Last Sunday, i was introduced to a speaker. I got the link from FB (Facebook) and was invited to listen to him speak. His name is Rev. Paul Washer and oh boy, I was up for one surprising time of my life. He's a southern baptist preacher and his message is not typical. The 1st time i heard him speak about salvation, it struck me and i took the time to search and google for more. Then i realize as i researched more information about this person that I am doing it all wrong. Rev. Paul Washer was talking about salvation, specific to how we know that we are saved. Most people when ask this question would say that, they know because they believe. This seem to be a logical answer but Rev. Washer challenged that answer by asking a follow up question. "How do we know we believe?" When i first heard that question, i got interested. The Rev. definitely know how to catch the public's attention. Then he started elaborating by pointing out the difference between an unbeliever and a believer and surprisingly nowadays, there's none. More often than not, after we asked the Lord Jesus to be our Lord and Savior of our lives, we go on our daily routine as if nothing really happened. True enough, I've seen this thru the years of being a Christian. I've seen people asking God's help and making Him their Lord and Savior but the day after next, they go back to their own ways. It's funny because the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Wherefore is any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new." So how do we become a new creature? Well it is a process, the Bible says in Philippians 1:6, "...being confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ."

I am not a graduate of theology and i do not have any pastoral degree or something but clearly, i know for a fact that when we are sincere in asking Jesus to be our Lord and Savior of our lives, then our new life begins. We can never expect too much from ourselves by changing everything in an instant but clearly, living our old life is not what is expected from us. Our goal changes after that one moment of repentance. With every cry and words from our lips, comes defeat and surrender. Defeat from fighting against our God and completely surrendering to His will. Then this lead us all to acceptance which now clearly indicates the change. Because if we feel and believe before that we are our own god and master of our lives, this time, we gave that right up and gave Jesus what's rightfully His at the start, and that is to be our God and the master of our lives. I believe and i know that when this happens, God will start His marvelous works in us and change comes naturally.

There has been a debate on whether Rev. Paul Washer is legit or a false prophet? To some, he has come on too strong to them and there are articles pointing out accusations of him being blasphemous or twisting the Word of the Lord. But i ask myself, does it matter? I know that Rev. Paul's words have truth in it. I may not totally agree on how he conveys his message to the people but i cannot and will never deny the fact that there's truth in his words. All i know is that, once salvation is received, new life begins. If we claim to be a Christian and are living the same way we used to, then what has changed? Have we totally surrendered our lives to the Lord and gave HIM the full authority to manage our lives? If not, then it's about time! Talk to God right now and in your own words and free will, repent, admit defeat, surrender and accept. But more importantly, expect a new life with Him to begin!