Saul to Paul

And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. Acts 9:6.
In the wonderful conversion of Paul we see the miraculous power of God…. Jesus, whose name of all others he most hated and despised, revealed Himself to Paul for the purpose of arresting his mad yet honest career, that He might make this most unpromising instrument a chosen vessel to bear the gospel to the Gentiles…. The light of heavenly illumination had taken away Paul’s eyesight; but Jesus, the Great Healer of the blind, does not restore it. He answers the question of Paul in these words: “Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” Jesus could not only have healed Paul of his blindness, but He could have forgiven his sins and told him his duty by marking out his future course. From Christ all power and mercies were to flow; but He did not give Paul an experience, in his conversion to truth, independent of His church recently organized upon the earth.
The marvelous light given Paul upon that occasion astonished and confounded him. He was wholly subdued. This part of the work man could not do for Paul, but there was a work still to be accomplished which the servants of Christ could do. Jesus directs him to His agents in the church for a further knowledge of duty. Thus He gives authority and sanction to His organized church. Christ had done the work of revelation and conviction, and now Paul was in a condition to learn of those whom God had ordained to teach the truth. Christ directs Paul to His chosen servants, thus placing him in connection with His church. The very men whom Paul was purposing to destroy were to be his instructors in the very religion that he had despised and persecuted….
An angel is sent to Ananias, directing him to go to a certain house where Saul is praying to be instructed in what he is to do next…. In Christ’s stead Ananias touches his eyes that they may receive sight; in Christ’s stead he lays his hands upon him, prays in Christ’s name, and Saul receives the Holy Ghost.
Conflict and Courage p. 339
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for Ferrell who has been discharged from the hospital on hospice. Pray for his wife and family during this trying time. Rose
—–Please pray again for my brother in law Andy. He is done with radiation, but has had an on-going infection in his mouth that now has another complication with an infection at the feeding site (due to his mouth issue, he cannot eat). He’s being transferred to Boston. Please pray for his healing, again. Aaron
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Dear Friends,
My grandparents lived in a large, wooden house that had more than enough room. Besides the five bedrooms (two downstairs and three upstairs, there was an attic to the left at that top of the stairs. I was not allowed to go in there alone. My grandmother knew how fascinated I was with its contents. Occasionally, she would puff her way up the stairs (the only time she ever went upstairs), and unlock the door. I would be right there beside her ready for an adventure.
The attic was dark, even on sunny days because the window was small and the single lightbulb hanging from the ceiling did not penetrate the dusty gloom. Most of things were nothing of value (except, perhaps, to an antique dealer—just some old boxes and trunks and some discarded furniture. The object that my grandmother seemed to treasure was a dusty, grey trunk that was shaped like a pirate’s treasure chest only much bigger. Inside that trunk, she kept her special treasures. When she was in a nostalgic mood, she would look at each one and remember something about them. That trunk contained some pictures, artifacts, and letters that were written during the civil war by some distant relative. She would often open a tiny box containing a watch fob made of her mother’s hair, its reddish brownness somewhat dulled from time. As she fondled that strand of hair, she would tell me how her brother used to use that fob keep his pocket watch where it belonged. It was his prized possession and after he died, she got it. There were some embroidered linens that must also have held some sentimental value. My favorite was a dress that had belonged to her cousin. It was a very fancy dress, a pale peach color, covered with a pattern of glass beads. My grandmother would hold up that dress and tell me how happy she had been to receive it when she was a teenager. Just as my grandmother’s trunk held special treasures from her past, so God’s Holy Word contains treasures that are of far more value than anything this world has to offer. In it’s pages we find the way to eternal life! Inside the Book of Books, we see our Dear Saviour Who loves us so much that He gave Himself for us. As we read it, we bring forth thoughts new and old. No matter how many times we read the Bible, we continually discover new things. There are depths of meaning that are constantly awaiting our discovery. In the familiar, old passages we find new discoveries. “Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.” Matt 13:52
God’s Word is as eternal as its Author. It is the one thing that we can always rely on. “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” Isa 40:8 “The holy scriptures are able to make [us] wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Tim 3:15-17 Peter tells us that the Scriptures are more sure than what we see or experience. “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:16-21
As we read God’s Word, we become more and more like its Great Author. “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Cor 3:18 David sang, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.