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For I know the plans I have for you,declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11 |
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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. Friday, April 5, 2019
Today's Passage : Today's Passage:Saul Proclaims Jesus in Damascus Bible Verse:Acts 9:19-25 "For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ. When many days had passed, the [traditionalist] Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. " Message:
In modern terms, Saul has “done a 180.” He was the Sanhedrin’s eager hit man, sent to round up everyone in Damascus who had become a follower of Jesus. But no sooner than he appears to the public in Damascus, he begins to preach the word of Christ himself! Instead of arresting the Christians, he tries to convince the non-Christians that Jesus was the Messiah.
Let us be bold then and say . . . Jesus is my savior
The anti-Christian Jews who were expecting Saul’s arrival are naturally upset that the policeman has sided with the criminals, to the point that he is encouraging others to join them. Even worse, he becomes the strongest voice for Christ in the city. They determine to kill him as he leaves Damascus; the hunter has become the hunted. But in one of many escapes we see in Acts, Saul bypasses the gates of the city by having his allies lower him over the wall in a basket.
From his description and deeds, Acts presents Saul (later Paul) as a man gifted by nature. He is a natural leader, a man who has power to persuade others, and a man of enormous energy, intelligence and resourcefulness. The Sanhedrin had made him their man in the field in recognition of his great abilities; but now, the tide has turned. Their brilliant young champion has turned his coat, and the Christians will find him even more useful than the Jewish leadership.
Bible Historiael (French, 1372)
Bible Historiael (France, 1372)
For those who study the Bible (as opposed to the general public), Acts 9 is one of the best-known and most important Bible stories. We usually think of converts to Christianity as people exercising free will, to choose Christ. But Paul did not choose Christ; Christ chose him. God reached down with His mighty hand and slapped Saul off his horse. Wake up call! Paul, like a secondary version Christ Himself, was called by God before his birth, to become the great teacher of the Gentiles.
Thus he became a second line of communication to Christ. The first was Jesus and the apostles who knew him and continued His work after His ascension. They were empowered and accredited first by Jesus, and then by the Holy Spirit. St. Peter is usually seen as the primary figure representing the first conduit of the good news.
But in Paul’s conversion, we have a second source of the Gospel: The only direct contact with humanity by the ascended Christ. He was accredited and empowered directly by the ascended Christ. In his story, we understand that the Gospel comes to humanity by another means than the apostles. And Paul will reach out to a new group, the Gentiles, fulfilling God’s promise to bring salvation to the entire world.
Meditation : Prayer : Now all glory to you, great God, who is able to keep us from falling away and will bring us with great joy into your glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to you who alone are God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are yours before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time!.....Amen |
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