July 8, 2013 Celebrate Your Salvation

Read Galatians 1 Celebrate Your Salvation Galatians 1:14-16 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man. PAUL was an excellent Jew. He was a top-notch Pharisee. He was at the head of his class, young, ambitious and ready to stand firm for all the Law of God. Then God did something remarkable. God made a change. God took a man’s passion for the Law and gave him compassion to administer God’s gospel of grace. God had prepared Paul perfectly (as God does) for his gospel mission to the Gentiles. But until the day Jesus reached down, destroyed his old life and gave him a new life, Paul was prepared to be the best Pharisee he could be. God, though, had set him “apart from birth”. God had plans for Paul. And when Jesus revealed those plans, Paul’s life changed—it went upside down! With such dramatic changes and so many hardships, Paul must have had big-time doubts. Whom did he look to make the doubts smaller? He got his answers, diminished his doubts by gong to his Lord. He was blessed to hear God’s voice directly. He also heard his Lord Jesus speak through friends and other church leaders. Paul listened to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And his doubts turned to unstoppable passion for Jesus’ Gospel. Be assured of this: following Jesus will turn your life upside down. People will look at you a little funny when you say, “God changed me.” Be deaf to the detractors. Listen to your Lord. Diminish your doubts. Celebrate your salvation. It’s True! Doubts restrict you, and faith grows you.