Day 30: Sins of Commission

Sins of commision are any time we have broken God’s law or choose to do something that God forbids.

 

Here are some areas to consider…

 

Ephesians 5:5 (HCSB) For know and recognize this: no sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of the Messiah and of God.

 

Ephesians 5:12 (HCSB) For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret.

 

Remember the times when you were a child and you did something you just did not want mom or dad to know about? It was so shameful, you wanted it to be kept a secret.

Unfortunately for many, there are still shameful activities going on as adults. No longer trying to hide them from parents, but keep them secret , and hide them from God.

Know that darkness cannot hide in the light! Come into the light, confess your sin to God, and turn away from shameful behavior.

 

Day 23: Before you Worship

Matthew 5:23-24 (HCSB) ²³ So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

 

This is about your responsibility when someone has something against you. We must not approach God (worship) until we have gotten things right with those we have offended.

 

Ask God who you have offended. Go back and ask them to forgive you.

This does not need to be in the context of  “ Please forgive me, but you were wrong too!”

You must genuinely ask for forgiveness without any strings attached. Be humble. Ask in love. If they refuse to forgive, it then becomes their issue, not yours. Continue to pray for them and do not let this refusal cause you to stumble into thinking wrongly about them.

 

Day 22: Sins of Relationship

Relationships – we all have them. They may be good or bad, relaxed or strained, fun or not so fun, but we have relationships. Truth is, we probably all have all of the above! This week we are focusing on sins of relationship. What does God want me to do, think and say regarding relationships.

Let’s sincerely find out!

 

Day 21: Church Leaders

1 Timothy 5:17 (HCSB) The elders who are good leaders should be considered worthy of an ample honorarium, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

Day 20: Divisive Words

1 Corinthians 1:10 (HCSB) Now I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all say the same thing, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.

Christian unity ought to be something that is so prevalent that it is not a surprise. Instead when someone see Christians (especially from different denominations) getting along it is newsworthy! Let’s put it on CNN! Call Oprah! Christians are getting along and (gasp) loving one another.

 

Words can be the factor that keeps Christians apart. Let’s not allow divisive words to disrupt our fellowship.

 

 

Say the same thing -  be on the same page with your fellow church members.

 

Have no divisions – do not be divisive.

 

Be united with the same understanding and same conviction – again, same page.

 

Day 19: Insults

Ephesians 4:31 (HCSB) All bitterness, anger and wrath, insult and slander must be removed from you, along with all wickedness.

 

We seem to see this a lotin our children, but I am wondering if that is only because they see it in more subtle (or not so subtle) forms in adults.

“That guy is weird”

“He is creepy”

“Look at that driver -  what an idiot!”

“She is not the right kind of person”

 

Certainly we should be wary of some people’s behavior but that does not give us reason to insult or slander the person. Perhaps we could say…

 

“That is weird behavior…”

“What he is doing is creepy…”

“That driver is not driving well…”

“She does not behave in ways that make me want to be with her.”

 

I know it sounds corny, but our words really do make a difference. When we begin to separate our thinking from what a person does to who they are, we can begin to realize that God loves them as valuable people even thought their behavior may not be appropriate.

 

Proverbs 26:18-19 (HCSB) ¹⁸ Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows, ¹⁹ so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”

 

Another area of insult is the famous “just kidding”. How many times do we hear – “I was just joking?”

 

If a madman were to throw flaming darts or shoot deadly arrows, they would be thrown with no intention and would land wherever.

That’s what happens when we “deceive our neighbor” with jest and then say “I was just joking.”  Our flaming arrows have been thrown without ill intent, but they have caused great harm.

 

Watch your words.

Day 18: Complaining

1 Corinthians 10:10 (HCSB) Nor should we complain as some of them did, and were killed by the destroyer.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (HCSB) Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

 

Baptists are famous for not drinking alcohol. One famous Baptist named Welch even came up with grape juice so we could partake of the Lord’s supper! But even with most Baptists not drinking wine, we sure do partake of the “whine” a lot!

 

People smile knowingly when you talk about someone complaining about “my pew” or someone worried about the “color of the carpet” or other such nonsense.

