Question 1

Does God ever change?

Accepted Answer

Lamentations 5:19Lord, you remain the same forever! Your throne continues from generation to generation.Malachi 3:6“I am the Lord, and I do not change.Hebrews 13:8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.James 1:17Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.Not only does God live forever, but his character remains unchanged forever. He is the God of eternal consistency.1 Peter 1:4We have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.Since God and his Word never change, his promises never change either! This gives you assurance that eternal life in heaven is a reality and will be as wonderful as the Bible says.

Question 2

Where can I find security and hope in the midst of tumult and change?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 46:1-2God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.Psalm 59:10In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me.No matter how much your life changes, no matter what new situations you face, God goes with you and you can always count on his unfailing love to help, guide, and care for you. Faith is the answer to fear.Hebrews 13:8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.In the midst of change, maintain your faith in Jesus Christ, whose love and grace are constant.Mark 13:31“Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.”The truths and advice in the Bible apply to all people in all cultures over all time. This is important because the standards of living by the Word of God always apply and can be counted on to work for you every single day. As you face change, constantly turn to God’s unchanging word to maintain your perspective and to give your life direction and a rock-solid foundation.Psalm 102:25-26Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. They will perish, but you remain forever.Lamentations 5:19Lord, you remain the same forever! Your throne continues from generation to generation.Malachi 3:6“I am the Lord, and I do not change.”James 1:17Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.God’s character is unchanging and thus completely reliable. He is a secure anchor in every storm. People may make promises one day and disappoint you the next—sin or circumstances beyond their control prevent them from keeping their promises. God’s faithfulness and love, however, are not subject to the fluctuations of time, space, or human frailty. You will never suffer because of God’s fickle whims, irrational mood swings, or inability to handle the circumstances. In the midst of tumult and change, remember that he doesn’t change and neither do his promises.

Question 3

How do I find the courage to face change?

Accepted Answer

Genesis 37:28; 41:39-41So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt. . . . Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, . . . You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours. . . . I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.”Matthew 1:20, 24An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.” . . . When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.Romans 8:28We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.Don’t become overly anxious. Sometimes change seems to be for the worse. At those times, you may feel like you’re going to fall apart. When such change occurs, remember that traumatic, unpredictable, and unfair change never trumps God’s will. Nothing takes him by surprise. No change occurs that he does not allow and that he cannot redeem.2 Samuel 4:1When Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, heard about Abner’s death at Hebron, he lost all courage, and all Israel became paralyzed with fear.Ishbosheth had his future tied up in a particular person—Abner—who then died, leaving Ishbosheth terrified. If you take all of your courage from another person, you will be left with nothing when that person is gone. It’s good to have friends and advisors who help you through change, but don’t forget to trust in God. He will give you the strength to go on even when circumstances collapse around you.Genesis 46:3“Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make your family into a great nation.”Change will be part of God’s plan for you. What you are headed into will give you joy and satisfaction beyond your expectations. Remember, the greatest advances in life come through change.Exodus 4:13Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”Change can be scary—especially when you sense God is calling you to something difficult. To experience fear is normal, but to be paralyzed by fear can be an indication that you doubt God’s ability to care for you in the face of change. Find courage to face change by remembering that God is watching over you. He will never give you something you can’t handle.

Question 4

How do I change the areas in my life that need to be changed?

Accepted Answer

Luke 5:32I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.Luke 19:8-10Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”Acts 3:19Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.You can change your life by repenting of your sins. This is the greatest change in your life you could ever make. A personal encounter with Jesus Christ begins with this most important change. You don’t need to feel ashamed about repenting—in fact, all people need to repent because everyone sins. Repentance simply means becoming aware of your sins, asking Jesus to forgive you, and then determining (like the tax collector Zacchaeus) to stay away from those sins, try to make things right, and move forward in obedience to God’s plan.John 8:10-11Then Jesus . . . said to the [adulterous] woman, “. . . Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”Romans 5:8God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.Have faith in God’s mercy and kindness. You do not change in order to receive God’s love—he showed his love for you by sending Christ to die while you were still a sinner. Instead, you change as you respond to God’s love in faith and repentance. God loves you in spite of your past—every day is your opportunity to “go and sin no more!”Psalm 51:10Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.Romans 12:2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.Ephesians 4:23-24Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.Colossians 3:10Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.For real and dynamic change to occur in your life, God has to transform you, giving you a new way of thinking. Ask him to do that, and he will help you focus on what is true and good and right. Then you begin to see the new you with a new nature as a person who displays God’s good, holy, and true spirit. Be patient with yourself. Change is often a slow process.2 Corinthians 5:17This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!Philippians 1:6I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.A great work takes a long time to complete. You become a believer the moment you accept Jesus, but the process of transformation into being like him takes a lifetime. Your new life has indeed begun, even though change often comes slowly and sometimes with setbacks. Remember that God’s work in you is relentless and certain. He will keep on working in you until the day you die or the day he returns.Luke 18:13-14“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”Pray. Prayer creates the atmosphere and opens the way for change to take place. Humbly talk to God—tell him your fears and worries. Confess to him when you know you’ve done wrong. Constant communication with God will help you experience change.Psalm 1:2-3They delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.Mark 4:20“And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”2 Timothy 3:16-17All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.The truth of God’s Word produces change in your life when you allow it to penetrate deep into your heart, plant it securely, and let it grow to produce a harvest of good thoughts and actions. Read God’s Word. Delight in it. Let it teach you, for it is how God will speak to you. It will show you how you need to change by teaching you what is true, correcting you, showing you when you’re doing wrong, and helping you to do right. It will prepare and equip you to serve God.

Question 5

How do I promote positive change in others?

Accepted Answer

2 Timothy 2:23-25Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.Colossians 3:16Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives.Sometimes you will accomplish more when you don’t try to change others but point them to God so that he can do the changing.

Question 6

Are there any unchanging principles that can help me stay anchored?

Accepted Answer

Isaiah 40:8“The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.”Mark 13:31“Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.”God’s Word gives the truth that never changes. You can stay anchored even in the midst of change and chaos when you listen—not to voices of public opinion—but to God.

Question 7

How do leaders manage change?

Accepted Answer

Acts 10:45-48The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked, “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.Acts 15:1-2While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers: “Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.” Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question.One of the primary tasks of a leader is responding to, initiating, and managing change. Jesus’ early followers faced major changes, especially as the Gentiles entered into the community of faith. Many of the leaders were critical of this change—that God was accepting Gentiles—because change wasn’t occurring the way they thought it would or should. But God is in the change business. Good leaders, whether in the church or elsewhere, understand both the necessity for change and the tensions that come with their calling.