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    

A Familiar Pattern

April 16

(Acts 9:4-5 NIV) ““As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. {4} He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" {5} "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied.””

(Acts 9:8 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.”

(John 9:24-39 NIV) ““A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God, " they said. "We know this man is a sinner." {25} He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" {26} Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" {27} He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?" {28} Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! {29} We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from." {30} The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. {31} We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. {32} Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. {33} If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." {34} To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out. {35} Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" {36} "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him." {37} Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you." {38} Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him. {39} Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.””

There is a common pattern in the salvation stories of those who come to the Lord later in life. Many, like Saul, start out cursing Jesus and His church. We’re blind to God’s grace. But then something happens in life. We are knocked to the ground and realize our blindness. As we lay there in the dust of our sin, we have two choices: we can remain face down in the dirt, cursing God; or we can look up, and be open to something different. If we choose the latter, we begin to hear God. Our friends may not hear anything, but we do. It’s our time. Jesus is calling our name. We ask, “Who are you?” and realize that it is the Lord. When we hear God, we have another choice -- remain where we are, or get up and do what God says. Saul chose the latter… we should too. Leave that desert road of indecision! Make the walk into your Damascus, and you too can be healed and saved. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day  

Whacked and Commanded

April 15

(Acts 9:6-7 NIV) ““Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." {7} The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. {8} 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.””

(Luke 9:23-26 NIV) ““Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. {24} For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. {25} What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? {26} If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.””

(James 1:22-25 NIV) “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. {23} Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror {24} and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. {25} But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.”

On the road to Damascus, Jesus whacked Saul upside the head. If that image bothers you, try to come up with a better phrase for being knocked to the ground and made blind. While Christ had Saul’s attention, He issued a command: “Go into the city and wait.” Saul obeyed. Being knocked down and blinded promotes obedience. Along with all the correct teaching today about the love of Jesus, we must not forget that our Lord has an infinite amount of power. Sometimes God is gentle with us. On other occasions, for reasons known only to Him, He takes a firmer hand. Saul experienced the awesome power of God -- not a gentle breeze or a still small voice, but a whack upside the head from God Almighty. The road to Damascus is never smooth, and it will always humble us. It is populated with proud and stubborn people, who often take some mighty convincing. Never fear -- Jesus is up to the task. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day