 

There are a lot of personal preference items that we deal with every day, but we should never sacrifice Christian fellowship or Christian love for them.

 

Let’s put away the “whine”.

 

I for one am in favor of abstaining completely from whine!

 

Week 3 FAMILY DEVOTION

Week 3 FAMILY DEVOTION

Topic: Sins of Speech

 

ACTIVITY

Play the quiet game. Everyone must be quiet. Those who speak are out.

Who was the winner? How hard was it not to talk?

We talk all the time. Sometimes we are mindful of our words and sometimes we are not.

 

Optional activity: If you have some fall leaves and it is a windy day, choose to find an open area to do the following. Go out with a bag of leaves and let them go into the wind. Try to collect all the leaves. On a windy day, it is impossible.

How hard was it to let the leaves go? How hard was it to retrieve all the leaves?

The leaves are a lot like words. Once you let them out, it is very difficult to get them back.

(Option to the option: use the old “toothpaste tube” illustration , emptying a tube of toothpaste onto some old newspaper and then asking the kids to put the toothpaste back into the tube. Same debriefing.)

 

SCRIPTURE

Proverbs 26:18-19 (HCSB) ¹⁸ Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows, ¹⁹ so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”

 

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (HCSB) Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.

 

QUESTION

When was the last time you said something to someone that could have been hurtful and then responded with “I was just kidding!” or “I was only joking!”?

To do so is like a madman who is throwing flaming darts and deadly arrows. There is no aim and no intentionality, but the wounds are still real and the pain is still there.

We need to be careful with the words we say.

 

 

SCRIPTURE MEMORY

 

Psalms 19:14 (HCSB) May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

 

 

AS WE GO

Let’s pay special attention to our speech this week and try not to hurt someone while “kidding.”

 

PRAYER

Dear God, help us to use our words for encouragement and not for harm. Amen.

Day 17: Lies

 

Colossians 3:9 (HCSB) Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his practices

 

Lying has become so commonplace in our world that sometimes we don’t even see it as lying anymore.

 

“I sent that email because it might be true…” but most internet forwards are lies and if you send it you perpetuate lying. Your integrity is at stake.

 

“I might have stretched the truth a bit…” but you lied, no matter how little, it was not the truth. How much is your integrity worth?

 

“In order to protect my job, I covered for my boss…” ‘Covered for’ is another word for lying. Is your job worth more than your integrity. What’s the boss going to say… I fired him for not lying for me?

 

Let’s just not lie.

 

Day 16: Rotten Words

Ephesians 4:29 (HCSB) No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, in order to give grace to those who hear.

Ephesians 5:4 (HCSB) And coarse and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks.

 

Are you building people up with your speech? Are you giving grace to those who hear you? Do you participate in course jesting… or do you stand by and give your assent by not saying anything?

 

Matthew 5:37 (HCSB) But let your word ‘yes’ be ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.

 

Do you use words to emphasize your language?

 

Let’s fully surrender our speech to the Lord this week!

 

Day 15: Sins of Speech

Sunday, October 15, 2006

 

Say what?

 

Matthew 12:36 (HCSB) I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak.

 

Our society is filled with wicked and vile speech. We not only watch and hear it, we often repeat it without thinking. Ask God for discernment as we begin to prayerfully examine our words.

 

Day 14: Contentment

 

1 Timothy 6:6 (HCSB) But godliness with contentment is a great gain.

1 John 2:15-17 (HCSB) ¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For everything that belongs to the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world. ¹⁷ And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God’s will remains forever.

 

An old song said… “Don’t worry, be happy”

We need to “be happy” with what God has given us -  contentment. If we are not careful, we will get caught up in the wants of the world rather than the true needs we have and we will not be content. Ask God to help you have an attitude of contentment.

 

Day 13: Love

1 Corinthians 13:4 (HCSB) Love is patient; love is kind. Love does not envy; is not boastful; is not conceited;

1 Corinthians 13:7 (HCSB) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Matthew 5:44 (HCSB) But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

 

Loving one another is one of the best attitudes to have.

Love is patient. Even waiting in line at the grocery store.

Love is kind. Even when pointing out faults in others.

