Forever Changed

Verse of the day: Acts 9:29 And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him.

It was not long before this that Saul, later the Apostle Paul, who was on the road to Damascus, was on his way to persecute Christians, in the name of God. Who even stood by, and approved of the killing of Stephen. Now we find him boldly proclaiming the One he was denying, by persecuting His children (and thereby persecuting Jesus). What changed him? What was so different now that changed His religious views? An encounter with the only One who could change his life...Jesus Christ. The change in Saul's life was so dramatic that many did not believe it at first. How could this man, who was so fervently persecuting the people of God, now be preaching Jesus so boldly? It was the drastic change that others witnessed, that proved to them that Saul had been truly changed. Can that be said about us? Can our family, and friends, look at our life today, and see a dramatic difference in the way we are living, as compared to the way we lived before we had our life changing experience, when we called upon Jesus to be our Savior and Lord? The bottom line is that, like Saul, our life should look completely different from what it used to be to those who knew us before. The response will vary, of course. Some will commend it, and we'll have opportunity to lead those to Jesus; while others will be critical, and even condemn us, and forsake us, claiming, and accusing us, that we have gone crazy. Even Saul had to run for his life once his life was changed by the Lord. Jesus is in the business of changing lives. He did not save us so that we could remain where we were or who we were. We are now the children of God. We no longer belong to the devil. We have been adopted into the family of God, and our life must now reflect that. We were made new creatures in Christ, and our view of God, and man, is being renewed, as our minds are being renewed, by the work of the Spirit, and the Word of God (as we apply it, and live it). A change in our attitude, actions, and worldview, should have others wondering, and asking, "What happened to him/her?" Saul went after Christians with much fervency. After his life altering meeting with Jesus, he used that same fervency to serve Him. We, with the same fervency we used to satisfy our sinful ways, should now use that energy to serve God, and apply the truth of God's Word to our own lives. Has there been a drastic change in our lives? What would those around us say, if asked, as to whether or not we are different, now that we are claiming Jesus as our Savior? Would we bring God glory from the answers that would be given? If not, then we really need to re-examine our relationship with Him. If so, then let us continue to march on, and be like those believers in chapter 11, who were turning the world upside down for the Lord, and were first called Christians (little christs) in Antioch (v.26); all for the glory of God!