Thank the Lord for every opportunity we have to speak to people about the love of the Lord and here Paul gets the crowd to quite down, so he could be heard above the displeasure that was going on. It is never easy to get your point across to people that do not want to hear the truth, but now we see Paul is able to talk to the People in their own language. His tongue is not tied up, but able to speak freely of what was happening even through most did not understand his passion for what was happening, as he was not desecrating the Temple, but showing respect for what God was doing.

Acts 22:1-40 (NKJV)
¹  "Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now." Here he is in front of people that are totally against him and he addresses them as brethren and fathers, who where just like him and had feeling as well about what was going on. He was not going to scold them, but show he loved them all just as a brother and even a father loving his children.
²  And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent. The Lord is always going to bless when we are able to speak person to person, even though we many times need a translator today. I would of liked to be able to talk in every language, I ministered to in prisons and jails for it is more personal, but I needed someone to interrupt what I was saying, but thank the Lord language does not need to be a bearer and it is always best to be able to communicate in a person language, but you have to be taught or learn a tongue, unless the Holy Spirit give you the tongue to speak; like in 1 Corinthians 14:1
Then he said: ³  "I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers' law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. I am one of you and should not be treated like a beast, but a man, not a barbarian, but a man born in Tarus as a free man from an honorable city. I have something to say and not to be trampled on, for I am not a fool, for I have been taught by scholars like Gamaliel a Doctor of the Law. He showed he was not a Sadducee but was, but now very zealous towards God as you are this day.
⁴  I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women,
⁵  as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished. Here he showed what he was like in the past, as he was a part of the great Sanhedrin, the priest and  those that ruled, wanting them to know the hate he had for the Christians, but something happen to allow him to be converted by his experience of hearing a voice and a bright light that blinded him.
⁶  Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me.
⁷  And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' Notice how suddenly God intervenes, for remember He is everywhere all the time and we can’t escape thinking it is going to go away; it ok. Sin is never going to go away, for we live in a world of sin and shame and here at broad day light, a Light appears and blinds Saul and He cannot see. The Jews knew that the Lord is the Light of the world and here the light is so bright it leaves Saul blind and has to be lead to Damascus. Not only did the light get his attention, but a voice calling out his name Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?  Faith comes by hearing and Saul heard and had to answer for himself. Everyone God created has to answer to God for what they say and do for we can’t blame anyone for not doing good, we are all accountable to God who created us to be good.
⁸  So I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.'
⁹  And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. It is still a mystery how some can accept the way, truth and life and others can’t reach out and believe.  We all have a spirit that wants Gods love, mercy and grace, or we want to live our lives for selfish reasons. He is in a perplexing position now blind yet hearing a voice, now what’s going to happen next.
¹⁰  So I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.' Saul is an individual as everyone God created and we need to ask ourselves the question, what is the reason I am here with the skin color I have, the knowledge and understanding I have and do what I want to, become better and better or do I want to become bitter. What a choice we all have to make as we go through life.
God tells him arise and go on to Damascus and someone will tell you what you need to do, notice he had to continue on not to persecute, but to be a blessing. What a change for the simple reason the light came on in his life and he had faith to be lead by hand to Damascus. Lord help us to see many times we are in the dark of what is going on and many time it’s scary, but Lord, help me to just trust You and obey your request.
¹¹  And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus. Saul could not see for the glory of the light, God got his attention and it was a revelation of the way, truth and life that God has in store for all His creation. Condemned sinners are struck blind by the power of darkness to sinning and continue on with their addictions, until they see the insanity of their behaviors and attitudes and want to even be lead into the light by the Spirit that is within men and women, that have been walking in the Light, so here he has to depend on those leading him and upon the person he is going to see in Damascus who is going help him see the light of walking with God. Now Saul was a Pharisee who felt like even doing what he was doing was walking in the light. How sly Satan is causing us to think that wrong is right and right is wrong. This is happening around the world and people are being terrorized by people that think they are doing what is necessary to have freedom and liberty that brings justice to all and it is causing society around the world to crumble before our eyes.
¹²  Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there,
¹³  came to me; and he stood and said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And at that same hour I looked up at him. Notice a certain man; Ananias one who was not prejudiced against the Jewish nation or religion, but was devoted to the ways of the Lord. He came to Saul and said, Brother Saul; a word showing endearment and respect, receive you sight. That is faith in action, Saul look up and sees clearly Ananias. What a miracle for Saul to experience the miracle of seeing a Light and a voice from heaven, assured him of God’s mercy, grace and love that was not what came from man, but God and God alone!
¹⁴  Then he said, 'The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. Saul was chosen by God for a reason that now he is walking in the light, his testimony was going to become a powerful voice in building the kingdom of God. It seems like all through the Scripture God called specific people for specific reasons, when others are going through tremendous perplexities like Israel during the time of Moses, David in the time of Kings, Isaiah in the time of the prophets, Daniel in the time of the Minor Prophets and John in crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord and repent now and turn from your wicked ways. The great Evangelist like Spurgeon, Wesley, White Field, Billy Sunday, Billy Graham, Frankly Graham and the list goes on for many are called to minister to the many and the few.
