He Gave Pain, He Received Pain.

Paul before conversion--

Act 26:4  My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; 

Act 26:5  Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 

He lived a Pharisee.

Pharisee

PHAR'ISEE, n. [Heb. to separate.] One of a sect among the Jews, whose religion consisted in a strict observance of rites and ceremonies and of the traditions of the elders,and whose pretended holiness led them to separate themselves as a sect, considering themselves as more righteous than other Jews.

Act 26:6  And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers

Paul declared he was being judged for the HOPE OF THE PROMISE MADE OF GOD unto the fathers of his people.  That hope was the Messiah. The fathers were giving the hope of the Messiah.

Act 26:7  Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. 

Act 26:8  Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? 

Act 26:9  I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 

Paul admitted that He THOUGHT all of his own accord that HE ought to do MANY THINGS CONTRARY to the name of JESUS of NAZARETH. Many things against the name of the Savior. Paul wanted to hurt any who spoke the name Jesus and we can only truly imagine ourselves the MANY things Paul wanted to do.

But Paul not only THOUGHT about the things to hurt those who believed in Jesus' name, Paul DID a lot of things.

Act 26:10  Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. 

Act 26:11  And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities. 

He- IMPRISONED them.

He- Agreed with their being put to DEATH.

He- PUNISHED them often in EVERY synagogue.

He- COMPELLED them to blaspheme.

He- TRAVELED to cities that were unknown to him just to PERSECUTE them.

It is very realistic to say Paul HATED Christ followers and went to extraordinary lengths to destroy them.

This is the man our Savior chose, why? Because in Paul's very misguided way he was true to God. Once Paul's eyes were opened to the truth he accepted it.

Some might say if they had the same experience as Paul they'd believe too, and maybe they're right, I have no idea.  We all want this glorious experience, we want to be chosen by God to be used by Him in a special way. We read about many Biblical heroes and the blessed by God and we long to be God's right? Satan will use our desire to get us thinking highly of ourselves, to ignite our pride, our jealousy. The majority of those chosen by God led lives filled with hardships, and they too still had doubts. Read the Psalms of David and you'll see what I'm talking about. 

Paul went on to endure so much that we can scarcely imagine it all--

2Co 11:24  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 

2Co 11:25  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 

2Co 11:26  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 

2Co 11:27  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 

2Co 11:28  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 

The five times receiving 39 stripes….   I can't even imagine one time and one stripe, let alone five times and 39 stripes, can you? Have you ever been whipped? I mean really whipped with a real whip wielded by a man proficient in the art of applying that whip so that it gives bloody, flesh ripping stripes?

We need to really think about these things, think deeply. Paul was chosen by God, and his conversion was a miracle. Paul was chosen to bring the TRUTH of our LORD and SAVIOR, and His SALVATION to ALL! 

More tomorrow by the will of GOD.

Please, LORD, please.

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever and ever!!!!!!!