 4:6-7), He reconsiders His plans when He sees fit (Exodus 32:9-14), and He causes situations to occur as He sees fit (Exodus 7:16 - 11:8).
God is sovereign and does have free will, and because we are made in His image (Genesis 1:26), the ability to exercise free will is extended from God into us. He is immutable we can always count on Him. We cannot consistently count on our human friends. They let us down at times. Their actions are sometimes affected by how they feel or how we have treated them. Their love is conditioned on our performance. But not God’s, His love is everlasting and therefore unchanging (Jeremiah 31:3). He always acts on the basis of love. Likewise, His kindness is everlasting and therefore unchanging (Isaiah 54:10). He always acts on the basis of kindness. We can count on it. The better we know Him as the immutable God, the more we shall be able to trust Him and hold on to Him for stability and strength when everything around us is changing.
God cannot change for the better because He is already perfect. And He cannot change for the worse, for then He would be imperfect and would therefore no longer be God. He cannot grow more or less powerful. God can never cease to be holy, just, good, or true. His wisdom and knowledge cannot be increased or decreased. God is unchanging – He is unchanging in His being, in His perfections, and in His purposes. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). Only He can say, “I change not” (Mal. 3:6). Because God never changes, his word never changes. Hence His Word is still as relevant and true as it ever was; the problem is that men have rejected it.
Hence God’s immutability is bad news for impenitent people, for it means the Lord will not overlook their sin. But our Lord’s immutability is good news for those who love, obey and trust Him. It means that He cannot fail to keep His promises to forgive us and to protect us forever. Keep in mind that Free Will allows us to choose whether or not we want to love God. Love without sincerity is empty and meaningless; for love to have real meaning it must be voluntarily chosen. Without the gift of free will we wouldn't have the opportunity to show God and others real, meaningful and divine love. In a nutshell, free will is a loving gift from God that can contribute to our daily happiness. If we allow selfish desire to creep in, there is also potential for abuse of this gift.
This is why Bible says “Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors. (Proverbs 22:28) Man has always been tampering with boundary stones, moving them one way or another to suit his whims, sometimes removing them altogether. There is a spiritual application in this for us: Do not go beyond what God has authorized. The landmark (or boundary stone) may be a spiritual principles and standard, established by our God and followed by our spiritual forefathers. God has given instructions in His word. We must confine ourselves to these instructions and what He has authorized. John wrote, “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son” (2 John1: 9). The teaching of the word of God – is that to which we must confine ourselves. If we go beyond this, we lose our fellowship with God.
There are many in the religious worlds who are not content with what God has said. They want to move the boundaries He has set. They want to do what God has not authorized. They do not want to do what He has instructed. They want to do things their own way, not God’s way. The sacred teachings of Scripture are so often denied and despised. There is always a tendency for each new generation to try to modernize the ways of God. Those under the Old Law were “cursed” for moving “his neighbor’s boundary mark” (Deuteronomy 27:17). Under the new law, we will be “accursed” for changing the word of God (Galatians 1:6-9). No matter what anyone may say, no matter who denies or defies God’s word, it remains firmly fixed. Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.” (Psalm 119:89)
Let us be content to remain within the bounds of Scripture. The Bible pulsates with life, for its Author is the Creator of the universe, in whom all things consist and in whom we live and move and have our being. Abraham Lincoln called it "the best gift God has given to man." Patrick Henry said, "It is worth all other books which were ever printed." Noted philosopher Immanuel Kant declared, "The Bible is the greatest benefit which the human race has ever experienced." You can pick up any other book and read it, but this is the book that reads you. It pulsates with life and power. It cuts, burns, crushes, and wields mountain-moving power. His Word has a life of its own. It is the voice of God to you. You cannot refuse it, deny it, distort it, or dilute it. You can only bow before it. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Mathew 24:35).
This is the ONLY Book Which Promises a “Blessing” To Those Who Read and obeys it “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near”. (Revelation 1:3) When we take God’s word in our hands we can say three things:
First its promises can never be shaken. It has been estimated that there are 30,000 of them, but not one has ever failed or will ever fail. (2 Corinthians 1:20)
Second its prophecies can never be shaken. Men may scoff at the prophecies contained in the Bible, but by doing so they only fulfill the Bible (2 Peter 3:3-4). 2000 Bible’s prophecies have already been literally fulfilled and 500 more promises that await fulfillment will also be literally fulfilled.
Third its power can never be shaken. Romans 1:16 and Hebrews 4:12 assure us of this. The Word of God has power to convict (Acts 2:37), to convert (Psalm 19:7), to cleanse (Psalm 119:9), and to comfort (Psalm 119:49-50), and to counsel (Psalm 73:24), and its power will never change, because...
It is a timeless book —“Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.” Psalm 119:89
It is a truthful book — “Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true” Psalm 119:142
It is a treasured book- “The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.” Psalm 119:72
And it is a living book- “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12)
We often change our minds about things and find that we can no longer honor what we said in the past. Sometimes we say things we do not mean or we say things which later prove to be wrong and which must be retracted. But when God speaks it is always true. He never speaks in error. He never changes His mind. He never said anything He was sorry for or had to take back. His Word is settled and unchanging. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8) And because his word never changes, his promises for us remain true. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:4-6) Stay in tune with God. Trust Him, and enjoy a consistency and a constancy you may not have known before.
