D-Now Crestview, Fla

Man, i love this church. I've had the blessing to share life with these youth for the past three years now. Wow. They have grown so much...it's beautiful. The weekend was about our identity in Christ. We looked at Saul's conversion to Paul. Saul led a life full of persecution and hatred yet, still considered himself a devote religious Jew. Jesus intervened and well, you know the rest of the story- he became a world changer, a history maker. He advanced the Kingdom. At all costs Paul knew the message of the gospel had to be preached. Even in prison chains and under house arrest awaiting trial, he still persevered for the Kingdom. His life was not his own. "To die is gain and to live is Christ!" Oh man, the conviction this brings! How many times do we read this verse and simply continue reading? Do you hear and understand what Pauls is saying!? TO DIE IS GAIN AND TO LIVE IS CHRIST! Oh, how i long to live that out in my daily life! How different my days would look, how transformed my mindset would be! Paul simply chose to see and believe his identity in Christ on the Damascus road that day. He didn't understand it fully but he was obedient.

My 8th grade guys were blown away by this story. They have heard it countless times in Sunday school im sure but im confident that it really took root in their hearts and minds this weekend. The beautiful truth remains. The transforming God of Saul to Paul is the same God today, he IS UNCHANGING! He removed the scales from those 8th graders' eyes. With the scales removed, they can see who they are in Christ! They can find eternal identity and begin to wrap their minds around what die to Christ to gain everything really looks like. Praise the Lord for refreshing me with this truth. Praise the Lord for freedom in himself.