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“The Lord Can Save You As Well!”

Thoughts for Today:

I think there was a little bit more to Paul's witness than simple humility (he previously said: "I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle"). In our passage today, he reveals the grief he bore for those he had persecuted.

(Acts 7:57-8:1: "At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Then he fell on his knees and cried out, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.' When he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul approved of their killing him.")

At minimum, Paul was guilty of using force to punish and dissuade believers from their faith in Jesus; and at worse he was an accessory to murder. Now it seems, these past activities were really causing him great anguish. But, God used Paul's regret and grief over the pain he had caused others, to motivate him to serve passionately.

When we listen to the testimonies of the most powerful men and women in ministry, we often find the motivation comes as a result of their desire to try to compensate for their past misdeeds. They have an incredible gratitude toward God for His grace, mercy and love, but they also want to make up for what they've done wrong; to warn others of the consequences of sin; and serve as an example to those who have lost hope. It was also a big part of Paul's personal testimony. Paul says, "If God can love me, find value in me, redeem me, and use me for His glory -- despite all the horrible things I've done -- then He can certainly save you as well!"

Questions to Ponder:

What is your testimony? Have you written it down? How has Jesus changed your life? Will you share it with others? Our personal witness is the most valuable tool we have when sharing the Gospel -- our personal experience of the risen Lord.

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About the author

Pocket Devotions are written by Mike Brooks. A retired businessman, he is Moderator of South Shores church, leads the Deacon Board, serves on the finance committee, and he teaches a Men's Bible study and the Men's Ministry. Mike has a passion for evangelical missions. He is the husband of Sherry; the father of Ryan, Natalie, Krissy, Rebecca, and Amanda; the father-in-law of Ariel; and the grandfather of Conner and Christian.