how is life different?

[sh284]

How have your lives changed as a result of accepting Christ?

 

[ALoveDivine]

I was an egotistical self-centered guy who did drugs, partied a lot, had no qualms about using people for selfish reasons, would take advantage of girls, would use the good will of my family for drugs and such, and I just put myself above everything else. I relished the idea of total freedom from every conceivable authority, and of complete self-indulgence.

After I got saved that all began to change. My focus shifted from self to others, and more than that from self to God. All those things I used to do are no longer a part of my life. This was not a complete overnight change, but from the moment I accepted Christ onward, the path of my life has been going in a whole different direction. I still struggle with sin from time to time, as all Christians do, but it is only by the grace of God that I have changed to the extent that I have. Without this grace i'd probably be dead or in jail right now.

 

[drich0150]

For me this life has changed much like the guy who posted before me, but the biggest change is what will happen in the next life.

 

[salida]

How have your lives changed as a result of accepting Christ?

Yes, I'm not greedy and self centered-my desires have changed. I like giving to others and helping much more and don't worry about the future nearly as much-as God's in control. Its a spiritual change-its not about changing rules and regulations or mind over matter. Without Gods help by praying-one can't live a christian life. Human effort alone can't do this.

J-Jesus
O=-Others
Y-Yourself

The above-works.

 

[sh284]

I appreciate everyone's responses.

 

[Emmy]

Dear sh284. You had some good replies, and may I join? In Matthew, chapter 22, verses 35-40, Jesus tells a Lawyer: " The first and great Commandment is: Love thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is is like it: Love thy neighbour as thyself." Then Jesus points out: " on these two Commandments hang all the Law, and the Prophets." God wants love from us, selfless and no conditions tagged on. We start treating all we know and all we meet, as we would like to be treated, with love, courtesy, friendly words and helpful hands, when needed. Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will give us his Love and Help to be good neighbours. Our life will become more enjoyable, and God will see our efforts and approve and bless our sincere efforts to follow His Commandments to love. We will notice that people around us will treat us the same, and our love and good-will for each other will grow and grow. Jesus died that we might live, Jesus paid the prize which God`s Holy Law demanded, and we could not pay. Jesus reconciled us to God and we have to Repent, to change our character INTO: Loving God with all our beings, and loving our neighbour, ( all others, friends or not friends) as we love ourselves. And Jesus is waiting to lead us back to God, where we came from. I say this with love, sh284. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I was an egotistical self-centered guy who did drugs, partied a lot, had no qualms about using people for selfish reasons, would take advantage of girls, would use the good will of my family for drugs and such, and I just put myself above everything else. I relished the idea of total freedom from every conceivable authority, and of complete self-indulgence.

After I got saved that all began to change. My focus shifted from self to others, and more than that from self to God. All those things I used to do are no longer a part of my life. This was not a complete overnight change, but from the moment I accepted Christ onward, the path of my life has been going in a whole different direction. I still struggle with sin from time to time, as all Christians do, but it is only by the grace of God that I have changed to the extent that I have. Without this grace i'd probably be dead or in jail right now.

Amen!

 

[razeontherock]

X2

 

[E.C.]

I am alive. I would have died had I not given the road I was going down at the time.

 

[secondtimearound]

When I follow I am happy. Note my user name; at this point it should be more along the lines of thirdtimesacharm quickly followed by doIevendeserveafourthchance? When I am not following and going about my long list of repeat offences, I find I am usually very unhappy and less able to tackle the hardships of life.

 

[sh284]

When I follow I am happy. Note my user name; at this point it should be more along the lines of thirdtimesacharm quickly followed by doIevendeserveafourthchance? When I am not following and going about my long list of repeat offences, I find I am usually very unhappy and less able to tackle the hardships of life.

What gives you the strength to decide to keep trying? I'm starting to think maybe God isn't being mean with his prohibitions but is trying to help and protect us.

 

[5West]

How have your lives changed as a result of accepting Christ?

I have purpose, real purpose, true meaning.

I can understand things I could not before.

I actually care about the next person.

"Opportunity" is not a means of gain, but of giving - and I like it.

