June 2013

PHISH BOWL MINISTRIES

Chummin’ for Saints until the nets are full…

Matthew 4:19

June 2013

 

Beloved Saints,

Do you know this?  You are all called saints in the Bible.  The question is do we wear this title well?  I know there are many times throughout the week that I fall short of this name as the world would label the word saint.  The truth be said, we are called saints in the present tense; today, right now, not tomorrow or at some time when we are transformed into our heavenly form.  This is grace served at 100 proof, not watered down with man’s attempt to disqualify someone because of a human view point of how God should do things.  No, my friends always keep it in the front of your mind that God sent His son while we were still sinners.  Now follow me for a moment, in John 3:16, it says that Jesus died for the “who-so-ever” and in 1 Corinthians 6:11, Paul tells us “you were; washed, sanctified, and justified by the Holy Spirit and if we move over to Philippians 4:21, we are told to greet every “saint” in Christ Jesus.

So in light of this we started off as a sinner, became a who-so-ever, moved on in our walk to being a “you were” and now live as a saint in the kingdom of God.  This all happened the moment you accepted Jesus the Christ as your Lord and Savior.  Now THAT is so cool!

Last month, we met Saul and left him blind, awaiting further insight from our Lord.  I know that many times in my own walk, I’ve been right where Saul was.  I’ve spent many days in my cell alone with the Holy Spirit seeking His direction in my life; what do you want me to do?  For just a moment, we are going to leave Saul right there.

Acts 9:10: Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." I want to use this time to point us to something that seems to be over looked at times.  In Acts 9:4, our Lord called Saul by name and now Acts 9:10, we again hear Jesus call someone by name; Ananias.  Do you know that God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit knows your name?  He knows your name.  He sees you and knows you.  You’re not alone.  He knows your name and can call it out at any time.  So, here in Acts 9:10, the Lord began speaking to Ananias who was “a Godly man in his devotion to the Law and was well thought of by all the Jews of Damascus”.  Acts 22:12 NLT.  At some point in time Ananias, a Jew, became a believer in Jesus the Christ, so he was a disciple.  When answering back to the call of the Lord, he used the same words of submission that Abraham (Gen 22:1), Jacob (Gen 31:11), Moses (Exodus 3:10), and Samuel (1 Sam. 3:10) did.  “Here I am, Lord”.  I ask us to look at ourselves; when the Lord calls us, is this our response?

 

