A TRANSFORMED LIFE

A TRANSFORMED LIFE
Have you noticed the interest in President Obama’s Christianity? It seems everyone or nearly everyone has an opinion. I have one and it is simple and applies to everyone who claims to be a Christian. Is he a follower of Christ and is it evident? We can say most anything but that doesn’t make it true. The greatest test of Christianity for him or us is simple, was our life TRANSFORMED? Jesus doesn’t come to us so we can have Him and our old life too. If you are one of the majority who seem to think this way read on and discover discipleship. We may not like the word but trust me in this, only the disciples will be in heaven.
Do you recall Jesus saying we must pick up our crosses daily and follow after Him? I bet you didn’t know you had a cross but we all do. One day in while in the shower I asked the Lord, what is my cross? Instantly He said, “The difference between My will and your will.” When I shared this with my pastor he preached on it about 6 different times. It’s so important for we must see clearly Christianity isn’t a religion with a lot of rules and conditions. It’s the most important relationship any human can have, becoming a child of God. One way we might understand is to consider what happens when a couple adopts a child or baby from a foreign country. It is totally out of it’s element and is in constant need.

When you and I come repentant to God He does the same thing for us. He lifts us out of poverty and adds us to His eternal family. Our lives are transformed just as the child’s. We are now in Good Hands that will not only provide for our needs but will defend us with His Life. Now this isn’t true if we are only in the adoption process. This is where most are now. The deal hasn’t been completed. In an adoption process where a child is being brought to the United States there are many rules and regulations. The country from where the child is coming can have some very restrictive laws which are for the safety of the child. Lots of people want children and can’t have them for one reason or the other and adoption can be a good thing. It might be good if we were to add this to our prayers.
When God adopts us we are HIS and He promises to discipline us. He even says it’s a way to know you aren’t illegitimate. Can you point to His chastisement in your life? I sure hope so but if you can’t humble yourself before Him in repentance and allow God to become your Father. This can be difficult for those who have been in Church their whole lives.
I was lost for nearly 33 years and believe no male served the Lord more than me in our congregation. Many used to say, “Ben, you need to go to seminary.” There wasn’t much allowed that I refused to do. I sang in the choir, taught Sunday School, served communion at the altar, served on the vestry, read the scriptures and even gave “canned” sermons. Yet if I had died I would have been awaiting trial and sure condemnation. You might say, “Why.” In Romans 8:1 you can see it. “There is therefore no condemnation for them who are in Christ Jesus.“ I wasn’t in Him and He wasn’t in me. I wasn’t born again and we must all be to be His.
Paul tells us, “The mystery hidden from the ages is Christ within you the hope of Glory.“ A good analogy would be to see an old car taken from a junk yard given a new motor, running gear, transmission, tires and a fresh paint job. Folks, that car has been transformed from “A wretch like me” to a beautiful powerful and valuable new vehicle. If you are the same after saying, “I believe in Jesus” you need to go to the cross now. God doesn’t leave us the same. He said, “My people shall be a holy people for I’m a Holy God.” Can you give a testimony of when and where your life changed dramatically? I’m not judging you for you are examining your own life by God’s standards. Isn’t this true?
Do you have God’s peace concerning your death? Lots of Christians are scared to death of dying. They wouldn’t be if Jesus was in them for then they know they can’t die. He said, “I Am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me, even if he die, yet shall he live. Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.“ In a single second we leave this body to inhabit one that is already prepared for us. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints (holy ones).” “To be absent from the body is to be with the Lord.“ If you don’t have this confidence, what are you waiting on, be born again and you will have it, a Transformed Life.
In His Service,
Capt. Ben Marler
captben61@gmail.com
captben61.blogspot.com