Peace has come upon me. Let me me re-iterate this point: I had sought "something" in "everything" back in the past. I was cruising every avenue in search of.. I didn't know what.. just something.. Whiskey, drugs, sex, fitness, sports, meditation, strange religions, occult, whatever. I didn't know what I was looking for, but I was looking for something. I decided it was "purpose" and "truth". Yep, found those, also, but something else happened: peace. Not just a little contenment for a couple hours, but a lasting peace, a baseline of my being by which anything else is a deviation and cause for alarm.

Got no need to sweat things out. "Life" as we know it is kinda trivial in most regards. Seem to always have more than I need without much effort.

Not afraid of dying. that's a bigger deal than one might think at first glance. In the past, there were times I thought dying was a good way of getting out of here; now it is a good way to go someplace else.

I have an insatiable hunger for truth. Maybe that is not really different, but having found some truth, I'm even more hungry.

I'm not half as much the baseball fan I used to be. Not even an eighth, really.

Sex is at the bottom of my "to do" list, where I thought about probably 5 times a minute for some 25 years.

Couldn't care a drop for politics.

I know I'm not the slightest bit however great I once thought I was.

Racism disgusts me.

Patriotism seems so foolish and petty.

I've been moved to do many things that no one, especially myself, would ever have anticipated.

See, most of this is a matter of changes in perspective. I don't stand where I once did, so I see things differently, I think differently, and by God, I am different. I don't know that I am any better, but I am different - and I like it. But I gotta say, this isn't a picnic, this isn't a game. I take this very seriously and studiously. I am always the fool first, and the Bible, no matter what I think, is right. I need to change, not God.

 

[sh284]

I have purpose, real purpose, true meaning.

I can understand things I could not before.

I actually care about the next person.

"Opportunity" is not a means of gain, but of giving - and I like it.

Peace has come upon me. Let me me re-iterate this point: I had sought "something" in "everything" back in the past. I was cruising every avenue in search of.. I didn't know what.. just something.. Whiskey, drugs, sex, fitness, sports, meditation, strange religions, occult, whatever. I didn't know what I was looking for, but I was looking for something. I decided it was "purpose" and "truth". Yep, found those, also, but something else happened: peace. Not just a little contenment for a couple hours, but a lasting peace, a baseline of my being by which anything else is a deviation and cause for alarm.

Got no need to sweat things out. "Life" as we know it is kinda trivial in most regards. Seem to always have more than I need without much effort.

Not afraid of dying. that's a bigger deal than one might think at first glance. In the past, there were times I thought dying was a good way of getting out of here; now it is a good way to go someplace else.

I have an insatiable hunger for truth. Maybe that is not really different, but having found some truth, I'm even more hungry.

I'm not half as much the baseball fan I used to be. Not even an eighth, really.

Sex is at the bottom of my "to do" list, where I thought about probably 5 times a minute for some 25 years.

Couldn't care a drop for politics.

I know I'm not the slightest bit however great I once thought I was.

Racism disgusts me.

Patriotism seems so foolish and petty.

I've been moved to do many things that no one, especially myself, would ever have anticipated.

See, most of this is a matter of changes in perspective. I don't stand where I once did, so I see things differently, I think differently, and by God, I am different. I don't know that I am any better, but I am different - and I like it. But I gotta say, this isn't a picnic, this isn't a game. I take this very seriously and studiously. I am always the fool first, and the Bible, no matter what I think, is right. I need to change, not God.

In a way this helps me but in a way it doesn't. I don't want to give up baseball, politics, or patriotism. I was raised with three sacred symbols: the cross, the flag, and Chief Wahoo and probably not in that order.

 

[5West]

In a way this helps me but in a way it doesn't. I don't want to give up baseball, politics, or patriotism. I was raised with three sacred symbols: the cross, the flag, and Chief Wahoo and probably not in that order.

Please do not misunderstand me on these things. I'm telling you some ways I am different as a result, not things I had to give up. The flag and the Chief.. you may or may not see these things differently in time, they may become less important, more important, or remain what they are to you. For me, it turns out I don't care so much about things that I used to be engrossed with, that's all. A changed perspective.

 

[sh284]

Please do not misunderstand me on these things. I'm telling you some ways I am different as a result, not things I had to give up. The flag and the Chief.. you may or may not see these things differently in time, they may become less important, more important, or remain what they are to you. For me, it turns out I don't care so much about things that I used to be engrossed with, that's all. A changed perspective.

OK, thank you for your response.