Yesterday Things Were Different

While most would consider Paul’s prior life appalling. Paul was living the life as we all could say, he was brought up in.

Paul was a Pharisee, he knew biblical law and was well studied in Jewish religion!

As far as Paul was concerned, he was just going through life pulling the apple cart he had been given. And then suddenly his whole world was turned upside down.

A transition was taking place in Paul’s life and i would imagine his walk to Damascus was anything but swift.

How many of you know, when God changes a life it usually involves changing someone else’s life as well?

Acts 9:10-19 MSG

10 There was a disciple in Damascus by the name of Ananias. The Master spoke to him in a vision: “Ananias.”

“Yes, Master?” he answered.

11-12 “Get up and go over to Straight Avenue. Ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus. His name is Saul. He’s there praying. He has just had a dream in which he saw a man named Ananias enter the house and lay hands on him so he could see again.”

13-14 Ananias protested, “Master, you can’t be serious. Everybody’s talking about this man and the terrible things he’s been doing, his reign of terror against your people in Jerusalem! And now he’s shown up here with papers from the Chief Priest that give him license to do the same to us.”

15-16 But the Master said, “Don’t argue. Go! I have picked him as my personal representative to non-Jews and kings and Jews. And now I’m about to show him what he’s in for—the hard suffering that goes with this job.”

17-19 So Ananias went and found the house, placed his hands on blind Saul, and said, “Brother Saul, the Master sent me, the same Jesus you saw on your way here. He sent me so you could see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” No sooner were the words out of his mouth than something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes—he could see again! He got to his feet, was baptized, and sat down with them to a hearty meal.

Both men’s lives were forever changed because they did one thing! They said yes and trusted completely in what was taking place in their lives!

They didn’t expect God to change everyone else! They accepted the fact God was working in their life and bringing about a change in them! They trusted God wholeheartedly and embraced what was about to happen!

We who are hearing this word today are part, along with countless millions of others, of the results of the change which occurred the day Saul was blinded by the light.

As a result of Paul’s willingness to change and accept what God did, was doing and was going to and is still doing! Paul changed not just his world, but the entire World!

I’m sure neither Paul, nor those around him sensed the far reaching effects God was doing! Gods ways aren’t confusing, there Gods ways, capable of unlimited impact and unlimited results!

Isaiah 55:8-11 MSG

“I don’t think the way you think.

    The way you work isn’t the way I work.”

        God’s Decree.

“For as the sky soars high above earth,