TRANSFORMING PROCESS
“…And in the PROCESS of time “IT” CAME TO PASS…” (Genesis 4:3 KJV).
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A PROCESS, of any kind, involves a sequence of actions or movements that effect forward changes. “…And in the PROCESS of time IT CAME TO PASS…” (Genesis 4:3 KJV). These forward changes can be a gradual, or rapid, or extremely slow, or steady procession of activities.
Regardless of how fast or how slow the PROCESS; it is ALWAYS a continuous sequence of actions or movements with a definite purpose and end result. “…Through this PROCESS the priest will purify you from your sin, MAKING YOU RIGHT with the Lord, and you will be forgiven.…” (Leviticus 5:10 NLT).
PROCESS aims to move or carry things or individuals forward and the sequence of actions or movements often seem non-existence or practically invisible. “…walk BY FAITH...” (2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV).
The sequence of actions or movements, in a PROCESS, are individual tasks or procedures that ALL link together to produce a goal or reach an end result. “…Then he must bathe himself with water in a sacred place, (NEXT)put on his regular garments, and (NEXT)go out to sacrifice a burnt offering for himself and a burnt offering for the people. Through this PROCESS, he will purify himself and the people, making them right with the Lord….” (Leviticus 16:24 NLT).
The PROCESS of sequences and actions is about a thing or possibly an individual BECOMING altered through this procession of forward movements. “…Through this PROCESS, HE MADE the altar holy by purifying it…” (Leviticus 8:5 NLT).
Eventually, PROCESS will produce a result after a certain amount of time. “…And in the PROCESS of time “IT” CAME TO PASS…” (Genesis 4:3 KJV).
Further, PROCESS is a sequence of actions and movements that require a certain amount of time and particular tasks or procedures that work together. “...ALL THINGS work (PROCESS) together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE…” (ROMANS 8:28 KJV).
In other words, PROCESS involves TIME and the WORKING together of tasks or procedures.
When does PROCESS happen? PROCESS is a part of daily life. We constantly find ourselves involved in a sequence of actions and movements in order to get things done. You may be in the PROCESS of getting dressed for work, or the process of cooking breakfast for the family, or in the process of helping your boss with a project at work, or in the process of checking your social media sights, or in the process of making a cake, or in the process of having a board meeting.
PROCESS is a daily experience and usually when you finish the tasks or procedures you will be done. However, there are exceptions. There are some PROCESSES that take time. If you are in the PROCESS of losing weight or building muscles; this takes a little more time such as weeks or months.
Why is PROCESS necessary? Without PROCESS nothing would ever get done. The priest in the following scripture had to bathe himself, put on his regular clothes, and go out in order to do the sacrifices required for himself and the people.
It was the process necessary to make himself and the people RIGHT with God. “…Then he must bathe himself with water in a sacred place, put on his regular garments, and go out to sacrifice a burnt offering for himself and a burnt offering for the people. Through this PROCESS, he will purify himself and the people, making them right with the Lord….” (Leviticus 16:24 NLT).
How is PROCESS accomplished? PROCESS is accomplished by following the sequence of actions or movements required for a particular task or procedure to be completed. If you want to make a specific cake; you will follow a sequence of instructions (actions) in order to make it. If you don’t follow the sequence of instructions (actions) the cake won’t get done.
Some daily PROCESS is routine: getting dressed, going to work, taking care of yourself and family, grocery shopping, driving to appointments, and/or exercising. Normal, daily PROCESS has a start and an end. We can pretty much control or get a grip on daily, routine PROCESS.
What about those abnormal, rare, uninvited, and uncontrollable PROCESSES? Those PROCESSES that have a start and end too, but you don’t know how long it will take, or when it will be over, or everything you need to get it completed?
Those unexpected PROCESSES cause you to have faith in Romans 8:29: “...ALL THINGS work (PROCESS) together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE…” (ROMANS 8:28 KJV). “…And in the PROCESS of time “IT” CAME TO PASS…” (Genesis 4:3 KJV).
However, usually you don’t know what the “things” are that are working together for good (the end result). “...ALL “THINGS” work (PROCESS) together …” (ROMANS 8:28 KJV). You don’t know the time factor. “…And in the PROCESS of “TIME”…” (Genesis 4:3 KJV). You don’t even know the sequence of actions or movements necessary to complete the PROCESS or make it move forward like you would prefer. “…walk BY FAITH...” (2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV).
This is the challenge of PROCESS. Most people get tired of routine or mundane PROCESSES and look for more convenient ways to get through or short-cut the sequence of actions and movements it takes to finish a particular task or procedure.
When the PROCESS of cooking dinner every day became inconvenient FAST foods or pre-cooked meals gained popularity. When the old-fashion way of calling people or visiting them became inconvenient social media gained popularity.
Making PROCESS convenient eliminates many of the routine and mundane sequences of actions and movements and reduces the time allotted to those tasks or procedures.
However, God has NOT changed his method of PROCESS. “…I am the Lord, I change NOT…” (Malachi 3:6 KJV). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NIV).
God does NOT reduce the sequence of actions or movements nor does he limit the time for the PROCESS of task or procedures necessary to complete a WORK in your life. “…And in the PROCESS of time “IT” CAME TO PASS…” (Genesis 4:3 KJV).
PROCESS HAS A PURPOSE. “...ALL THINGS work (PROCESS) together for GOOD to them that love God, to them who are the called ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE…” (ROMANS 8:28 KJV).
