Another Year Around the Son 6.19.2025
Read Deuteronomy 21, Matthew 1:18-21
What examples we have in Joseph (Matthew 1:20), Cornelius the Centurion from the Italian Cohort (Acts 10:1-5), and Peter (Acts 10:9-18). Each of them were given angelic or Spirit of God vision/visitations to direct their steps. They were asked to do something they normally wouldn’t have initiated on their own. Roused and full awake they knew and did the will of the LORD. Ultimately these three men responded with action and a yes Lord, although at first Peter said no. I wonder how is God directing our steps today? Can we respond in the same way??? You know the way a properly ordered kitchen staff says, YES CHEF, we say, YES LORD.
And today if you are seized up by doubt, you can overcome your hesitation. Consider Ananias of Damascus.
He is one of the original 70 who hesitated but overcame his justifiable concern through prayer. Take your concerns to the Lord in prayer. Ananias was properly aware of the threat he would be walking into, yet he did not die by the hands of Saul but rather died later by stoning in Bayt Jibrin, a district of Hebron located in western foothills of the Hebron Mountains. Ananias had his directions come via Lord’s voice in a vision and it is recorded in Acts 9:10-16 KJV. And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
God said go and so Ananias went and baptized the radical zealot Saul (Acts 9:1-26; 22, 4-16) who became Paul the Apostle. Who is God calling you to reach? The promise is for everyone who believes in Jesus Christ to receive forgiveness and eternal life through his name. I have heard it said recently the way is narrow but the gate is open.
Acts 10:36-43 NET You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)— you know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John announced: with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, that God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil because God was with him. We are witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen, not by all the people, but by us, the witnesses God had already chosen, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to warn them that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. About him all the prophets testify, that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
And God will be with us as well as we are witnesses to our generation. amen?! amen. 🙂
Please pray for our Seabrook Retreat we are expecting and asking the Lord to meet with us there in a powerful way. Some will encounter and hear from the Lord, some will get baptized in the ocean, and others will be strengthened to say, yes LORD.
Orthodox tradition holds Ananias as one of the 70.
