As young children we were asked a question quite often. That is, "What do you want to become when you grow up?" Our minds usually began to think about different people or occupations that, at the time, we knew very little about. As young boys, we might have wanted to become a fireman or policeman. Maybe become like our war hero or close mentor. Young girls might have wanted to become a mother or nurse. Maybe we wanted to become a teacher or someone famous. Maybe even the President of the United States.

Unfortunately, many people spend their whole life trying to be someone else.

Incredible as it may seem to some, we could have wanted to become like our parents. The point I am trying to make is, we were in a place and time when we believed that we could become anyone we wanted to. As children, we didn't realize that we actually become what is placed in us. That holds true in every area of life. Unfortunately, many people spend their whole life trying to be someone else. I was spending time one day talking and listening to the Lord. He spoke something to me that I thought I knew a lot about already. I found out that I am still learning every day about what He said. He spoke these simple words: "You are what you eat. You become what is in you." I thought to myself, "Ok, I am battling the bulge because of too many burritos and hamburgers. That doesn't mean I am a big hamburger. That sounds silly." The Lord reminded me that when I ate something it went in one way and something else happened to it. I'm not a doctor; however, I know that our bodies take what we consume, assimilate it, and then get rid of what we don't need. Everything else actually becomes part of us: the vitamins, minerals, and unfortunately fat. We are what we eat. God said, "This is how I made you: Spirit, Soul and Body. I want you to literally become what you're supposed to be. Not just do my Word because you're supposed to, but actually become what my Word says you are. I began to meditate and search the Word to find a clear confirmation as to what the Lord had told me. 1 John 4:8 and 1 John 4:16 says that "God Is Love." 2 Timothy 2:13 says, "If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He Cannot Deny Himself." God cannot do anything other than what and who He is. He cannot lie because He is total truth. I suddenly realized that God is what He does; He does what He is! God is not just someone who loves us. He is Love. Numbers 23:19 tells us that God will not lie and does not change His mind. Hebrews 6:18 tells us that it is impossible for God to lie. Malachi 3:6 tells us that God changes not. Hebrews 13:8 tells us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

I suddenly realized that God is what He does; He does what He is!

God cannot change His mind. God cannot change! Again, God cannot do anything other than what and who He is. This is why His mercy endures forever. He is total mercy! This is why He is forever married to the back slider. This is why He will never leave us or forsake us. God does not just heal; He is total healing! I could go on and on about this truth, but allow me to bring it on home to you and I. Please read this carefully. 2 Peter 1 gives us many rich passages. It talks about precious promises, and tells us what things to add to our faith. I want to pay special attention to 2 Peter 1:8: "For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." The Lord spoke to me and said, "I don't want you to ever stop learning, changing and maturing." I hear this statement quite often, from unbelievers and believers alike: "God loves me just the way I am." God does love us unconditionally; however, if we didn't need to change, He would not have sent Jesus. There would not be a need for teaching and instruction in righteousness. We wouldn't have needed redemption. The believer's lifestyle is one of constant progression. Nothing ever stays the same. Try this test: Look into the mirror. Guess what? You have been changing. The same is true concerning the inside of us. 2 Cor. 3:18: "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

The Lamb and the Snake

There is an old story about a lamb and a snake. It seems that one day a little lamb wandered off the path. He wanted a drink of water down at the pool side. At the side of the pool was a huge deadly snake taking in the morning sun. The lamb came up on the snake and froze in fear. With his little lamb heart beating wildly, he cried, "Don't bite me, Mr. Snake! If you do, I'll surely die!" The snake with eyes full of death spoke back, "I won't bite you, little lamb. I really like you. Come here a little closer. I really like little lambs like you. I promise I won't bite you."

We should not assume that desire alone

is sufficient to successfully live the believer's lifestyle.

The trembling lamb spoke back, "You promised you wouldn't bite me. I guess I'll come closer." Just as the lamb came near, the deadly snake bit the lamb. As the little lamb lay dying on the muddy bank, he cried out and said, "Mr. Snake, you promised you would not bite me! Now, I'm going to die. Why did you bite me? You said you liked me." The deadly snake looked at the little lamb with his cold, deadly eyes and said, "I can't help it! I'm a snake." The snake, even with best intentions, could only react like the snake he was. This simple principle holds true for every one of us. We should not assume that desire alone is sufficient to successfully live the believer's lifestyle. The inside must be changed!

The Word of God was not just written for our Information or Inspiration;

it is for our Transformation!

There is no true transformation without true regeneration. We must actually become what God's Word declares about us. John 1:14 declares that the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begottoen of the Father), full of grace and truth. Jesus was the Word incarnate. He did not just do the Word because He was supposed to; He did the Word because He Is The Word. He always did exactly what He was. The Word of God, like a seed, has everything inside of it to produce. With the right soil, nutrients and care, the Word will grow in us and change us. The Word of God is written like it is for men as they are. The Word of God was not just written for our Information or Inspiration; it was for our Transformation! Are you still trying your best to be a Christian? Are you trying your best to be a human? I am pretty sure you are one whether you like it or not. I don't get up in the morning, look into the mirror and tell my wife, "Honey, I think I'll try to be a human today." She would either pray for my mind or seek medical treatment. God wants us to become what his Word says about us. Once Jesus Christ is our Lord, then We Are His Children. We may have problems and need help. We may still make mistakes, but we are not able to overcome and actually become all God wants us to be. Are you doing what you do only because you're supposed to? Are you loving people just because you're supposed to? Are you giving only because you're supposed to? Are you thankful just because you're supposed to be? Are you kind just because you're supposed to be kind? What happens if for some reason your "supposed to" changes? What happens if a strange doctrine comes along?

