He Received Sight Forthwith

grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that is greater than all our sin!
 
Act 9:18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
Now we can understand from reading scripture and comparing line upon line, and precept upon precept that Saul here did not just stand up and get baptized for salvation, no dearly beloved, he had a "come to Jesus meeting", he understood his sins, and as the Lord showed Himself to Saul, no doubt Saul became a "believer", then after the meeting with repentence and a new heart he was baptized and it was all by faith through grace..Eph 2:8-9.  Thank God for that marvelous, wonderful grace.  Here I sit and prepare for tomorrows Sunday School lesson and I see Grace at work in the life of Paul the Apostle.  Traveling to Damascus with a mission..to destroy those that don't hold to the Law.  How many times might we be as Saul, as he was blinded by simple error.  He wholeheartedly felt that he was pleasing God in his pursuit.  At least he was zealous enough not to just whine about it, he was putting it into action.  How are we sometimes like Saul pursuing those of another religion and getting disgruntled and say that they deserve to be in hell? Dear Christian friend if it weren't for the prayers and steadfastness of some other saint in our lives and the drawing of the Holy Spirit of God we would never know saving Grace. What if they just said let em burn?  Thank God there was that grace and the power of God unto salvation to intervene in Saul's life.  I pray today that we would get off our high horses and humble ourselves and see the condition of so many around us that are lost and going to hell, can we instead pursue them with the Gospel and see the mighty hand of God work that we might glorify Him for all that is said and done?  Today I had to think about a lost soul as I was traveling with our teenagers past a palm reader/psychic sign, do you know how easy it was to think about Old Testament law and say that we shouldn't suffer a witch to live, then the overwhelming guilt overshadowed my heart.  You see that person needs to be Saved! They need to see Jesus, they are as Saul, blind and without true direction.  Some would say preacher someone could've told them about Jesus, yeah, that's true, but did I is my question.  So we see that there are many a lost soul caught up in cults and religion, may it be our endeavour to preach unto them Jesus.  As you look at the great spreading of the gospel in Jerusalem then the sending into Samaria how glorious it is to see it growing and going to the uttermost!  In past chapters we have Peters Preaching, Stephens Testimony, Phillip reaching the Samaritans, we now come upon the life and conversion of Saul.  As Saul is riding in, we see the miraculous power of God, but even more encouraging we see the obedience of a single man, and the impact it made in the life of a new convert.  Think about this, you may be the vessel made unto honor this day that God would so choose to use you in the saving of some wretched soul.  When I mean the saving, I mean being available to God, knowing God's Word, and being able to show some blinded sinner the Romans Road to salvation!  Wow what a thought that God used Ananias to lift the darkness from a blinded Pharisee's eyes! What even a greater thought that God would use you or me to see that same event being repeated some 2000 years later!  Can we honestly answer God, Behold, I am here Lord? Is your receiver up, are you in tune with what God has called you to do in life that you might be ready and available? Do we have some other object in the way, is our eye single and focused, or do we have spiritual cataracts? Dear brethren there is no greater calling, no greater work than that which God has set you aside for.  Has God laid a Saul on your heart, well if so dear brother then get busy, fear not as the Lord promised "I will be with you alway, even unto the end of the world."  May God continue to bless and may your heart be stirred to serve Him more boldly...until Jesus comes.

The Law of Multiplication

Mat 13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.


