JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason To Believe is how the Gospel changes lives.

If you have been touched by the grace of God, it is quite likely that you can recall specific ways you changed after coming to faith in Jesus-attitudes, behavior, or priorities.

The disciples became followers of Jesus and would later be appointed as leaders of the early church.

After an encounter with Jesus, the heart of Zacchaeus changed from being greedy to being generous.

A jailer put his faith in Jesus and was changed from being suicidal to being filled with joy.

God’s grace changes people’s lives in various ways, but one common thread is that in whatever way the person changes, it results in bringing glory to God.

One example of that is how Christians responded to reports of the Apostle Paul’s conversion. Galatians 1:23 says, “They only heard the report: ‘The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’ And they praised God because of me.”

“Changed lives” reveal the power of the Gospel and is a reason to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com