Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Obeying God when obeying isn’t easy”
Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Our thought for today: “Obedience showcases transformation.”
Richard was one of the least likely converts to Christ I have ever known. He was a crusty old sailor who had all the mannerisms of a crusty old sailor. He was short and squat with heavy jowls and a bulldog face. He walked bent forward at the waist a little, his head held high, his jaw thrust forward, and he looked mean. When you saw him coming towards you, you just sort of figured you were about to get in a fight.
But Richard had given his life to Christ and he truly was a new creation. Despite his tough exterior, he was actually a pussycat who loved the Lord and who could always be counted on to lend a helping hand. People were always amazed to discover what a nice man he was. And that discovery was a great testimony to the mighty transforming power of Christ. Jesus can transform the toughest most profane sailor into a gentle pussycat who is eager to hold the door for you, or to mow your lawn, or to visit you in the hospital.
Now, it wasn’t always easy for Richard to act like that. It’s true that he was a new creation in Christ, but it’s also true that old habits die hard and transformation takes time. There were many days when Richard would probably just as soon have smacked me up the side of the head as smile at me, and therefore being nice required extra effort on his part. But he knew it was important to make the extra effort and to show people that he was a new man.
You see, people were watching – especially people who knew the old Richard. Oswald Chambers once wrote, “Today men are asking not so much if Christianity is true, but is it real? Does it amount to anything in actual life? If I have a personal relationship to Jesus on the basis of His redemption, it will show in the way I live, in the way I act toward men.”
When we are obedient to God in the way in which we behave, especially when such obedience isn’t easy, it highlights the power of transformation – it showcases the difference God is making in our lives. Today I encourage you to make sure people can see the new creation that you are.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 