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Hello my name is Jerral Campfield and this web site is dedicated to Moral Recognition Therapy using Biblical principles. Please come back often to join me in understanding Gods hands are outstretched still to forgive. |
Acts 22:1-40 What a Story |
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Contributed by Jerral Campfield
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Friday, 14 October 2016 |
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.
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Copyright 2005 Jerral Campfield, All rights reserved.
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