Winning Christ.

Paul was baptized.

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.

What's the big deal about Paul being baptized? Well, let's think about it, Paul was a staunch Jew if the highest order of Pharisees, a Christ persecutor, a Christ follower persecutor. Just days before Paul had happily taken part in the murder of Stephen, a Christ follower.  Being baptized signifies what exactly?

Mar_1:5  And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.

Confession of sins.

Act_2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Repentance.

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 

Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

Buried with Christ in baptism into death
Raised up from the dead.
Walking in newness of life.

If you've been baptized by immersion as an adult or at least as a young adult or and older mature child that comprehends fully the depths and meaning of baptism then you truly (symbolically) were buried beneath the water, dead, and raised up from that death, rising from the water to now walk a NEW life. The OLD life is buried, all the sins are buried, life previously walked without Christ is dead and gone. To be truly baptized is to have confessed very single sin you're aware of, as well as repenting of those sins making a conscious effort to no longer commit those sins again.

Paul had much to confess once he realized that he'd been fighting against God the entire time he thought he was actually doing God's work. He had great things to repent of. He had many friends and fellow Pharisees that were proud of his zeal for destroying the work of Christ. He had an entire life that he was leaving behind completely in order to follow Jesus. Paul was killing a part of himself as he was baptized. Rising from the water in newness of life had never been more true, more realized. 

Paul knew exactly what he was doing by being baptized.

Too many are flippantly baptized. I'm not saying they don't have a desire to be Christ's and to witness to that through baptism, I'm saying that not many people truly rise to a new life. Their lives go on in the same vein as before, all that is different is they've put on a show of being a follower of Christ. We know that there are going to be many that believe they are Christ's but aren't. These deceived people will have been baptized, they'll outwardly appear to belong to Christ, but they won't be His, not in reality.

When Paul was converted from Judaism to Christianity it was a whole life altering experience. Being baptized was a huge event for Paul, huge. He was becoming the very thing he had been trying to rid the world of. He was voluntarily putting himself into a position to be persecuted. Jesus had shown him the suffering he was going to endure by taking on the title of Christian and he gladly accepted what was to come for Him. We spend a lot of time avoiding suffering at all costs, looking upon suffering as being shunned by God, not as being refined.

Paul had this to say- Php_3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ

He suffered the loss of all things and he knew he was going to suffer in that way, but it didn't matter to him because all that mattered was winning Christ!

May we win Christ all through the LOVE of our Savior, now and forever!  

God's Will Was Everything to Paul.

A disciple of Christ's named Ananias was instructed by Jesus Himself in a vision to go to where Saul (Paul) was and put his hands on him to heal him of his blindness. The Lord told Ananias that Paul was a CHOSEN VESSEL, told him this--

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

The Lord was to show Paul how greatly he was to suffer for Him. 

We touched on that yesterday- suffering for Christ. Many, much more than we can truly fathom, suffer today for Christ in horrific ways. Suffering for Christ isn't a foreign concept. We try to imagine no suffering but that is NOT going to happen here on this earth the way it is, it just isn't. If you ARE NOT suffering for Christ in any way you are either truly very blessed, or very deceived.  How many Christ followers start to suffer and quickly give up on Jesus? Why do they give up? Because they don't think that they should be suffering if Jesus in on their side. They believe they deserve a free pass in the suffering department, but there can be NOTHING further from the truth. Most of those chosen by God have known great suffering, so why would anyone believe they shouldn't have to suffer if they have Christ as their Savior? It is a great deception of Satan's that we believe Christ has failed us when we suffer. We begin to think that Christ doesn't hear our prayers when they aren't answered in the way we desire, but quite the opposite at times. Christ does hear our prayers and if we are praying for Christ's will to be done in us then that means we are trusting that every single evil bit of suffering we have to endure is for a reason we can't comprehend but God does and it will work out HIS will for our eternal good. We have to start looking more towards HEAVEN and less at here and now on earth. Heaven is where our TREASURES should be. The hope of no suffering any capacity large or small is to be found only in eternity, through the salvation found only in Christ Jesus  our Lord and Savior!

