"Now as he went on his way, he approached Damscus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him." (Acts 9:3)
Sometimes I hear people say, 'If I have an experience like Paul, if Jesus appears to me in a blinding light, then I will become a believer. I will follow Christ." That is an admission that there is something that could happen in their life that would produce faith. My challenge to people like that is, just pray. Ask God to make Himself known to you in a convincing manner.God is creative and it seems to me in the Bible He appears to each person in a way that is unique to them. To the woman at the well He spoke of living water; to Nicodemus He spoke of being born again; to Simon Peter, it was follow me and I will make you a fisher of men. Jesus may not appear to you in a blinding light, but if you are open to truth He will make Himself known.
Saul had witnessed the death of Stephen. He had seen the peace on his face as he was being stoned. He had heard Stephen declare God's glory. No doubt these thoughts stayed with him in the days to come. And it is not long after that Jesus appears. Amazingly God takes this murderous Pharisee and makes him an apostle of grace. What does God desire to do with you?
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Who Does God Choose to Use?
"And Saul approved of his execution." (Acts 8:1)
In the last couple of weeks we have noticed God call and choose to use a man named Abram. He was a pagan in an idolatrous society, but his heart longed for the one true God. And yet we see him as a liar, an adulterer and a man that acts in his own flesh in spite of the promises of God. God uses a sinful broken man.
We have seen God call and use Jacob, who was a liar, a cheat. We see him as a man filled with fear and stubborn. And yet God uses Him as well. We read often about the "God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
Last week we saw God taken stubborn, hard-headed Simon and change him into Peter. He is a man we see constantly up and down and yet always growing. We come away from these and realize that God uses people just like us.
In Acts 1 we are introduced to the man who would be known to us as Paul. He is standing by watching and approving of the execution of Stephen, the first recorded martyr. It is on the road to Damascus to persecute and perhaps even murder christians that Paul comes into contact with the risen Christ. Again, we see God chooses and uses imperfect people like us.
He calls them out of their sin. He transforms them into trophies of grace, and He will do the same with us, if we will let Him. Praise God, He isn't finished with any of us yet.
In the last couple of weeks we have noticed God call and choose to use a man named Abram. He was a pagan in an idolatrous society, but his heart longed for the one true God. And yet we see him as a liar, an adulterer and a man that acts in his own flesh in spite of the promises of God. God uses a sinful broken man.
We have seen God call and use Jacob, who was a liar, a cheat. We see him as a man filled with fear and stubborn. And yet God uses Him as well. We read often about the "God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
Last week we saw God taken stubborn, hard-headed Simon and change him into Peter. He is a man we see constantly up and down and yet always growing. We come away from these and realize that God uses people just like us.
In Acts 1 we are introduced to the man who would be known to us as Paul. He is standing by watching and approving of the execution of Stephen, the first recorded martyr. It is on the road to Damascus to persecute and perhaps even murder christians that Paul comes into contact with the risen Christ. Again, we see God chooses and uses imperfect people like us.
He calls them out of their sin. He transforms them into trophies of grace, and He will do the same with us, if we will let Him. Praise God, He isn't finished with any of us yet.
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