“FOR THREE DAYS!”

 

Acts 9:1-9                 (ESV)

The Conversion of Saul

“[1] But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the LORD, went to the high priest [2] and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to THE WAY, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. [3] Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. [4] And falling to the ground, he heard A VOICE saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting ME?” [5] And he said, “Who are you, LORD?” And he said, “I am JESUS, whom you are persecuting. [6] But rise and enter the city, and YOU WILL BE TOLD WHAT YOU ARE TO DO.” [7] The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing THE VOICE but seeing no one. [8] Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. [9] And “FOR THREE DAYS” he was WITHOUT SIGHT, and NEITHER ATE NOR DRANK.”

Saul, later known as Paul from Acts 13:9, was persecuting members of THE WAY (Acts 9:2) as harshly as he could!  JESUS had a conversation with Saul culminating with Acts 9:9 where it is recorded “And “FOR THREE DAYS” he (Saul) was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Saul was apparently a “very confident” person?  But in his letter to the church at Philippi he wrote in chapter 3 verse 8 of Philippians, “Indeed, I count EVERYTHING as loss because of the surpassing WORTH of knowing CHRIST JESUS my LORD. For HIS SAKE I have suffered the LOSS OF ALL THINGS and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain CHRIST”.  Paul WILLINGLY gave EVERYTHING he ever wanted to be to be a “slave” to THE MASTER!!!

My curiosity inquires about what Saul did “FOR THREE DAYS” while awaiting hearing “…YOU WILL BE TOLD WHAT YOU ARE TO DO”??  He wasn’t told who would be telling him his message, nor how the message would be delivered to him??  Saul had to have been guided by the HOLY SPIRIT because JESUS told Ananias (the soon to be revealed MESSENGER from THE LORD) “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of MINE to carry MY NAME before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of MY NAME.” (Acts 9:15-16).  

It is VERY PLAIN TO SEE that JESUS HAD A PLAN for Saul/Paul!!!  It is should NOT SURPRISE us that THE CREATOR HAS A PLAN for us also!!  Saul didn’t KNOW precisely how long it would take for Ananias to deliver the MESSAGE to him, but “FOR THREE DAYS” he waited OBEDIENTLY to HIS CREATOR!!!

Would this lowly subject wait “FOR THREE DAYS”???

“OPEN MY EYES!”

 Psalm 119:18                 (ESV)

    [18] “OPEN MY EYES, that I may behold

        wondrous things out of YOUR law.”

“OUR BROTHER QUARTUS!”

 YOU AIN’T WORTH NOTHING 

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17YRvdcrf7/?mibextid=wwXIfr

“OUR BROTHER QUARTUS!”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭16‬:‭21‬-‭24‬ ‭                (HCSB‬‬)

“Timothy, my coworker, and Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow countrymen, greet you. I Tertius, WHO WROTE THIS LETTER, greet you in the LORD. Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and “OUR BROTHER QUARTUS” greet you. The grace of our LORD JESUS CHRIST be with you all.”

The PAIN of growing up without a father present in our home was extremely difficult, mildly stating an obvious fact.  I am now 66 years old and I have never had this FACT explained to me so succinctly.  I have never understood why “OUR BROTHER QUARTUS” was anything special……..until I listened to this pastor explain it in the video above.  

Although Paul is said to have written this letter to the CHURCH in Rome, apparently TERTIUS did the actual penmanship according to Romans 16:22.  “OUR BROTHER QUARTUS” was the title given to the fourth son of a supposed slave mother who wasn’t thought enough of to be given a name by the current culture??  “OUR BROTHER QUARTUS” is documented in the WORD OF GOD, EVEN THOUGH those who were IN CHARGE of things didn’t even give him a name!!!

My EXTREMELY BEAUTIFUL WIFE and the two sons GOD proven to “this world” that THERE IS A GOD!!!  There is no way under HEAVEN that I could have ever imagined these BLESSINGS, plus a “massive brain hemorrhage”, and quadruple bypass surgery, while I was growing up!!!  And even though “OUR BROTHER QUARTUS” was special enough to be recorded in the letter from Paul to the church in Rome, my lowly  NAME has been WRITTEN in the LAMBS BOOK OF LIFE…..by none other than JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF!!! (Exodus 32:32-33). Now THAT IS SPECIAL!!!

“THE SPIRIT INTERCEDES FOR!”

 

Romans 8:26-30                 (ESV)

“[26] Likewise the SPIRIT helps us IN OUR WEAKNESSES. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the SPIRIT HIMSELF intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. [27] And HE WHO searches hearts knows what is the mind of the SPIRIT, because “THE SPIRIT INTERCEDES FOR” the saints according to THE WILL OF GOD. [28] And we know that for those who love GOD ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD, for those who are called ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. [29] For those whom HE FOREKNEW HE also PREDESTINED to be conformed to the image of HIS SON, in order that HE might be the firstborn among many brothers. [30] And those whom HE predestined HE also CALLED, and those whom HE CALLED HE also justified, and those whom he justified HE also glorified.”

When GOD ALMIGHTY, in HIS WISDOM beyond description, ordains several people to be involved in the meticulous process of rearing a servant to be USED to GLORIFY HIM, HE uses different men and methods, at different times, to mold HIS CHOSEN individual into the person HE DESIRES them to become.  GOD might even use some unchosen individuals as an example of what HE wants HIS CHOSEN individual to avoid becoming?  

GOD HAS A PLAN, and HIS PLAN doesn’t leave room for HIS CREATION to mess HIS PLAN up with erroneous behavior.  Why would GOD mess up a perfect PLAN with a nincompoop that doesn’t have enough sense to “get in out of the rain”?  HE might even place HIS SERVANT into a seventeen day coma to remove ANY CHANCE of his wishes interfering with HIS PLAN???