Love does not envy. God will provide all your needs -  physical or otherwise.

Love is not boastful. Don’t get puffed up.

Love is not conceited. Some people think they are all that because they are so good at loving others… ironic.

Love bears all things. The little things and the big ones.

Love believes all things. Hopes all things. Endures all things.

 

Above all -  love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you.

 

Day 12: Unbelief

Hebrews 11:6 (HCSB) Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him.

 

Don’t live with unbelief.

There are probably those who during this time of cleansing at Parma Baptist Church have thought -  God won’t do anything here. Unbelief. Doubt.

We cannot be pleasing to God if we refuse to have faith in what he can and will do!

I mean think about it.

Some people come to God and ask Him to forgive them of their sin.

Will God do that?

Will that make a difference?

The answer is a resounding “YES!”

 

Isaiah 26:3 (HCSB) You will keep in perfect peace the mind [that is] dependent [on You], for it is trusting in You.

 

When you get to the point of realizing that God is going to do something in your life, rest in Him! He will give you perfect peace.

 

Ephesians 4:2 (HCSB) with all humility and gentleness, with patience, accepting one another in love,

 

As we go through this journey, let’s not get haughty or prideful.

We must accept everyone in love, whether they are choosing to get closer to God or not. As a matter of fact, as we reach out to them in love, God will be reaching out to them through us -  and in effect they will be impacted because we chose to do this thing!

 

Week 2 Family Devotion: Sins of Attitude

Week 2 FAMILY DEVOTION

Topic: Sins of Attitude

ACTIVITY

Role Play one or more of the following situations:

1) Someone drops their books in the hall. Another person expresses their attitude toward this person. Role play different attitudes that could be represented.

2) Someone is driving. Role play different attitudes that might be represented.

3) Someone is at a store in a long line. Role play the different attitudes that might come up.

4) Come up with a situation of your own.

SCRIPTURE

Read Philippians 2:1-5 (HCSB) ¹ If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, ² fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal. ³ Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. ⁴ Everyone should look out not [only] for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. ⁵ Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus,

QUESTION

What attitude would Jesus have had in the situations you role played?

Ask each member of the family to share the answer to: Where do you struggle the most to maintain a Jesus-like attitude?

Remember to pray for one another.

SCRIPTURE MEMORY

Philippians 2:3(HCSB) ³ Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.

AS WE GO

Remember to put others ahead of yourself.

PRAYER

Dear God, help us to be like Jesus in attitude. Amen.

Day 11: Favoritism

James 2:1 (HCSB) My brothers, hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ without showing favoritism.

James 2:4 (HCSB) haven’t you discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

 

The attitude of favoritism can infect the body of Christ so quickly we don’t even realize it. Do we treat those who don’t come as often with the same respect as the regulars? What about newcomers or seekers? Is there a particular type of person we show favoritism to? Do we have “names” or slurs for a group of people? These attitudes lead to evil thoughts! We must forsake them.

We can encourage and train in righteousness without showing favoritism. We can share concerns without being discriminatory.

 

Day 10: Humility

Psalms 51:17 (HCSB) The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.

 

Just like King David when he prayed that prayer it is sometimes a long time in coming. David had sinned grievously, but thought he could sweep it away. Then he was finally confronted with his sin by the prophet Nathan and realized fully what he had done to God. His spirit was broken. Sometimes it is the same way with us. Sometimes we need a knock in the head to get to the broken spirit. God humble our hearts toward you!

 

Philippians 2:3-4 (HCSB) ³ Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. ⁴ Everyone should look out not [only] for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

 

When making arrangements for anything it is very common to consider only our own interests. Does it fit my schedule. How will I be affected? What do I think about it? Can we begin to make a habit out of looking out for others interests? Putting aside rivalry and conceit, can we humble ourselves before God and man and put others first?

I would like to try.

 

Day 9: Lukewarm?

Revelation 3:15-16 (HCSB) ¹⁵ I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth.

 

Hot water is great! You can cook with it. You can clean with it. You can bathe with it. It is useful.

Cold water is wonderful. You can play in it. You can drink it. You can cool off in it! It is useful.

Lukewarm water is not that great. It is really not useful.