This little light of mine...I'm gonna let it shine!  Such a simple song, some would even say Preacher that is so childish, but I say I'm gonna let it shine no matter where I am.  Paul the Apostle no doubt let his light shine wherever he went, starting at the synagogue (..to the Jew first) and then outward wherever he might have been.  Then when he had found some that would listen and receive the good news of the Gospel of Christ  how he would expend himself to love on them and train them to get them into the harvest . Paul received the message, Christ and Christ alone and ourselves for His sake, my what a mighty ministry as Paul was blessed to produce fruit. I am always encouraged to read how Paul so expressively made mention of those young ones in the faith, not only those, but other disciples, and saints that were dear to him as he was doing the Fathers will.  I have been under deep conviction about the law of multiplication as of late.  The more I read of the book of Acts, the more I have an earnest desire to see others taught, and trained to go out into the world and preach the gospel.  I do not want to be like the young church in the beginning, I pray that God would make us as "those that turned the world upside down." Pastors please do not force the hand of God to make us move, may we be moved by the Holy Spirit of God, may our ministries bear fruit, may it bear fruit that would remain.  I had a thought this afternoon and we all know there is nothing new under the sun, but let us focus on missions and the training of labourers for the fields in which God is preparing the hearts and minds of His dear children.  If we preach as many do a message on productivity and multiplication, can we not apply it to the sense of missions, and the training of Preachers?  Look at the above verse and then tag along with it in thought Luk 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. If God has given you a ministry of leadership that you may have the impact of stirring up someone to serve God, then go at it fully, as I believe God has given unto us Pastors talents in which we should not bury, but invest! Let us get a little pressed, then shaken, so we can be running over with the zeal to see others saved, and entered into the work of the Lord.  May we not hoard to ourselves the people God has put into our path. When God gives us some young person, couple, or otherwise adds to our ministry let us train them and invest into them that they may go out and do the same, then when we have invested and help them to strive to accomplish Gods will in their lives can we begin to see the good measure and the overflowing abundance that God is about to pour out!  I am so encouraged by Pastors that have a strong balanced ministry, and I even desire one day to Pastor as they do a strong missions minded, Christ-centered church that would reproduce Biblically founded mature Christians for the work of the ministry.  I desire that God would bless and raise up many workers in which we can faithfully put into the ministry, whether in our Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, or unto the uttermost....  What I am saying is the law of multiplication doesn't have to always be preached materialistically, it can be preached enthusiastically with Christ as the focal point and the harvest fields in mind.  Oh how much God has given unto us, and how much responsibility we bear all because of Him.  May our ministries produce some thirty, some sixty, and some an hundredfold all for the glory of Almighty God!  I hope this thought encourages to action, that it might not be said of our ministries "us 4 and no more", but that Christ might have the preeminence and many be skilled in the art of fishing.  May God bless as you and I earnestly contend for the faith...until Jesus comes may we be found working.

Keeping On

Gal 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.Gal 2:12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. Gal 2:13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. Gal 2:14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? Gal 2:15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Praise God it is not by the Law that I am sanctified and justified, but by the precious blood of Christ.  How many of us are guilty in Christendom of being "men-pleasers", how many of us go around trying to live a life unfulfilled because we are trying to fulfill some one else's expectations?  The Lord Jesus Christ died once for all fulfilling the law that we might have Grace.  Now don't take me wrong as Paul admonished the early church also.. should we live in sin that grace may abound...God forbid.  We are to live as bondservents to the Lord Jesus and not to man or man's methods, how inexcusable is it to lay upon some believer some religious command or idea?  As Paul exposed the error of judgement herein lies what should keep us going forward for Christ...Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. Now again if it is against Scripture then of course we can go to the wayward one and try to restore and bring into light of Scripture what he or she may be doing, but as far as knowing the will of God, or the direction explicitly for that person.. who are we?  Let that man so give account, for every man must give an answer for that which he does with the knowledge of the Word of God in his life. Let us "study to show ourselves approved unto God,"  not as mere pleasers of men trying to win their affection.  We are to be consecrated to the One and Only True God of Heaven.  Our whole being is to be brought unto subjection for His glory.  Train of thought here....wisdom must be mixed with knowledge, for with knowledge alone we are prone to make a mess of things. Think about this, if a man has read and understood that Jesus Christ is indeed "the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh to the Father but by me John 14:6; Then if he does not accept that piece of Scripture we can say how unwise for the knowledge is there, but the application and wisdom to call upon the name of the Lord for salvation has passed him by.  This is where I am at in today's world.. for they have no knowledge of God. We as a nation have ended up like Israel of old..Hos 4:1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. God instructs us to live for Him, not for them, there is a separation from the world and the worlds patterns and ideas. If you have been saved then there is a higher calling on your life and that calling is to do the will of your Father in Heaven.  Pray and earnestly seek unto God what that perfect will for your life is according to the leading of the Holy Spirit and direction by the Word of God,  then you may pillow your head at night knowing that all has been done to please Him and not them! May the grace of God and peace of God be with you, until Jesus comes...keep on keeping on!