The Scales Come Off

April 20

(Acts 9:17-19 NIV) “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." {18} Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, {19} and after taking some food, he regained his strength.”

(John 12:35-40 NIV) ““Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. {36} Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light." When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. {37} Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. {38} This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: "Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" {39} For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: {40} "He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn--and I would heal them.””

Ananias chose to obey the Lord. He went and laid hands on Saul, and something like scales fell off of Saul’s eyes. But scales also came off of Saul’s blinded and hardened heart. After this day, Saul never saw Jesus, or the church, in the same way again. He had new eyes, and a new heart. Saul’s conversion serves as an example of God’s sovereignty, and man’s free will. In His sovereignty, the Lord blinded Saul. He was neither the first nor the last to be blinded by our sovereign Lord. But then, because Ananias freely chose to obey God, he became an angel of mercy in Saul’s life. Our “angels of mercy” often are flesh and blood people who choose to obey Christ. Ananias chose to minister, and Saul was healed. He was baptized as a new believer, and regained his strength. God’s sovereign will and man’s free will worked together. The result was an apostle who changed the world. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Reluctant Disciples

April 19

(Acts 9:13-14 NIV) ““Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. {14} And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.””

(Exodus 3:10-11 NIV) ““So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt." {11} But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?””

(Exodus 4:1 NIV) ““Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The LORD did not appear to you'?””

(Exodus 4:10-13 NIV) ““Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." {11} The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? {12} Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." {13} But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it.””

The Lord called on Ananias to go and minister to Saul, but Ananias was reluctant. Saul had a nasty reputation in Christian circles. Ananias questioned God and balked at doing what God told him to do. There was danger involved, and he didn’t want to go. He sounds a lot like Moses in Exodus. Have you ever argued with Jesus like this? We make excuses. We drag our feet. At times, we flat out refuse. The Lord works with so many reluctant disciples, it’s a wonder He doesn’t just pull the plug on us all. Most of God’s tests do not have multiple choice answers. They are usually “Yes” or “No” questions, and with God, the correct answer is always “Yes”. God seldom makes suggestions. Mostly, He issues commands, and when God says “Go”, our answer should never be “No”. Somebody has to do the hard stuff. On that day it was Ananias. Today it may be you. Say “Yes”. Go! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day 

Prayer Meeting on Straight Street

April 18

(Acts 9:8-11 NIV) ““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. {9} For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. {10} In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. {11} 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.””

 (Jonah 2:1-10 NIV) ““From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. {2} He said: "In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry. {3} You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. {4} I said, 'I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.' {5} The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. {6} To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God. {7} "When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. {8} "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. {9} But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord." {10} And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.””

After Saul’s encounter with Jesus, he went to a house on Straight Street in Damascus. For three days Saul sat in darkness -- the same amount of time Christ spent in the darkness of the tomb. Saul was blind, afraid, and confused; but while he waited there, he prayed. We do not know precisely what Saul prayed, but it was likely a deeply theological and pious prayer like, “Help!” Sometimes that one-word prayer is all we can manage in times of deep distress and crisis. Saul knew the Lord was not happy with how he had been living. He didn’t know what was going to happen next… perhaps he would even die in Damascus. So in Acts 9:11, Saul prays a “911” prayer. Like Jonah in the belly of the great fish, Saul cried out for mercy. God heard his prayer and sent a deliverer. God still hears “911” prayers. If you are living in darkness today, cry out to the Lord and He will send a deliverer. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day  

Obedience Times Two

April 17

(Acts 9:10-11 NIV) ““In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. {11} 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.””

(Acts 9:17 NIV) “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.”

(1 Chronicles 21:18-19 NIV)  "Then the angel of the Lord ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. {19} So David went up in obedience to the word that Gad had spoken in the name of the Lord."

(Hebrews 11:8-10 NIV) "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. {9} By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. {10} For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God."

One of the things that we can forget as a people saved by grace through faith, is that faith always has an element of obedience in it. Without obedience, we would have very few of the great Bible stories that we know and love. When the Lord told Saul to go to Damascus and wait, Saul obeyed and went. When the Lord told Ananias to go and minister to Saul, Ananias obeyed and went. When God called David to go and build an altar, David obeyed and went. When God told Abraham to go to what would become Israel, Abraham obeyed and went. Because these men were obedient and went where God told them to go, we have all been blessed beyond measure. God can work through even the reluctant disciple, if that disciple will go where they are told to go and do what they are told to do. Will you be that kind of disciple? -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day