Transformation 4-23-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are my example and my standard, my mentor and my guide. By Your grace, I choose to follow You as You make me more like You each day. When I sin, convict me; when I stray, correct me; when I slumber, awake me. I don't want to settle for anything less. Like all Your children, I am created to be conformed into Your image -- step by step and day by day. ... "Thus it is written, 'The first man, Adam, became a living being'; the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second Man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the Man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the Man of heaven" (1 Corinthians 15.45-49). Like the metamorphosis of the caterpillar into a butterfly, we may begin like a worm crawling in the dust of the earth in our flesh; but we are created for glory to fly in the freedom of Your heavens in the beauty of holiness. As we behold You, You are changing us. As we gather in to the cocoon of prayer alone with You each day, we are being transformed by Your presence. First the physical, then the spiritual. First we make the choice of complete surrender and total submission in humility and faith, then we receive the blessing of the transformation of our souls into Your nature (2 Peter 1.3-4). "Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the Truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring Word of God" (1 Peter 1.22-23). Yes, Lord. Convict us, correct us, awaken us that we may arise into newness of life each day in Your process of transformation. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe/reply please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- "preparing the way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com Our mailing address: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502. God bless you!