Lord, please help me to change - Judith Couchman

LORD, PI.EAS E HEL P M E T O CHANG E12SConsequently, i n ou r mind' s eye , w e need t o wres t th esledgehammer fro m our hand s and replac e i t with a two-wa y mir -ror. On on e side , w e view ourselves a s sinners i n desperate nee dof grace; o n th e othe r side , w e ca n choos e t o se e ourselve sthrough th e eye s of God's acceptance , compassion , an d forgive -ness. And wit h Hi s viewpoint, w e can respec t ourselve s enough t ochange.Amazing grace! how sweet the sound that saved a urretch like me! Ionce was lost, but now am found—was blind, Imt now I see. 28•PERSONAL CHECKPOIN T1. Hav e you "uglified " your need t o change? I f so, how ?2. I n your heart, hav e you grasped God' s viewpoint o f you?Paul describes God's lov e for us:GOD'S VIEWPOIN THe [Christ] is the One who created everything. His purpose was thatthrough the church all the rulers and powers in the heavenly world willnow know God's wisdom, which has so many forms. This agrees urith thepurpose God had since the beginning of time, and he carried out his planthrough Christ Jesus our Lord. In Christ we can come before God with freedomand without fear. We can do this through faith in Christ. So I askyou not to become discouraged. . . .I ask the Father in his great glory to give you the pouier to be stronginwardly through his Spirit. I pray that Christ will live in your hearts byfaith and that your life will be strong in love and be Iniilt on love. And 1pray that you and all God's holy people will have the power to understandthe greatness of Christ's love—how aide and how long and how high andhoiv deep that love is. Christ's love is greater than anyone can ever know,hit I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filledwith the fullness of God.With God's power working in us, God can do much, much more