10Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; and he took food and was strengthened.
Sometimes, what we say is not what we mean. Have you ever had that experience, where you say one thing, and it comes out as something else? Church secretaries are not immune from this. A friend sent me this e-mail some time ago with some "Bulletin Bloopers"
TOP 15 BLOOPERS FOUND IN CHURCH BULLETINS
15. Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be recycled Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
14. The Pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the breakfast next Sunday morning.
13. Low Self-Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday from 7 to 8 p.m. Please use the back door.
12. Ushers will eat latecomers.
11. For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
10. Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.
9. The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the church basement on Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
8. The concert held in the Fellowship Hall was a great success. Special thanks are due to the minister’s daughter, who labored the whole evening at the piano, which, as usual, fell upon her.
7. On a church bulletin during the pastor’s illness: GOD IS GOOD, Pastor Hargreaves is better.
6. Potluck supper: prayer and medication to follow.
5. Don’t let worry kill you off - let the church help.
4. The Pastor is on vacation. Massages can be given to the church secretary.
3. Eight new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
2. The choir invites any member of the congregation who enjoys sinning to join the choir!!
AND THE NUNIBER I BLOOPER FOUND IN CHURCH BULLETINS:
1. Weight Watchers will meet at 7 p.m. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
We all make mistakes from time to time when we are talking or writing a something. But, there is one person that I know of who never says anything wrong. Every time He speaks, it is accurate, 100% true, and should be adhered to every time. Everything He has written is perfect – no errors, no goofs, no blunders. Of course, I am talking about God. When God speaks, He means what he says. I find it amazing that there are people in this world who call themselves believers, Who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, yet do not believe the Bible. Perhaps you have heard some of their reasoning.
"Well, the Bible has been around for so long, how could it be reliable for today? How could it be relevant?"
“The Bible has been translated so many times, that it has just become man’s interpretation.”
“The Bile isn’t the Word of God, it becomes the Word of God as I read it, and He speaks to me. Some of it is just mythical stories.”
And the excuses go on and on. My question is, “Why?” Can’t a perfect God give us a perfect Bible and preserve it perfectly throughout history? Of course He can!
But, if you get right to the heart of the excuses, I believe that you will find that most people don’t follow God’s Word because they know that they will have to dramatically change their lives. God’s Word says to forgive those who sin against you - that means we have to forgive, we can’t carry a grudge. God’s Word says to be holy as our heavenly Father is holy, That means we have to give up those vices that have been a part of lives for years. God says that we are to honor our parents, not to covet, be subject to one another, respect our Elders, and on it goes, giving us sound instructions for living.
Now don’t misunderstand, there is more, to the Bible than a list of “do’s and don’ts,” but God does give us specific guidelines for living. And, He expects us to be obedient. But, many of us question God’s wisdom. We don’t like what He says, so we make excuses for not doing it.
In Acts 9, we meet a man named Ananias. Ananias was a person just like you and me. He was probably “just” a lay person. He attended church, he said His prayers, and he lived his life for God. He probably had a family to care for and a job to attend to. His life was not a dramatic series of exciting adventures. He would make his mark in history only because he was the man who went to Paul and gave him a message from God.
There was another way in which Ananias was similar to us. He had a hard time accepting what God told him to do.
Let’s set the scene. Ananias has probably just finished his prayer time. He has been seeking God’s face. Praying for his family, his church, and his community. Maybe, he even prayed about the fact that Saul was on his way to Damascus, to persecute the Church. Rumors were probably flying around about this man, about how he was arresting believers, beating them and throwing them in prison - even voting to have some of them killed. Just as he is finishing up his prayer time, God comes to him in a vision. Listen to God’s instructions: Arise and go to the street called "Straight, " and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus, named Saul, for behold he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.
Ananias immediately recognizes that this is the voice of God. How? How did Ananias know it was God speaking? On several occasions, someone has asked me if “God has ever spoken to me.” My answer is always, “absolutely.” But I can honestly say that God has never spoken to me in audible voice. That isn’t to say that it can’t happen – just that it never has. So the next question that is usually asked is; “How do you know it is God speaking?” That is an excellent question. How do any of us know when God is actually speaking to us? How do we know it isn’t just our imagination running wild? How do we know it isn’t something much more sinister?
As God speaks to Ananias, I find three ways in which we can tell that God is truly speaking to us.
1st – because God told him to do something definite.
One way that we can know for sure that God is speaking to us, is that He always gives definite directions. God isn’t wishy-washy. We don’t have to guess at what God wants. He tells us directly.
If we want to understand God’s general will, He has made that very clear in His written word. His word tells us much about His will for each of our lives.
He wants us to come to the knowledge of Salvation
He wants us to be His witnesses
He wants us to be holy
He wants us to worship Him, His word even says we are to attend worship services
He wants us to give to His ministry
He wants us to pray
All of this is known, it doesn’t take a special message from God to make it clear. So, if God does speak to you, it will not be in generalities – He will give you definite direction.
In our story this morning, God didn’t come to Ananias and tell him to go out and pray for the sick so that someone might receive his or her sight. He told Ananias, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, 12and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.”
The same is true in our lives. God isn’t going to come to me and say, “Steve, I want you to be my witness.” He already said that – Matthew 28:19. But, He may say to me, “Steve, I want you to go up that man working at the counter and share with him about Jesus!”
God won’t come to you and tell you to pray! We already know that we are to be men and women of prayer. But God will come to you and tell you to pray for a missionary, or some one who is sick.
I have heard hundreds of testimonies, and so have you – about someone who was awakened in the middle of the night with the feeling that they had to pray for a specific person, only to find out later that they were in mortal danger, or sick or had a specific need.