¹⁵  For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. We will never know the power of the Spirit of God and what He does in the hearts of those that call upon Him and begin to be ambassadors for the kingdom of God. Saul here did not know yet the mysteries that where in front of him as he journeyed around the then know world. How many did he influence for the Lord will never be known. What you’re doing as a representative of the Kingdom of God will never be known until we get to heaven and receive our reward for the work accomplished on earth, while we were alive and will.
¹⁶  And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.' Here they are waiting and Saul is instructed to arise and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Thank the Lord for the Holy Spirit of God that God wants to see be a part of your life, for it is only the Holy Spirit that enables us to know the truth and the life, so you’re not fooled by the enemy Satan. Saul needed to be smirched in the Lord completely under the water of the Holy Spirit now and forever, so it is not I, but Christ living in him and us. The Holy Spirit is the comforter and the Comforter is need to day to keep one on track for what is ahead of us, as children of the Lord.
¹⁷  Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance
¹⁸  and saw Him saying to me, 'Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.' What a interesting word in a trance; for your out of your normal mind and taken over by the Holy Spirit of God, as if your transported into the very presence of God. When a person is filled with the Holy Spirit, sometimes it feels like you’re in a trance, worshipping the Lord and yet people are all around you, but you’re not aware of others, for the presence of God has you wrapped up in His loving hands. I have experienced the presence of the Lord so strongly that I fell prostrate on my face before the Lord and did not hurt my body at all. As if a gentle hand of the Lord laid me down. Now today you see preacher or evangelist have catcher to help people fall down without getting hurt. With God nothing is impossible, so Lord help us to leave ourselves in Your hands, to do for us what every needs to be done, so we can be that ambassador that brings glory and honor to the Lord. Remember John when he was on the Island of Patmos wrote revelation being in a trace, for he needed the Lords words to describe what was going to happen in these end times. The word trance is shown 156 different occurrences in the Bible, so should be no mystery to the Church. Lord help us not to seek for a trance, but seek the Lord our Gods will for all our bodies, souls and spirits, for they are created by God, to use for His glory.
We are seeing drugs today that put one into a trance and they never know what is going to happen next, for many time people become like brute beast of pry. Alcohol and lusts for things put a person into the control of Satan and they can resist the urge for more of the same expecting different reactions and it becomes insane for people do not know how to stop the behavior and attitude of wanting more of the same damnable pill!
¹⁹  So I said, 'Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. It seems to be natural for us to assume more than what is necessary for we like to think in terms of the worst of situations and many times it is not true, here Paul is knowing full well that people have not forgotten what he did in the past and it began to scare him of going on being a apostle or disciple of the Lords.
²⁰  And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.' Here Saul is really getting personal as he calls to mind what he did when Stephen was stoned, as he guarded the clothes of those throwing stones and encourage the death of Stephen. It is strange how our minds work when they are given over to fleshly desires and thoughts, for the simple reason we are more natural than spiritual and need to make sure that the Spiritual man is over the soul and body, so we can bear good fruit.
²¹  Then He said to me, 'Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.' " Thank the Lord, He certainly knows how to get our attention, if we are in the place of wanting the Lords will to be done. The Lord seems to know what we need to get a fire going so we can burn the evil out that is around us.
²²  And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!" Notice Saul was talking out loud and people where listening and began to be concerned, when he stepped on their feeling and could not take it any longer and wanted to do away with this man Saul.
It seems like we are living in an period of time when the truth does not want to be known, for it takes away the benefits of being like God and we become like Satan and want to get rid of all morality and Godliness from society. So Ministers of the Gospel are being persecuted and threatened like never before in my life time. Right is totally wrong and wrong is totally right and our world is being controlled by lack of discipline in every area of society. It seems like no one is able to stop that onslaught of evil and the world is looking for a leader to help them out and we are at the place it is only the Anti Christ that is able to rein this terror in. Yet I feel very strongly the Church is going to be raptured and the Jew and non believer are going to go through 7 years of tribulation, until the Lord is going to say that is enough and let the Church rein for a thousand year where peace is going to reign. Lord help us to see the signs that are pointing to your soon return, so we are not deceived and perplexed without hope, but have faith and hope in God to bless our world as we repent and turn from our wicked ways.
²³  Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air,
²⁴  the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him. Here where peace was reigning all of a sudden rebellion begins to raise its ugly head and people are rioting and scourging what was right and able to benefit all.
²⁵  And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?" Here is a typical picture of what happen when people are out of control, it takes some one with a loud voice to corral feeling back into a place where people can think and get a hold of the truth. This is skill that comes as we are guided by the Holy Spirit of God.

²⁶  Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them. Here Paul is showing he was truly a Jew for He was being and doing what Jews where suppose to do and that was come to the temple and praying for purification and giving afresh of himself to the Lord and all that he had. Lord help us to not fact who we are but live who we are, so we can be known as a follower of the Lord regardless of what others may say. Paul was showing his respect for those gathered and what a testimony of we as Christians, we are in this world rubbing shoulder but we do not do what the world is doing for we are not fleshly driven but Spiritually driven.
