BY GREG CRUM

“And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.” Acts 19:18-20

Here in the book of Acts we read of a mighty move of God in the city of Ephesus during the first century. Because of the Word of God that was preached and believed upon by many, that city was so changed that several of its inhabitants, who once worshipped and served demons, burned over 4 million of today’s dollars worth of books and material that they had cherished and profited from in their former lifestyles.

That’s a real outpouring, my friends, and an example of what God can do when people give Him the opportunity! Real change for the better can happen for countries, cities, towns, and communities when their people yield their hearts to the Lord.

So, last summer I did what no man I know likes to do: I undertook the task of cleaning out my clothes closet. It was something that I had needed to do for some time. I knew it, but I kept putting it off due in large part to the dread it inspired in me. I remember that first day spending about three hours culling out what needed to be culled from 30 to 40 years of old clothes and only getting about a third through the process. And, yeah, you heard that correctly: 30 to 40 years of clothing. Ridiculous, right? How does someone have a closet full of 30 to 40 years of old clothes? Good question.

Anyway, that first day, despite only getting about a third of the way through the process, I had made good progress. I was glad to be clearing out space in the closet and getting better organized. But one of the biggest benefits from that day’s work was a reminder of an important spiritual truth that the Lord brought to my attention.

As I was working that day the Lord reminded me that as we walk this walk with Him, we should be ever-changing, growing up, and becoming better fit for the lifestyle and positions that He has called us to in this life. We should be growing into some things and growing out of others. However, in order for sustained growth to occur, we have to make room for ourselves to grow, and sometimes that involves moving old things out of the way!

Ephesians 4:17-32 is a wonderful read. I encourage you to look it up and refresh your memory of God’s wisdom to those people that were so changed according to Acts 19. There we are told that in our new life in Christ there are things we should “put on” and others we should “take off.” In other words, change should be occurring as we grow in the Lord.

Change? I know—some people are averse to even the notion of change. Believe me, I understand, 30 to 40 year old clothes in the closet guy writing to you here. With that said, change is an agent God uses in our lives to clear out the old and stale and make room for the better things He has in store.

Friends, change can be the best thing that ever happens to us. If it’s from the Lord, that Godly shake-up can organize your life in such a way as to line you up for God’s best for you in the right now and in the future!

Greg Crum is the pastor of Calvary Temple in Lovely.