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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 every day life. When

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Speaker 1: Bible come to life, Stay tuned for the Bible any Year.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Speaker 3: We're so glad you've joined us on the Bible in

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Speaker 3: a Year podcast today. The Bible in a Year podcast

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Speaker 3: is an outreach of PowerPoint Ministries and can only come

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Speaker 3: to you each week through the support of listeners just

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Speaker 3: like you. Your support today is so important that we

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Speaker 3: want to think thank you for your gift by giving

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Speaker 3: you a copy of my book called the Jesus Book.

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Speaker 3: It is a powerful guide that shows how every book

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Speaker 3: of the Bible points to Jesus and how his living word,

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Speaker 3: the truth of God's Word, will transform your life. So

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Speaker 3: to get a copy of the Jesus Book, simply go

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Speaker 3: to Jack Graham dot org slash Jesus. That's Jack Graham

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Speaker 3: dot org slash Jesus and thank you for your support.

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Speaker 3: In yesterday's episode, we heard how Saul's persecution of the

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Speaker 3: Church had led to a great scattering of believers, a

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Speaker 3: dispersion of Christians. What the enemy meant for evil to

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

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Speaker 3: message of Jesus spreading far beyond Jerusalem and even beyond

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Speaker 3: Israel itself. We heard how Philips shared the good news

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Speaker 3: with an Ethiopian man, who then took the message of

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Speaker 3: salvation with him to the ends of the earth. Today

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Speaker 3: we'll hear how Saul, in the midst of his campaign

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Speaker 3: to destroy the Church and the message of Jesus, encounters

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Speaker 3: the very one that he is persecuting. It is on

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Speaker 3: the road to Damascus. He will be physically blinded, but

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Speaker 3: have his spiritual eyes open to the truth of who

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Speaker 3: Jesus is and there receive the highest calling of all,

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Speaker 3: which is to take the very message that he wanted

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Speaker 3: to destroy to the ends of the earth. Let's listen

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Speaker 3: 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 li Las Christian like cattle. He would put

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Speaker 2: an 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 persecuting me? Saul stood

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Speaker 2: to his feet, trying to see who dwelled behind 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 lay in bed for three days, silently 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 Anoneus.

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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: and prompting of God's spirits 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. Anonius 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 Anonius 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. All

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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 Anonias 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

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Speaker 2: day disciples. He did not want a wolf among sheep.

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Speaker 2: Who is Jesus, he asked plainly. There was a long pause.

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Speaker 2: Saul's face was filled with anguish and regret. He remembered

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Speaker 2: what he had done and what he had said, there

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Speaker 2: was blood on his hands. He is the son of God.

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Speaker 2: Saul answered. As he said these words, the entire room gasped.

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Speaker 2: They were amazed that Jesus had touched the heart of

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Speaker 2: someone so dark and so evil. Is this not the

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Speaker 2: man who watched as Stephan was stoned. Someone shouted, he

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Speaker 2: has probably come to kidnap Us and bind Us. But

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Speaker 2: Saul remained with the disciples for a long while and

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Speaker 2: learned under them. He listened to their words, he prayed

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Speaker 2: with tenderness. Day by day they watched this once evil

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Speaker 2: man turn into a minister of grace. Soon he appeared

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Speaker 2: in front of the Jews and Damascus and proclaimed the

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Speaker 2: truth of Jesus as the Christ, so much that they

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Speaker 2: plotted to kill him. So the Apostle lowered him down

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Speaker 2: and sent him back to Jerusalem with Barnabas. Thus began

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Speaker 2: the epic journey of the suffering servant of Christ. The

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Speaker 2: man who once sought the lives of Christians would lay

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Speaker 2: his life down daily for the advancement of the Gospel.

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Speaker 2: Saul's life would prove as a symbol to all those

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Speaker 2: who feel like they are too lost to come to God.

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Speaker 2: He is proof that nobody is outside the reach of

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Speaker 2: a tender and 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: faith that is threatening everything that he holds dear, all

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

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

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

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

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Speaker 3: and prophets. So Saul pa 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 links

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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: as 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 and helpless. His companions lead him

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Speaker 3: to Damascus, where he stayed for three days, fasting and

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Speaker 3: drinking nothing. As Saul waited, not knowing what would come next,

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

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Speaker 3: He appeared at a vision to a believer in Damascus

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

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

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

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

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Speaker 3: Did God really want Anonaius 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 important 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 had

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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 Anonias 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 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 into your Podcast, And before we go,

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Speaker 3: I wanted to let you know that the Bible into

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Speaker 3: your Podcast is an outreach of PowerPoint Ministries and can

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Speaker 3: only come to you each week through the support of

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Speaker 3: listeners like you. Your support today is so important that

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Speaker 3: we want to thank you for your gift by giving

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Speaker 3: you a copy of my book called The Jesus Book.

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Speaker 3: This book is a powerful guide that shows how every

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Speaker 3: book in the Bible points to Christ and how you

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Speaker 3: can better read and understand the Bible and how God's

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Speaker 3: Word transforms our lives. So to get your copy of

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Speaker 3: The Jesus Book, simply go to Jaggraham dot org slash Jesus.

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Speaker 3: That's Jaggraham dot org slash Jesus and thank you for

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Speaker 3: your support.