ACTS 9:20-31
"Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ. Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him."
In last week's scripture, God promised Ananias to show Paul "how many things he will suffer for My name's sake." In this week's text we see that God did not waste much time fulfilling that promise. Paul comes out the gates preaching the goodness of God and the scriptures tell us that the people were amazed. The scriptures also tell us that the amazement quickly turned to skepticism and anger. Paul would receive doubt from the good guys and hate from the bad.
We know from basic Bible knowledge that Paul would be a Christian all-star and used by God in mighty ways, but what many don't know is that God's plan for Paul would begin in brokenness. In the beginning of Paul's ministry, he began in the trenches. He had lost all of his friends and people that supported him while now not being trusted by the people who he was called to love and lead.
In the beginning, all Paul had was God and that was exactly what Paul needed most. Paul was going to experience blessings and war like no other. He would have a closeness to God like many have never experienced. He would find himself in prison while also writing the majority of the most famous book in history. In this week's text, God is preparing Paul for what's to come.
We are not going to be used to write books of the Bible, but we will be molded in the same way Paul was. God has a sovereign plan for our life, and His plan often begins in creating a new dependence on Christ. That dependence on Jesus comes from a separation in the world. It comes with seeing our sin and the pain it has caused others while trying to create a new reputation through our newfound life. This process often begins with amazement and quickly turns to hardship. Much like this week's text.
Like Paul, if you find yourself in the midst of skepticism in your new life or even at war with your old one, take hope that God is doing something great in your life!
For those that God calls His, He molds and prepares for the glory of the Kingdom and His name, and that is always good news for us.
Stay faithful church.
We know from basic Bible knowledge that Paul would be a Christian all-star and used by God in mighty ways, but what many don't know is that God's plan for Paul would begin in brokenness. In the beginning of Paul's ministry, he began in the trenches. He had lost all of his friends and people that supported him while now not being trusted by the people who he was called to love and lead.
In the beginning, all Paul had was God and that was exactly what Paul needed most. Paul was going to experience blessings and war like no other. He would have a closeness to God like many have never experienced. He would find himself in prison while also writing the majority of the most famous book in history. In this week's text, God is preparing Paul for what's to come.
We are not going to be used to write books of the Bible, but we will be molded in the same way Paul was. God has a sovereign plan for our life, and His plan often begins in creating a new dependence on Christ. That dependence on Jesus comes from a separation in the world. It comes with seeing our sin and the pain it has caused others while trying to create a new reputation through our newfound life. This process often begins with amazement and quickly turns to hardship. Much like this week's text.
Like Paul, if you find yourself in the midst of skepticism in your new life or even at war with your old one, take hope that God is doing something great in your life!
For those that God calls His, He molds and prepares for the glory of the Kingdom and His name, and that is always good news for us.
Stay faithful church.
SCRIPTURE TO GO ALONG WITH THE MESSAGE
Go back and read Acts 9:1-19 as it gives us great context to what we see God doing in Paul's life in this week's scripture.
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