Let’s be honest.

Sometimes we want God to accept our lifestyles without requiring anything from us to change.

We want Jesus as Savior, but sometimes we struggle with allowing Him to truly be Lord.

We want God to bless us, favor us, forgive us, protect us, and provide for us. But what happens when God begins dealing with the things in our lives that don’t line up with His Word?

What happens when He says:

That attitude has to go.

Forgive them.

Stop lying.

Stop gossiping.

Let go of the bitterness.

Walk away from sexual immorality.

Stop allowing alcohol, drugs, money, lust, pride, jealousy, anger, or anything else to control you.

REPENT.

This Christian walk is not about asking God to conform His Word to fit the lifestyles we have chosen.

GOD IS NOT CONFORMING TO US!

We are supposed to be transformed by Him.

And before we start thinking about somebody else who needs to hear this, let’s stop right there.

This message is for ALL OF US.

Sometimes we praise God on Sunday and mistreat people on Monday.

Sometimes we ask God to forgive us while refusing to forgive others.

Sometimes we say, “God knows my heart,” as if that means God approves of everything in it.

Yes, God knows our hearts.

And maybe that is exactly why He is trying to change some things in them.

Following Jesus should change us.

It should affect how we speak, how we treat people, our relationships, our decisions, what we allow to control us, and how we live when nobody else is watching.

This doesn’t mean Christians don’t struggle.

WE DO.

We fall.

We make mistakes.

We need God’s grace every single day.

But there is a difference between struggling with something and surrendering that struggle to God and deliberately choosing a lifestyle that contradicts His Word while expecting Him to approve it.

Grace is not permission to remain unchanged.

Sometimes the Holy Ghost comforts us.

Sometimes the Holy Ghost strengthens us.

And sometimes the Holy Ghost convicts us.

We need all of it.

So tonight, instead of asking God to approve everything about the lives we’re already living, maybe our prayer needs to become:

Lord, show me ME.

Show me where I have compromised.

Show me what I have normalized that doesn’t please You.

Show me what needs to change.

Show me what needs to go.

And give me the strength to surrender it.

Because we don’t need Jesus to become more like us.

WE NEED TO BECOME MORE LIKE JESUS!

Our feelings are not Lord.

Our desires are not Lord.

Culture is not Lord.

Popularity is not Lord.

JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!

And if His Word confronts something in my life, I don’t want to ask God to change His Word.

I want enough humility to say:

Lord, change ME.

Renew my mind.

Correct my thinking.

Change my heart.

Strengthen my obedience.

Show me where I’m wrong.

Convict me where I have compromised.

And give me the courage to surrender what You tell me to surrender.

Don’t conform to me, Lord.

TRANSFORM ME!

I don’t want to simply say I belong to Jesus.

I want my life to reflect the Jesus I proclaim.

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, in the mighty and matchless name of Jesus Christ, tonight we ask You to search our hearts. Before we look at somebody else, Lord, show us ourselves. Reveal anything in our attitudes, habits, relationships, decisions, or lifestyles that does not line up with Your Word. Forgive us for the times we have tried to justify what You were trying to correct. Give us the courage to surrender what needs to go. Renew our minds, change our hearts, strengthen our obedience, and help our lives reflect the Jesus we proclaim with our mouths. We are not asking You to conform to us. Lord, TRANSFORM US. Make us more like Jesus, because our foundation remains now and forever: JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. In the mighty and matchless name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.