How I Changed

How I Changed

If you never talk to God, you’re missing a lot. When we begin conversations with God, through prayer and reading the Bible, we not only become interested in Him, His ways, His doings, and His words, but we intuitively begin building a new character. Our personal prayers not only allow us to know Him, but we unexpectedly find ourselves agreeing with Him more, and likely modify our own behavior. When we ask Jesus to come into our life and forgive us our sins, He baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and this begins our lifelong understanding of the mind of Christ. Romans 8:16: “For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children.” He indwells us giving guidance, wisdom, and discernment that is not available to non-believers. Jeremiah 15:16: “When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God of Heaven's Armies.” We develop harmony with God as we compare ourselves against the standards for living found in the Bible. Our “spiritual hearing” is enhanced and we become good listeners, hearing clearly when God speaks or calls us to a certain task. Psalm 63:1-8: “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you. . .. I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. . .. I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. . .. I cling to you.” The more we know God and seek His presence, the more God will communicate with us. Remember the song we sang growing up, “In the Garden” …. here are a few lyrics, “He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me that I am His own” … it’s true for all His children. When we approach God believing that He is, although we can’t see Him, we have self-assurance He hears our prayers. Psalm 145:18-19: “The LORD is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call on Him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cries for help and rescues them.” We’re not like the unbeliever, speaking out into the night and simply getting things off our chest, or meditating, or doing some sort of deep breathing exercise with some wishful words. No, not at all! God listens to all our prayers. He is there and He hears us. He neither slumbers nor sleeps. Proverbs 10:20: “The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver, The heart of the wicked is worth little.” ?When we believe all that Christ is, God grants us salvation. Praise God for his forgiveness, healing, and salvation. Give thanks to the LORD and begin your conversations with Him today.