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Changed: Experiencing God's Transforming Power
How do we change? Many of us lose heart as we are confronted with our character weaknesses, personality flaws, and habitual sins. Changed explores the wonderful mystery of the Christian life…we do not change, we are changed! This study of the beatitudes is our best tool for personal, one-to-one and small group discipleship. Excellent for classes & bible studies.
- GenresChristianity
220 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
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About the author
Bill Mills
79 books5 followersBill Mills is the founder of Leadership Resources International, a global mission based in the Chicago, Illinois area. Bill's career has been focused on encouraging churches in the West and equipping pastoral leaders in the developing world. Bill also serves as a staff pastor in his home church.
Leadership Resources International trains pastors to preach God's Word with God's heart in the US and around the world. For more information about God's amazing work through their Training National Trainers program and US initiatives, please visit www.leadershipresources.org.
Leadership Resources International trains pastors to preach God's Word with God's heart in the US and around the world. For more information about God's amazing work through their Training National Trainers program and US initiatives, please visit www.leadershipresources.org.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 29, 2013
This is a simple book designed for small-group bible study on a popular theme: the beatitudes. It is organised in the sense that it focuses on one individual christian virtue per chapter:
1.life in a new kingdom – on poor in spirit – the importance of humility
2.motivated by his love- on mourning – the importance of compassion
3.the heart of a servant – on meekness- the importance of service
4.a desire for godliness – on hungering for righteousness – the importance drinking the living water
5.responding with our Father’s compassion – on mercy – the importance of forgiving
6.life with a single focus – on pure in heart – the freedom from bondage and the importance of consecration
7.the pursuit of peace – on the peacemakers – the freedom from sin and the importance of reconciliation
8.lights shining in the darkness – on persecution for righteousness’ sake – the importance of courage and patience
The questions behind every chapter help facilitate small-group discussions.
The beatitudes is an interesting combination, many see them as an imperative-outcome relation as in we can read for example, “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God” as “thus if you desire the kingdom of God, you need to be poor in spirit” like what the author is doing. This approach is much easier to come out with a book cos it’s prescriptive in nature – that is, telling people what they should do.
And that’s why the title is named as such – you dun change but you are changed.
In fact, all the books i have read on the beatitudes (well – not many to start with) seem to take this approach.
But surely we can read it in a descriptive way? That is to say, a simple statement-reason relation, ie simply “blessed are the poor in spirit, for they will inherit the kingdom of God.” This is not to say the “rich in spirit”, if this is conceivable, can also inherit the kingdom of God – matthew 5:3 is just saying that the “poor in spirit” in spite of the fact that they are poor in spirit are going to richly receive the kingdom.
If we understand it this way, then matthew 5:4 will make more sense cos “blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted” is definitely more of a descriptive statement than a prescriptive one, ie something along the line of the promise that all tears will be wiped away when Christ comes again (Revelation 21:4).
But all authors i read see matthew 5:4 as a prescriptive call for us to mourn.
Well not that this is not biblical cos mourning is associated to the wise, and mirth with the fools in Ecclesiastes 7:4 plus Jesus Himself is a Man of sorrows (Isaiah 53:3).
In fact if we run this through the beatitudes, they fit better in a descriptive way rather than a prescriptive way, though we may say the end results of this description (being blessed) inspires a prescriptive reading.
But for clarity of thought, it would be nice to read a book that can do a descriptive-followed-by-prescriptive approach…
1.life in a new kingdom – on poor in spirit – the importance of humility
2.motivated by his love- on mourning – the importance of compassion
3.the heart of a servant – on meekness- the importance of service
4.a desire for godliness – on hungering for righteousness – the importance drinking the living water
5.responding with our Father’s compassion – on mercy – the importance of forgiving
6.life with a single focus – on pure in heart – the freedom from bondage and the importance of consecration
7.the pursuit of peace – on the peacemakers – the freedom from sin and the importance of reconciliation
8.lights shining in the darkness – on persecution for righteousness’ sake – the importance of courage and patience
The questions behind every chapter help facilitate small-group discussions.
The beatitudes is an interesting combination, many see them as an imperative-outcome relation as in we can read for example, “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God” as “thus if you desire the kingdom of God, you need to be poor in spirit” like what the author is doing. This approach is much easier to come out with a book cos it’s prescriptive in nature – that is, telling people what they should do.
And that’s why the title is named as such – you dun change but you are changed.
In fact, all the books i have read on the beatitudes (well – not many to start with) seem to take this approach.
But surely we can read it in a descriptive way? That is to say, a simple statement-reason relation, ie simply “blessed are the poor in spirit, for they will inherit the kingdom of God.” This is not to say the “rich in spirit”, if this is conceivable, can also inherit the kingdom of God – matthew 5:3 is just saying that the “poor in spirit” in spite of the fact that they are poor in spirit are going to richly receive the kingdom.
If we understand it this way, then matthew 5:4 will make more sense cos “blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted” is definitely more of a descriptive statement than a prescriptive one, ie something along the line of the promise that all tears will be wiped away when Christ comes again (Revelation 21:4).
But all authors i read see matthew 5:4 as a prescriptive call for us to mourn.
Well not that this is not biblical cos mourning is associated to the wise, and mirth with the fools in Ecclesiastes 7:4 plus Jesus Himself is a Man of sorrows (Isaiah 53:3).
In fact if we run this through the beatitudes, they fit better in a descriptive way rather than a prescriptive way, though we may say the end results of this description (being blessed) inspires a prescriptive reading.
But for clarity of thought, it would be nice to read a book that can do a descriptive-followed-by-prescriptive approach…
September 8, 2010
The power of transformation is not by our skill, and not by our works, but by God who is willing to change our heart. An awesome walk-through of the beatitudes.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews