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Speaker 1: Let us pray, and he fell to earth and heard

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Speaker 1: a voice saying, unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

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Speaker 1: Acts nine four. Thank you Jesus that through the life

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Speaker 1: of Saul, I can declare that no one is outside

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Speaker 1: the reach of our loving Savior. Thank you God that

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Speaker 1: you are constantly reminding me that no matter how far

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Speaker 1: I go, no matter how out of touch with you,

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Speaker 1: I seem that at any given moment, you can and

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Speaker 1: you will do whatever is necessary to grab my attention

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Speaker 1: to bring me back to you. Like Saul on his

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Speaker 1: road to Damascus. When I am off track, remind me

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Speaker 1: of who I am. Speak to me with the same

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Speaker 1: boldness that you spoke to him. For I now understand

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Speaker 1: that my purpose is more important than my comfort. Let

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Speaker 1: me carry the same mindset into everyday life. When I

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Speaker 1: see others being ridiculed by somebody because of who they

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Speaker 1: used to be. Let this story Enacts nine serve as

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Speaker 1: a reminder that no one is outside of the grasp

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Speaker 1: of your love. Continue to transform my heart not only

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Speaker 1: from the inside, but do a mighty work so that

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Speaker 1: it can be seen on the outside as a tribute

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Speaker 1: to who you are and the power that you possess

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Speaker 1: to turn a life around. Thank you for restoring my

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Speaker 1: sight so I can see that there is more in

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Speaker 1: store for me in Jesus name. Amen. Thanks for making

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Speaker 1: prayer a priority in your life. To hear the Bible

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Speaker 1: come to life. Stay tuned for the Bible in any brought

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Speaker 1: to you by Bible in a Year dot.

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Speaker 2: Com Saul and the Light. In our last story, Philip

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Speaker 2: was used to preach the Gospel in Samaria. He preached

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Speaker 2: in the desert to an Ethiopian official and baptized him.

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Speaker 2: Now we peer into the dark heart of Saul. His

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Speaker 2: corrupt and evil mind was filled with hatred towards Jesus

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Speaker 2: and the Church. Yet no man is immune to the

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Speaker 2: loving touch of Christ. No amount of hatred could ever

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Speaker 2: darken the light of God's Son. Inspired by the Book of.

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Speaker 3: Acts, welcome once again to today's episode of The Bible

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Speaker 3: in a Year. In yesterday's episode, we heard how Saul's

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Speaker 3: persecution of the Church had led to a great scattering

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Speaker 3: of believers, a dispersion of Christians. What the enemy meant

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Speaker 3: for evil to stop God's work in the world ultimately

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Speaker 3: led to the message of Jesus spreading far beyond Jerusalem

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Speaker 3: and even beyond Israel itself. We heard how Philip shared

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Speaker 3: the good news with an Ethiopian man, who then took

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Speaker 3: the message of salvation with him to the ends of

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Speaker 3: the earth. Today we'll hear how Saul, in the midst

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Speaker 3: of his campaign to destroy the Church and the message

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Speaker 3: of Jesus, encounters the very one that he is persecuting.

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Speaker 3: It is on the road to Damascus. He will be

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Speaker 3: physically blinded, but have his spiritual eyes open to the

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Speaker 3: truth of who Jesus is, and there receive the highest

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Speaker 3: calling of all, which is to take the very message

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Speaker 3: that he wanted to destroy to the ends of the earth.

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Speaker 3: Let's listen now to today's reading.

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Speaker 2: His every breath was filled with hatred and murder, filled

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Speaker 2: with zealous rage towards the church. Saul stood under the

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Speaker 2: torch light in the courthouse. He watched as the temple

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Speaker 2: judge put pen to parchment. The words gave him complete

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Speaker 2: authority to drag any man, woman or child into the

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Speaker 2: city streets and end them. The letters were his license

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Speaker 2: to kill. Saul took the letters and shoved them into

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Speaker 2: his bag. He slung it over his shoulder and left

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Speaker 2: the temple In a fury, he mounted his horse and

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Speaker 2: rode in the night towards Damascus. There he would round

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Speaker 2: up every last Christian like cattle. He would put an

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Speaker 2: end to the life of Jesus once and for all.

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Speaker 2: The darkness was draped heavily over the skies as Saul rode.

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Speaker 2: The stars were hidden by thick clouds. Saul's heart was

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Speaker 2: as black as the night. He was held bent on

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Speaker 2: destroying the followers of Jesus. He despised their gospel. It

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Speaker 2: was a direct threat to everything he had built his

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Speaker 2: life upon. Piety, holiness, and perfection. These were Sal's goals.

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Speaker 2: He desired power, He desired holiness. He desired for God

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Speaker 2: to approve of him because of his actions, not some

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Speaker 2: act of grace or mercy. Saul wanted to earn God's love.

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Speaker 2: Saul's horse rode violently into the cold, dark nothingness. The

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Speaker 2: road ahead of him was barely seen by a small

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Speaker 2: torch Saul held in his hand. Damascus was not too

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Speaker 2: far away. All of a sudden, Saul's torch snuffed out,

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Speaker 2: and his horse stopped abruptly. With his light removed, Saul

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Speaker 2: could see nothing. The silent and dark night was maddening.

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Speaker 2: Saul breathed heavily, trying to restore the flames on his torch,

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Speaker 2: to no avail. Then, like the night was being pierced

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Speaker 2: by a blade, a bright light cut through the blackness.

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Speaker 2: The jagged light surrounded him. Saul's eyes could barely stand

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Speaker 2: the brilliance around him. As the light rushed forward, Saul

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Speaker 2: was bucked off of his horse. He hit the ground

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Speaker 2: with force, and his horse ran away. A voice as

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Speaker 2: clear as can be spoke through the light Saul, Saul.

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Speaker 2: The voice said, why are you percy acuting me? Saul

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Speaker 2: stood to his feet, trying to see who dwelled behind

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Speaker 2: the radiance.

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Speaker 3: Who are you?

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Speaker 2: He asked, with panic in his voice. Who is speaking?

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Speaker 2: The light danced in a hundred different directions, like a

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Speaker 2: weaved tapestry. It is I, Jesus, the one whom you

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Speaker 2: have persecuted. Why are you kicking against the goads? Why

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Speaker 2: do you deny who I have called you to be?

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Speaker 2: The men who were following Saul could hear the voice,

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Speaker 2: but could not see the bright light dancing around Saul.

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Speaker 2: They saw him on his knees, panicking as he listened

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Speaker 2: to the terrifying voice of Jesus. Saul fell to his

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Speaker 2: face and closed his eyes. Then the light vanished, silence

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Speaker 2: returned to the dark night, and flames were restored to

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Speaker 2: Saul's torch. However, Saul opened his eyes to discover he

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Speaker 2: was blind. Saul's companions led him by the hand to Damascus.

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Speaker 2: There he laid in bed for three days, violently seeking

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Speaker 2: answers from God. He neither ate nor drank. He simply

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Speaker 2: waited until God spoke to him about what he had

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Speaker 2: seen and heard. There was a believer in Damascus named Anonius.

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Speaker 2: He was an older man and very attentive to the

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Speaker 2: will and direction of God. Early in the morning, he

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Speaker 2: sought the voice of Christ. As he prayed, the silent

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Speaker 2: prompting of God's spirit spoke to him. Rise, he said,

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Speaker 2: not too far from here, in the house of Judas,

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Speaker 2: there is a man named Saul. He is praying and

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Speaker 2: seeking God. You must go to him and tell him

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Speaker 2: of me. Anonaius shook his head. Lord, I have heard

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Speaker 2: of this man. He is the cause of much evil

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Speaker 2: to your people. His hands are stained red with the

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Speaker 2: blood of believers. Go for I have chosen him to

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Speaker 2: carry my name and proclaim me to the Gentiles. I

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Speaker 2: will show him how much he will do and suffer

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Speaker 2: in my name, the Lord answered. So Anonaeus packed a

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Speaker 2: small bag and left for the home where Saul was waiting.

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Speaker 2: Saul was still shrouded in darkness in the night. He

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Speaker 2: closed his eyes and saw visions of a man named Anonius,

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Speaker 2: but all was a blur. To Saul, everything was confusing.

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Speaker 2: He did not know what the Lord was doing. As

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Speaker 2: Paul sat in darkness, his heart began to soften. Saul

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Speaker 2: heard the door creak open. Brother Saul. A voice said,

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Speaker 2: I am Anonius. I have been sent by Jesus to

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Speaker 2: heal you. Saul's heart ached when he heard the name

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Speaker 2: of Jesus. The words of the bright light still echoed

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Speaker 2: in his mind. Tears fell from Saul's blind eyes. Then,

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Speaker 2: as Anonaeus prayed over him, Saul began to regain his sight.

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Speaker 2: It was as if scales were peeling away. In that moment,

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Speaker 2: Saul's heart was changed. He not only saw the daylight,

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Speaker 2: but he saw the light of Jesus. He understood in

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Speaker 2: a moment all the things he had done. It was overwhelming.

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Speaker 2: After being baptized, Saul presented himself to some of the

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Speaker 2: disciples at Damascus. They were the ones he planned to

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Speaker 2: kidnap and kill. They watched as he entered the room

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Speaker 2: with his head held low. They were skeptical, but could

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Speaker 2: clearly see that something was different about him. Peter sat

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Speaker 2: among them. He was protective over the rest of the disciples.