THE PLAN OF GOD doesn’t require another PERFECT person, for THE PERFECT PERSON IS JESUS CHRIST!!!  HIS PLAN requires me to do my best to HONOR and GLORIFY HIS NAME with every breath HE puts into my lungs!  Will I eternally perform that goal with my life??  I haven’t even done that for one day, even when I was in the coma!  I AM FLAWED, and I DON’T HAVE the capability of being HOLY!!!

My prayer is that I will grow into a servant of the MOST HIGH GOD, one who “THE SPIRIT INTERCEDES FOR” as part of HIS PLAN!!!  

“FOR THE LORD GIVES WISDOM!”

 

Proverbs 2:6-15                 (HCSB)

“FOR THE LORD GIVES WISDOM”; from HIS mouth come knowledge and understanding. HE STORES UP SUCCESS FOR THE UPRIGHT; HE is a shield for those who live with integrity so that HE MAY GUARD the paths of justice and PROTECT THE WAY of HIS loyal followers. Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and integrity — every good path. FOR WISDOM WILL ENTER YOUR MIND, and KNOWLEDGE WILL delight your heart.”

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There are sometimes when GOD USES HIS WORD in the most profound ways, but we must remember that HE IS GOD, and we ARE NOT!!!  We do not possess HIS KNOWLEDGE and INTELLECT, so Isaiah 55:8-9 becomes VERY REAL to us.  

HIS WISDOM and HIS WORD is something that can be ENLIGHTENED to us at various times, but when they are revealed to us at the same time simply HAVE TO accept that HE IS GOD and HE can do as HE PLEASES (Psalms 115:3)!  Our limited , finite minds are exquisitely incapable of thinking or understanding things that are readily available for us to SEE, but they still exist and occur every minute of every day!!!

Being a BRAIN DAMAGED Hemorrhagic Stroke Survivor, there are some things that I just have to accept and understand that HE IS GOD, and I AM NOT!!  I ALSO NEED TO UNDERSTAND that GOD can OPEN THE UNDERSTANDING of any finite mind THAT HE CHOOSES!  “FOR THE LORD GIVES WISDOM” to some, regardless of “how smart” we are NOT!!!  

It has to be SEEN that “THE LORD GIVES WISDOM”, and we need to accept that HE IS GOD, and I AM NOT!!!

“THE PURPOSE OF THE LORD!”

 

Proverbs 19:21                 (ESV)

    “Many are THE PLANS IN THE MIND OF A MAN,

        but it is “THE PURPOSE OF THE LORD” THAT WILL STAND.”

When you “experience” a potential “life and death” crisis, your EYES have the potential to be OPENED to SEE things through a different prism than you previously were able to comprehend.  When my brain hemorrhaged in 2007, I believed myself to be in TOTAL and COMPLETE “control” of everything in my life.  GOD used a ruptured blood vessel in the WORD RECALL portion of my brain to cause me to recognize that HE WAS IN CONTROL of EVERYTHING…..and I very plainly realized that I WAS NOT in control of anything!!!

When you go to bed after midnight “feeling fine”, then you wake up at 5:30am to go to the restroom, you feel like you are IN CONTROL!  But your legs fail to carry you one step, then your “words” are not the words you think you are saying, and you VERY QUICKLY SEE that YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL……of ANYTHING!!!

THE PLANS IN THE MIND OF this MAN were to start a nonprofit that day.  “THE PURPOSE OF THE LORD” was to slow me down and have me recognize that HE was the ONE IN CONTROL, not just of the BIG THINGS in life, but EVERYTHING!!!  What I going to do was a “good thing”, but “THE PURPOSE OF THE LORD” was what I was going to do, regardless of what my plans were for that day!!!

GOD has VERY DELIBERATELY and PATIENTLY guided my steps preparing me to do precisely what HE HAS PLANNED for my life, including the portion of SLOWING me down over the past few years!!!  

FATHER IN HEAVEN, my prayer is that I will NOT pursue THE PLANS OF MY MIND, but that I will strive to do EXACTLY “THE PURPOSE OF THE LORD”!!!

“MY JOY MAY BE IN YOU!”

 

John 15:11                 (ESV)

“These things I have spoken to you, that “MY JOY MAY BE IN YOU”, and that your joy may be full.”

Depression is a VERY REAL thing with survivors of a Brain Hemorrhage.  When I was dismissed from the Rehabilitation Hospital, I was placed on prescription antidepressants.  I thought that “didn’t need” that, so I quit taking them.  About six weeks later a dear friend was killed and I telephoned my doctor begging for a new prescription!!  I quickly found a natural solution and was able to cease the new prescription, but the lesson learned was VERY VALUABLE!!!

Since that VERY DARK time in my life, my mental health is extremely important to me. I don’t have to take daily mood medications.  I usually can RECOGNIZE when I “might be in need” of assistance!!  

Understanding that “MY JOY MAY BE IN YOU” is kind of uplifting when you absorb what is TRULY being said!  The JOY that THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES possesses abides within me, regardless of what trial I may experience.  “MY JOY MAY BE IN YOU” is saying that whether I realize it or not, JESUS walks with me down the PATH HE has PLANNED for my life!!!

Don’t permit “the enemy” to rob you of THE JOY that JESUS LIVED AND DIED to give you!!!  HE explicitly says in the verse above “MY JOY MAY BE IN YOU”, not “could be” in you!!!  Focusing on your problems instead of “MY JOY MAY BE IN YOU” is precisely what the enemy wants happening in our lives!!!  DON’T ALLOW the interference from “the enemy” to rob you of your JOY!!!