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Acts 9:1-22
Message No. 0631 | Twitter @GodandUs | www.wisdom-speaks.ca
Imagine waking up one ‘good’ morning, at the age of 30, and being told that everything you thought you knew for the past 30 years was actually the opposite of the truth: in actual fact, you were born in a different country, to a different parent than you currently know, and with a different name; the education you had was the opposite of reality and your wife or husband and your children were all actors. Did you scream What! Well, screaming wouldn’t solve any problem, and if you asked to be left alone (like most people would do so they could reflect), you would still be left with a truck load of disbelief and confusion.
In the first three decades after the death of Christ, there was a man whose name was Saul. This guy was not only an educated rascal, he was an energetic terrorist, a child from hell, and an angel of Satan. He served fear to Christians for breakfast, persecution for lunch and death at dinner. The fear of Saul seemed the beginning of wisdom, as all he thought of and did was evil against God’s children. Just read Acts chapter 9, the Bible says in verses 1 and 2:
Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
Then, the unthinkable happened. The Bible says suddenly a light shone around him from heaven, and he fell to the ground and heard a Voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” If you say, how embarrassing for the big boss to fall on the ground in that manner in the presence of his servants, you are right, but that was just the beginning of his misery. When he mustered strength and stood up from the ground, he opened his eyes and behold, he could see nothing. This was embarrassment number two, and to cap it all, he had to be led by hand and brought to Damascus, where he stayed for three days, in the dark, neither eating nor drinking.
If you have a Saul in your life, who has been terrorizing you and promising you hell at school, at work or in your neighborhood, please hand him over to God. He has a unique treatment for everyone and by the time He is done, those who terrorized you yesterday will come humbly before you tomorrow. Only do not take laws into your hands because God says in Romans 12:9:
Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
By the time God was done with Saul, it was the same group, Christians, that he persecuted, that he was humbled to sit before, for his deliverance. More importantly, however, what Saul thought he knew about God was completely deleted from his brain during those three days of fasting and replaced with the same cause that he had spent his life trying to destroy. Saul had a 180-degree turn, and praise to God, he spent the same energy he used to persecute God’s children in preaching Christ.
No one is above redemption. The devils we resent today can become the angels we love tomorrow. The Ways of God are past finding out, so that friend of yours might be His next target for redemption. That spouse of yours who has been a terror in the house might have the touch of God and come back to apologize to the entire family. That manager in the office might see the Light tomorrow and his or her attitude toward you might witness a 180-degree turn.
God has not stopped changing lives. Some might be dramatic, like Saul’s, and some might be simple. If you have been praying and have not seen any results yet, please keep on praying. Your prayers are not a waste of time; one day, the result you are expecting might come in a completely unexpected way. One prayer I can pray with you today is, may that result come with priority delivery. Have a blessed week!
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PLEASE ACT NOW:
If you are yet to give your life to Christ, you do not have a covenant with God and His promises do not apply to you. To come under these promises, please surrender your life to Christ today, by praying this prayer:
Lord I know that I am a sinner and I am unable to save myself. I am sorry for my sins and I pray that you please forgive me. I am aware that Your Son Jesus died for my sins and I accept Him as my Lord and savior. I surrender my life unto you from this moment. Please take control of my entire being and help me to be obedient to your Word, going forward. Thank you, Lord, for hearing me. I have prayed in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you prayed the foregoing prayer, you have just been born again. Please find a Bible believing church in your area and ask to see the pastor. Let him or her know that you have just given your life to Christ and s/he will guide you on next steps in your journey as a child of God. The Lord bless you!
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