Post by Woody Williams on Jan 13, 2006 6:36:05 GMT -5
Text for the Day -- Acts 22:3-16
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'I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city
at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to our ancestral
law, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today. I
persecuted this Way up to the point of death by binding both men and
women and putting them in prison, as the high priest and the whole
council of elders can testify about me. From them I also received
letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I went there in order to
bind those who were there and to bring them back to Jerusalem for
punishment.
'While I was on my way and approaching Damascus, about noon a great
light from heaven suddenly shone about me. I fell to the ground and
heard a voice saying to me, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"
I answered, "Who are you, Lord?" Then he said to me, "I am Jesus of
Nazareth whom you are persecuting." Now those who were with me saw
the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to
me. I asked, "What am I to do, Lord?" The Lord said to me, "Get up
and go to Damascus; there you will be told everything that has been
assigned to you to do." Since I could not see because of the
brightness of that light, those who were with me took my hand and led
me to Damascus.
'A certain Ananias, who was a devout man according to the law and
well spoken of by all the Jews living there, came to me; and standing
beside me, he said, "Brother Saul, regain your sight!" In that very
hour I regained my sight and saw him. Then he said, "The God of our
ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One
and to hear his own voice; for you will be his witness to all the
world of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you delay? Get
up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his
name."
Devotional
----------
Paul's conversion is a great, dramatic story. God reaches out and
confronts an enemy and draws him into the circle of his love. Paul's
great gifts are not going to be wasted fighting Christians and
Christ. God reaches out and claims this man. He becomes the greatest
theologian and missionary of the church. He is baptized, restored and
sent out. The characters change but the story remains the same. God
claims, names and sends. Have you thought about the way God claimed,
named and sent you, lately?
Prayer
-----------------
Rekindle the gift of the Spirit in me, O Lord. Amen
----------
'I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city
at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to our ancestral
law, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today. I
persecuted this Way up to the point of death by binding both men and
women and putting them in prison, as the high priest and the whole
council of elders can testify about me. From them I also received
letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I went there in order to
bind those who were there and to bring them back to Jerusalem for
punishment.
'While I was on my way and approaching Damascus, about noon a great
light from heaven suddenly shone about me. I fell to the ground and
heard a voice saying to me, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"
I answered, "Who are you, Lord?" Then he said to me, "I am Jesus of
Nazareth whom you are persecuting." Now those who were with me saw
the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to
me. I asked, "What am I to do, Lord?" The Lord said to me, "Get up
and go to Damascus; there you will be told everything that has been
assigned to you to do." Since I could not see because of the
brightness of that light, those who were with me took my hand and led
me to Damascus.
'A certain Ananias, who was a devout man according to the law and
well spoken of by all the Jews living there, came to me; and standing
beside me, he said, "Brother Saul, regain your sight!" In that very
hour I regained my sight and saw him. Then he said, "The God of our
ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One
and to hear his own voice; for you will be his witness to all the
world of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you delay? Get
up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his
name."
Devotional
----------
Paul's conversion is a great, dramatic story. God reaches out and
confronts an enemy and draws him into the circle of his love. Paul's
great gifts are not going to be wasted fighting Christians and
Christ. God reaches out and claims this man. He becomes the greatest
theologian and missionary of the church. He is baptized, restored and
sent out. The characters change but the story remains the same. God
claims, names and sends. Have you thought about the way God claimed,
named and sent you, lately?
Prayer
-----------------
Rekindle the gift of the Spirit in me, O Lord. Amen