“Paul’s Blindness”

“Father God let this touch someone’s heart today in Jesus Precious Name amen.

So, I bought a carton of milk to sour. I let it get outdated in the refrigerator. So Wednesday I took it out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter. Last night my husband let out a yell and I went out in the kitchen to see what was wrong. He said there is water all over the counter and he said I haven’t even turned the water on. So, I immediately I got towels and wiped up almost all the water. I moved the milk jug, and it was half full. It was dry. But at the top of the cap, it was opened. So, I guess under pressure it popped open and that is where the liquid came from. I like to make sour milk chocolate cake. Guess I won’t be making it now. I was thinking! Wow! Sin is like that sour milk, and it takes something powerful to clean up our life. Changes us for the better.

Why did God change Saul’s name to Paul? He didn’t. Many mistakenly assume the Lord changed Saul’s name to Paul sometime after Saul converted from Judaism to Christianity, which happened during his encounter with Christ on the Road to Damascus as we read in (Acts 9:1-19).

“(John 8:12). Just as Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, now He appeared to Saul.

“Saul’s Turns sight! “Answered Evil to Do Good”
Acts 9:1-19
(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. 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?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes, he could see nothing. So, they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind and did not eat or drink anything. In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” “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. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.)

Ananias a disciple that lived in Damascus. The Lord said to Ananias, go down to straight street, and ask at the house of Judas for a man named Saul. “Saul is praying to Me right now, and He has seen a vision of your coming to him and putting your hands on him and giving him his sight! Answered, “Lord, I have heard about this man and of all the harm he has done to Your people in Jerusalem. And now he has come here to Damascus with letters from the chief priests, giving him power to arrest everyone who believes in You.” But the Lord said ‘Go and visit him, for I have chosen him to preach my Good News to the Gentiles, and to kings, and to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer. So, we see how much God is close to Ananias and Ananias is staying close to God.
So, Ananias went to the house of Judas, found Saul, and laid his hands on him, saying, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you as you were coming to Damascus has sent me to put my hands on you so that you can see again, and so that you will be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Immediately Saul’s sight returned, and he was baptized, and after he had eaten some food, he was strong again. Then he stayed with the disciples in Damascus and went into the Jewish churches and preached to the Jews about Jesus, telling them He is the Son of God.
The people in the city could hardly believe what they heard!
Isn’t this the man who persecuted the Christians in Jerusalem? They had asked, and came here to arrest all those who believe in Jesus, to take them back in chains to the chief priests for punishment?
But Saul just preached all the more and proved from the scriptures that Jesus is the Savior.
After several days the angry Jews began to talk about killing Saul. They watched day and night at the city gates to capture Saul if he went out. But the Christians heard about it and let him down at night in a basket from a window in the wall, so that he escaped and went into the desert for a while to talk to God. three years later Saul went to Jerusalem. {We all need to do this and get away to talk to God in the peace and quiet. Amen}
When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he went to find the disciples of Jesus, for now instead of hating them, Saul loved them and wanted to be with them. But they were all afraid of Saul and wouldn’t believe he was really one of them. Then Barnabas, one of the men who had sold his land and given the money to the poor, brought Saul to them and told them how Saul had met Jesus on the road to Damascus, and how he had boldly preached the Good News.
Then the apostles welcomed Saul, and he stayed with them and preached in Jerusalem.
But some of the Jews in Jerusalem like those in Damascus, determined to kill Saul. When the apostles heard about it, they sent Saul away to the far-off city of Tarsus, a city of Cilicia a free city of the Romans, Sauls birthplace. After this the Christians had no more problems for a while but were left in peace.
As Peter went through different parts of the land visiting the new churches, he came to the city of Lydda. He found there a man named Aeneas who had the palsy and had been in bed for eight years. Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christs makes you well! Get up!” And immediately Aeneas stood up and was healed! Then many of the people who lived in Lydda and throughout that entire area believed in Jesus as their savior.
At Joppa a city not far from Lydda, there was a disciple named Dorcas. This woman was very kind and good, always helping the poor. Dorcas became sick and then died. Dorcas’s friends sadly gathered in an upstairs room to prepare for her burial.
When the disciples in Joppa heard that Peter was not far away, over in Lydda, they sent two men to ask him to hurry and come to them, and he did.
They brought Peter to the house where the body of Dorcas lay. All the poor widows she had helped were there, crying and showing their coats and other clothes she had made for them.
But Peter asked them all to leave. After they had left the room, he kneeled down and prayed, and then, turning to the dead body, Peter said, “Dorcas get up!” And Dorcas woke up as if she had only been asleep, and sat up, and he gave her back to her friends.!
{Reminder verse, it reads in John 14:12, NIV: “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”}

{Let’s Pray}
Father God, Jesus it is my desire to do Your perfect will and submit my life to serving you in spirit and in truth. Forgive me for the times when I have tried to work Your works in my own strength instead of trusting Your Word and allowing myself to be guided by the Holy Spirit. I believe that you would build up Your Church in the fear of the Lord and with reverence for Your holy name, for those who don’t know You will be guided in Your pathway just as Saul was guided to You. That we all would know the comfort and strength of the Holy Spirit in our lives, as we grow and make right choices so Your grace will mature our faith, for Your honor and glory in Jesus Precious Name Amen.