Rom 8:29

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image

of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

(KJV)

I'M GETTING A MAKEOVER

NOW I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK I SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF TIME

WATCHING THESE TALK SHOWS. I DON'T MIND TELLING YOU THAT I

DON'T GET ANY JOY OUT OF WATCHING THEM. I'M KINDA LIKE PAUL IN

THE SENSE THAT SOME THINGS SHOULD NOT EVEN BE SPOKEN OF. YES, I

KNOW PEOPLE ARE DOING ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS BUT THAT

DOESN'T MEAN I NEED TO BE EXPOSED TO IT. SO GENERALLY WHAT I DO

IS CHANGE THE CHANNEL. YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY BEFORE THAT THE

HUMAN MIND IS POLLUTED AS A RESULT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD

AND EVIL THAT WE INHERITED FROM ADAM. YOU CAN TURN THE T.V.

OFF AND THINK OF EVIL. BUT WITH THAT IN MIND, I CERTAINLY DON'T

NEED ANY HELP. I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL AS TO THE MUSIC I LISTEN TO

AND THE STUFF I WATCH ON T.V. BECAUSE AS MOST OF US CAN ADMIT,

WE DON'T NEED ANY HELP COMING UP WITH EVIL. BUT IN MY SCANNING

THE CHANNELS, EVERY NOW AND THEN I COME ACROSS A TALK SHOW

OR I SEE AN ADVERTISMENT ABOUT A TALK SHOW AND NOTICE THAT

ONE THING MANY OF THEM LIKE TO DO IS MAKEOVERS. SOME MOTHER

OR FATHER, HUSBAND OR WIFE IS DISSATISFIED WITH THE WAY

SOMEONE CLOSE TO THEM LOOKS OR DRESSES AND THEY SUPRISE THEM

WITH A MAKEOVER. WELL, I'VE STOPPED BY THIS MORNING TO TELL YOU

THAT GOD IS NOT AT ALL SATISFIED WITH THE WAY WE LOOK. HE IS NOT

SATISFIED WITH OUR BEHAVIOR OUR ATTITUDE OUR CONVERSATION OR

OUR LIFESTYLE AND MANY TIMES I'M OBLIVIOUS TO THE STUFF

HAPPENING IN MY LIFE BUT GOD HAS AWOKEN ME TO THE REALIZATION

THAT I'M GETTING A MAKEOVER. AND JUST LIKE ON THE TALK SHOWS,

MOST FOLK DON'T VOLUNTEER FOR THE MAKEOVERS, THEY USUALLY

GET DUPED INTO IT. AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT HAVE YOU

EVER BEEN IN THE MIDST OF SOME TROUBLING TRIAL OR SOME

PERPLEXING PROBLEM AND YOU COULDN'T FIGURE OUT JUST WHY YOU

WERE GOING THROUGH WHAT YOU WERE GOING THROUGH, WELL, GOD

WANT'S YOU TO KNOW THAT HE HAS SIGNED YOU UP FOR A MAKEOVER.

NOW WE LIKE TO QUOTE THE VERSE THAT SAYS EVERY GOOD AND

PERFECT GIFT COMES FROM ABOVE. MAKE NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, ALL OF

MY BLESSINGS, ALL OF MY BENEFITS COME FROM GOD. BUT YOU CAN'T

AUTOMATICALLY DRAW OUT OF THAT VERSE THAT JUST BECAUSE

EVERY GOOD GIFT AND EVERY PERFECT GIFT COMES FROM ABOVE THAT

EVERY BAD GIFT COMES FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE. WHEN THE BIBLE

SAYS THE STEPS OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN ARE ORDERED BY THE LORD, I

WANT TO SUGGEST TO YOU THAT THOSE STEPS ARE NOT ALWAYS SOFT

AND CUSHIONY. THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS SMOOTH AND WITHOUT

TURBULENCE. EVERY NOW AND THEN GOD DIRECTS AND NAVIGATES US

THROUGH SOME POT HOLES AND SOME MOUNTAINS AND MOLEHILLS.

