We learn in the Book of Acts that Paul the Apostle saw a vision of Jesus while he was on the road to Damascus. In Acts 9:27 it says, Paul “…declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.”. We do not know if Paul saw Jesus in the flesh during His earthly ministry but we do know that He had a strong faith in Jesus and had a vision of seeing Him. Paul would have known the law super well and for someone like Him to repent and believe in Jesus shows that anyone can stop their hatred towards God and embrace Christ.

Jesus has sympathy for us and our struggles. The Bible tells us that Jesus, “…was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. – Hebrews 4:15”. Jesus is God and the only way to be saved and nowadays Jesus calls all to believe in Him, accept Him and be saved. Acts 17:30 says, “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:”. “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. – John 17:3”. Praise God that Jesus came to earth, died for our sins, rose from the dead and bridged the gap between God and people. Amen

Jeremiah 29:11 teaches God has a plan for me and created humans with purpose and because of that it helps define the reason that I have purpose in my life. I feel refreshed by the fact that God created me also in His image and that He has plans and a future for me. God is great and I understand that He indeed knows the end and the beginning. I feel that before I was born God already had a plan for me just like He had a plan for His creation to give glory to Him. God has helped redefine the magnificence of His presence in my life and His awesome power and the fact that He has control over my life. I find myself now reaching out more to God so that He can accomplish His will in my life and I feel that God has greater plans for me then that which I can’t even begin to perceive or understand.

The Bible teaches us in Genesis that God created heaven and the earth. Jesus and Heavenly Father & Holy Spirit are described as moving upon the face of the earth or waters. God sets into order the laws of the universe, the sun to rise and the sun to go down and creates all the plants. Then finally God makes humans in “His own image”. People in the beginning were created perfect and like Heavenly Father. We fell from perfection when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. The good news is that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to the earth to atone for our sins. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. – 1 Corinthians 15:22”. Amen

Isaiah predicts the birth of the Messiah. “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. – Isaiah 7:14”. Jesus is the Messiah that came to save people from their sins. The prediction of a Kingdom of God on earth is the prediction that the Messiah will come again and restore all things to perfection as in the beginning. Genesis 3:15 says, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”. That is a prophecy made in the beginning that Jesus would come and have victory over the snake that is satan. Jesus is eternal life. “Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. – John 6:58”.

We are saved by God’s grace and there is nothing we can do to justify ourselves before God, besides believing in Jesus. Romans 3:20 God makes it clear that we are not saved by obeying the law but instead by the blood of Christ. Christ is the only way to Heaven, and He saves those that accept Him. John 1:12 says, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; – 1 Timothy 2:5”. Romans 10:9 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”.

Romans 3:9 tells us that everyone has sinned both the Jews and the Gentiles.  Romans 3:23 goes on to say that “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.  This is an important fundamental truth that I believe is very important that we realize because we must confess to God that we have sinned when we accept Jesus.  “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be. – Romans 10:9-10”. If we were to say that we are sinless then we would deny the need for the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.  However, when we do admit to God that we have sinned he hears us and forgives us of our sins.

In the Book of Romans Paul makes it clear that he is not ashamed of the gospel (Romans 1:16) and that God has a very pure love for us because, “While we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).  “We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19”. He teaches us that it is by the blood of Jesus we are justified and saved from the wrath of God (Romans 5:9).  Paul also makes it clear that it is not our place to repay evil for evil and that God is the one who will judge those that have sinned.  He teaches us that salvation is a free gift that is given to us through Christ and was accomplished through His sacrifice on the cross. Salvation is, “Not of works, lest any man should boast. – Ephesians 2:9”. Praise God for His grace and love. Amen.

I found the appearance of Gabriel and other angels, and how people reacted to angels to be very interesting.  First Gabriel appears to Zechariah, who would be the father of John the Baptist. When Zechariah saw Gabriel, he was very afraid. (Luke 1:12) While Zechariah was in the temple the priests entered to burn incense and they found him there and he could not speak which was because he had doubted the angel’s words.  The angel had revealed to him that his son would be no ordinary child but would be a great prophet who would, “Go before the face of the Lord to prepare his way” (Luke 1:76).  When he finished his time in the temple, he went home.  Soon after his wife Elizabeth who was previously barren became pregnant.

We should be devoted to the Lord. Matthew 28:19 teaches that we should preach the Gospel. God can give us strength to spread His word. The Holy Spirit in us guides us into all truth and helps us to know God better. Our thoughts at times can be evil but God is good and without sin. We are forgiven through the blood of Jesus. We should let Christ’s will be done in us so that we can follow His plan. Amen