KEY SCRIPTURE: — Matthew 12:33 (KJV). “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.”

After the Lord’s discussion with the Pharisees on not blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, he added the following, implying if you would be good then you must make yourself good. In our key scripture the Lord said, to produce good fruits, the tree should be made a good tree. How can one change who he is?

There are two main ways to change who you are.

1.When one receives a new life, so that he is born again

2. When a man renews his mind about himself.

All men are born sinful and fallen short of the glory of God. (Rom 3:23) The only way to change that sinful nature is to be born again. One is born again when he or she receives the divine life of God to replace his sinful nature. This is made possible by admitting and confessing Jesus as Lord over his life. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” John 1:12 (KJV)

AS a result of this change, your spirit becomes one with the Spirit of God, and the old nature of sin ceases to hold sway over your life. “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”- 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

The next form of change or how a man can change his lifestyle, is when he renews his mind concerning himself. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”- Romans 12:2 (KJV). This verse reveals that as we renew our minds in the light of God’s word, we are transformed to be what the word says. Many people are struggling with certain habits and are wondering, what is the way out? They try to punish their bodies through fasting and certain abstinence to no avail. The solution is to change the way they think about themselves. Feed your mind and heart with the word, meditate on it and do what it says. Make the scriptures your world view. A thief steals, because he knows and believes he is a thief. The homosexual practices that abominable life because he believes and accepts, he is one. If he should be able to believe that he was not born that way, and that is not who he is, he would begin to act differently.

A second question is, why do some hear the word, yet their actions are always the same? The Bible shows us why it is so. “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” -James 1:21 (KJV). The scripture is like food that comes to build you up. There are certain character traits like diseases that makes good food ineffective. They are filthiness and naughtiness. Naughtiness is to challenge the scriptures when you hear it. Filthiness is to hold on to sinful ways. These two-character traits prevent God’s word from bringing that needed change in a person’s life.

CONFESSION.

I have made Jesus Lord of my life, and I put away every filthiness and naughtiness. I receive with meekness, the engrafted word of God, which is able to save your soul.

FURTHER STUDIES

1 Peter 2 (KJV). Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

2 Timothy 3 (KJV). All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.