	Acts 9:11-12:  So the Lord [said] to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight and inquire at the house of Judas for [one] called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.  And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting [his] hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.” Let’s look at a point that is sometimes overlooked.  The Lord knows what Saul is doing right at this moment…”He is praying to me right now” (NLT).  God sees and knows you right now too. Let me try to put this together in a way it can be used today for us.  In one single moment in time, Jesus told Saul to look for Ananias to come, and told Ananias to go to Saul.  If you are waiting on the Lord to work in your life or on someone else’s heart.  Right now, in His timing He can do both at the same time.  Know this and trust in this! Fun fact:  Straight Street was and still is one of the main thoroughfares of Damascus.
	Acts 9:13-14:  Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.  “And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”
	The ultimate measure of faith is how believers respond to commands that seem illogical.  See Exodus 14:16, 1 Kings 17:3-14, 2 Kings 5:10 and John 9:1-11.   It was well known who Saul was and what Saul was doing.  One commentator pointed out that it was not just known, but “it has been well documented”.
	Acts 9:15-16 But the Lord said to him “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.  For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” I so dig this.  Only in God’s kingdom would the most zealous Jew and anti-Gentile be chosen to witness to the Gentiles.  I have two things here that I see: First, “Chosen vessel” NKJV, the Greek word is “skeuos” and it means “jar or dish”.  The picture is of an object that can contain, carry, AND (not or) convey something else.  Two, The Christian hater from Tarsus had been handpicked by Father to carry  the name “Jesus” and the message of Christ before “the Gentiles”, their “kings” and “Israel”.  This is the same thing we are supposed to do; tell others about Jesus.  Now before Saul became Paul, our Lord tells him, “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name”.  In my studies, I’ve gone to a crossroad which I think (believe) is the same road.  Jesus tells him “my name”.   Is that the name of “Jesus” or is it the name “Christian”?   I think either way we go it ends up on the same path; a street named “suffer”.  Saul who had caused horrible suffering for so many Christians would find that he too must suffer.  As we move on in Acts and if you read many of Paul’s letters, we will see this.  Saul will find himself witnessing for Christ in front of Gentiles, Jews and even kings.  What Christ told him came true even the parts about suffering for his faith. Acts 9:17  And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” It it’s OK, for a moment, I would like to stand on my soap box.  There is a lot in this verse and I could preach one entire Sunday if not two just on this verse.  But, I won’t.  ·        Ananias did what God told him to do, no matter how crazy it sounded. ·        Ananias took Father at His word by accepting Saul as his “brother”. ·        Ananias believed Jesus could and would heal Saul’s sight.   Now to my personal box:  “Be filled with the Holy Spirit”.  Here in Scripture there is no dramatic filling of the Holy Spirit.  Luke, who likes to record details, doesn’t record Saul jumping up and speaking in tongues.  There was no rush of wind, no flaming heart.  So, to be filled with the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean that we all filled in the same way.    Acts 9:18-19a Immediately there fell from his eyes [something] like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.  So when he had received food, he was strengthened.” Just the down played “something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes’.  Don’t miss this; he was filled with the Holy Spirit.  When you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, you were filled with the Spirit.  You never lose him; don’t have to ask him to come again in the morning.   He is always with you and will not leave you.   Let me finish with a look at some of our whole purpose in God’s kingdom.  Some of us will just do one thing, and one thing only.  Following this encounter, nothing more is known about Ananias.  Because this faithful man was willing to go where God sent him, he was used by Father to prepare a man who would evangelize most of the known world and write a big chunk of the New Testament.   Given Saul’s calling as a key person in Father’s plan, I would think that Peter, John or one of the other top eleven apostles should have been chosen to usher in this new, important convert.  Not so!  Jesus called an unknown disciple names Ananias for this task.  I still hear them now…”Not him, Lord; that’s impossible.  Saul would never become a Christian!”  This month, so far, I have been blessed to see two men come to church carrying their Bibles in hand that the same thing was said about them.  And I have been blessed in prison to have seen this hundreds of times.   Could you or I be the next Ananias?  Are we ready for the tasks?  Consider this list of “nobodies”. John Staupitz:  The man who helped lead Martin Luther to Christ. John Egglen:  Instrumental in conversion of C.H. Spurgeon. Edward Kimball:  Just a shoe salesman…who happened to be D. L. Moody’s spiritual mentor. Mordecai Ham:  A little known evangelist who preached the night that Bill Graham yielded his life to Christ. All quoted from:  Life Application Bible Commentary   We never know how God might use us to touch a life that will in turn, touch millions of other lives.  We must obey and follow God’s leading; even when he leads us to difficult people and places.  We never know, yield yourself to the purposes of Father, and be faithful when He calls.  Ananias greeted Saul with Love.  I know it is not always easy to love others, especially when we are afraid of them or doubt their motives.  But, nevertheless, we must follow Jesus’ command (John 13:34) and look at Ananias’ example to us.   UPDATES:  Well, I’m on vacation (May 17-27)(Barb-nice to have your birthday off, huh Tice?).  My boss is off, so the shop was closed up since we have no work currently.  I love the time off, sun, and fun!   Many have stopped me and asked about my arm/hand.  I’ve gotten to the point that I don’t know what to say and just don’t want to whine.  Father knows and I look to Him for comfort.  With that said, almost two months (as of late May) since surgery and I live in pain.  I’ve asked to see the doctor and as of today, nothing yet.  So, please keep in prayer.  Thank you.   No word from the half-way house (Community Corrections) and this too is in God’s hands.   Seems like more needs in the last couple of months.  Phish Bowl Coffee House has been able to keep up (PTL).  We will continue to supply with what we have to whomever Father sends to our door.   I am still seeing the beauty in the imperfections around me.  Loving the work that the Holy Spirit is doing in and around me.   I so just wish that Jesus would tell me the end of my story, but, then, I would miss the daily growth in Him that I get to experience.  I’m praying for all of you.  Please pray that I yield daily to Christ’s calling on my life to do His will behind the walls.   Semper Fidelis!   Love, Timothy (I Corinthians 16:13-14)   PBM is an outreach of: Calvary Chapel Loveland 276 E 29th St Loveland, CO   80538 To subscribe or unsubscribe, contact us at the above address, attn.:  Barb

Cite This Page:

Blue Letter Bible. "Acts of the Apostles 9 - (NKJV - New King James Version)." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2013. 23 May 2013. < http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Act&c=9&t=NKJV >