The Devotional – Search the Scriptures – 754

The Devotional – Search the Scriptures – 754

Today’s Kick Start! – (CEB) Philippians 1 9 And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, 10 so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ.

 

Personal Obedience—Walk in the Spirit and you will not carry out the deeds of the flesh.

Acts 9 1 Now Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest 2 and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. 4 Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul said. “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9 He was unable to see for three days and did not eat or drink.

JESUS CHRIST: He IS the same Yesterday, He IS the same Today, He IS God Forever!

The conversion of Saul; a Pharisee, is one event in the Acts of the Apostles (Book of Acts) that stands alone. God records conversions from religion to personal relationships with Him. The eunuch, the sorcerer, the three thousand, and the many. All these and more are covered by Luke in these earlier chapters. Saul at this time in the early history of the church is a persecutor and a murderer of men and women who have confess that they have a personal relationship with the Messiah. Today the ‘church’ has become so religious—it would never allow a man like Saul to pastor a church, much less plant one in the neighborhood.

The year is AD35 and Saul is running out of Christians to persecute in Jerusalem as they are fleeing to Damascus; Damascus is one of the ten self-governing cities called the Decapolis; See Mark 7 31 Again, leaving the region of Tyre, He (Jesus) went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decapolis.

Saul, believing he was serving God by purging Israel of idolatry, seeks a meeting with the high priest (Caiaphas) to obtain Jewish authority to go to Damascus which is under Roman authority just as Jerusalem at this time in history. With these documents from the Sanhedrin, Saul would be allowed to ‘legally’ continue his murderous campaign. Saul believed he was following men like Moses, Phinehas, and even Elijah of the Older Scriptures.

The Glory of God reached out and touched this moment in time. It is noon and the sun is as bright as it could be, yet brighter still, and more stunning is this moment. All who are with Saul are amazed and stunned—and Saul falls from his horse. Saul hears the voice of Jesus and says; “who are you Lord?” Jesus identifies Himself and now Saul is trembling, Saul knows what he has done to the church. Jesus tells Saul to go into the city of Damascus. Saul does, but not by his own power as the glory of God has made Saul blind. He is led by hand into the city, and here he learns what Jesus wants him to do.

 

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