Acts 9 - "joy"

Paul is one of my favorite people in the Bible. His writing encourages me, disciplines me, teaches me...the list goes on and on. Sometimes as I read his work I am jealous of him. He knew so much about how to live a righteous life. His conversion story is known as the next greatest event after Jesus' birth, death and resurrection. His life did not just change a little after He accepted Christ. He did a complete turn-around. The life he once knew was gone. His new life was one of great discipline to the Lord. God's love poured out of him in a way I desire. It took Saul's literal blindness to open his spiritual eyes to what he needed to do to live a righteous life. It was that blindness that took Saul into a three day fast. During that fast Saul pondered upon the darkness he was in. He found healing not only in his physical body but most importantly in his spiritual body. He realized he must depend upon God instead of himself. Ananias was sent by God to minister to Paul after his conversion but Ananias did not want to go. He knew what Paul had done to the Christians and did not want anything to do with him. How many times do we hold people's past against them? That is not what we are suppose to do. Rather, we are to love with Jesus' love. If He forgives and forgets, are we not to do the same? God knows best and when He tells us to do something we need to do it. No matter what. Is it OK to question Him? Sure but if He tells us again to do something we need to do it. If Ananias would not have gone to Paul, would he have been filled with the Spirit (Acts 9:17)? Would Paul's soul have been restored? These are questions we may never know the answers to but we can be sure when God calls us to do His work there will be blessings such as Paul's. Acts 9 continues with how the disciples did not trust Paul. They Jews tried to kill him as he proclaimed Jesus as Messiah. When the believers realized he was a changed man, they protected him by sending him away. The result of this is found in Acts 9:31...

Is this what would happen in churches today if we feared the Lord? Would believers be "encouraged by the Holy Spirit"? Would churches see new believers? When people come to the Lord, they did to know salvation is not a stopping point. They did to be taught in order to grow in their relationship with the Lord. They need to know what a life of righteousness is all about. Could there be some 'Paul's' upon us? I believe so. God desires to use all of us to further His Kingdom. He is not interested in how many are in church but instead is interested in how many souls are saved and sanctified. When we, as believers, get that through our heads we will be blessed. The blessings of peace and strengthening is available to church leaders but first there must be fear for the Lord. 

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for men like Paul who showed us how to live. Thank You for waking me up with the desire to ponder upon his life. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me. Change me. Enlighten me. Encourage me throughout this day to be more like You. Father, I pray for comfort for those who are hurting. I pray for healing for those who need a healing in their physical body. But most of all I pray for people to share You so more people will come into relationship with You and receive healing in their spiritual body. I pray for more believers to be a beacon of light for You today. Thank You Jesus for being The One I Fear. Amen.