Praising God for you!

Dear Ones,
Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours!! May the Love of God, the Grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be experienced by you! God love you more than you could possibly grasp!
I love you too!
Your sister,
Robin

Galatians 1

"They only heard the report: 'The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy'" (vs 1:23). ...!!

Wow, do you know of whom this verse above speaks?

The Apostle Paul, the writer God used to write 13 books, one book shy of half, of the New Testament! Paul, as we have read, was a chief Jew, following the Law we read of in the Old Testament. He went after Jewish Christian converts (Jews were the first Christians...), he hunted them to have them ultimately imprisoned or killed because Paul believed they were blaspheming God! Then if you recall, Acts 9 records Paul's (then Saul) conversion...Jesus revealed Himself to Paul so clearly, Paul was blinded and knocked off his horse! Jesus spoke to Paul as he was "breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples" (Acts 9:1)! Jesus said to Paul, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?...I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting...Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do" (Acts 9 4-6).

Paul continues in the book of Galatians to defend the Gospel, as he defends himself from whom the Gospel was preached to his hearers in Galatia. Some of the Galatians, like the Corinthians believers, were being led astray. The Galatian believers were being confused because some of the them were instructing others of them to continue to follow the Law in addition to believing in Jesus. This situation is likened to our present day situation in which some believers teach other believers that they must do 'good works' or follow certain rules in order to be saved - in addition to believing in Jesus and His work of forgiveness through Grace, on His Cross...

SO, in Paul's defense, he recounts the events prior to and following his encounter with Jesus and salvation. He includes what those who witnessed his before and after, said regarding him. "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy" (vs 23). The recorded verse after verse 23, describes the astonishing response of those who heard about Paul...

"And they praised God because of me."

I wonder. What do people say about me - those who knew me before being born-again, before Jesus saved me? Like Paul, do they look at my before, and after (and by the Grace of Jesus, continuing!) and praise the Lord for me? Or do they notice anything different? Or do they say, "if that is what it means to be saved...no thanks." Or, do they even see a difference?

And what about you? What is revealed to you as you ask yourself the same question? Better still, let's ask God this question about ourselves. The Lord's heart toward you and toward me is only Good. God has your best interest and mine in His heart. So, let's not be afraid to ask the Lord this question about ourselves. God is not seeking to condemn you or me. God is not seeking to kick us to the curb. God will reveal to us the reality of our situation/ourselves related to this question in a life-giving way! Whether God rebukes us, or commends us - or a little of both - it is only for our encouragement and good!

"Lord, who do people say You are as they look at my/our life before I/we received Your Salvation and now. God, help me/us by Your Spirit to yield to You, and in that I/we will let go of anything that hinders. Thanks for loving me/us Lord, I Love You!"