Transformed and Ready To Be Used

Paul became a changed man after he met Jesus Christ. Paul was a known persecutor of Christians, a zealous Jewish religious leader, and hated the growing followers of Jesus Christ. He even was the one who approved the murder of Stephen in the book of Acts. Then, he met Jesus. Don’t move too quickly past that line. Meeting Jesus and surrendering to God’s Son will change everything about your identity, the meaning of your life and what your purpose is. Paul was transformed (his former name was Saul). After Paul was saved from his sin and grew in the true knowledge of Jesus Christ being the Messiah that the Jews were longing for centuries, his identity and purpose were completely found in Christ. He went from being the chief hater of Jesus and His Church to the chief lover of Jesus and His Church. God used Paul to take the Gospel to the Gentiles all over the world and was a major factor as to why we even know Christ today. Side Note: He also wrote the majority of the New Testament we read now.

THINK and PRAY:

There is so much to learn from Paul and his walk with Jesus. So here is just one reminder and one sharpening challenge. Reminder: God can transform and anyone who surrenders to Jesus and receives new life and forgiveness from their sins. Also God will use anyone, no matter their background of sin, to grow and become His servant to be used for God’s purposes instead of their own. This takes submission to God’s ways over our ways. So here is the challenge. When you look at your life right now; how do you make decisions about what you value? What you do each week? Where you go? Where you put your time and effort towards? Does Jesus have any part of your identity and purpose? If not, is He really Lord over your life? In comparison, if Jesus is apart of your daily purpose, how so? How do you see the Lord transforming and using you for His purposes?