GOD ORDERS OUR STEPS BASED UPON NOT ONLY WHERE HE'S TRYING TO

GET US. MOST OF US ARE ONLY CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING TO

HEAVEN. THAT'S OUR GOAL, IF I CAN JUST MAKE IT TO HEAVEN. BUT

LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, CHRIST DIDN'T JUST DIE TO GET US INTO

HEAVEN, HE DIED TO GET SOME HEAVEN INTO US. HE DIDN'T JUST DIE TO

RESCUE US OUT OF HELL, HE CAME TO GET SOME HELL OUT OF US. THE

CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, KNEW WHERE GOD WANTED THEM TO GO. AND

THEY LEFT EGYPT SO THAT SUGGESTS TO US THAT THEY WERE WILLING

TO GO THERE. OH YES, ANY SANE INDIVIDUAL WANTS TO GO TO A LAND

OF MILK AND HONEY, A LAND WHERE THE HOUSES ARE ALREADY BUILT

THE CROPS ARE ALREADY PLANTED. BUT WHAT THEY FAILED TO

REALIZE IS THAT GOD'S GOAL FOR THEM WAS NOT JUST GETTIING THEM

TO A LAND OF FAVOR AND GRACE, OF BEAUTY AND GLORY, OF PEACE

AND CONTENTMENT, GOD WANTED TO GET SOME FAVOR AND GRACE IN

THEM, HE WANTED BEAUTY AND GLORY IN THEM, HE WANTED PEACE

AND CONTENTMENT IN THEM AND SO BEFORE HE LET THEM GET TO THE

PROMISED LAND, HE MADE THEM WANDER IN THE WILDERNESS, HE SENT

THEM THROUGH SOME TRIALS AND TROUBLES, HE WAS GIVING THEM A

MAKEOVER.

NOW IF YOU'VE WATCHED THESE SHOWS ON MAKEOVERS, YOU'LL

NOTICE THAT THE HINDRANCE TO GETTING A MAKEOVER IS ALWAYS

TIED UP IN WHAT THE PERSON THINKS OF THEMSELVES. MOST OF THOSE

WHO ARE ENLISTED TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS LIKE THE WAY THEY

LOOK. THEY LIKE THEIR HAIR LIKE IT IS. THEY LIKE THE WAY THEY

DRESS. THEY LIKE THEIR GLASSES AND THE STYLE OF CLOTHES THEY

WEAR. MANY REALLY AREN'T INTERESTED IN WHAT OTHER FOLK SAY

ABOUT THEM. THEY ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THEMSELVES AS THEY

ARE. AND LET ME TELL YOU, THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE BARRIER TO

SPIRITUAL MAKEOVERS. THAT'S WHY PRIDE IS SUCH A DANGEROUS

THING. WHEN YOU THINK YOU'RE ALL THAT AND A BAG OF CHIPS,

YOU'RE MISSING SOMETHING. WHEN YOU THINK YOU'RE CUTE AND

YOU'RE FINE, I ASSURE YOU, YOU'RE MISSING SOMETHING. WHEN YOU

THINK THAT CAN'T NOBODY PUT IT TOGETHER LIKE YOU PUT IT

TOGETHER. YOU KNOW YOU'RE SHARP. STILL WEARING DOUBLE KNIT

SUITS AND BUTTERFLY COLLARS BUT YOU KNOW YOU'RE SHARP. STILL

WEARING JORDACHE JEANS AND A BOX HAIRCUT BUT THINKING IN YOUR

MIND THAT YOU GOT IT GOING ON. WELL BABY, YOU AIN'T GOT IT GOING

ON, AS A MATTER OF FACT YOU NEED TO GO ON AND GET A MAKEOVER.

IT'S THE SAME THING IN THE SPIRITUAL. FOLK THINKING I GOT IT

TOGETHER. CAN'T NOBODY PRAY LIKE I CAN PRAY. CAN'T NOBODY SING

LIKE I CAN SING. AND THAT'S WHY SOME FOLK DON'T LIKE TO GO

NOWHERE OR BE EXPOSED TO ANYTHING DIFFERENT BECAUSE THEY'RE

SO AFRAID THAT SOMEBODY IS GONNA SHOW THEM UP. SO AFRAID

THAT SOMEBODY WILL WALK AWAY LOOKING BETTER THAN THEY DO.

BUT I BELIEVE THE REAL CHRISTIAN OUGHT TO WANT TO DO HIS OR HER

BEST. THE REAL CHRISTIAN REMEMBERS THAT EVERYTHING WE DO IN

WORD OR IN DEED OUGHT TO BE DONE AS UNTO THE LORD. SO COME ON

AND SHOW ME UP. SHOW ME HOW I CAN IMPROVE MYSELF. SHOW ME

HOW I CAN GET A LITTLE CLOSER TO PERFECTION. BUT MOST OF US LIKE

THE WAY WE LOOK, WE LIKE THE WAY WE ARE BUT IF YOU HAVE BEEN

CHOSEN, IF YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT GOD

IS GOING TO GIVE YOU A MAKEOVER.

