Why should our suffering be any less than Paul's?

Act 9:10  And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. 

Act 9:11  And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, 

Act 9:12  And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. 

Act 9:13  Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 

Act 9:14  And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. 

A disciple of Jesus Christ living at Damascus- the city Paul was traveling to in order to capture and imprison all Christ followers- saw the Lord in a vision. Ananias saw the Lord and spoke- saying, Behold, I am here, Lord. Ananias wanted to serve the Lord. The Lord told him to - Arise, go into the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for Saul of Tarsus- behold, he prays.  The Lord wanted Ananias His disciple to go to Saul (Paul) and told him that Saul (Paul) was praying. And the Lord continued- He told his disciple that Paul saw him-Ananias coming to him and putting his hand on him causing him to regain his sight.  Did Ananias simply accept what Jesus asked him to do? No. He answered - he told the Lord that many people told him about this Saul(Paul) and how evil he was to the Christ Followers in Jerusalem, and that he'd been given authority to imprison ALL that are Christ followers. Ananias was clearly scared, or at the very least extremely concerned about what he was being asked to do. He wanted to make sure the LORD knew that He was asking him to go to someone who had power to imprison him, someone who was evil- as if the LORD didn't know this already.  We can comprehend this, right? We constantly question what the Lord wants of us - thinking we know best. We say stupid things as if the LORD doesn't know what He is asking of us. He knows. It is us who are in the dark. The Lord had the following to say--

Act 9:15  But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 

Act 9:16  For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. 

Go, Saul (Paul) is a CHOSEN VESSEL.

This murdering, hatred filled man bent on destroying Christ followers was a CHOSEN VESSEL for JESUS CHRIST!

How many of us have pasts that are wicked and shameful, filled with sin and so much that is against Christ? How many of us are Paul's?  How many of us are chosen vessels for our Savior, and yet to others and even to ourselves we are repulsive in so many ways. If we truly believe we are Christ's, that He belongs to us and us to Him, then we are chosen by Him, chosen by the Father God as well.

Joh 17:1  These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 

Joh 17:2  As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

I pray that ALL of us have been GIVEN to Jesus!  I pray ALL of us are vessels - chosen to be used of our Savior!

Ananias accepted what Jesus told him- that the murderer of Christ followers was a chosen vessel to be used of God, a vessel that would bear Jesus' name before the Gentiles, before Kings, and before Jews. Paul was a SPECIAL man, a special chosen vessel. Paul was going to be shown great things that he would have to suffer for Jesus. Imagine that, imagine being shown that you were going to have to suffer to belong to Jesus. It is contrary to what so many want to believe. Today people are taught they don't have to suffer for Jesus. People are taught prosperity and succeeding in the world today, they are taught that good things will happen if you truly believe and yet this isn't TRUTH, not the whole TRUTH. People take bits and pieces and choose to believe in only the good bits. Paul was going to be shown his future suffering and it would be a great suffering.  Why should our suffering be any less than Paul's?

More on this tomorrow by the GRACE and WILL, the ALL CONSUMING LOVE of OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST FOREVER and NOW!

Act 9:17  And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 

Act 9:18  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.