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May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit Rom 15:13 |
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| Archived Manna: | |
Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Tuesday, November 11, 2025
Today's Passage : Today's Passage :Paul’s Early Days (Galatians #7) Bible Verse:Galatians 1:13-14 (DP Bible) "You have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how intensely I used to persecute the church of God and was trying to destroy it. And I was getting ahead of many contemporaries of my generation in Judaism, being extremely zealous about the traditions of my father. " Message:
The verses from Acts are actually not the first time we encounter Paul (Saul) in the New Testament. He was present when the first martyr, Stephen, was stoned to death by the Sanhedrin: “Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.” (Acts 7:58) So we know that, at least in the first few months after the Pentecost, Paul was already a young up-and-comer; one might guess that he had a position with the Jewish establishment akin to an internship or apprenticeship.
Saul was an educated Pharisee from Tarsus in Cilicia (southeast Turkey). He was a Roman citizen, so clearly, his father had been a person of note himself; and his Roman connection would have served him well. We know he was gifted at rhetoric and oratory. When we see him in Acts 9, he has moved up the ladder, from cloak-holder in the Sanhedrin to its agent in the field, rounding up Christians and bringing them back to Jerusalem in chains, to face punishment by the Sanhedrin.
Paul, by Giotto
In a word, young Saul was a star. His credentials as a Christian-hater were golden. But why does he bring this up? One would think, if he wanted people to trust him as an emissary of Christ, he might want to play down his past. A Christian of the day would be justifiably paranoid: we know that the Pharisees sent spies into churches, posing as believers. (And in fact, the Christians of both Damascus and Jerusalem were suspicious of Paul at first. Acts 9:26.)
His purpose is to convince the Galatians that his conversion was not that of a normal Christian. His conversion was not like other people’s; there was no period of preparation. He was not converted by an evangelist, or an apostle, who might then sponsor him as a true convert. He was, with a flick of God’s mighty finger, utterly transformed, forced instantly into a 180-degree change of direction by Christ Himself. He was chosen by God, and he was ordained by God.
This is the first plank in his proof that his Gospel is a revelation of Christ and, therefore, the revealed Word of God, in all ways superior to the aberrant theologies the Galatians were hearing. Paul was the “real deal.” His Gospel was not merely better or more truthful; it was divine.
Meditation : Prayer : Oh God Almighty, send me Your light and truth, to keep this day and all the days of my life. And may Your mighty hand protect me, and all my brothers and sisters who have joined me in prayer this day, blessing our homes and our lives.. Amen. |
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