Tuesday, August 30th, 2022

Paul the Apostle wasn’t always the Paul who wrote the bulk of the New Testament. He was Saul, a man, schooled in the teachings of the Pharisees, a group wholly apart from God but who considered themselves righteous by their own merits. This world teaches much the same — our merits, our own goodness, even our own kindness is all it takes to be close to God. But Jesus spent the early part of his ministry decrying that type of belief. Faith in Jesus is the only road to Heaven. We are all at different places in our walk with Christ — even those who have drifted far from Him or standing in defiance of God — be assured God knows you and wants you to begin a walk in faith with Jesus. We always have a clear path back to our Savior — repenting of the things that have led us away from our Creator and placing our faith in the finished work of Jesus. In Acts 22, Paul recounts his transformational encounter with Jesus. He experienced the power and love of Jesus, lost his sight, and then had it restored by a man of faith named Ananias. We all lack sight when we have no faith in Jesus. But, upon regaining it, Ananias told Paul, “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” If Saul can become Paul so abruptly, so can we turn around and place Jesus as the Lord of our lives. Today, if you are a Saul, someone set against God, look for the Godly people around you and heed what they say about God’s love for you. If you are a Paul who has drifted, come back to the Lord by repenting of the things that have caused you to drift. If you’re walking in faith with the Lord — be an Ananias. Commit to the mission of Jesus Christ to seek and save the lost.

“And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” — Acts 22:16

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” — Ephesians 2:8