Have you had an experience that you would say, changed your whole life, or at least how you perceive life? I have, (almost drowning, a vision, experiencing child’s birth, etc.) Saul had a life changing experience that changed his life. It so changed his life that he got rid of his junk and started life with a new beginning.
Scripture:
Acts 9: 3-6 “3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” 6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” 5. Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
Lesson:
What kind of experience constitutes a life changing experience? For me it is those life-defining moments, when God gets our attention? When things are going so good, we are on the mountain top, we look at life and just think of how WE have made it, (by our smarts, good looks, wit, who we know, etc.) Often time we fail to recognize God or give Him the credit. However, we begin to see things a little different when crises smack us in the face (divorce, health problems, financial ruin, dying church, etc.)
God uses those experiences to get our attention. It is harder to look up when we're at the top of a mountain, (our eyes look across into the horizon or through the valley) but, when we are in the valley you can only look up. There is something about being in the pit, it is so much easier to recognize who God is and to cry out to God. It was not until Saul became blind did it occur to him to ask, “What do you want me to do?”
Application:
1. 1. Have you experience some life defining moments in your life?
2. Could God be asking you, “Why have you been playing “religious” when you can have a true relationship with me?
3. Are you satisfied with the relationship you have with God? Are the things you are doing bringing satisfaction?
4. Has the relationship you have with Jesus changed your life?
5. Are you so focus on righting your past that you fail to focus on the present?
6. Are you willing to live in the present by saying, “Lord, What would you have me do?” It will change your life.
Prayer:
Dear Father, I have been living for myself and trying to adhere to all the rules, of being a “good” Christian. The truth is, I can never do enough to justify myself in your sight. I have sinned, and I accept Jesus as my redeemer. Help me to accept your forgiveness and move on with my life, the life you are calling me to live. Help me to seek you first, to establish an intimate relationship with you. Make me a new creature in you. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Sometimes, people are wrong and they cannot see it because their eyes have not been opened by God. I am reminded of an old joke: a man was on the ocean on a raft and he called out "God, please rescue me" and a few minutes later a fishing boat came by and a man reached out his hand but the raft man said,"Oh no,thanks,Im waiting on someone special to rescue me." As the man sailed away the raftman smiled, knowing God would soon come to his rescue. He continued to pray and rejected a speed boat,a yacht, a pontoon, a Navy ship and so one.When the man died he went to heaven and asked God, 'why didnt you hear me? why didnt you save me?" And God said,'what do you mean? I did hear you! I sent you over a dozen boats!" Who are we to judge and why do we insist on credentials of those whom God decides to send? I am scared for you if someone says to you that they have a message from God and if you say,'well God has sent me many places over the years and God has never not once sent someone to tell me what to do or where to go as God always tells me Himself.' Well then if thats the case --let me ask you something,do you think God will drop every thing He is doing everytime just to personally tell you what He wants you to do? Maybe God dont want to talk to you right now. Maybe God just wants to test your faith. There are many possibilities but Go ahead; ignore His message: see what happens. People who have everything, seem to give very little thought to the words of those who have nothing. Can anything good come from someone who has nothing? Let me see your credentials before you speak to me,why would God send you?
ReplyDeleteIf you are one of many children and mom tells you that she is going to bake cookies; when you see her getting down the flour and sugar you know what she is doing.The other kids, just see mom in the kitchen again, no big deal maybe shes cleaning the cabinets or taking inventory but that is dead wrong guess work and you know it so what should you do if you love them? Of course, some of them wont believe you,why would mom tell you? Imagine how Timothy felt, young or old, rich or poor,ugly or a beauty qeen what good are earthly credentials in Heaven? Jesus was a poor Jew, could any good thing come out of Nazareth? Maybe someone seeks because of what is to come NOT to deal with that which has passed.Kings Mtn has a battle field. So does Cowpens. There have been battles fought here before but nothing even close to the magnitude which is soon to come.I speak of a great spiritual war, God decides where every battle will be fought; you know that dont you.Could someone be informed by God on something that you dont know? Would you listen to them if they tried to share with you or are you on the raft in the ocean?
“Don't be afraid, the prophet answered. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them…Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all round Elisha,” 2 Kings 6:16-17
Im not stuck in the past-Im watching the future unfold. How many times have folks said 'let go of the past and let God' and how many times have I said 'God is watching'? I can see a shepherd. He is hand picked to do great works for God - great works right here, if others cant see that they need to get over it --so that we can get back to the future. When God says to summon His troops here; who should object? Whats the hardest part about telling what God says to tell,actually speaking or knowing that folks crying out about how much they love God are not willing to believe an everyday person who hand delivers a message?? Maybe God should send President Obama or Bill Gates or Miss America; who has the authority to question the message or the messenger? If someone comes and declares a message from God,or shares something that God has allowed them to see what kind of Christian ignores?
Thanks for your comment Mary. I pray that I would not ignore anything that God would tell me. I so believe that God speaks personally to individuals. And I also believe that he would only send another person if the individual were not listening to God, or if God was affirming someone through another. I will think more about your comments.
ReplyDeleteLOL, i wasnt talking about you, Patsy, lol. I think we are moving into the future.
ReplyDeleteI talked to a trucker at work 2 nights ago,he talked about how he thinks God wants him to speak to some people but he was concerned that noone would listen to him because of his past...i wrote down this website, hope he reads it, if he has read these last 2 postings, then he understands that his past is nothing to haunt him and he is as free as Paul after Damascus and he can move into the future by realizing that God likes to use common folks and any messenger that God picks has nothing to feel inferior over.
he looked like a man with a mission: maybe a vision. I pray he follows through for God. I think you and I both wrote for him, he needed a little encouraging and we dont always know who the intended audience is, but Jehovah always knows.