Conversion: January 30, 2014

TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY JANUARY 30, 2014.

CONVERSION

DEFINITION:

Spiritual change from sinfulness to righteousness; a change from indifference; disbelief or antagonism to acceptance, faith or enthusiastic support, especially such a change involving religious belief.

SCRIPTURE:

And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit” Acts 9:17.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Yesterday the “WORD” discussed was “conviction.” We left off when Saul and Jesus had their encounter. Saul was under great conviction and Jesus told Saul to “Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what you must do.” (Acts 9:6).

Saul did just what the Lord told him to do, but we need to remind you that the Lord knew that Saul needed time for the Holy Spirit to do His work in Saul’s heart. Obediently, Saul waited for three days for God’s next words.

During these three days Saul was blinded. His eyes were closed. Saul was unable to eat or drink for these three days. The trauma drained all of Saul’s strength and he was completely exhausted. During these three days the Lord saw that Saul’s mind was completely shut off in the world of thought alone. He was left alone to pray and repent over his shameful deeds and to wonder what changes would happen in his life now.

Although Saul had lost his physical vision, he had a new vision of what he was and who Jesus was. Surely Saul must have visualized every stone he cast at Stephen as a stone cast at God, and every believer’s home he had stormed into as a home of those who worshipped the true God. Now he saw every man and woman who accepted Jesus that he drug through the streets as being a true follower of God. He had been blind to the truth.

After hours of seeing the past, Saul had to wonder, “Why was Jesus choosing him, the one who so fiercely opposed the Lord? “What did Jesus want from him and what was He going to tell him to do?”

The Lord now needed someone to help Saul come to know Christ and to be with Saul in his new found faith. God always has His people ready to do His work. God chose Ananias to lead him in his new found faith in the Lord (the verse above). God had changed Saul’s name to Paul, but Ananias knew all about Paul when he was Saul the persecutor of those who believed in Jesus. Just imagine the concern that Ananias had about going to the house where Paul was. Would Saul arrest him and take him to prison as he had done to so many others who followed Jesus? But Ananias was sure that God had called him to go and talk to Saul, so he went obediently with the confidence that God would be with him.

Upon the arrival of Ananias at the house, God began to do His work. God gave Ananias the right words and the power to restore Paul’s eyesight. Ananias was willing to face difficult assignments. Reaching out and helping someone who denies that Jesus is God’s Son is always difficult and even more so with a person such as Saul. The more depraved the convert has been, the more difficult is the task. After Saul met Jesus he was never the same again. He was completely converted. He went from a persecutor to a preacher.

Where do you stand today? Have you been blind to the truth of God’s message of love and forgiveness? If so, now is the time. God is waiting for you to ask for forgiveness for your sins and to be changed completely. God wants you to have a new life through Christ Jesus.

God used Ananias to teach Paul what to do. Today we have the Bible, God’s Word, to teach us what to do. Pray and read God’s Word and your eyes will be opened to what God wants you to do.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Mark 16:15.

And Jesus said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

PRAYER:

I realize, Lord, that I need a conversion from my sinful ways. I ask You to forgive me of all my sins and I accept You as my Lord and Savior. Instruct me through Your Word as to how to live my new life in Jesus. I ask You Lord to lead me to a person today that I can share my testimony of faith and help them know you as their Savior.