“A YOUNG MAN NAMED SAUL!”

Acts 6:5; 7:58-60

“5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man FULL OF FAITH and of the HOLY SPIRIT, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch....

....58 Then they cast him out of the city and STONED him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of “A YOUNG MAN NAMED SAUL”.

59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "LORD JESUS, receive my spirit."

60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, "LORD, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

Yesterday after finishing my devotional, as is my normal activity, I was in my quiet time with THE LORD and my thoughts were on “poor Stephen”, as he paid a tremendous price for his being FULL OF FAITH!  Then I imagined, what if one of “the Jews” who had stoned Stephen were changed eternally by what they had observed?  GOD can use even the smallest of thoughts for HIS Glory and change someone’s heart through seemingly nothing?  

Then my mind went to Acts 9:15-16 where JESUS is speaking to Ananias.  “But the LORD said to him, "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." Looking so diligently for who GOD was changing, I couldn’t SEE that it was Saul/Paul, even though I had capitalized his name in verse 58 of chapter 7 of Acts.  

Most are aware that GOD used me to write a letter in 2002 in support of the Neurologist that GOD used to save my life in 2007.  All I was doing was trying to help a friend who worked where the Neurologist was used.  Never could I have dreamed ALMIGHTY GOD was intricately weaving HIS Plan with this humble servant being in the midst of that Plan?  The Apostle Paul wrote much of the New Testament after his conversion.  Do you think he had any idea what the ALMIGHTY had planned for him while he watched Stephen being stoned to death?  

ALMIGHTY GOD had a Plan for Stephen that Glorified HIM.  HE had a Plan for Saul/Paul that Glorified HIM.  HE has a Plan for me and you!  My prayer is that HE will be Glorified by my life and actions as I serve HIM.  If “A YOUNG MAN NAMED SAUL” life can be changed to honor CHRIST, surely GOD can use a broken vessel like me for HIS Glory???