 

When the cold water of a cold spring meets the warm water of a hot spring you get a lukewarm yuck!

 

Are you useful for the kingdom? Has our attitude been that of a lukewarm Christian? Are you passionate for God? If you have not had a heart for God, seek Him and ask for it. God longs for you to be passionate about what he is passionate about.

 

Ezekiel 36:26 (HCSB) I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

 

Day 8: Attitude

We talked about thought… now comes attitude.

Have you ever noticed that email messages don’t seem to always convey “how” someone says something? That has prompted me on more than one occasion to stop the email conversation and pick up the phone or see someone in person.

Think of these phrases from our culture:

“Don’t cop an attitude with me…”

“I have at-ti-tude” (as if a good thing)

“Whatever”

“Don’t use that tone with me, young lady”

 

What is your attitude when you:

-         Are caught in line at a store with a slooooooow clerk?

-         Your children don’t hear you … again!

-         Your parents ignore you.

-         Your friends have been talking about you behind your back.

-         You are too busy at church.

-         God doesn’t seem to be answering prayer.

 

If you are like me, you don’t always like your reaction to the above situations. God can change our attitude.

 

Philippians 2:3-5 (HCSB) ³ Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. ⁴ Everyone should look out not [only] for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. ⁵ Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus,

 

Day 7

 

Hebrews 12:14 (HCSB) Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord.

 

As we go through this time of cleansing, my hope is that relationships will be healed as a result of God’s people getting closer to Him. We need to pursue peace alongside holiness. They go hand in hand.

 

1 John 3:3 (HCSB) And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure.

 

Lord, help us to be clean!

 

Day 6

James 4:3 (HCSB) You ask and don’t receive because you ask wrongly, so that you may spend it on your desires for pleasure.

 

James is sometimes so harsh! And so right. Sometimes we act so childish. God help such and such – because that would help me. Wrong motives.

 

Matthew 15:8-9 (HCSB) ⁸ These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. ⁹ They worship Me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commands of men.”

 

We have to be careful what we teach as “from God” We must honor God with our hearts, not just our lips.

 

Amos 5:21-24 (HCSB) ²¹ I hate, I despise your feasts! I can’t stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. ²² Even if you offer Me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept [them]; I will have no regard for your fellowship offerings of fattened cattle. ²³ Take away from Me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. ²⁴ But let justice flow like water, and righteousness, like an unfailing stream.

 

Bring us back, Oh God to you!

 

Day 5

 

Colossians 3:1-3 (HCSB) ¹ So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth. ³ For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God.

 

Set your mind. Sound like its talking about your thoughts. Do we set our minds on that which is above or more often what is here below? This sin of below thinking runs rampant. I know that it is something with which I struggle. When the things of life bear down on me it is often easy to be distracted from “above” and look at the “here below.” But we have died in Him and our lives are buried in Christ, so we can be assured that if we keep our minds on Him, He will see us through whatever life brings our way.

 

Matthew 22:37 (HCSB) He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

 

Are we loving Jesus with all we are? Maybe if we get this right the “Below thinking”will become more above thinking!

Dear Lord, help us to love you with all we are, including our minds!

 

 

Psalms 1:2 (HCSB) Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.

 

Psalms 119:15-16 (HCSB) ¹⁵ I will meditate on Your precepts and think about Your ways. ¹⁶ I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.

 

Day 4

Matthew 5:28 (HCSB) But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

 

Okay. This one is a delicate issue. No one likes to admit to lust. I mean it’s one of the really bad sins right? Not like innocent gossip or slander or lying… certainly we don’t lust, do we?

Okay, enough of that. Just listen to God’s voice and be obedient to specifically confess the lustful thoughts and make a decision to change (repentance always includes the commitment to change). Replace these thoughts with other things. Build fences to prevent participating in the activities that cause these thoughts. Don’t read trashy stuff. Don’t look at sexy ads. Cancel the Sports Illustrated subscription. Don’t watch the movies that lead to lust. Those are the don’ts. What about the do list: Do read the Word. Do fellowship with Godly people. Do encourage one another to good works and good thoughts. Do memorize scripture to replace these thoughts. Keep on renewing your mind!

