Terrorist To Apostles | Drench Series

Heavens. Two Intersecting Realms. Earth. We are the community that aligns these realms.

Acts 9:33-35 “There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. ‘Aeneas,’ Peter said to him, ‘Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.’ Immediately Aeneas got up. Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord.”

Acts 9:40 “Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, ‘Tabitha, get up.’ She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.”

Acts 8:3-4 “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.” 

In his book 'In the Grip of Grace' Max Lucado writes the following:"Know what disturbs me most about Jeffery Dahmer?  What disturbs me most are not his acts, though they are disgusting ... (It's) His conversion ... Sins washed.  Soul cleansed.  Past forgiven.  That troubles me.  It shouldn't, but it does.  Grace for a cannibal? (My) trouble in accepting Dahmer's conversion is inexcusable"

“Grace is the divine invasion into human hostility.” Karl Barth

Acts 9:1-ff “Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest  and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”

Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight,

and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately there fell from his eyes…

… something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.”

Observations From Ananias:    
God Uses Believers. — Believers Hear His voice   —  Believers Honour his Word  
Believers Embrace Challenges — Believers Heal people

Observations From Paul:
God Calls Whoever he Wants — God Accepts You — God Heals You — God Empowers You  
God Has A Purpose For You — God Unites Himself To You

1 Timothy 1:15 (NLT) “This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’—and I am the worst of them all.”

“God’s grace doesn’t just pardon you; it reboots your entire life.” Tim Keller

Grace goes after the worst
Grace interrupts the violent
Grace transforms the hostile
Grace rebuilds the broken
Grace sends the redeemed into mission
Jesus can rewrite any story, redeem any heart, revive any prodigal, and restore any future.

Chaplain Henry F. Gerecke.
Served Hitler's Gang At Nuremberg  14 of the 16 Accepted Forgiveness  
"They did so in a spirit that convinced me that their repentance was genuine. I have had many years of experience as a prison chaplain and do not believe I am easily deluded by phony reformations at the eleventh hour."

“Your husband has been taking religious care of the undersigned…for more than half a year. We have now heard…that you wish to see him back home after his absence of several years. Because we also have wives and children, we understand this wish of yours very well.
Nevertheless, we are asking you to put off your wish to gather your family around you….Please consider that we cannot miss your husband now….It is impossible for any other to break through the walls that have been built up around us; in a spiritual sense even stronger than a material one.
We shall be deeply indebted to you. We send our best wishes to you and your family. God be with you.”

His wife wrote back and said:
“Don’t you worry about coming home. You stay and minster the the spiritual needs of these men.

Does the Kingdom operate by merit or mercy?
Mathew 20:1-16 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Or is your eye evil because I am good? So the last will be first, and the first last.”

“At Calvary” (William R. Newell, pub.1895)
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;

Pardon there was multiplied to me;

There my burdened soul found liberty At Calvary.