Maybe people are convinced they are not supposed to forgive everyone? Or even give, period? Or love everybody? Maybe not be merciful to everyone? Interesting, isn't it?

We must Partake of God's Word daily.

Receive it, Meditate on it, Speak it and Apply it.

As we do, the Word of God begins transforming us from the inside out.

Lilly and I have been married now over 19 years. What do you think she would do if I told her today, "Lilly, I love you today because I'm supposed to?" Are you kidding?! I probably wouldn't see her for at least two weeks. That's when my swollen eyes would finally open up. Loving your wife because you're supposed to wo'nt cut it. We are to love our wives as Christ loved the church. Not just because we're supposed to, but becuase we can't help it. It should be who and what we are. Full of love. God doesn't ask us to Love or Forgive. He commands us. God didn't say try to be kind. He said, "Be Kind, and Tender Hearted." He must Partake of God's Word daily. Receive it, Meditate on it, Speak it and Apply it. As we do the Word of God begins transforming us from the inside out. If you only give because you're supposed to, then you haven't transformed into a giver. When you give because you can't help it, then you become a blessing to many more people than you used to. You begin to look for ways to give. You can't wait for another opportunity to give. It is part of your very nature. As Preachers, we must be careful, so as not to take undue advantage of true givers. A true giver can't do anything other than what they are. They will always respond to a need. As Five Fold Ministers we are commanded to feed the flock of God. Why? We are what we eat. What sort of meals are you preparing in services? My friend, are you getting it yet? I don't want to be known as just being friendly to people. I want to be known as a "person's friend." I don't want to be known as a man that just did a kind act or two. I want to be known as a "kind man." I don't wnat to be known as a man that does a good thing every now and then. I want to become a "good man." People have asked me questions like, "How do you forgive that person when they don't deserve it? How do you still remain nice to them? How can you treat them like they are important to you?" All I can say to that is, "I can't help it; I love them. That's just the way I am." I may not agree with them or like everything they may or may not do.

Maybe people are convinced they are not supposed to forgive everyone? Or even give, period?

Don't stop trying. Keep applying.

The Word of God works in a progressive way:

Glory to Glory, Faith to Faith.

I see Christians constantly struggling to make the right decisions. They always seem to battle fear or doubt. Some are still trying not to lie or cheat. Some are afraid to give or are just plain stingy. They haven't become full of faith yet. They are still trying to be faithful. Don't give up. Don't stop trying. Keep applying. The Word of God works in a progressive way: Glory to Glory, Faith to Faith. John 8:36: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be freee indeed." John 8:32: "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Are you free yet? I'm not talking about your physical nature. I'm talking about your inner man. Meditate on these verses. 1 John 3:2-3: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." 1 John 3:7: "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous." 1 John 4:17: "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: becuase as he is, so are we in this world."

We are not God, thank God!

We should, however, resemble our Father.

Are you blessed now or in the future someday? Are you a child of God or are you still tyring to be? Are you saved and lost at the same time? Are you God's child and the devil's at the same time? Do we have a savior one day and not the next? Is God on the throne Sunday at church but not Monday through Saturday? Are there bitter and sweet words coming out of the same mouth? Are we sometimes happy but don't have constant joy?

Do we still struggly with jealousy, lust, envy and strife? These things are really products of generations consuming the wrong spiritual diet. We Become What We Eat. Matthew 4:4: "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." The Word will continually transform us into God's likeness and image. We are not God, thank God! We should, however, resemble our Father. Peter was a character while he was with Jesus. He had a terrible time with his flesh man. Denying Jesus, brawling, angry and so on. Remember it was Peter's writings that we used for the basis of this letter. After Jesus paid the ultimate price and sent the Holy Spirit, Peter became a partaker of the divine nature. His whole life began a transformation that affected generations. The man who had denied Jesus would eventually die for him. Miracles, signs and wonders were accomplished in his lifetime. He also let us know that we can obtain like precious faith.

When you became a born-again Christian,

you weren't finished in life.

You just began to build a new life.

The very world that despised Jesus didn't have a clue that he would die for their sins. How could God love us so much as to give His only begotten son for us? How could He with Him freely give us all things that pertain to life and godliness? That is what He is. Hebrews 12:2: "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." When you became a born-again Christian, you weren't finished in life. You just began to build a new life. Like a baby, you needed the right nourishment and love in order to grow up healthy and strong. When we obey the Word of God, it isn't the ending; it is a beginning. Our point of obedience is always a starting point, not an ending. Even if you have fallen and been away from the Lord, obey the Word again. The Word will immediately start producing results in you again. God wants you and I to continue in the faith and become more and more and more like Him. Ephesians 4:13: "Till we all come in the unity fo the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ", God isn't finished with us yet!

The body of Christ is becoming what God has destined us to become. People won't be able to push your button so easily as they used to. There won't be as many buttons to push. The old man must obey and give way to the new. 2 Cor. 5:17: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new." When we decided to become a born-again Christian, no one or nothing could stop the transformation. Nothing in the past, not even Satan himself could keep the Word and Spirit of God from being accomplished in us.

Continue consuming the Word of God.

Your spirit man knows exactly

how to assimilate it.

Philippians 2:13: "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Hebrews 13:21: "Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Trust God. Allow Him to make you what you need to be. Ask God to fill you with His precious Holy Spirit. Continue consuming the Word of God. Your spirit man knows exactly how to assimilate it. It doesn't take long to grow strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. You Can Be what God says you can be. You Can Do what God says you can do. You Are Who God says you are. Remember that You Are What You Eat.

by Ron Roper

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