Fellowship Hall

I'm going to do something different today. I'm going to interview Paul (Saul of Tarsus) Yes, I know he's dead but we have many written references of his life and testimonies of his conversion and being set free of his past. First question what was your life before you were set free?  Paul said in Acts 22 1- 16.  Paul was arrested and taken to Rome, He was once of the accusers of Christians, now being brought before the magistrate in his own birth country, by the very men who he worked with, to kill the Christians. Now he is the man who wrote to encourage, strengthen, correct, and support the very people who he once tormented, imprisoned and killed. Act 22:1  Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.  v2  (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,) v3  I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia,(paraphrase)  Brought up in the city under the feet of Gamaliel and taught  the law according to the fathers; zealous of good works toward  God, according to the law. You abide by even now. v4 I persecuted  those who strayed from our laws, men and women unto death. v5 Which the high priests and elders  very well know, giving me letters to bring those  deceived ones to be punished. Question 2:  What changed your life?  v.6  As I made the journey to Damascus to bring prisoners to be Jerusalem to be punished:  a light shown from heaven, about me v7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest me?  v8. I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom  you persecutest. v9. Those with me saw the light, but heard no voice. v10. I answered, what shall I do?  Jesus answered, go to Damascus and all things will be told to you to do!  I couldn't see for the brightness of the light, so those with me guided me to Damascus. v12. A devout man, according to the law, who was well received of all v13. Came to me, and said, Brother Saul, receive your sight, within one hour I saw  him. v14 He said, "The  God of our fathers has called and chosen you to know the just one, Jesus, and hear him". 15 For you shall be his witness unto all men of what you've seen and heard. v6 Arise and be baptized , calling on the name of the Lord Jesus, to wash your sins away. Acts 9:89 v19 He was 3 days without sight and he fasted.  God spoke to Ananias in a dream, to go pray for Paul.  He kind of reminded God what sort of man Paul was. God assured him that he was a chosen vessel to carry God's message to the Jews first them to the Gentiles.. Paul saw a vision of Ananias praying for him and he received his sight. and it was so.  Well, we will have to finish our interview at another time.  Never fear when God speaks he makes the way.  Just trust and obey. Genna