Romans 12:2 (HCSB) Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

 

Memorize this and repeat it aloud when tempted to watch or look at that which leads to lust:

 

Psalms 101:3 (HCSB) I will not set anything godless before my eyes. I hate the doing of transgression; it will not cling to me.

Day 3

2 Corinthians 10:5 (HCSB) and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

 

What are the thoughts that occupy your mind?

Are you more concerned with the worldly issues that surround you than with God’s agenda fro your life? Do impure thoughts regularly invade your day? Think through and write down sinful thought patterns. Ask God’s forgiveness and ask God to renew your mind.

 

Romans 12:2 (HCSB) Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

 

Take every thought captive to Christ. Then ask God to replace these thought patterns with Godly thinking. He can do this!

 

Week 1 Family Devotion: Sins of Thought

Week 1 FAMILY DEVOTION

 

Topic: Sins of Thought

 

ACTIVITY

Play the game “20 Questions.” One person will think of a person, place or thing. They will state: “I am thinking of a (person, place or thing).” Then questions are asked until the answer is discovered. Play it twice if you have time.

 

Say, if you ask enough questions, you can figure out what someone is thinking. Out thoughts are not always that easy to figure out. God says that the way we think has a lot to do with who we are.

 

SCRIPTURE

Proverbs 23:7 (HCSB) for as he thinks within himself, so he is.

 

QUESTION

Do you ever think (or Have you ever thought) thoughts that are not what God would think?

(Parents, share some wrong thinking you have had in the past)

God wants to forgive us for these thoughts and help us have pure thoughts.

What kids of things does God want us to think about? Listen to this verse…

 

SCRIPTURE MEMORY

Philippians 4:8 (HCSB) Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things.

 

Let’s try to memorize this verse. Repeat the verse in short phrases and keep it up until you get it! Consider giving a prize to the first one from the family who can memorize the verse this week.

 

AS WE GO

As we go through the week, let’s challenge us to think these kind of thoughts.

 

PRAYER

Dear Lord, help us to think on true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, moral excellent, praiseworthy things! Amen!

 

 

Day 2

Matthew 7:22-23 (HCSB) ²² On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’ ²³ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’

 

John 17:3 (HCSB) This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent—Jesus Christ.

 

Romans 8:16 (HCSB) The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children,

 

Do you know that you know that you know that you are saved and secure in the arms of Jesus? Do you sometimes wonder if God really saved you? Do you even remember when you asked Him?

Even if you do not remember the time and date, if you have received salvation from God, He will give you an assurance of this in your heart.

Consider the following:

 

1. Matthew 7:20-23 (HCSB) ²⁰ So you’ll recognize them by their fruit. ²¹ “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but [only] the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’ ²³ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’

 

Some people will come before God thinking they are saved, but they are not.

 

2. John 17:3 (HCSB) This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent—Jesus Christ.

 

Salvation is knowing Jesus in a personal relationship, and knowing that you know.

 

3. Romans 8:16 (HCSB) The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children,

 

God gives assurance of salvation to those who are saved.

 

 

Many of you may be saved, but maybe you are being convicted of thought patterns that are inconsistent with one who knows Jesus. Spend time today asking God to forgive you and choosing to renounce these sins.  Then … rejoice in your salvation!

 

Isaiah 25:9 (HCSB) On that day it will be said, “Look, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He has saved us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

 

Day 1

Well, it has arrived. The first of fifty days of cleansing and seeking God with all our hearts. Why do have to have this emphasis? Why don’t we seek Him all the time like this? Because we are fallen humans who because of the sin nature choose not to.

Matthew 15:19 (HCSB) For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies.

Sin originates in the heart and mind.
We must seek God’s will for our thoughts and attitudes before we go further. This week we are focusing on the sins of thought.
Have you ever noticed that Satan seems to throw weird out of context sinful thoughts at you at the oddest times?
The Bible tells us that who we are is tied up in our thinking…
Proverbs 23:7 (HCSB) for as he thinks within himself, so he is…

As you go through the “Returning to Holiness” book this week (or as you check out this website) read the verses and consider the questions. Allow God to begin to clean your thoughts. God wants to transform us.