I was going through yet another major change and big loss when suddenly it dawned on me I was filled with love, hope, peace, joy, and excitement at moving forward in life and ministry. I cannot begin to tell you how much change and how many losses I have faced over the years, and rest assured most of the time I was overwhelmed, stressed beyond measure, discouraged, depressed, panicked, down, petrified, hurt, bitter, angry, prideful, rageful, anxious, self-pitying, negative, and complaining. This time around, my heart was filled with the love of Jesus and trust and faith in the Lord. How could this possibly be?
Friend, when we receive Jesus Christ as Lord, are forgiven and promised everlasting life with Him instead of forever in hell and the lake of fire, which happens when we believe He is Lord and in His death and resurrection and turn to God and His ways, we are born again spiritually and begin life anew. We now enter into a lifelong transformation process through which God by His Spirit who comes to live in His followers changes us day by day as we read the Bible and learn to live by it.
God has been changing me for years and will continue to do so for as long as I live on this earth. I am not the person I was nor will I remain as I am. I am being conformed by God to the image of Christ. God’s heart is to change us all into the men and women of God He created us to be! This is exactly what He will do when we entrust ourselves to Him and live in obedience to Him!
Believe Jesus Christ is Lord and died on the cross to pay your sin penalty and was raised from the dead. Turn from your sins and turn to God and His ways. Ask for and receive the gift of God’s Holy Spirit. Read the Bible and learn to live by it. Be filled with God’s Spirit continually and follow Him as He leads you forth. Surrender yourself to God each and every day. Humble yourself before God moment by moment and put your trust in Him.
Do not remain as you once were. Not even as you were yesterday. Yield yourself to God almighty utterly as He finishes the work He has begun in you. Amen!
“looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,…” Hebrews 12:2
“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”
Philippians 1:6