Faithfulness. Trust. Peace in your will. Wisdom. Humility. Kindness. I want to have more and more of these. Lord, thank you for your Word that speaks so much truth. Thank you for teaching me so much already.
Love,
Acts 9:1-19
So. Paul finally gets where he belongs. Let's take a look...
Paul gets permission to go to Damascus to persecute the Christians and bring them back to Jerusalem. God has other plans, though. This really was divine intervention. So he's going along the road, yeah? And it's probably daylight, because not very many people like to travel by night. But suddenly, everything gets super bright and this voice comes from heaven--turns out to be Jesus' voice! If that's not proof of the divinity of Jesus, I don't know what is. So Paul is blinded by the light and has to be lead by hand to the city of Damascus.
Can I just say that's pretty ridiculous?
But what I love is Ananias' part in the story. See, it almost seems like Paul had no choice in the matter. He just *poof* became a Christ-follower. But Ananias has a choice: Follow God and go to this man who has been known for breathing murderous threats to the Christians and has been a tremendous source of persecution, or does he go his own way out of fear of arrest? He goes. That takes hard-core trust in God and his faithfulness. That's trust in God's control and sovereignty--and the fact that even if it turns out Paul arrests him, it's all part of God's plan. Either he will escape, or he won't, but then he'll be in heaven. But if God said to go and show mercy to this man who needs to receive his (earthly) sight back, he'll go. Courage, man.
Do we have that trust and assurance in God's control and faithfulness?
Because Ananias followed orders, Paul can see again and gets baptized. Because Ananias followed orders, the author of the most letters in the New Testament is now a Christian.
Revelation 17
So there's this woman who represents Babylon which was a city that completely turned away from God and captured his people and sent them into exile. There's also all these beasts and kings and stuff.... basically the only revelation (haha) I had was the fact that they mentioned seven hills (verse 9), and I think I remember someone saying that Rome has seven hills.
Really the only thing I'll take away is that Jesus will overcome, because he is King of kings and Lord of lords. His faithful followers will be with him. (We are called and chosen! thank you!)
Hebrews 11:8-12, 17-19
Abraham. God said go, even though you don't know where, and Abraham went. He was a stranger in the promised land, but looked forward to a city with foundations built by God.
God said you'll have a son, and even though it seemed a little ludicrous to the old couple, it happened. Now he is the father of a whole nation, people... family of God! Just because he believed God.
Abraham took that child which God promised would bring many sons to Abraham, and still followed God, showing that he loved God more than his own son. That's dedication, faith. Knowing God's power. Abraham knew that even if he did have to kill his son, God could raise him back up from death. And he basically did.
Abraham is a crazy man. You have to be crazy to follow God and obey him, no matter what. Even if God seems to be contradicting himself, it all fits into a greater scheme of things. He was crazy because he traveled everywhere. He was crazy because he believed God would give him a son. He believed God would protect that son. He was crazy. We all need to be cRaZy!
Proverbs 11
4Righteousness will get you out of the important scrapes of life. Wealth is useless in such cases.
14 many advisers make victory sure. In which case, K's victory is most definitely sure. :-P
16 Kindhearted woman and 17 kind man. I think kindness is sometimes overlooked. Shouldn't.
24 One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. That is the mystery of how God works. If you are generous with your money, God blesses you for it. But this proverb if you just read it... it seems so backwards!
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
Happy earth day, God! :-)