Verse of the Day 6/29
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. New King James Version (NKJV)
I read today's verse in my read through the Bible plan. As I read it and the comment below from my NKJV "Apply the Word Study Bible" caught my attention. "This account of Ananias invites us to ask who God might want us to approach with the message of His grace. It challenges us to search out people we consider least likely to respond to Christ. Maybe they too simply need us to reach out in faith and obedience." As I read it, I couldn't help but think of Billy Graham and the chain of people who answered God's call which led to his salvation.
I've shared the story before of Edward Kimble as told by Greg Laurie, I can't help but share it again as I considered today's verse and passage.
When it comes to contemporary heroes of the Christian faith, we are familiar with names like Billy Graham. But what about Edward Kimble or Mordecai Ham?
Edward Kimble was a shoe salesman who worked alongside a guy named Dwight. Edward shared the gospel with Dwight, and Dwight accepted Christ. It was 1858, and Dwight's last name was Moody. We know him as D. L. Moody, who was one of the greatest evangelists in history.
Years later when Moody was preaching, a pastor named Frederick D. Meyer was deeply stirred, and as a result, he went into his own nationwide preaching ministry. On one occasion when Meyer was preaching, a college student named J. Wilbur Chapman heard him and accepted Christ. He went out and began to share the gospel, and he employed a young baseball player named Billy Sunday. Billy Sunday ended up being the greatest evangelist of his generation.
When Billy Sunday preached the gospel in Charlotte, North Carolina, it was such a great meeting that he was invited back. But when he couldn't be there, Sunday recommended a preacher named Mordecai Ham. Ham went to Charlotte and preached, but not many people responded to his invitation to accept Christ. But on one of the last nights, a tall, lanky boy who worked on the local dairy farm walked forward. Everyone knew him as Billy Frank, and we know him today as Billy Graham.
So Edward Kimble reached D. L. Moody, who touched Frederick Meyer, who reached Wilbur Chapman, who helped Billy Sunday, who reached businessmen in Charlotte, who invited Mordecai Ham, who ultimately reached Billy Graham. And it all began with the simple witness of Edward Kimble.
Has God placed someone upon your heart with whom He wants you to share the gospel, the good news? The Message paraphrase for the verse starts by saying "But the Master said, "Don't argue, go!".
It was a tall task for Ananias to go and talk to Saul. I doubt that our situation carries such risk, but what about a co-worker. Think of the example of Edward Kimble and D.L. Moody, who knows what God has in store if we "don't argue" but just go?
Blessings,
Mike
Acts 9:10-19The Message (MSG)
10 There was a disciple in Damascus by the name of Ananias. The Master spoke to him in a vision: "Ananias."
"Yes, Master?" he answered.
11-12 "Get up and go over to Straight Avenue. Ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus. His name is Saul. He's there praying. He has just had a dream in which he saw a man named Ananias enter the house and lay hands on him so he could see again."
13-14 Ananias protested, "Master, you can't be serious. Everybody's talking about this man and the terrible things he's been doing, his reign of terror against your people in Jerusalem! And now he's shown up here with papers from the Chief Priest that give him license to do the same to us."
15-16 But the Master said, "Don't argue. Go! I have picked him as my personal representative to non-Jews and kings and Jews. And now I'm about to show him what he's in for—the hard suffering that goes with this job."
17-19 So Ananias went and found the house, placed his hands on blind Saul, and said, "Brother Saul, the Master sent me, the same Jesus you saw on your way here. He sent me so you could see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." No sooner were the words out of his mouth than something like scales fell from Saul's eyes—he could see again! He got to his feet, was baptized, and sat down with them to a hearty meal.
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