SATURDAY 14TH JANUARY 2017 MORNING
Acts 22:6-10 New International Version (NIV)
6 “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’
8 “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.
“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.
10 “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.
“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’
This is part of the testimony of The Apostle Paul about his conversion. Paul, then called Saul was a Pharisee and he was persecuting Christians probably because he thought they were heretics. However Jesus appeared to him and called him to preach the Gospel to Gentiles. Paul became a powerful evangelist and also wrote a large part of the New Testament in our Bibles.
Thank God that He changed Paul. Don’t give up on those who oppose Christ. God can change them too.
JUMAMOSI TAREHE 14 JANUARI 2017 ASUBUHI
MATENDO 22:6-10
6 Ikawa nilipokuwa nikisafiri, nikikaribia Dameski, wakati wa adhuhuri, ghafula nuru kuu ilitoka mbinguni, ikanimulikia pande zote.
7 Nikaanguka nchi, nikasikia sauti ikiniambia, Sauli, Sauli, mbona unaniudhi?
8 Nikajibu, Wewe u nani, Bwana? Akaniambia, Mimi ni Yesu Mnazareti, ambaye wewe unaniudhi.
9 Na wale waliokuwa pamoja nami waliiona ile nuru, lakini hawakuisikia ile sauti ya yule aliyesema nami.
10 Nikasema, Nifanye nini, Bwana? Bwana akaniambia, Simama, uingie Dameski, na huko utaambiwa habari za mambo yote yaliyoamriwa uyafanye.
Maneno haya ni sehemu ya ushuhuda wa Mtume Paulo. Paulo, alikuwa anaitwa Sauli na alikuwa Mfarisayo na alitesa Wakristo labda kwa sababu aliwaona ni waasi. Lakini Yesu alimtokea na alimbadilisha. Mtume Paulo aliitwa na Mungu kuhubiri Injili kwa watu wa Mataifa wasio Wayahudi. Mtume Paulo alifanya kazi hii kwa bidii na uaminifu na pia aliandika Nyaraka nyingi ambao zipo katika Agano Jipya la Biblia.
Mungu alimbadilisha Paulo. Usikate tamaa na wanaompinga, Mungu anaweza kubadilisha maadui zake. Endelea kuwaombea.