Paul was going to be shown what he would suffering, that's something to really think about. What would you do if you were shown the things you would suffer in advance of suffering through them? What if those things you were shown were horrible things, awful, terrible things? It's something to think about, hmn?

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.

Ananias went to Saul(Paul) and put his hands on him as instructed and told him that 'the LORD even JESUS that appeared to him in the way he came, sent him so he would receive his sight again AND be FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT!

The supernaturally placed scales fell from Paul's eyes and he could see! Paul stood up and then was baptized.  Now we know he wasn't baptized in the house, they had to go to the river at least. There was time between receiving his sight and being baptized. How do you imagine Paul was reacting to the miracle performed on him? Do you believe that Jesus showed Paul the great suffering he'd under go? Why wouldn't He, He said He was going to. Paul was shown the suffering in store for Him and still he went to be baptized. It wasn't a matter of suffering to Paul, what mattered to Paul was following God and God wanted Him to be a follower of Christ, an apostle of Christ's.  This is ALL that mattered to Paul- God's will! Yet, Paul was far from perfect- far, far from perfection.

Remember this? I'm not going to let you forget it….

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 

Paul's words!

Does that sound like the words of a perfect man with a perfect life?  NO.

Paul KNEW who his deliverer was and NEVER forgot it! 

Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. 

Paul wanted only ever to be God's and God's led Him to that end, but it was NOT EASY.

May God lead us to HIM- and may any suffering we have to endure be done knowing it is temporary to eternity with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

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. 

Three Days.

After Paul has his vision of the Lord and is given instructions, he is led by his companions to where he needed to be. Blind, he spends all his time in prayer, waiting on the Lord.

I know I've been asking you to imagine a lot of things these last few days, and that's not going to stop. We need to imagine the situation, we need to put ourselves into the shoes of those who really experienced these things. We are given examples, patterns, we need to take them to heart, not read them for our entertainment. Let's take a few moment to think about what Paul did as he waited on the Lord. Three days he was without sight. Three days he had nothing to eat or drink. Three days he prayed.

Recently someone I know had to fast for a medical procedure, but the fast was for only liquids for a day and a half, not even a full fast of nothing at all. This person found it incredibly hard not to eat solid food. It makes you realize just how important it is to our wellbeing- emotionally and otherwise to eat.  I know there are times I don't eat according to my usual schedule and unless it is caused by emergency situations that have adrenaline and shock taking over, I feel light headed, sometimes sick to my stomach etc because I missed a single meal! Some people are used to missing meals, others are experienced in fasting as a way of life. Paul's extreme fasting was for spiritual reasons, even so, it couldn't have been easy- not that Paul was even thinking about anything being easy. Paul was consumed in prayer! Paul wanted NOTHING but the love of GOD! Paul wanted NOTHING but the forgiveness the love of God would give him. Every single action he'd taken against the Savior, every thought he'd had filled with hatred against GOD'S SON, all of this went through Paul's head, it had to. He wasn't there for three days with a blank mind, he wasn't unconscious. He may have slept, but he mostly did a lot of praying.

The LORD told Ananias to go to Paul and said these words-  'Behold he prayeth.'

Fasting and prayer. Three days blind, three days fasting, three days of prayer. Paul was seeking God. I won't say Paul never prayed like he was praying before- remember Paul was a very devout man of God, he'd been raised that way. Paul was an upstanding man of God, seeking God's truth, God's way. He only ever wanted to do what God would have him do. When he did NOT believe in Christ it was for a reason, and in retrospect we can see the reason, or at least in part. The Lord's longsuffering was revealed in Paul's conversion.  He may NOT have seen the Lord for who He was when He walked the earth for three years in His ministry, but He did see the Lord after he'd done so much persecuting of Him. Paul saw the truth, he was convicted of the truth in his heart and with a heart filled with remorse, with repentance, with the need for forgiveness he sought the Lord's Salvation!

More tomorrow, by the GRACE of our LORD!

