[Ananias said to Paul who at this point was still called Saul], "You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now what are you waiting for?" - Acts 22:15-16
Miracles ripple.
There was this guy named Ananias. Not the one in Acts 5 who disobeyed God and suddenly died. Instead, I mean the Ananias in Acts 9 and Acts 22, who constantly listened for God and then to whom God spoke and appeared. God speaking and appearing to Ananias was miracle #1 of which we speak in this devotion.
God wants to do miracle #1 with you. Are you listening for God?
Then there was a ripple.
Miracles ripple.
Ananias became God's instrument to work in Saul's life whereby Saul became Paul. Through Ananias, God removed scales from Saul's eyes, and Saul came to understand how his God-given gift of amazing intelligence was to be used to "witness to all men of what you have seen and heard" (Acts 22:15) about Jesus, the Son of God and Savior of the world. Watching Saul's transformation, Ananias lit a fire under Saul to get going as Ananias said "And now what are you waiting for?" (Acts 22:16)
God wants to do miracle #2 through you. Are you seeking understanding about your God-given gifts, which will lead to you being able to help others understand their God-given gifts?
There will be a ripple.
Miracles ripple.
We're doing this in one of our Disciple classes. We're seeking understanding about our God-given gifts, which has lead to our being able to help others understand their God-given gifts.
An amazing Bible study tool to do this is Arthur Burk's teaching on the Spiritual Redemptive gifts. Everyone is either a Prophet, Servant, Teacher, Exhorter, Giver, Ruler, or Mercy. The materials are available to everyone at http://newbreedmovement.wordpress.com/redemptive-gifts-teaching-arthur-burk-condensed/.
One woman discovered her gift as Servant. The Bible teaching shows that when you accept and use your gift to God's glory, then God gives additional spiritual gifts. This particular woman has discovered that God's given her the gift of healing. Yes, she's started coming to our prayer and healing services, but she (who before was spiritually timid) has started to follow God's lead, approach people, ask people if she can pray for them, and see them healed in a few moments or a few days, which is miracle #3.
God wants to do miracle #3 through you. Are you using your God-given gifts, which will lead to you receiving other God-given gifts?
There will be a ripple.
Miracles ripple.
In telling of this one woman's transformation, I saw a couple other women become intrigued, begin to explore what their Spiritual Redemptive Gift might be, and experience positive life change that very evening, which is miracle #4.
Miracles ripple.
It's part of God's plan to get the good news of Jesus through every person to every person in the world.
Indeed, it's as God says through Ananias in today's Bible verse, "You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now what are you waiting for?" (Acts 22:15-16)
Aaaaaahummmm! Soooooo? What are you waiting for?
As one of my friends says, "God has big plans for you!"
So let's go and explore our God-given gifts and use them to God's glory and see miracles and watch them ripple to the blessing of all people.
What an incredible day is awaiting us!
Praise God!
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson
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