LIFE LESSON FOR TODAY, 3/12/14

ACTS  9: 3-4 ; 7-9

3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus,
and suddenly a light shone around him from 
heaven
⁴ Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice 
saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

⁵ And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the 
Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 
It is hard for you to kick against the goads.

⁷ And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.
 ⁸ Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him
by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
 ⁹ And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.


HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Saul spent most of his time persecuting
Christians. He even threatened to kill the 
disciples.  He also wanted Christian men
and women that he met bound and taken
to Jerusalem. The Lord spoke to him when
he was on the road to Damascus.  He lost 
his sight.  The Lord sent  a disciple named
Ananias to offer Saul salvation. Ananias was
able to convert Saul.  He allowed Ananias to
baptise him.  The Lord restored Saul's sight.  
Saul began preaching about the Lord in the synagogues. He spent time with the disciples.  
Saul became Paul and spent the rest of his life preaching the gospel.  He was persecuted by 
some of the Jews and was jailed and beaten
many times. 

LIFE LESSON FOR TODAY

"I WILL NOT CHANGE"

I saw the movie, "The Hiding Place" many
years ago.  I didn't realize that this was a
true story.  I used to listen to a show called
"Focus on the Family" on the radio. Dr James
Dobson had a guest named Corrie ten Boom  
on his show that day.  I was really impressed
by this 80 year old lady. She mentioned that
"The Hiding Place" was about her.  I bought
this book and the tape recording of her show. 
I looked at the movie again.  I listened to her
tape so much that the tape broke. Her faith 
never waivered.  She had to endure  severe
mistreatment in a concentration camp during
the Holocaust.  Her sister died at the camp.   
She was released from the camp in 1944.
She met the cruelest guard from the camp 
in 1947. She admitted that it wasn't easy 
but  she did forgive him.  She traveled the
world doing public speaking. She was never 
married and moved to California when she 
was 85 years old.  She had three strokes and
died at age 91. 

I faith increases daily. I give praise in good
times and bad times.  I am thankful for my 
blessing. I look at the life of Paul and Corrie
ten Boom and pray that I will be as tenacious
as these two were. 

 Here is the link if you want take a virtual tour
of the Ten Boom museum:

Ten Boom Museum