I. Am. Changed (Intro)

This is the first Sunday of Lent. Lent is the 40 day period that started last Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, that lead up to Easter. Now, the “Lord” I’m referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil, we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Cor 3:17-18 You see, sadly sometimes we sometimes live as if the only thing that matters is believing the right thing and that we do not need to do that which we believe. Actually, correct belief should cause correct action. In one of Jesus’ conversations with his disciples, he gives the analogy of trees and the fruits they produce. He says you will know a tree by the fruit it produces. A good fruit, meaning it is good on the inside, goes on to produce good fruit. Similarly, if there has to be with us on the outside to show what God has done inside us. We cannot be changed on the inside and have it produce no change on the outside. The change we are to see, the growth from one glory to another is borne out of a long obedience in the same direction.