That is the way God works. If you want to know what God’s will is for you in life, read the Bible – He has revealed it to you. If God needs something more definite, trust me, He will let you know.
Second, when God speaks to us – not only will it be definite, it will also be different. When God calls His children to do something, it is usually something out of the ordinary – sometimes it is even difficult.
Ananias – “go and speak to Saul – the killer of Christians.”
Noah – “build an Ark”
Abraham – “leave your homeland and to the land I am going to show you.”
Moses – “go and speak to Pharaoh and tell him to let My people go.”
Gideon – “take an army of a couple of hundred men – and go fight the entire army of the Philistines.”
And the list goes on and on. You see, when God calls you to do something for Him, it is not going to be the usual. It is not necessarily going to be easy.
God doesn’t have to tell you to eat breakfast – your stomach already does a good enough joy. God doesn’t need to tell you to take a shower, I am sure your husband or wife or friends would do that if it were necessary. God doesn’t even need to tell you to go to church. Your own spiritual desires motivate you to do that. When God calls you to do something, it will be new. It will be unusual, and it will probably be challenging. But God’s plan is always the best.
The third way to know for sure that it is God who is speaking to you is to know that when God calls you, it will always align with God’s character. God will not call you to do something that is contrary to His nature or His revealed will.
There is no question that it is God’s will that all come to the knowledge of salvation – even, Saul the killer of Christians. However, God wanted an ambassador, someone who could share the gospel with this man. So God called Ananias. He called Ananias to do the difficult, but it was in keeping with God’s character. And, God will only call you to do that which is in keeping with His character.
He will not call you to get a divorce – God hates divorce.
God will not call me to perform a wedding ceremony for a man and a woman in which one is a Christian and the other is not.
God will not call me to marry a gay couple.
You see, God does call us to do the unusual, but He never calls us to be involved in sin. His desire will always align with His character.
So, God has called Ananias to something that is quite difficult but still aligns with His character. How does Ananias react?
Listen to his response to God:
Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to thy saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon Thy name. "
"Lord, do you realize what you are asking me to do? I am going to have to go and admit to this man that I am a follower of Jesus Christ. He hates Christians. He wants to imprison them and kill them. He is trying to destroy the church completely.”
Recognize the attitude? How many times has God asked you -- and me -- to do something special for Him, and we have made excuses why it isn’t practical.
Lord, I will give more to your work, as soon as my bills are paid.
Lord, I would hold a Bible Study here at my home, but I am so busy right now.
Lord, I would witness to that person, but they would probably just laugh at me and I would feel like a fool. Besides, I wouldn’t know what to say.
Isn’t there someone else who you could use instead of me,? I am just not very good at things like that. And the excuses go on.
But fortunately, God is patient. God answers Ananias’ objections: "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel, for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.
You see, God has a plan. Ananias was just a small part of God’s overall plan. Small, but not insignificant. Saul, who would become known as Paul, would play a much larger role in God’s plan to redeem the world. But, first he would have to use Ananias. It would be Ananias’ privilege to tell Saul about all that God would do through him. Then, Ananias would disappear from the scene. An important point – even though it would be a small part, it was far from insignificant.
How many times have we, rejected the small part, waiting for something significant to do? What we learn from Ananias is that there are no insignificant parts in God’s plan. We must learn, like Ananias, that God is using all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His promise.
When God speaks to you, it is for a purpose. He will use you, like he did Ananias to bring about his plans.
So, let me say this – take time to listen. Because God is still talking to His people today.
Listen - because He wants to use you to fulfill His plans for this world.
Listen - because you will hear His voice and recognize who He is. He will call you to do the unusual - even the difficult. But He will never call you to do anything that isn’t in keeping with His character.
After you have heard His call, obey, because what you do will work for the good of His Church.
Some have asked: "Does God still speak to people?" Let me conclude with a story I received - again on my e-mail,
DOES GOD STILL SPEAK TO PEOPLE?
A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible, Study. The Pastor had talked about listening to God and obeying the Lord’s voice. The young man couldn’t help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people?" After the service he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message. Several of the group talked about how God had led them in different ways,
It was about ten o’clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he began to pray, "God ... If you still speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey."
As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought: Stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said out loud, "God is that you?" He didn’t get a reply and started on toward home. But again, came the thought: Buy a gallon of milk.
The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn’t recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli. "Okay, God, in case that is you," the young man said, "I will buy the milk."
It didn’t seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped at a convenience store and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home. As he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge: Turn down that street. "This is crazy," he thought, as he drove past the intersection.
Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street. At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, I will."
He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi-commercial area of town. It wasn’t the best but it wasn’t the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed. Again, he sensed something: Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street.
The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat. "Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake, them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid."
Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk to the people in the house. Finally, he opened the door of his car. "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the house and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be, obedient. I guess that will count for something. But if they don’t answer right away, I’m out of here."
He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man’s voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?"
Then the door opened before the young man could get away. A man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he’d just gotten out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn’t seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep
"What is it?" he asked.
The young man thrust out the gallon of milk "Here, I brought this to you.”
The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway speaking loudly in Spanish. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face as he turned to his unexpected visitor. The man began speaking and half crying, "We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn’t have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk. "
His wife in the kitchen called out, "I asked him to send an angel with some. Are you an angel?"
The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had with him and put in the man’s hand. He turned and walked back to his car, with tears rolling down his checks. He knew that God still answers prayers and that God still speaks to His people.
Today, tomorrow, sometime soon, God may speak to you. When he does, are you going to be willing to do the difficult and unusual to see God’s name glorified and His kingdom expanded. That was the call on Ananias’ life, and it is the call on our lives today