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Speaker 2: He did not want a wolf among sheep. Who is Jesus,

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Speaker 2: he asked plainly. There was a long pause. Saul's face

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Speaker 2: was filled with anguish and regret. He remembered what he

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Speaker 2: had done and what he had said.

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Speaker 4: There was blood on his hands.

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Speaker 2: He is the son of God, Saul answered. As he

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Speaker 2: said these words, the entire room gasped. They were amazed

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Speaker 2: that Jesus had touched the heart of someone so dark

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Speaker 2: and so evil. Is this not the man who watched

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Speaker 2: as Stephen was stoned? Someone shouted, he has probably come

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Speaker 2: to kidnap us and bind us. But Saul remained with

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Speaker 2: the disciples for a long while and learned under them.

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Speaker 2: He listened to their words, He prayed with tenderness. Day

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Speaker 2: by day they watched this once evil man turn into

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Speaker 2: a minister of grace. Soon he appeared in front of

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Speaker 2: the Jews and Damascus and proclaimed the truth of Jesus

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Speaker 2: as the Christ so much that they plotted to kill him.

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Speaker 2: So the apostles lowered him down and sent him back

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Speaker 2: to Jerusalem with Barnabas. Thus began the epic journey of

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Speaker 2: the suffering servant of Christ. The man who once sought

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Speaker 2: the lives of Christians would lay his life down daily

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Speaker 2: for the advancement of the Gospel. Saul's life would prove

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Speaker 2: as a symbol to all those who feel like they

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Speaker 2: are too lost to come to God. He is proof

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Speaker 2: that nobody is outside the reach of a tender and

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Speaker 2: loving savior.

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Speaker 3: Saul is relentlessly pursuing the followers of Jesus, determined to

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Speaker 3: destroy once and for all this new movement the Christian

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Speaker 3: and faith that is threatening everything that he holds dear,

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Speaker 3: all of his traditions, all of his religion. Saul was

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Speaker 3: zealous for God, but he was misguided. He's still stuck

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Speaker 3: in the chains of legalism and good works, unable to

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Speaker 3: understand who Jesus is despite his years of studying the

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Speaker 3: law and prophets. So Saul asked the High Priest for

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Speaker 3: letters to the temple in Damascus, authorizing him to round

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Speaker 3: up as many Christians as he could people known as

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Speaker 3: followers of the Way and then to throw them in

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Speaker 3: jail are worse. But God had other plans, and in

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Speaker 3: today's reading we hear how God went to supernatural lengths

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Speaker 3: to reach Saul and to stop him in his tracks.

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Speaker 3: For there on the road to Damascus, on his way

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Speaker 3: to destroy the Church, Saul was blinded by the light

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Speaker 3: of heaven. This is the resurrected Christ himself. There on

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Speaker 3: the ground, Saul could see nothing but the glorious light

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Speaker 3: of Christ and the voice that came to him. This

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Speaker 3: is Jesus asking Paul, why are you persecuting me? Jesus

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Speaker 3: asks Saul, why are you fighting against me? And what

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Speaker 3: I am telling you to do? You see, though Saul

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Speaker 3: did not yet know it, God had a heavenly high

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Speaker 3: calling and purpose for him. God would not take away

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Speaker 3: this man's zeal or deep understanding of truth and scriptures. Rather,

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Speaker 3: he would fulfill the scriptures in the life of Saul,

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Speaker 3: and he would become the great missionary of the Church. So,

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Speaker 3: after being knocked off his horse, Saul then blindly stands

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Speaker 3: to his feet, and already God is changing him. Jesus

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Speaker 3: is changing him. For when he opens his eyes, he

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Speaker 3: found that he could not see. Saul is now physically blind.

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Speaker 3: And for many years he had lived in spiritual darkness

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Speaker 3: and blindness and had physical sight. But now the tables

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Speaker 3: are turned. God had begun to open his spiritual eyes,

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Speaker 3: but he is blind helpless. His companions lead him to Damascus,

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Speaker 3: where he stayed for three days, fasting and drinking nothing.

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Speaker 3: As Saul waited, not knowing what would come next, God

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Speaker 3: was working behind the scenes, as he always is. He

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Speaker 3: appeared in a vision to a believer in Damascus, a

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Speaker 3: man named Ananias, and God told him that he was

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Speaker 3: to go to Saul. Understandably, Annius was concerned because he

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Speaker 3: had heard about Saul, how vicious he was, how he

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Speaker 3: was attacking Christians and attempting to destroy the church. Did

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Speaker 3: God really want Anonius to go talk to this man?

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Speaker 3: Notice that God did not chastise him or get angry

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Speaker 3: for his questions. He simply affirmed the command and explained

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Speaker 3: his purpose, saying in Acts nine, verses fifteen and sixteen,

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Speaker 3: go for he that is Saul, is a chosen instrument

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Speaker 3: of Mine to carry my name before the gentiles and

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Speaker 3: the kings and the children of Israel. For I will

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Speaker 3: show him, how much he must suffer for the sake

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Speaker 3: of my name. Anonius, what a great man. Then obediently

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Speaker 3: fulfilled his calling, and he went to Saul, and he

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Speaker 3: laid hands on him, and immediately he embraces him and

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Speaker 3: calls him brother. This man who was an enemy of

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Speaker 3: the church is now being called brother, a part of

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Speaker 3: the family of God. Don't miss the importance and the

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Speaker 3: significance of this. Not every one of us would have

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Speaker 3: been so quick to embrace Saul. But Anonius, knowing that

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Speaker 3: God had a great purpose for this man, and trusting

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Speaker 3: in God's will, welcomed Saul and prayed for him to

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Speaker 3: receive the Holy Spirit. In that instance, Saul's eyesight was restored,

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Speaker 3: the scales of his eyes fell, and he now sees again.

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Speaker 3: Saul was then baptized, and immediately is transformed into a

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Speaker 3: force for the Gospel, a fearless, faithful evangelist who has

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Speaker 3: spread the Gospel, pointing others to Jesus everywhere he went.

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Speaker 3: The disciples were confounded and confused and a little uneasy.

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Speaker 3: But as they heard this man preach, as Saul witnessed

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Speaker 3: of the good news, they were sure now that he

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Speaker 3: is a changed man and the murderer becomes a missionary.

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Speaker 3: Soon Saul returned to Jerusalem, But when he tried to

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Speaker 3: join the disciples there again, he was faced with some

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Speaker 3: fear and skepticism. But a man by the name of Barnabas,

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Speaker 3: just as Antonius had done, welcomed his new brother in Christ.

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Speaker 3: He stood up for Saul before the disciples, and then

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Speaker 3: Saul was accepted, joining those in Jerusalem, boldly preaching Christ

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Speaker 3: to all who would listen. It wouldn't be long that

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Speaker 3: Saul would face the same oppression and opposition and persecution

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Speaker 3: that he had brought to the church. Now he was

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Speaker 3: the hated and hunted one. But nothing would stop this man.

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Speaker 3: He was unstoppable. Saul is an incredible testimony to God's

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Speaker 3: power to redeem and change even the most lost and

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Speaker 3: hopeless person. Saul would carry God's grace to the ends

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Speaker 3: of the world, fueled by the power and the passion

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Speaker 3: of the Spirit within him, and both Jews and Gentiles

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Speaker 3: everywhere would believe the saving message of Christ because the

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Speaker 3: man who hated Christians is now becoming the greatest Christian

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Speaker 3: who ever lived. Let's pray together, Dear God, thank you

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Speaker 3: for today's scripture, which reminds us of your great grace,

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Speaker 3: your amazing grace that can take us when we're going

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Speaker 3: the wrong direction and turn our lives around so that

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Speaker 3: we can become your followers. We know this is all

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Speaker 3: true because Jesus is alive, because you are risen Lord,

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Speaker 3: and we follow you and trust in you and obey you.

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Speaker 3: And may we be bold in our witness, using our

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Speaker 3: own testimonies to tell the world who Jesus is. For

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Speaker 3: we pray in Christ's name. Amen. Thank you for listening

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Speaker 3: to today's Bible in a year. I'm Pastor Jack Graham

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Speaker 3: from Dallas, Texas. You can download the Pray Top and

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Speaker 3: make Bible study and prayer the priority of your life.

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Speaker 3: And if you appreciate this podcast, please share it with

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Speaker 3: someone else. God bless you.

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Speaker 4: This episode is sponsored by Meta Share, an innovative healthcare

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Speaker 4: solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.

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Speaker 2: Hello.

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Speaker 5: I'm doctor Tony Evans, and I'm excited to have you

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Speaker 5: join me on this new podcast.

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Speaker 3: Heroes in the Bible, come to me.

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Speaker 5: Boy, you and your God will crumble beneath my feet.

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Speaker 1: He beckoned the giant and said, I.

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Speaker 4: Come to you in the name of the Lord of

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Speaker 4: hosts and creator of the stars.

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Speaker 5: You know we all have giants that we face in

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Speaker 5: our life. And when you understand that the greatness of

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Speaker 5: God affects our ability to handle the giants of life,

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Speaker 5: it will encourage, inspire, and challenge all of us to

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Speaker 5: our faith in God and our growth in Jesus Christ.

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Speaker 4: Look past his height and appearance. Samuel, for man sees

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Speaker 4: the outward appearance. They see the strength of the man's arms,

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Speaker 4: but the Lord looks into the heart.

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Speaker 5: Listen to Heroes in the Bible with doctor Tony Evans

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Speaker 5: on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get

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Speaker 5: your podcast