All in the Love of our Savior, Jesus Christ, now and forever!!!!!!!

Act 9:6  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 

Act 9:7  And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 

Act 9:8  And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 

Act 9:9  And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

Can you say these words, as Paul said them?

1Co 15:8  And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 

Psa 104:2  Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain

1Ti 1:12  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 

1Ti 1:13  Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 

1Ti 1:14  And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 

Paul- born out of due time. Paul wasn’t a Christ follower when Christ was alive walking the earth teaching as all the other Apostles were. WE were not alive when Christ was alive and walking the earth teaching. PAUL, we look to Paul as one who is LIKE we are! Paul walked by faith- we must walk by faith. Yes, Paul had his encounter on the road to Damascus and we may not have such an encounter, but Paul did NOT spend countless hours in Jesus' physical presence. Paul relied upon the Holy Spirit, just as WE must rely upon the Holy Spirit. Paul was against Jesus, until He was shown beyond doubt that Jesus was who He said He was- God's Son. Jesus was alive! The very Jesus they murdered on the cross was ALIVE and had the power of Heaven!

Today there are MANY who do not believe in Jesus as a reality, they don't believe in God at all. Then there are MANY who say they believe but in truth they don't believe at all. 

Act 5:38  And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 

Act 5:39  But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. 

Rom 10:3  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 

We need to submit ourselves to God's righteousness. We need to believe. We need to know that just as Paul lived for our Savior, we must live for our Savior.  We will suffer- he suffered. We will comprehend our own worthlessness, just as Paul comprehended His own worthlessness.  Paul FOUGHT the spiritual battle and WE FIGHT the same spiritual battle!

We war, as he warred!

Can you say these words?
 

Rom 7:14  For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 

Rom 7:15  For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 

Rom 7:16  If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 

Rom 7:17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 

Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 

Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 

Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 

Rom 7:21  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 

Rom 7:22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 

Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 

Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. 

What will You have me do, Lord?

Paul was HAPPILY on his way to another city to capture and imprison Christ followers. I can even imagine him boasting to those in his group, maybe not boasting so much as sharing his eagerness to get to Damascus so he could begin purging it of blasphemers all in God's name, all with God's approval. Then to suddenly be stopped just shy of his goal by a HEAVENLY light, and a HEAVENLY voice asking him why he was persecuting GOD Himself! How shocking that must have been!
 

Act 9:5  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 

Paul knew it was God but he didn't know it was Jesus, God's Son.  Who are you? He had to know, He had to hear the words. Who was stopping him from getting to Damascus?

The Lord answered clearly-  I AM JESUS WHOM THOU PERSECUTEST.

Jesus???  But, but… no… Jesus?! Jesus was shining this heavenly light upon him, this light greater than the light of the very sun in the sky?! Jesus who he was fighting to erase from history. Jesus who had followers he was seeking to imprison. Jesus who had a staunch follower in Stephen and who Paul had a part in murdering. Jesus, the great blasphemer Himself. Jesus the one He happily heard and most likely witnessed crucified!  Jesus! JESUS!

Jesus didn't stop there he added-  It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks- when in the language of the day meant-  'The idea is, that he is injuring himself, like the ox that kicks back on the goads used to urge him forward.'  (Commentator B.W. Johnson)

Jesus was telling Him outright that by his actions Paul was HURTING himself in God's eyes, not doing the work of God. 

Just imagine the shock Paul had to feel. He truly believed he was doing God's work! He did! He was! And now to find out that all he'd done was wrong?! That justifiable murder of a blasphemer (Stephen) the justifiable murder of the chief of blasphemers (Jesus crucified), was WRONG! Paul was being told that they weren't blasphemers at all, but truly of GOD! God's ONLY BEGOTTEN SON- CRUCIFIED!?  Just imagine the enormity of realization hitting Paul all at once. Everything he believed was true and good was WRONG! He was hurting his own spiritual life by the path he was on, totally opposite of all he'd believed!

Act 9:6  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?

Paul trembled, Paul was astonished.  I can only imagine the violent shaking of his trembling, the depths of his astonishment!  Paul didn't doubt any more who was speaking to him, he was enveloped in divine light from the Savior Himself, he was being spoken to by the Lord Himself! And true to the depths of his desire to follow God and God alone and not man- he asked…

Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?!

He wanted to do God's will! That's what Paul wanted more than anything else.

Act 9:6 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 

Act 9:7  And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 

Act 9:8  And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 

Arise, go to the city- then he'd be told what he had to do. 

Paul heard this clearly and the light was gone, Jesus was gone, and those around him that hard the voice but saw no one, were all speechless. They'd witnessed the miracle, what could they say about that?!

Paul rose up from where he'd fallen and we was blind.

Blinded by the light of the Lord. Told he was wrong, so very wrong for persecuting Christ followers. Paul's entire world was rocked violently.

Act 22:6  And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.

Act 22:7  And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 

Act 22:8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. 

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

Act 26:12  Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 

Act 26:13  At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. 

Act 26:14  And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 

Act 26:15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 

Act 26:16  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 

Act 26:17  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 

Act 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 

Paul was told by JESUS-

He would be made a minister, he would be made a witness of all he heard and seen, and see more things in the future and he would have to minister and witness of those as well.  Paul would be responsible for opening the eyes of the people, and of the gentiles. Paul would teach them so they would be turned from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, how to be forgiven of their sins, how they would receive an inheritance found in those sanctified by faith in JESUS CHRIST our LORD.

Paul was told to go to the city and he would be told more.

Paul had SO MUCH to think about!

Blinded, reprimanded, entreated, Paul was all these things- Paul was being taught instantly that to believe in the LORD would do ALL those things for Him that He would teach others.

Just, please, please take a moment and think of the magnitude of all that happened to Paul.

And now… think of the longsuffering of our Savior to take one like Paul, so set on destroying all that He stood for, so set on destroying the way to salvation itself, and yet, Jesus knew Paul's heart. Jesus could forgive ALL that Paul had done. The longsuffering of the LORD is so amazing and we must look at Paul, and the example of our Savior's longsuffering towards us.

More on this tomorrow, by the WILL of the LORD, our SAVIOR, Jesus Christ now and forever!!!!!!!

Paul- Stopped In His Tracks.

Paul was on his way to round up and persecute Christ followers. He was on a mission he believed inspired by God. He was going about God's work - getting these awful blasphemers taken care of so they did not go about riling up people against God's truth. He couldn't have been happier to be doing the work of God. Yet he was in for a HUGE surprise, a SHOCKING surprise, a LIFE-ALTERING surprise.

Act 9:3  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven

Paul was NEAR his goal. Paul was close to Damascus and it was there he was going to begin again to search every house and root out every Christ follower- men and woman. He'd just been in Jerusalem searching out Christians to imprison them. He'd just been witness and consenting to Stephen's murder and was pleased. Now he was very close to Damascus where he could begin again. 

Stopped dead in his tracks he was SUDDENLY enveloped in light. The light he was surrounded in was a light from HEAVEN.  Can you imagine it? There you are setting about on a Godly mission and then you are stopped by God Himself! The LIGHT of HEAVEN was upon Him! What do you think went through His mind in that moment? Or maybe nothing really coherent was going on, just pure shock. As the light from God hit him…

Act 9:4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 

Paul is now on the ground surrounded by the heavenly light and he hears a VOICE. If the light is heavenly it stands to reason the voice was heavenly as well. A voice from heaven- God's voice was speaking to Him!  God HIMSELF! And instead of a commendation for the good work he'd been doing, or the work he was about to do, he was chastised! Clearly Paul was NOT expecting any chastising especially not from God! Yet, the words came-  Saul, Saul WHY PERSECUTEST THOU ME?

Imagine Paul's shock, his complete and utter shock! He was doing God's work! He wasn't persecuting God!

MORE on this tomorrow by the LOVE, the WILL, the GRACE of our LORD and SAVIOR now and forever!!!!