11-04-24-DAILY READING-ENG.

EXPERIENCING THE SPIRIT

                                  DON'T BE A MAVERICK

At the conclusion of the account of Paul's conversion on the way to Damascus in Acts 9, we read this: Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. Then all who heard were amazed Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ, (verses 20-22) Isn't that just like the Paul we've come to know? Gloriously saved and profoundly impacted by the Spirit, he preached with insight and power. But the Jews in Damascus plotted to kill him, and Paul had to escape at night over the city wall in a large basket lowered by his friends. With excitement about joining God's people in Jerusalem in serving the Lord, Paul traveled there, where “he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus” (9:29).

But at first the disciples at the mother church in Jerusalem “were all afraid of him” (9:26). And once again, the local Jews “attempted to kill him” (9:29), and Paul had to make his escape. Paul was on a rough road. The Holy Spirit would be taking him on a journey to develop his character before he was ready for a great assignment. But at this critical point in Paul's life, God in His grace also chose to bring alongside him a friend and encourager named Barnabas. You'll find that one of the ways the Holy Spirit builds your character is to take you through a challenging time, then bring others alongside you to give you strength. We believe in the role of the local church. Believers are interdependent. The Holy Spirit in you is also in those around you in the body of Christ, and the Holy Spirit uses them to help in your character-building process.