LORD WHY AM I GOING THROUGH THIS TROUBLE, MAKEOVER

LORD WHY AM I EXPERIENCING THIS SICKNESS OR FAMILY PROBLEM,

MAKEOVER

WHY IS IT RAINING IN MY LIFE, MAKEOVER

AND I MAY AS WELL TELL YOU THAT NOT ALL OF YOUR MAKEOVER

EXPERIENCE IS BAD. YEAH WHEN YOU GO IN TO GET A PHYSICAL

MAKEOVER THERE IS ALWAYS A LOT OF GETTING RID OF. A LOT OF

HARSH THINGS YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH. THEY HAVE TO CUT AWAY

YOUR HAIR, THEY HAVE TO EXFOLIATE YOUR SKIN THEY HAVE TO CLIP

YOUR NAILS AND SCRUB YOUR FEET. BUT DON'T MISS THE FACT THAT A

PART OF YOUR MAKEOVER INCLUDES SOME BLESSINGS. IF YOU'VE EVER

HAD A STEAM FACIAL AND A FULL BODY MASSAGE, WELL THAT'S A PART

OF YOUR MAKEOVER, AND MOST FOLK ENJOY THAT. BUT WE

GENERALLY MISS THE BLESSINGS ALL TOGETHER. WE DON'T MIND

SAYING GOD IS WHIPPING ME TO GET ME LIKE HE WANTS ME TO BE. BUT

YOU NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT HE ALSO BLESSES US FOR THE SAME

REASON. I THINK IN PSYCHOLOGY IT'S CALLED POSITIVE

REINFORCEMENT. FOR INSTANCE, WHEN A CHILD IS DISOBEDIENT, YOU

WHIP HIM WELL YOU USED TO BUT NOW YOU'LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH

CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES. I WISH THEY HAD HAD THAT MESS WHEN I

WAS GROWING UP. I WISH I WOULD HAVE CALLED 911 ON MY MOMMA OR

DADDY. THEY WOULD STILL BE ON DEATH ROW. BUT GENERALLY WHEN

A CHILD MESSES UP, YOU PUNISH HIM TO LET HIM KNOW HE HAS DONE

WRONG. BUT WHEN THAT SAME CHILD DOES WELL AND GETS THINGS

TOGETHER, YOU DON'T GO ON WHIPPING HIM DO YOU. NO YOU GIVE HIM

SOME POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT. YOU TELL HIM YOU'VE DONE WELL

TODAY. YOU TELL HIM, I'M PROUD OF YOU. YOU TAKE HIM TO THE ICE

CREAM STORE OR THE BURGER PLACE BECAUSE YOU WANT TO REWARD

HIM. WELL I BELIEVE THAT EVERY BLESSING IS GOD GIVING ME POSITIVE

REINFORCEMENT. I BELIEVE THAT EVERY TIME SOMETHING GOOD

COMES UP IN MY LIFE, IT'S GOD TELLING ME YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT

TRACK NOW.

WE ALL NEED A MAKEOVER AND IF GOD HAS REALLY CHOSEN YOU,

WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, YOU'RE GOING TO GET ONE. I BELIEVE I

HAVE SOME WITNESSES HERE WHO KNOW THAT GOD HAS A WAY, TO GET

US IN LINE. GOD HAS A WAY OF GETTING US ON TRACK. IT MAY NOT BE

EASY, IT MAY NOT BE PLEASANT, BUT GOD IS CONFORMING US INTO THE

IMAGE OF HIS SON. HE HAS TO PUT THE CLIPPERS ON ME EVERY NOW

AND THEN, HE HAS TO USE HARSH ELEMENTS AND COARSE MATERIALS

SOMETIMES TO CLEAN ME UP. BUT WHEN I COME OUT AND WHEN I COME

THROUGH, BECAUSE THE GOOD THING ABOUT IT IS WE ARE GOING

THROUGH. DAVID SAID YEA THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF

THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL, FOR THOU ART WITH ME.

HE TAKES ME THROUGH THE STORM SOMETIMES, BUT HE'S WITH ME. HE

TAKES ME THROUGH THE VALLEY SOMETIMES TO BE TEMPTED BY THE

DEVIL, BUT HE'S WITH ME. HE TAKES ME THROUGH SOME HEARTACHES

AND DISAPPOINTMENTS, BUT HE'S WITH ME. IT GET'S HARD SOMETIMES,

BUT HE'S WITH ME. I HAVE TO CRY SOMETIMES, BUT HE'S WITH ME. MY

WAY GET'S DARK AND MY BURDENS GET HEAVY, BUT HE'S WITH ME. I

MAY FEEL THAT I'M ALL BY MYSELF, BUT HE'S WITH ME. AND IF GOD IS

WITH YOU, YOU WILL GO THROUGH, YOU WILL COME OUT AND WHEN

YOU COME OUT, YOU'LL COME OUT AS PURE GOLD. THE BIBLE SAYS, WE

KNOW NOT 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.