Thursday the 18th

Acts 9: 21-22

 

²¹All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?" ²²Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

 

 

People just don’t get it sometimes….When Saul accepted the Lord into his life, he his life took a 180 degree turn from where it was heading. While he still looked like the same person on the outside, he was very different on the inside. He talked with the same voice, but what he talked about changed, He still went to the same locations, but his purpose had changed, Saul was very different , but in a sense still very much the same man. As a result the Jews did not get him, they could not fathom the strength, power and glory that Christ had shown through Paul……but that is exactly how He works! The rejected stone will become the capstone, the weak will defy the strong, and the common man will baffle the wise. Why is this important to understand? It is important, because this is your story, this is my story as well. When Christ shows up in your life it is a life changing event, that lasts a lifetime…..and beyond. The question that you spend a lifetime answering, is will you be strong like Saul was? Saul did not care what others said about him. Paul lost friends, he lost his position, he had people so confused that they were prepared to kill him. Yet he did not waver. The more that Saul pushed ahead, the more that the Lord blessed him with. Scripture says that Saul grew more and more powerful. That is not to say that Saul became stronger. Paul became powerful because he allowed the power of Christ to shine through him. On the road to Damascus Saul realized just how weak he was and just how powerful the Lord is. Paul allowed Christ to work through him, and when we do that there is no other alternative than to become more powerful. That is the strength, and power that is offered to each one of us, does it come with a worldly cost? Yes, yes it does, just like Saul you will lose friends, you will lose a lot that the world will no longer want to give you. Let them have it. Take the path that Saul chose. Chose to once and for all leave your old life behind, you don’t need it! Make the turn, and place Christ in the drivers seat, let the world talk, let the world plot, and plan, It is of no matter. If you want the peace that Saul had, if you want the security, the joy, and the power that Saul had, then make the choice to confuse the world, baffle them just as Saul did. You might look, talk, and walk the same, but let the world figure out that while the outside is the same….. inside is a very, very different person.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

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