The Power Of A Changed Life

Do you hate change? It is easy to do what you always do because living with no change requires no extra effort. Change however can be fearing and difficult, but it is change that will challenge you into something better. There is power in a changed life.

Many of us can easily say we love change, but do we really? I have always thought I loved changed because I constantly like to do new things and take on new challenges. However, when I really think about it, change is not as appealing as it sounds. 

For the past year, God has asked me to change a lot of things in my life. He asked me to change my life goals and future career, the way I spend my free time, and to even change my emotional habits. 

Now, did I want to change? Yes. 

Was change easy? Of course not. 

Even with the desire to change I was still struggling to become who God wanted me to be. Changing my life goals was hard because I had to let go of the security of knowing what my future would be like. Letting that go and following God's will took extra faith to overcome my fears and doubts. 

The same went with changing my bad emotional habits. It was easy to agree on the fact that I needed to change my habits and quick temper, but changing that was definitely not an instant effect. It took effort for me to change from who I was. 

Do you struggle with change? Could you let go of a dream career or goal that God has been asking you to do? Could you let go of that boyfriend/girlfriend when you know they are not the one for you? Could you easily change your old bad habits to a good one?

It takes boldness to change, but most importantly, it takes Christ to change. 

Don't be afraid of change because it is change that will take your life to the next level. A changed life is when Christ becomes real in you. 

Someone recently brought to my attention of how much I have radically changed. I didn't even realize it, but slowly, Christ has changed my life. My perspective and the way I live has now turned to Christ instead of myself. And it is through my changed life that others have been able to see Christ in me. 

The power of a changed life is a life that changes other people. 

Your changed life has the power to impact the world. The apostle Paul in the bible is a great example of the power of a changed life. He went from persecuting Christians, to sacrificing his life to save those very Christians he first tried to kill. His life radically changed, but it was through his changed life that we all could see the power and reality of Christ in him. 

His motivation in life changed; from serving himself to serving Christ. He wrote almost all of the New Testament in the bible, and is a man that many look up to. His old life would never have changed anyone's life like how his changed life did. 

It was Paul's radically changed life that drew others to Christ. Just like Paul, God has the ability to give you the power of a changed life - to change others lives towards Christ. 

The gospel has the power to change you, so don't be afraid of change, rather look forward to it's power. Christ came for your change, because we all have fallen and made mistakes. Ephesians 4:22-24 says, "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;..and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." 

God calls each of us to change and live for him. Beware of a stagnant Christian life. It can be easy to get comfortable in our walk with God and not grow and change. Has Christ changed you? Has your life changed after knowing Christ? Because it is in your changed life when Christ becomes alive in you. 

God wants change because it is only through change that the power of God can be evident in your life for others. God has a greater purpose for you beyond just knowing who he is, but to be like him. So remember, there is power in a changed life. 

Living Outside Of God's Boundaries

Have you ever wondered what was on the other side of the world? Or maybe even wondered what it would be like living outside of God's boundaries? Our human curiosity can either take us to a negative route if we are not careful with where it could lead us. 

We can give credit to human curiosity because it is what has caused the advancement of society. Going to the moon, inventing the light bulb, and many other inventions have started from one man's curiosity. However, we must also be careful with curiosity because it can also take us to a negative route, as how it did with Adam and Eve. 

Eve's curiosity of eating the pleasing fruit that was forbidden by God led to sin, which ultimately led to their abandonment of the Garden of Eden, and punishment from God that has affected generations until today. 

There was a time in my life when I too like Eve, wondered how good it could be living outside of God's boundaries and rules. I believed that freedom existed outside of living the "Christian life". There would be no rules that would make me feel guilty of doing what I wanted to do, and I believed that I didn't need God to give me joy. 

I was pretty confident that I could create joy my own way. 

But as I continued to live life outside of God's will, I started to see sin grow in my life. As my sins grew, they started to entangle me, and soon enough I felt trapped in my own sins. Trapped with no way out. 

I realized that the freedom outside of God's ways was only a freedom to do more sin. 

Psalm 137:1 says, "By the rivers of Babylon we saw and wept when we remembered zion." This chapter was written from one of the exiles who were taken away from Jerusalem by the Babylonians. They wept in remembrance of their old free days in Jerusalem. 

The exiles took advantage of God's grace for them while they were living in Jerusalem. They chose not to follow God's ways, and eventually found themselves outside of his boundaries - outside the city of Jerusalem to Babylon. 

Freedom didn't exist out there for them. The consequences of sin captivated them and stripped their joy away as they walked further and further away from the city of Zion. 

Just like those exiles, I too felt captivated living outside of God's boundaries. I thought I could create my own joy and find freedom outside of living for God, but instead I found myself captivated like an exile. 

The truth is, freedom only comes in Christ. When we are in Christ, he gives us the freedom to receive true joy, happiness, peace, and love. I became trapped from living life my own way, and the only thing that could change my life was Jesus and his truth. 

John 8:32 says, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." This verse is what started my rescue course, and today I can say my life has never been so blessed and free than ever. 

You might think that you will be more free outside of God's boundaries, but eventually you will find that outside of God's way is how sin will captivate you. Love and freedom only exists in the will of God. 

Hebrews 12:1 says, "..let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles."  Don't let sin restrict you from the freedom in Christ. 

