Wednesday, January 2, 2013

12/16/12 - Acts 24 - 26

S - Acts 26:9 - "I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth.  10 And I did so in Jerusalem.  I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them.  11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
15 And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?'  And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.  16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you,  17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles -- to whom I am sending you  18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

O - My child whom I love, today I want to tell you . . . I used Paul, who could have been called the worst offender ever.  He was killing off my church, even before it got started.  But I turned him around and made him one of my greatest missionaries.  If I can do that with him, imagine what I can do with you.  If you will just fall off of your donkey, onto the road and listen to my voice like Paul did.  I want you to be a missionary for me also.  But you must listen to me and obey my commands.  Take a lesson from Paul.  He is a great example for people everywhere.

A - If God can use someone like Paul to further his kingdom here on earth, there is no reason why he couldn't use me too.  I need to be open to his calling and listen for his voice.  I want to be in tune with him so he doesn't have to "knock me off my donkey in the middle of the road" like he did to Paul.  So I will continue to read the Bible, God's message to me and talk to him on a regular basis.

P - Heavenly Father, thank you for the promise in your word that you can use people like Paul to further your kingdom here on earth.  Please use me to do something here as well.  I want to be accessible to you.  I want to be used by you.  Help me to continue to be ready when you call me.  Help me to continue to listen to you, to continue to meet with you on a regular basis and to continue to read your word and adhere to your commands.

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