"Study Hard, Pray Often" Series

The Ultimate Decision

August 15, 2014

As I was praying and reading this morning the Lord asked me to ask you, "Are you growing in your faith”. Is growing in your faith a priority to you? This morning I am going to speak about something that caught my attention to help you grow in your faith.

In the book of Acts, Saul who was later named Paul actually went to seek out Christians to put in jail.

Acts 9:1,2 "Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.”

This man Saul was looking for people to put them in jail for believing in this new “Way”. Then Saul travels on the road to Damascus and hears this:

Acts 9:3 “As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

First of all this one word “Me” should make you joyful. Whatever you do when you share the good news of the Lord or love one another in the name of Jesus you are doing this as a co heir with Jesus. Saul is persecuting new Christians but Jesus tells Saul that in actuality he is persecuting Jesus Himself. So be strong in the faith as we are One with God.

Now this next part is very important to understand our Christian walk. It was God who did a work in Saul, not Saul who did any kind of work to be a believer. Saul had one encounter with Jesus and then

1. He was one of the greatest evangelists of all time

2. Wrote most of the books in the New Testament

3. Healed many in the name of Jesus

Paul didn’t have time to go to seminary or be ordained. He was changed by God and WENT. We don’t need a degree to proclaim the great news of eternal life. We don’t others to tell us where and when to go and preach. But you do need God to tell you. God specifically told Paul what to do and he did it.

Even the disciples were first skeptical of Paul.

Acts 9:13-15 " “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.”

AND so are YOU. You and I are God’s CHOSEN instruments to not only share the good news that will last for eternity with our fellow brothers and sisters but we are also called to love the Lord with all our heart soul and mind. We cannot do this without knowing who God is. You need to desperately dig into the Bible and study it. You need to write down the promises God has said about you and His plans for you. Then you need to ask God how to pray and then pray often. It is good to read a devotional and go to church BUT you need to be the one whom God is speaking to. You need to be the one who gets up early and studies about the One True God.

Some of you are too busy building a small little Kingdon fro yourselves. I say this not for you to take offense but I say this to tell you that no matter how big you think you are the second you take your last breath your knee will be bowed before God. NOTHING you have done of a worldly sense will be remembered. Titles will be gone, money will be non existent and EVERY THING you have built will be given away. All you will have is Jesus. Will that be enough? You may say YES but does your current lifestyle say YES.

Today you can’t have it both ways. You are either a child of the King or you are not. Study hard, pray often and then use the talents God has given you to not only earn a living but to use your profession as a way to share the only news that will last. Christ and Christ Crucified and Risen.

If you are a shaker and mover who has tied your horse to the billionaires of the world then you tied your horse to the wrong tree. If you are more excited telling people of who you know in this world than the Lord then you have a problem. Wake up as Satan has a unique way of making believers think they are doing things for the Kingdom when they are actually leading others to the dark world. Be very, very careful how you live. Pray often and ask for help from the Lord who will give it abundantly.