Changed Forever (Philippians 3:3-6)

Today’s scripture: Philippians 3:3-6

Saul was the most religious of the religious. Before meeting Jesus on the Damascus road, he was a letter-perfect Pharisee. He traced his family tree back to Benjamin, the son of Jacob. He followed the law with precision. He was, in the eyes of man, “blameless.”

How often do we rely on our “pedigree” to save us? Even today, with Christianity so reviled in the press, polls are taken in which a very high percentage of respondents claim to be Christians.

I went to church as a kid, they say. I was raised in a Christian home, they say. I’m an American, so I’m a Christian, they say. (Although the latter seems to be said less and less these days …) I follow the Ten Commandments, so I’m good, they say.

Saul—now Paul—thought he had everything under control. He thought he knew it all. Then he met Jesus Christ, God the Son. And he recognized that nothing he was, nothing he’d done, brought salvation. He met the true Messiah, the Savior, the Redeemer.

And his life changed forever.

It’s not our heritage that brings salvation. It’s not our hard work. It’s not who we know or where we come from. No. It’s a meeting with God. It’s the realization that we cannot do anything to receive the blessing of forgiveness and eternal life with God—Father, Son, and Spirit.

Have you met Jesus? If not, you can meet Him today. Just admit you’re incapable on your own and ask Jesus to forgive you and to take over your life. Then get a Bible and read the book of John. Find a church that teaches truth from the word of God.

And your life will be changed forever.

Dead In Sin ... Or Dead To Sin? (Ephesians 2:1-3)

Today's scripture: Ephesians 2:1-3

I have no desire to be who I was. Although I asked Jesus into my heart when I was six years old, I allowed circumstances to take me away from my child-like faith. I made very deliberate, very poor choices, and I became a “dead woman walking.”

I reveled in what the world offered—partying, drinking, dancing ‘til dawn. I indulged the lusts and desires of my flesh. It was all about me.

As I think about it now, I realize I’d changed my alliance. Instead of serving the God of the universe, I was serving the “prince of the power of the air.” Just writing those words just about breaks my heart. It’s one thing to say I chose not to follow God’s leading; it’s quite another to say I chose to follow His enemy.

Jesus was so very right when He said we can’t serve two masters. And if we’re not serving God, we’re serving Satan.

No matter whom we are now, at one time—before we chose to follow Christ—we followed Satan. The question is, how obvious is it that we are serving God? If someone were to look at us as we’re standing in a very long line at the grocery store, would they know we’re Christians? If they read our Facebook page, would they see Christ shine through us? If they heard us joke with our friends, would they hear the love of God?

Would the world still see us as “dead people walking”? Or would they see something different. Something appealing. Something like Christ.

Miracles (John 4:46-54)

Today's scripture: John 4:46-54

Jesus performed miracle after miracle while He walked the earth. He turned water to wine. He made the blind to see and the lame to walk. He healed lepers. He brought people from the brink of death. He even defeated death itself.

Many followed because of the "signs and wonders" He performed. Yet, His purpose in coming to earth really had nothing to do with these miracles. No, His purpose in coming to earth wasn't to heal bodies. It was to heal hearts; it was to change lives.

Those are the real miracles.

It's the same today. Yes, Jesus can still perform miracles—and He does. I've known people whose cancer should have killed them, and yet they live. I've read stories of people who should be in wheelchairs, and yet they walk.

But I find the stories of changed lives so much more compelling. Drug addicts or alcoholics that are fully clean. Families that have been restored. Rebels that have found peace. Those truly are the real miracles.

Jesus still performs miracles, and people still come to Him because of the miracles they see. You are a walking miracle because Jesus has changed your life. Tell the story of your changed life, and people will believe in Him because of the "signs and wonders" He's done in and through you.

Tell the story of the miracle Jesus has done in your life. It doesn't have to be about being blind and now seeing or overcoming a terminal disease. It can be as simple as your having been lost ... and now you've been found.

New Creatures (2 Cor. 5:17-19)

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
(2 Corinthians 5:17-19, NASB)

We are new creatures in Christ. When we accept the gift of salvation through His death, burial, and resurrection, we are completely different from whom we were … or at least we should be.

I wrote yesterday that so many of us are still living our own selfish, fleshly lives even after we claim to commit our lives to Christ.

I’m far from perfect. Believe me. But I really, truly strive to live differently than the world does. I’m careful of the words that come out of my mouth. I try to demonstrate God’s love to others. I stay focused on God and His will. I pray. I meditate on God’s word. I avoid those things that might cause me to stumble.

I try—in my fleshly, frail way—to live as a new creature in Christ.

When I think of all my God did for me, I can’t do otherwise.

Trust me when I say, I have no right—none whatsoever—to judge anyone else. I have a big old plank in my eye, so I cannot point out the sliver in the eye of my brother or sister. However, it breaks my heart when I see others who profess to be Christians speaking and acting and living no differently than those who don’t claim to know Christ.

While God certainly can and does reach nonbelievers without us, we are called to be His light to a dark world. So how will they be attracted to Christ if they don’t see something attractive in us? When they see us being hateful or vulgar or uncaring? When we whine and complain? When we disregard the "least of these"? (Matthew 25:31-46)

When we’re the same old creatures we were before ...