Know that God's boundaries is his grace protecting you from sin. God's real punishment is not his ways and rules, but when he gives you what you want. Outside of God's will is only the restriction of freedom and joy. Choose God and he will give you the joy you need. Instead of tears of sorrow, God will give you tears of joy. So remember, living outside of God's boundaries is not what you think it is. 

How To Make The Best Of It When People Hurt You

It's never a pleasant experience when people hurt you. Why? Because it simply hurts.  The sad truth is that as long as you live with people, they will hurt you. But the good news is, instead of letting hurtful situations leave you and the other hurting, you can use these opportunities to make the best of them. 

Just a couple days ago, I was really hurt by someone close to me. It definitely hurts more when it comes from someone who means a lot to you. The angry words that came out from their mouth pierced my heart. What was my response to this? 

A defensive and harsh reaction. 

I wanted to show them that they had no right of talking to me like that, and that I wouldn't let their words hurt me. 

But that's the problem with most of us - when people hurt us, we try to toughen up to show that their words and actions can't hurt us. But the fact is, not matter how tough we act on the outside, we will still find ourselves deeply hurt on the inside. 

And there I was, trying to be all tough and defensive, yet found myself even more hurt. 

I shared my struggles to a dear friend, expecting her to defend my hurts. But her words rather surprised me. 

She said, "Show God's grace, because even God loves us when we don't deserve it." 

Showing God's grace was the last thing on my mind, but she was right, moments like these are the best times to show what God's grace and love truly mean. 

We can use hurtful moments to show others of our sinful human nature, or to show the love of Jesus in us. 

It takes a big heart to love people, but it takes an even bigger heart to love hurtful people. But it's in these moments where we can make Jesus real in the midst of our hurtful situations. I could have continued to be mean and defensive to that close person of mine, but what good would that do?

It would only prove to them that my fleshly nature was dominant, and that Jesus's love didn't t exist in me. 

As followers of Christ, we must follow how Jesus loved. He loved even when others didn't deserve it. He was ridiculed, spitted on, rejected, and crucified, yet he loved. Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Jesus's love wasn't a love that was determined by his situation, but determined by his own heart. Our love to others should be determined by our heart, not our situation. 

Choose love in everything you do. You might think that being tough and getting even will heal you, but it will only leave you hurting. The only thing that will heal you is love. Love produces grace and forgiveness that will heal you. 

Grace means nothing when you give it someone who deserves it. The beauty of grace comes when it is given to those who do not deserve it. It's in these moments when God's love becomes real - to love even when it hurts. Love is what draws people closer to God. Love has power, it never fails and defeats all. 1 Corinthians 13:13 says, "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

Jesus's love gives us the opportunity to use hurtful situations for his glory. The solution to a hurtful encounter is always love. So remember, when people hurt you, make the best of it. 

What Are You Afraid Of?

Fear exists in everyone; it is a part of human nature that we can't runaway from. Some may have fear for financial reasons, loss of loved ones, failing on a task, or even simply the fear of getting hurt. But whatever your fears may be, there is a way to face them with no fear. 

For quite some time, I thought there was no way of getting rid of fear. I knew I had a God who was on my side, yet I still faced my problems with fear hidden inside of me. It was when I read about the story of Daniel in the lions den that I realized it is possible to face our problems with no fear. 

Daniel was found praying to God, when at the time King Darius had made a rule that no one could worship other Gods except him. Those who were found worshipping any God would be thrown into the lions den. Surely enough, Daniel was found guilty and thrown into the lions den, expected to be killed. 

What really amazed me was how Daniel faced the lion's den with no fear. 

He could have ran away, or denied the fact that he prayed to God, but instead he chose to trust God and to face his problem with no fear. Because of Daniel's faithfulness to God, God protected him and he survived inside the lions den. Daniel 6:23 says, "..no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God."

God defeated the lion, the very thing that Daniel was afraid of. If God can overcome the lion for Daniel, he can also overcome the lion in your life. 

We spend most of our lives being afraid of the lion in our lives, such as the problems we face and of our uncertain future, when we really should be afraid of the God who has the power to overcome all the things we are afraid of. 

Don't fear the lion in your life, but fear the God who has already overcome the lion in your life. 

God protected Daniel and defeated the lion not so that we would be afraid of the lion, but to show his might and glory. God wants us to know that he is Lord, and he has power over all things. Even Satan cannot defeat God. 

If God is above everything we fear, then why should we fear anything in this world? In John 16:33, Jesus says to us, "..In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

You don't need to be afraid of anything because God has already overcome the lion in your life. Your fears were not made to keep you afraid, but to point your eyes to Jesus. Use your fears to remind you of who God is. From the past and even until today, God has allowed bad things to happen to show the mighty power of his hand so that we all will fear him and put our trust in him. 

God doesn't expect you to runaway from your problems, but to face them with full assurance in him. There will be a time in your life when you will be in the same cage as the lion, face to face with your fears, but if you are like Daniel and choose to depend on God, you can be sure that God will save you. 

Not only will he save you from your troubles, but he will also make sure to not leave a single wound on you. As it was written in the book of Daniels, "no wound was found on him." That is how powerful your God is. You have 2 choices: To face your fears with what you have, or to face your fears with the one who can overcome your fears. Which will you choose? 

Daniel didn't chose to fight the lion himself, because he knew there would be no way he could save himself. But he knew who could save him, and that was God. God will make sure that those who depend on him will never be harmed. The God who saved Daniel back then is still the same God you serve today. Don't try to fight the lion by yourself, let God fight it for you. So remember, what are you afraid of?