Acts 9:1-4 - What Paul Saw on the Road

Acts 9:1-4:  Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

One of the stories that always amazes me in Scripture is Paul’s conversion. Paul was then known as Saul of Tarsus, the man who once hated Christians. He was stopped in his tracks by the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. In that blinding light, his physical eyes were closed, but his spiritual eyes were opened. What Paul came to see in those days of blindness can still teach us something about following Jesus today.

The first thing Paul realized was that he was a sinner. That’s never easy to admit. Paul had always thought of himself as a righteous Pharisee, doing the will of God. But now he could no longer hide behind his religion or his good deeds. He realized had been fighting against the very Son of God. That’s a humbling moment we all need—to stop pretending we are better than we are and honestly admit, “I have sinned.”

Paul also saw that the religion of his fathers couldn’t save him. Tradition is powerful. Many of us grew up with faith passed down from our parents or grandparents, and that’s a blessing. But we don’t inherit faith like eye color. Each of us must come to Christ personally and develop our own obedient faith. Paul had to realize that his upbringing and heritage, as valuable as they were, weren’t enough without obedience to Jesus.

Another lesson Paul learned is that his conscience wasn’t always reliable. He had always followed his conscience, even when persecuting Christians—but he was still wrong. That’s sobering, isn’t it? Sometimes people say, “Just follow your heart,” but Paul’s story warns us that our hearts can mislead us. Our conscience needs to be shaped and corrected by God’s Word, or it will never point us in the right direction.

Paul also discovered that prayer, as important as it is, could not wash away his sins. He had spent three days praying and fasting, but it wasn’t until he obeyed the command to be baptized that his sins were forgiven (Acts 22:16). Prayer is a gift for God’s children, but for Paul (and actually even for us), forgiveness only came through obedience.

And perhaps most encouraging of all, Paul saw that it was no disgrace to change. He had been wrong—terribly wrong—but instead of clinging to pride, he humbled himself and allowed God to transform him. The man who once tried to destroy the church became one of its greatest servants. That’s what grace does—it changes us from the inside out.

Paul’s story reminds me that it’s never too late to admit we’re wrong, never too late to repent, never too late to obey Jesus. On the road to Damascus, Paul lost his sight, but he gained his vision. And maybe that’s what we need too—not just to see the world with physical eyes, but to see our lives clearly through the eyes of Christ.

Galatians 2:20 - Have You Had a Close Call?

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Have you ever had a “close call”? Maybe you just missed being hit by a car that didn’t see you while changing lanes. Or perhaps you were hit—but came through the experience with only a few bumps and bruises—yet when you look at your car, you wonder how you weren’t killed!

If you’ve lived a normal life, you can probably look back and recall a lot of close calls—some closer than others.

A close call with death can dramatically change us—how we see life, what we consider important, and what we realize isn’t. These close calls make us more aware of our mortality and cause us to rethink our priorities. Where we once felt invincible and thought death was something that happened to others, we now see how fragile life is, and our view of what matters is turned upside down.

For Christians, recognizing our vulnerability can actually help us grow spiritually. In fact, if we don’t have a close call with evil, we might end up with just a set of beliefs—not truly understanding what Christ wants us to become.

Real conversion happens when we grasp the dangers we face and recognize our need for salvation. This deeper understanding helps us fully appreciate Jesus’ sacrifice.

Surviving a close call also reshapes our sense of strength and weakness. When we understand our vulnerability, we are humbled—but in that weakness, we often find true strength. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” He was reminding us that resilience and faith are where true power lies.

These close call experiences often lead us to change how we live. For instance, we might start taking better care of ourselves or pursue dreams we’ve been putting off. In Romans 12:2, Paul urges us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” A close call can inspire us to live more purposefully, in line with God’s will.

Paul’s own conversion in Acts 9 is a powerful example. His encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus was a dramatic close call that completely changed him. On his way to persecute Christians, he suddenly saw how wrong he had been, and his life was never the same. In Galatians 2:20, Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” His encounter didn’t just change his beliefs—it changed him at the core.

A close call reminds us that life is fragile and helps us focus on what truly matters. It gives us an opportunity to reset our priorities, deepen our compassion, and live with greater intention and gratitude. Through these moments, we learn to embrace life more fully, understand what God has done for us through His Son, and recognize that each day is a blessing.

Romans 2:6-8 - Keep Improving Your Aim

Romans 2:6-8
God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

In target shooting, the direction is important. In order to hit the target, the first thing you have to do is face the target. You might not hit the target, but if you are facing any other way, you have no chance of it.

Does God expect us to consistently hit the target? No. If He did, why would He have made provisions for our salvation?

Accord to Paul, as he soon tells the Romans later in his letter, “… all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23)

We are fallible, imperfect humans -- we are incapable of being perfect -- we are destined to miss the mark most of the time...

But, while God does not expect us to hit the bulls eye with our every attempt, He does expect us to try!

Where we fail, His grace will justify us -- make up for our inabilities.

Our goal is to make constant progress in the direction God has pointed out for us. He desires our constant movement -- always seeking to gain ground -- seeking to complete the goal before us.

We are to aim the best we can -- then go for it. Then -- learn from our mistakes and make corrections each time we miss the target!

What God does not want is for us to just do what we want -- to just live for our own selves -- seek only what we desire.

Living a life seeking to satisfy our own desires leaves us ripe for the picking…

Remember God’s words to Cain?

Genesis 4:6-8: “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

To live a life of selfishness is to invite God’s wrath.  Maybe not immediately — but ultimately!

Colossians 3:5-6: Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

Matthew 18:35 - It's the Mercy

Matthew 18:35:
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Peter had listened to Jesus and heard a thorough “procedure list” for dealing with sinners -- and what to do when they fail to change.

But what about when they do change?

Peter wondered, would he have to keep forgiving them, or could he limit the times he forgave them to maybe -- seven times?

We are often sinned against by some who later ask us to forgive them. Then -- they go and do the same thing to us again! Each time they come back -- begging our understanding and forgiveness.

Sometimes it’s genuine -- and other times we just feel they are playing us for a patsy. It is hard to tell.

How much patience do we have to extend to those who keep doing it to us, over -- and over -- and over?

Jesus gave Peter, and those around him, a parable to chew on.

He told of a King’s servant who had built up a debt that was more than he could ever pay back.  The king demanded repayment -- and wanted to set up conditions for repayment. In his case -- the man -- his wife -- his children -- and all he had -- would be sold to repay the debt.

The man, filled with fear and dread, begged the king to give him a little more time -- and he would repay it.

The king -- knowing the debt was so great it could not be repaid -- had mercy on him. He not only stopped the sale of the man and his family -- but also forgave the man his entire debt!

The lesson Peter and the others were to learn, came from what the man did after that…

Newly forgiven of his own immense debt, he went out and confronted someone who owed him a small debt -- and put him in prison until he got payment!

The lesson for Peter and the others to grasp?

The offense is not important -- it is the mercy!

The number of times you forgive is not important -- it is the mercy!

How can we hope for forgiveness and mercy -- which we all so desperately need -- if we do not offer forgiveness and mercy ourselves?

How we treat others is a good indication of how we will be treated.

Earlier, Peter and the others heard Jesus say, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)

Think about it... No matter how you have been offended and sinned against -- it pales in comparison to our offenses and sins against the Father -- and He didn’t just forgive our debt -- His Son paid it!