The old has gone, the new has come!

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Have you ever seen someone with a radical transformation? You might see before-and-after photos of a person who has gone through a huge change. Or maybe you hadn’t seen a friend in a while and when you do, they have totally changed for the better. “What did you do?!” you ask. “Well let me tell you…” they reply.

That is the kind of testimony people are looking for about Jesus Christ. You can preach do’s and don’ts until you’re blue in the face, but until someone sees a truly changed life, they may not listen. But if they see your life radically changed by Jesus, they will definitely want to know what happened to you. And then you can tell them. Have you heard about Jesus? He has absolutely saved my life.

But sometimes we get scared and keep it to ourselves. How mean would it be if you ran into a friend with health issues and, just having figured out to solve your own, you refused to tell her the secret? But that’s what some of us do with Jesus. He is the one who has greatly changed our lives—and not ourselves—but we see others in need and don’t tell them the cure. Psalm 107:2 says, “Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others He has redeemed you from your enemies.” In the Proverbs, God gives us this warning: “Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death. Don’t excuse yourself by saying, ‘Look, we didn’t know.’ For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve” (Proverbs 24:11,12).

What You Can Say? Just tell the truth. I once was this way, and now I am not. And the only change is that I accepted Jesus as my Savior and He has turned my life around. It’s the truth, and it’s not that hard to say. They will be so attracted to your changed life that they will consider your claims of Jesus. And if they are willing, you can tell them of this promise in the Bible: “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved” (Romans 10:13). And you can lead them in the life change that you experienced.

Don’t be afraid to let people see your before-and-after photos. Your testimony is one of the greatest things you have. Don’t hide the before or the after. Ask God to help you use it for His glory.

So, this week, let us pray and ask God to

• Help us reach more people for Jesus Christ
• Give you and each of us more boldness to tell others about Christ
• Bless your friends and family

THANK YOU so much for your prayers! God loves you and He has a wonderful plan for your life.

May God bless you.