Pinelake Madison/Ridgeland Student Ministry

Love this! Here we are at the end of the book of Acts. The plan was to shut Paul up. To stop him from spreading his "ridiculous" story about how Jesus met him on the road to Damascus, blinded him, confronted him on his sin, saved him, gave him a new purpose and opened his blind eyes to see people the way God does…..The plan was to kill him, or at least get him thrown into prison and then everybody could get back to normal. No longer having to actually contemplate if this story, this ridiculous story was actually…..true? And what if it was, if Paul, this respected Pharisee and religious leader, trained by the best, a zealous man of the God of Israel really hadn’t lost his mind but He was really telling the story of his face to face encounter with the glorified King of Kings, the Messiah, who had been anticipated throughout history, that most people misunderstood, missed and murdered……

Their plan to shut him up ends at the book of Acts with Paul in the center of the known world, Rome, telling his story unashamed, unhindered and as passionate and convincing as ever to whoever would listen as he waits to tell his story to most powerful man in the world. Caesar himself. 

May I be reminded today that no scheme to thwart your plan will succeed in the long run. It might look bad at first, it might look like you have been defeated, that you have given up as I search so hard for you in those circumstances, but may this remind me that you are always working, always moving, and always accomplishing your plan….. No matter what anybody tries to do to stop you. May I spend my life unashamed, telling my story to anybody who will listen knowing that your plan is happening around me and in my life personally?

Acts 28:30-31 (NIV)

"For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ."