"EMBRACING CHANGE AND GROWTH NO MATTER YOUR AGE" SERMON

Welcome to My Father's House Church. We are a community that believes in the transformative power of change and growth, regardless of age. We always aim to embrace change, not resist it, and we always strive to grow, not stagnate.

Think about it for a moment: what changes have you seen in your lifetime? How did the world react to these changes? How did you react? As we grow older, it's natural to reflect on the changes we've seen, the obstacles we've overcome, and the growth we've experienced. But can older people continue to change? In other words, can they continue to grow? The answer is an emphatic 'yes.' However, the path to growth and change may be paved with various obstacles and challenges, such as resistance to change, physical limitations, a fixed mindset, limited technology skills, social isolation, financial constraints, family and caregiving responsibilities, cognitive decline, negative stereotypes, and lack of social support. Resistance to change is a common obstacle. As people age, they often become more set in their ways, which can make them resistant to change. This resistance may be due to a fear of the unknown or a preference for the familiar. But change is not always a bad thing. In fact, change can often bring about positive outcomes and growth. Physical limitations and health issues can also pose challenges to growth and change. However, with the right mindset and determination, these challenges can be overcome. Even if our bodies may limit us, our spirits and minds continue to be strong and capable of growth. Another obstacle is the fixed mindset, where individuals believe that their abilities and traits are set and cannot be changed. This mindset can hinder personal growth and make it difficult to embrace change. We need to keep a mindset that fosters a love for learning and resilience in the face of these challenges.

Our rapidly evolving digital world can also pose challenges to older individuals. Adapting to

new technology and digital tools can be difficult, but it's not impossible. With patience and

practice, anyone can learn to navigate the digital world.

Other obstacles include social isolation, financial constraints, family and caregiving responsibilities, cognitive decline, and negative stereotypes. These can limit our exposure to

new ideas, our ability to invest in new opportunities, our time and energy for personal changes or pursuits, our ability to learn and retain new information, and our confidence and

motivation to pursue change. However, despite these challenges, we can overcome. We can continue to change and grow. We can continue to learn and evolve.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

So, let's be a church that embraces change and growth. Let's be a church that encourages learning and evolution. Let's be a church that fosters dreams and aspirations. Let's be a church that always trusts in the Lord.

And let's always remember the words of 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"

And so, let's make a commitment to change and growth, not just in our spiritual lives, but also in our personal lives.

Let's take the words of Romans 12:2 (NIV) to heart: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

"Let's embrace the words of Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV): "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

So, let's continue to change, to grow, and to thrive. Let's be a church that always embraces change and growth. And let's always remember that in Christ, the new has come, the old has gone, and the new is here.