Without going through the sequence of actions and movements you will NEVER see the end results of what God has in mind for you. “…Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV).
The part you don’t like the most in PROCESS has the most IMPACT on your future blessings. Routine, mundane, and allotted time are the most important part of PROCESS with a PURPOSE.
Routine or repetitiveness gives people their sense of security or control where skills, abilities, and self-discipline can develop in a liable place.
Mundane or ordinary circumstances give people consistency, predictability, and normality where a sense of self is developed without chaos or confusion.
Allotted time, or seasons, or phases give people a sense of calmness where self can progressively develop without rushing or hurrying through tasks and procedures.
Routine, mundane, and allotted time are the most important part of PROCESS with a PURPOSE because they are the components God uses to DEVELOP you. Develop means to grow or change.
PROCESS WITH A PURPOSE serves God’s main goal or end result for your life. “… GROW (develop) in the GRACE and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” (2 Timothy 3:18 NIV). “…Be conformed to the image of his Son...” (ROMANS 8:29 KJV). “…until we …become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ…” (Ephesians 4:14 NIV). “… [Therefore]… we all … are changed (developed) into the same image [of Christ] from glory to glory …” (2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV).
PROCESS WITH A PURPOSE includes the development of Christlikeness. The PROCESS involves a sequence of actions and movements that require tasks and procedures that result in You being just like Christ. “… GROW (develop) in the GRACE and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” (2 Timothy 3:18 NIV). “… [change]… into the SAME IMAGE …” (2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV).) “…[the]…image of HIS SON...” (ROMANS 8:29 KJV). “…[into the]…fullness of CHRIST…” (Ephesians 4:14 NIV).
How does the PROCESS WITH A PURPOSE begin? First, God gives you a NEW HEART. “…I WILL GIVE you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart…” (Ezekiel 36:26 NLT).
Second, upon salvation God plants the seed of Christ in your heart. “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ…” (Galatians 3:16 KJV).
Third, your heart is now considered good soil. “…Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred…” (Mark 4:3-8 NLT).
Fourth, the seed of Christ will die and germinate (develop) in your heart. "…Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat (seed) falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit….” (John 12:24 NASB).
Fifth, the seed of Christ will duplicate himself. “…Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good….” (Genesis 1:24-25 NLT).
PROCESS with a PURPOSE will include, along with routine, mundane activities, long stretches of time, training, practice, shaping, conditioning, and molding.
Training means to strengthen one’s information skills and abilities through a sequence of actions and movements that include tasks or procedures which result in gaining knowledge was there was none. Training repairs, or replaces, or develops weaknesses, informs, and builds strengths. “… GROW (develop) in the GRACE and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” (2 Timothy 3:18 NIV).
Practice is the work that is required to sustain or cement those new skills and strengths. Practice “is” the sequence of actions or movements that include REPETITIVE tasks and procedures which adjust, adapt, or refine one’s new skills and abilities. “…Be conformed to the image of his Son...” (ROMANS 8:29 KJV).
Training for new skills and abilities and having them practiced is the ideal way to SHAPE new behavior. Shaping (transforming) happens when you want another behavior (skill or ability) that may not be currently present in the individual’s character created. Shaping “is” the sequence of actions or movements that include step-by-step tasks and procedures which become the agent that actually builds one’s new, transformed skills and abilities. “…transformed by the renewing (shaping) of [my] mind….” (Romans 12:2 KJV).
Conditioning is when training, practice, and shaping become a natural, habitually response that continually improves or maintains one’s new skills and abilities. Conditioning “is” the sequence of actions or movements that involve routine tasks which eventually become a natural or effortless response that refines and keeps up one’s new skills and abilities. “…until we …become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ…” (Ephesians 4:14 NIV).
Molding becomes apparent when the sequence of actions and movements from specific tasks result in a new skill or ability one desires to repeat. Molding, therefore, “is” the sequence of actions or movements from specific tasks which produced a targeted outcome one desires to repeat over and over again. “… [Therefore]… we all … are changed (molded) into the same image [of Christ] from glory to glory …” (2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV).
I don’t know anyone who likes the PROCESS of PURPOSE. As exciting as the outcome of PROCESS may be much of it is routine, mundane, and time-consuming. Yet to benefit from the untold blessings and miraculously favors that only PROCESS brings it is a necessary journey.
I have been through much PROCESS. I have experienced many BLESSINGS!! I am proud to say because of PROCESS I am what I am. “…by the grace of God I am what I am…” (1 Corinthians 15:10 NIV).
I will say, most people will abort the PROCESS. We live in convenient and short-cut times where instant results are preferred. God says, “…"This is the way; walk in it…" Isaiah 30:21 NIV). “…I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye…” (Psalms 32:8 KJV).
The PROCESS of PURPOSE is God’s decision and not man’s to decide. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way” (Psalms 37:23 KJV). “…Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God ….which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go….” (Isaiah 48:17 KJV).
Unless you go the way of PROCESS God has set for you; you won’t finish the journey triumphantly like God intended.
God told Lot to escape to the mountains, but it was more convenient to go to the city, Zoar, which means small, so Lot went there. Eventually, he had to go to the mountains, but by that time, he had become small-minded (Zoar) and ended up living in a cave once he got to the mountain. “…Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.” Then Lot said to them, “Please, no, my lords! Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die. See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.” And he said to him, “….Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. [Eventually]… Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountains ….for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt in a cave…” (Genesis 19:18-21, 30).
PROCESS HAS A PURPOSE so endure it by faith.
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