²⁷  Now when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, Here he spent 7 day waiting upon the Lord purifying himself as he was accustom to doing and people get mad and they are ready to tear him apart for doing what needs to be done.
²⁸  crying out, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place." What a spirit of the enemy himself as the people are not able to think in terms of blessing received waiting upon the Lord, but angry with what they see. I have meet people right here in Harrah that hate what we stand for and they seem to not have the ability to control themselves in anyway. I saw the same thing working in the jails of LA and Yakima and who suffers; those that despise the truth and do not want to walk in the light, but love darkness, thinking now one else see what I am doing! That is being deceived at the greatest degree. Lord open our eyes like Paul’s eyes were open when he saw the Light and believed.
²⁹  (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) Here they accused Paul he bought Trophimus who was a Gentile into the temple and that was to be forbidden that was not true he was seen on the streets with Paul. What a difference but Satan works on deceivement. It is amazing how much stuff the enemy throws at us today in the media for they are experts at presenting what they want to champion. Here Paul is faced with others trying to control him.
³⁰  And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut. Here  we see the mob is really out of control as all are wanting to grab Paul and put a stop to what he was teaching. People are getting so bent out of shape today towards those that are preaching love and peace for they would rather live in a world of terror and confusion for evil is good and right is wrong, so people live in fear and shame and can’t operate with kindness or appreciation toward each other.
So here we see the uproar so bad they shut the door between the outer and inner courts of the temple and drag him out. He was not fit to remain in the temple nor to worship God so are going to stop him for sure.
³¹  Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. Thank the Lord He knows when to rescue us from Satan’s grip and since this was such a feast time, people even outside knew something was not right.
³²  He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. This word immediately is exactly that now the soldiers and centurions act quickly and stop them from beating Paul. It was not accident they were so close from protection was automatic at such celebration and they acted quickly facing the problem head on. Today it seems no one is able or even wants to stop the terror going on around the world and all we have to do is face it head on even though it is in small cluster around the world. Yes it is difficult but even more difficult if we do nothing. Notice they acted quickly and precisely now.
³³  Then the commander came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and he asked who he was and what he had done. Here we see the law take things into their own hands and bound Paul with two chains. Not that is authority not going to take any chances but made sure Paul was in their hands now. Do we not all need that right to defend what we are doing even through it might be wrong for that is justice every one as a right to speak on his defense and here Paul is able to relax nowing he is in the hands of the Law.
Today our law enforcement is being unjust accused of profiling and over reacting and yes it may be true in some cases but not all the time so people need to weigh what is going on before coming to acting like a mob and destroy the lively hood of others. Lord help us see what we are doing to our selves by not obeying the Law that is a protector of all our rights good or bad.
³⁴  And some among the multitude cried one thing and some another. So when he could not ascertain the truth because of the tumult, he commanded him to be taken into the barracks. Here we see still people out of control so the Roman soldiers had to remove them to the barracks or the Castle of the tower of Antonia where there was a garrison of soliders standing by for any disturbance.
³⁵  When he reached the stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob. By this time Paul had been missed treated and was hurting and could not even climb the stair so had to be carried. Lord thank you for the many times we could not go on, but you carried us through the most difficult times of our lives. Like being accused of starting a rumor while on the School Board, or like being accused of child abuse, or like being accused of telling people to burn up their bible if it was not the real Bible. These are all real trying times we have experienced and I know many are still experiencing acquisition yet to day for the is the work of the enemy.
³⁶  For the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, "Away with him!" Just because many cry out away with him does not mean they are right. They did the same to Jesus; away with him and give us Barabbas. Today we see people wanting wrong and do away with right.
³⁷  Then as Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, "May I speak to you?" He replied, "Can you speak Greek? How many time have we not been given the opportunity to speak on those who accused us, but here Paul is granted the opportunity to speak.
³⁸  Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?" He was not the person that did this, but one of their leaders Felix the Roman ruler or president that happen under his leadership. The Jewish nation was very evil during this time and they wanted to blame Paul.
³⁹  But Paul said, "I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people." Thank the Lord for the truth for it always pays great dividends, so Paul says I am a Jew and  yes I am from a mean city, but I am not mean, so let me speak to these gathered.
⁴⁰  So when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying, Paul did not barge himself in, he was very polite in a hostile arena, and when he was given permission he uses his hands, and people quitted down. Not yelling at the top of his voice, but using hand in a way he was speaking with a out stretched hand maybe reaching into heaven with palm out stretched be quit!!
Lord help us to get people’s attention for we are in trouble in many areas as the United States and the Church. Satan has given us a bill of sales that is destroying individuality, freedom of speech, justice for all and lawlessness is rampant for no one seems to know how to attack immigration, the economy, religious behavior and actions, health care, addictions, lust for sexuality, mental health, human resources, water purification, emission control, war and a host of other issues with no remedy. Yet God who created us needs to be heard and Paul is able to address what was needed then and what is needed not to have peace with in the body, soul and spirits of all living upon planet earth.